And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

ISAIAH 6:7KJV
Know the Bible

Isaiah 6:7 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 6:7 mean?

Isaiah 6:7 describes a moment when a heavenly being touches Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal, declaring that Isaiah’s guilt is removed and his sin is cleansed. This act symbolizes Isaiah being made spiritually clean and ready for his prophetic mission.

In this scene, Isaiah is in a vision where he stands before God and feels unworthy because of his sin. One of the seraphim (an angelic being) takes a live coal from the altar and touches Isaiah’s mouth, saying that his iniquity is taken away. This dramatic gesture shows that Isaiah’s sense of guilt is addressed directly by God’s action, preparing him to speak God’s words.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 6:7

  • עָוֹן (ʿavon, H5771) — "iniquity": This word refers to guilt or moral wrongdoing. The verse emphasizes that Isaiah’s deep-seated guilt is specifically what is being removed, not just a minor fault.
  • חָטָּאת (chatta’t, H2403) — "sin": This word often points to an act of missing the mark or wrongdoing. The verse pairs it with "iniquity" to show a full cleansing, not just a partial one.
  • כָּפַר (kaphar, H3722) — "purged": This word means to cover, atone, or cleanse. The use of this word highlights that Isaiah’s sin is not just ignored but actively dealt with, making him fit for service.

Why Isaiah 6:7 matters

  • Isaiah 6:7 clears up the idea that a person must be perfect before God can use them; instead, God provides the cleansing needed for service.
  • The verse emphasizes that forgiveness and readiness for God’s work come from God’s initiative, not from human effort.
  • This moment connects to the wider passage by showing why Isaiah, who felt unworthy, could go on to become a prophet—his calling begins with God’s act of making him clean.

Where else these words appear

“purged” Hebrew H3722 · used in 94 verses

  • Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
  • Leviticus 14:21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
  • Numbers 25:13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

“laid” Hebrew H5060 · used in 142 verses

  • Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
  • Numbers 19:18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
  • Psalms 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.