Isaiah 6
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืณ
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 6 of 66 | Day: 153 of 742
Date: July 14, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 6 is the throne vision โ the most consequential scene of revelation in the prophetic books, and the chapter from which Jewish liturgy drew the words recited in every public Amidah to this day. โIn the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His train filled the Temple.โ The commentators, following Yonatan and the tradition of Chazal, read โthe year of the kingโs deathโ as the year of his living death: the year Uzziah was struck with tzaraat when he forced his way into the Heichal to burn incense โ for a metzora is reckoned as dead. The timing is thus itself a judgment: Rashi pictures the court of heaven convened, God enthroned above with His feet resting in the Sanctuary as His footstool, sitting in judgment on the king who tried to usurp the crown of the priesthood. Radak devotes a long and careful discussion to what exactly the prophet โsawโ: not the Divine essence โ โno man shall see Me and liveโ โ but the kevod Hashem, the created glory, apprehended in the prophetic vision. He cites the Sagesโ resolution of the contradiction between that verse and this one (Moshe saw through the clear lens, the aspaklaria ha-meโirah; the other prophets through the unclear one), and their unforgettable comparison of the two great merkavah visions: Yechezkel, who describes every detail, is like a villager who saw the king; Yeshayahu, who reports only the essentials, is like a city-dweller who saw the king โ the vision was no novelty to him or his generation, and he wastes no words on it.
Around the throne stand the seraphim, six-winged: two wings covering the face, so as not to gaze toward the Shechinah; two covering the feet, in modesty โ or, in the Tanchuma Rashi cites, because their feet are like a calfโs sole, and the angels will not remind Israel of the sin of the golden calf; and two for flight. Radak, following the philosophical tradition of the Rambam, insists that the seraphim have neither faces nor feet nor wings in any physical sense โ the entire scene belongs to the prophetic vision โ and explains their name: they appeared as consuming fire (saraf) to disclose that the generationโs rebellion had made it liable to burning. Then the sound that entered the Siddur: โAnd one called to the other and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.โ Rashi explains the mutual calling as the angels granting one another permission so that none begins before his fellow โ they open together, as one โ the very language (โkulam kโechad onimโ) enshrined in the Yotzer blessing and the Kedushah. Radak offers the classic cosmology of the threefold kadosh: God is holy above the world of the angels, the world of the spheres, and this lower world; and he quotes the Kuzariโs deeper reading โ kadosh means transcendence itself, holiness unbounded, so that Yeshayahu heard kadosh repeated โwithout end.โ The counterweight of the verse is as important as its ascent: the thrice-holy God is not sealed away above, for the whole earth is full of His glory.
The vision then turns on the prophet himself. The doorposts shake and the house fills with smoke โ Rashi ties the quaking to the great earthquake of Uzziahโs day, when heaven trembled to burn the intruding king like Korachโs two hundred and fifty incense-bringers and the earth gaped to swallow him like Korach, until the heavenly voice fixed his sentence as tzaraat instead; Radak cites the Seder Olam that this vision came โin the days of the earthquake,โ two years after Amos prophesied. And Yeshayahu cries out: โWoe is me, for I am undone (nidmeiti), for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips.โ Like Manoach, he expects to die for having seen the King. Radak adds a penetrating explanation of why the prophet names the lips: having heard the seraphim sanctify God, he measures himself against them โ they are pure and their speech is pure, but he is flesh, his lips unfit for the Kedushah he has just overheard. The response is the strangest ordination in Tanakh: a seraph flies to him with a ritzpah, a live coal taken with tongs from the altar, and touches it to his mouth โ โyour iniquity is removed and your sin atoned.โ The midrash Rashi brings is startling: the word is read as retzotz peh, โcrush the mouthโ โ the coal comes to chasten the mouth that spoke slander against Israel, for โa people of unclean lipsโ was an accusation, and the same fiery rebuke met Eliyahu when he said โthey have forsaken Your covenant.โ And the Tanchuma draws the reverse wonder from the tongs: the angel dared not hold the coal barehanded, yet it touched the prophetโs lips and he was unharmed โ โstronger than the angels are those who do His word.โ
Purged, the prophet hears the deliberation of heaven โ โWhom shall I send, and who will go for us?โ (the plural, Radak and Metzudat David explain, as God taking counsel with the seraphim) โ and volunteers with the word that has become the emblem of prophetic readiness: โHineni, send me.โ Radak records the derash in which God warns him what he is volunteering for: โMy children are troublesome and rebellious. If you accept humiliation and blows, go.โ He accepted. The mission itself is the great paradox of the chapter: โHear indeed, but do not understandโฆ make the heart of this people fat, its ears heavy, its eyes sealed โ lest it see, and hear, and understand, and return, and be healed.โ Radak sets out the two classical readings: as decree โ when a sinner persists, God withholds the paths of repentance until the punishment is complete, as with Pharaoh and Sichon and the sons of Eli โ or as bitter description, the imperative standing for the indicative: you go on hearing and refuse to understand. Rashi takes the second course: the people deliberately stop their own ears against the prophets, afraid the words might please them, and they might understand, and return, and be healed. To the prophetโs anguished โHow long?โ comes the answer that frames the rest of the book: until the cities are waste, the houses empty, the people removed far away โ Radak: not a nearby exile but Chalach and Chavor, and Bavel. Yet the chapter refuses to end in ash. Even the surviving tenth will be burned again โ Radak and Metzudat David count the ten kings from Yotam to Tzidkiyahu โ but like the terebinth and the oak, which in winter shed everything and stand as if dead while the sap holds firm within, the felled nation keeps its trunk: zera kodesh matzavtah, the holy seed is its stump. Radak spells out the promise: the trees flower again in Nisan, and Israel, though wholly exiled, will sprout and return to its land. The vision that begins with a king struck down for grasping at holiness ends with holiness hidden in a stump, waiting for spring.
