Isaiah 31:6

My Notes

What Does Isaiah 31:6 Mean?

"Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted." Isaiah's call to repentance is brief and devastating. The word "deeply" (he'emuqu) means to make deep, to go far — the revolt wasn't shallow or casual. Israel didn't drift slightly; they went deep into rebellion. The distance from God isn't small; it's a chasm.

The call is simply "turn" (shuv) — the Hebrew word for repentance. No complicated process, no multi-step program. Just turn. Reverse direction. Come back. The simplicity of the command contrasts with the depth of the revolt. The turning is simple; the revolt was deep.

Isaiah addresses the revolt in the third person ("the children of Israel") while commanding the audience in the second person ("turn ye"). He separates the people from their rebellion — you are not identical with your revolt. You revolted deeply, but you can still turn. The rebellion defines your past; it doesn't have to define your future.

Reflection Questions

• 1.How deep is your current revolt from God — shallow drift or deep rebellion?
• 2.Does the simplicity of 'turn' seem too easy for the depth of your wandering?
• 3.How does Isaiah's separation between you and your revolt change your sense of identity?
• 4.What would 'turning' look like for you today — what specific direction change?

Devotional

Turn. One word. After deep revolt, after going far from God, after rebellion that wasn't shallow or accidental — the instruction is simply: turn.

The depth of the revolt makes the simplicity of the instruction almost absurd. Israel didn't wander slightly. They went deep into rebellion. They revolted intentionally, persistently, profoundly. And God's response to profound rebellion is one syllable: turn.

This is the scandalous simplicity of repentance. You would expect that deep rebellion requires deep penance — years of making up for it, elaborate processes of restoration, complex programs of spiritual rehabilitation. Isaiah says: turn. The distance you traveled into rebellion is reversed by a single change of direction.

The separation between the people and their rebellion is crucial. Isaiah says "the children of Israel" revolted deeply — but he tells "you" to turn. You are not your rebellion. Your past revolt doesn't lock you in. The depth of your going away doesn't determine whether you can come back. Coming back takes one thing: turning.

How deep have you gone? It doesn't matter. Not in the sense that depth doesn't have consequences — it does. But in the sense that no depth is beyond the reach of a turn. The way back from deep rebellion starts with the same simple motion as the way back from shallow drift: turn.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture