Isaiah 50:1

 Isaiah 50:1

Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

a. NASB 2020: This is what the LORD says:“Where is the certificate of divorce By which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your wrongdoings, And for your wrongful acts your mother was sent away. [NASB20] New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: Thus said Jehovah: 'Where is this -- the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Thus says the Lord: Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce with which I put her away, O Israel? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. The Milstein Edition, Later Prophets, Isaiah. With Rabbinic Commentary: Thus said HASHEM: What is your mother’s bill of divorce by which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors have i sold you? Behold, it is for your iniquities that you have been sold, and for your rebellious sins that your mother has been sent away.  [THE ARTSCROLL SERIES\MILSTEIN EDITION THE LATTER PROPHETS, ISAIAH Ⓒ Copyright 2013 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. ESV: Thus says the LORD: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce, with which I sent her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away. [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

1. “Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you…”

a. Thus [Strong: 3541 kôh, ko; from the prefix k and H1931; properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now:—also, here, hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), mean while, yonder.]

b. saith [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. Where [Strong: 335 ʼay, ah'ee; perhaps from H370; where? hence how?:—how, what, whence, where, whether, which (way).]

e. [Strong: 2088 zeh, zeh; a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that:—he, × hence, × here, it(-self), × now, × of him, the one...the other, × than the other, (× out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, × thus, very, which.]

f. [is the] bill [Strong: 5612 çêpher, say'-fer; or (feminine) סִפְרָה çiphrâh; (Psalm 56:8 (H9)), from H5608; properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book:—bill, book, evidence, × learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.]

g. [of you] mother’s [Strong: 517 ʼêm, ame; a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively [like father]):—dam, mother, × parting.]

h. divorcement [Strong: 3748 kᵉrîythûwth, ker-ee-thooth'; from H3772; a cutting (of the matrimonial bond), i.e. divorce:—divorce(-ment).]

i. whom [Strong: 834 ʼăsher, ash-er'; a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:—× after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

j. [I have] put away [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

k. or [Strong: 176 ʼôw, o; presumed to be the 'constructive' or genitival form of אַו ʼav ; short for H185; desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:—also, and, either, if, at the least, × nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.]

l. which [Strong: 4310  mîy, me; an interrogative pronoun of persons, as H4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix:—any (man), × he, × him, O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), would to God.]

m. [of my] creditors [Strong: 5383  nâshâh, naw-shaw'; a primitive root (rather identical with H5382, in the sense of H5378); to lend or (by reciprocity) borrow on security or interest:—creditor, exact, extortioner, lend, usurer, lend on (taker on) usury.]

n. [is it to] whom [Strong: 834 ʼăsher, ash-er'; a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:—× after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

o. [I have] sold you [Strong: 4376  mâkar, maw-kar'; a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender):—× at all, sell (away, -er, self).]

p. you [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

2. “...Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.”

a. Behold [Strong: 2005 hên, hane; a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if:—behold, if, lo, though.]

b. [for your] iniquities [Strong: 5771 ʻâvôn, aw-vone'; or עָווֹן ʻâvôwn; (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 [7]), from H5753; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil:—fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.]

c. [have ye]  sold yourselves [Strong: 4376  mâkar, maw-kar'; a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender):—× at all, sell (away, -er, self).]

d. [and for your] transgressions [Strong: 6588 peshaʻ, peh'-shah; from H6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):—rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.]

e. [is your] mother [Strong: 517 ʼêm, ame; a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively [like father]):—dam, mother, × parting.]

f. put away [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

1). Barnes Notes: Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you - Among the Hebrews, a father had the right, by the law of Moses, if he was oppressed with debt, to sell his children Exodus 21:7; Nehemiah 5:5. In like manner, if a man had stolen anything, and had nothing to make restitution, he might be sold for the theft Exodus 22:3. If a man also was poor and unable to pay his debts, he might be sold Leviticus 25:39; 2 Kings 4:1; Matthew 18:25. On the subject of slavery among the Hebrews, and the Mosaic laws in regard to it, see Michaelis' Commentary on the Laws of Moses, vol. ii. pp. 155, following In this passage, God says that he had not been governed by any such motives in his dealings with his people. He had not dealt with them as a poor parent sometimes felt himself under a necessity of doing, when he sold his children, or as a creditor did when a man was not able to pay him. He had been governed by different motives, and he had punished them only on account of their transgressions. Ye have sold yourselves - That is, you have gone into captivity only on account of your sins. It has been your own act, and you have thus become bondmen to a foreign power only by your own choice. Is your mother put away - Retaining the figure respecting divorce. The nation has been rejected, and suffered to go into exile, only on account of its transgressions.