ืคืจืง ืืณ ยท Chapter 6
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืฉืึฐื ึทืชึพืืึนืชึ ืึทืึผึถึฃืึถืึฐ ืขึปืึผึดืึผึธึืืึผ ืึธืึถืจึฐืึถึงื ืึถืชึพืึฒืึนื ึธึื ืึนืฉืึตึฅื ืขึทืึพืึผึดืกึผึตึื ืจึธึฃื ืึฐื ึดืฉืึผึธึื ืึฐืฉืืึผืึธึืื ืึฐืึตืึดึฅืื ืึถืชึพืึทืึตืืึธึฝืื
English:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld my Sovereign seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of Godโs robe filled the temple.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืฉืึฐืจึธืคึดึจืื ืขึนืึฐืึดึคืืโืโืึดืึผึทึืขึทืึ ืึืึน ืฉืึตึงืฉื ืึผึฐื ึธืคึทึืึดื ืฉืึตึฅืฉื ืึผึฐื ึธืคึทึืึดื ืึฐืึถืึธึื ืึผึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทึฃืึดืโื ืึฐืึทืกึผึถึฃื ืคึธื ึธึืื ืึผืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทึืึดื ืึฐืึทืกึผึถึฅื ืจึทืึฐืึธึืื ืึผืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทึฅืึดื ืึฐืขืึนืคึตึฝืฃื
English:
Seraphs stood in attendance, each with six wingsโtwo covering the face, two covering the body, and two to fly with.
โถCommentaries (2)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึฐืงึธืจึธึจื ืึถึคื ืึถืึพืึถืึ ืึฐืึธืึทึืจ ืงึธืึงืึนืฉืโืโืงึธืึืึนืฉื ืงึธืึืึนืฉื ืึฐืึนืึธึฃื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึฐืึนึฅื ืืืึพืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐืืึนืึฝืึนื
English:
And one would call to the other,โHoly, holy, holy! GOD of HostsโWhose presence fills all the earth!โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธื ึปึืขืึผึ ืึทืึผึฃืึนืช ืึทืกึผึดืคึผึดึืื ืึดืงึผึืึนื ืึทืงึผืึนืจึตึื ืึฐืึทืึผึทึืึดืช ืึดืึผึธืึตึฅื ืขึธืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
The doorpostsadoorposts Meaning of Heb. uncertain. would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึธืึนืึทึืจ ืึฝืึนืึพืึดึฃื ืึดึฝืึพื ึดืึฐืึตึืืชึดื ืึผึดึฃื ืึดึคืืฉื ืึฐืึตึฝืึพืฉืึฐืคึธืชึทึืึดืึ ืึธื ึนึืึดื ืึผืึฐืชืึนืึฐึ ืขึทืึพืึฐืึตึฃื ืฉืึฐืคึธืชึทึืึดื ืึธื ึนืึดึื ืืึนืฉืึตึื ืึผึดึื ืึถืชึพืึทืึผึถึืึถืึฐ ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืจึธืึฅืึผ ืขึตืื ึธึฝืื
English:
I cried,โWoe is me; I am lost!For I am a man of impure lipsbof impure lips I.e., speaking impiety; cf. 9.16, and contrast โpure of speech [lit. โlipโ]โ in Zeph. 3.9. And I live among a peopleOf impure lips;Yet my own eyes have beheldThe Sovereign GOD of Hosts.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธึฃืขืืฃ ืึตืึทึื ืึถืึธืึ ืึดืึพืึทืฉืึผึฐืจึธืคึดึืื ืึผืึฐืึธืึืึน ืจึดืฆึฐืคึผึธึื ืึผึฐืึถึจืึฐืงึทืึทึืึดื ืึธืงึทึื ืึตืขึทึฅื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึตึฝืึทื
English:
Then one of the seraphsโwho had taken a live coal from the altar with a pair of tongsโflew over to me,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทืึผึทึฃืข ืขึทืึพืคึผึดึื ืึทืึผึนึืืึถืจ ืึดื ึผึตึื ื ึธืึทึฅืข ืึถึื ืขึทืึพืฉืึฐืคึธืชึถึืืึธ ืึฐืกึธึฃืจ ืขึฒืึบื ึถึืึธ ืึฐืึทืึผึธืืชึฐืึธึ ืชึผึฐืึปืคึผึธึฝืจื
