Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
ISAIAH 6:8KJVWhat does Isaiah 6:8 mean?
Isaiah 6:8 describes Isaiah offering to serve as the Lord’s messenger. The Lord asks whom he should send and who will go, and Isaiah answers from among those who hear him. Isaiah’s response marks his readiness to take on the task.
The question follows the cleansing of Isaiah’s lips in verse 7. The Lord’s “Who will go for us?” presents the task to those present, and Isaiah answers personally: “Here am I.”
The Hebrew behind Isaiah 6:8
- “heard” — שָׁמַע (shamaʿ): This word means to hear and can also carry the sense of listening or responding. Here Isaiah hears the Lord’s question and answers it.
- “send” — שָׁלַח (shalach): This word means to send or dispatch. Its use in both the Lord’s question and Isaiah’s answer links Isaiah’s offer directly to the task the Lord has raised.
Why Isaiah 6:8 matters
- The verse places Isaiah among the listeners in the scene. The Lord asks, “Who will go for us?” and Isaiah responds, “Here am I.”
- Isaiah offers to go before the message and its difficult reception are described. In the following verses, the Lord tells Isaiah what to say to the people.