your iniquities have separated Lit. "have been separating." The expression is that used of the firmament in Genesis 1:6; it implies that guilt has been a permanent cause of alienation between Israel and its God.

have hidhis face i.e. caused Him to withdraw His favour (cf. ch. Isaiah 8:17). Instead of "his face," the Hebr. has simply "face" as in Job 34:29. Various explanations are offered of this peculiar expression; perhaps the easiest is that "the Face" had come to be used absolutely of the face of God.

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