English:
touched it to my lips, and declared,โNow that this has touched your lips,Your guilt shall departAnd your sin be purged away.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึธืึถืฉืึฐืึทึืข ืึถืชึพืงึคืึนื ืึฒืึนื ึธืึ ืึนืึตึืจ ืึถืชึพืึดึฅื ืึถืฉืึฐืึทึื ืึผืึดึฃื ืึตึฝืึถืึฐึพืึธึื ืึผ ืึธืึนืึทึืจ ืึดื ึฐื ึดึฅื ืฉืึฐืึธืึตึฝื ึดืื
English:
Then I heard the voice of my Sovereign saying, โWhom shall I send? Who will go for us?โ And I said, โHere am I; send me.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึนึืืึถืจ ืึตึฅืึฐ ืึฐืึธืึทืจึฐืชึผึธึ ืึธืขึธึฃื ืึทืึผึถึื ืฉืึดืึฐืขึคืึผ ืฉืึธืึืึนืขึทึ ืึฐืึทืึพืชึผึธืึดึืื ืึผ ืึผืจึฐืึฅืึผ ืจึธืึืึน ืึฐืึทืึพืชึผึตืึธึฝืขืึผื
English:
And [God] said, โGo, say to that people:โHear, indeed, but do not understand;See, indeed, but do not grasp.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึทืฉืึฐืึตืึ ืึตืึพืึธืขึธึฃื ืึทืึผึถึื ืึฐืืืึฐื ึธึฅืื ืึทืึฐืึผึตึื ืึฐืขึตืื ึธึฃืื ืึธืฉืึทึืข ืคึผึถืึพืึดืจึฐืึถึจื ืึฐืขึตืื ึธึืื ืึผืึฐืืืึฐื ึธึฃืื ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึดืฉืึฐืึธึืข ืึผืึฐืึธืึฅืึน ืึธืึดึืื ืึธืฉืึธึื ืึฐืจึธึฅืคึธื ืึฝืึนื
English:
Dull that peopleโs mind,Stop its ears,And seal its eyesโLest, seeing with its eyesAnd hearing with its ears,It also grasp with its mind,And repent and savecsave Lit. โheal.โ itself.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึธืึนืึทึืจ ืขึทืึพืึธืชึทึื ืึฒืึนื ึธึื ืึทืึผึนึกืืึถืจ ืขึทึฃื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึฉ ืึดืึพืฉืึธืึจืึผ ืขึธืจึดึืื ืึตืึตึฃืื ืืึนืฉืึตึื ืึผืึธืชึผึดืืึ ืึตืึตึฃืื ืึธืึธึื ืึฐืึธืึฒืึธืึธึื ืชึผึดืฉืึผึธืึถึฅื ืฉืึฐืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
I asked, โHow long, my Sovereign?โ And [God] replied:โTill towns lie waste without inhabitantsAnd houses without people,And the ground lies waste and desolateโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐืจึดืึทึฅืง ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึถืชึพืึธืึธืึธึื ืึฐืจึทืึผึธึฅื ืึธืขึฒืืึผืึธึื ืึผึฐืงึถึฅืจึถื ืึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅื
English:
For GOD will banish the populationโAnd deserted sites are manyIn the midst of the land.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึฅืึนื ืึผึธืึผึ ืขึฒืฉืึดึฃืจึดืึผึธึื ืึฐืฉืึธึืึธื ืึฐืึธืึฐืชึธึฃื ืึฐืึธืขึตึืจ ืึผึธืึตืึธึฃื ืึฐืึธืึทืึผึืึนื ืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืึผึฐืฉืึทืึผึถึืึถืชึ ืึทืฆึผึถึฃืึถืช ืึผึธึื ืึถึฅืจึทืข ืงึนึืึถืฉื ืึทืฆึผึทืึฐืชึผึธึฝืึผืย {ืค}
English:
โBut while a tenth part yet remains in it, it shall repent. It shall be ravaged like the terebinth and the oak, of which stumps are left even when they are felled: its stump shall be a holy seed.โ
โถCommentaries (1)