and your spokesmen rebelled against Me
The "spokesmen" could refer to the prophets, priests, or leaders of Israel who were meant to guide the people in faithfulness to God. Throughout Israel's history, there were numerous instances where leaders failed in their duties, leading the nation into idolatry and disobedience. This rebellion is documented in various parts of the Old Testament, such as the accounts of the unfaithful kings in 1 and 2 Kings, and the false prophets criticized by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The rebellion of these leaders underscores the need for a perfect mediator, which Christians believe is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the sinless high priest and ultimate prophet (Hebrews 4:14-15). This phrase serves as a reminder of the human tendency to stray from God's commands and the importance of faithful leadership.

• Isaiah reminds Israel that their spiritual problems are not new; they reach back to the very beginning of their lineage. Whether one sees “first father” as Adam (Genesis 3:6–7; Romans 5:12) or as Jacob/Israel (Genesis 27:19; Hosea 12:2), the point is the same: sin entered at the foundation and has stained every generation since.

• God’s statement exposes the futility of trusting pedigree or heritage for righteousness. Even the “first father” failed, echoing Paul’s later conclusion that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

• The verse fits Isaiah’s wider context (Isaiah 43:24) where the people’s ongoing iniquities are contrasted with God’s willingness to forgive (Isaiah 43:25). Humanity’s earliest failure magnifies the grace God is about to declare.

• The leaders who should have interceded—priests, prophets, elders—have themselves been guilty of rebellion. This mirrors God’s earlier indictments: “His watchmen are blind…they are shepherds without discernment” (Isaiah 56:10–11); “The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’” (Jeremiah 2:8).

• By pointing to “spokesmen,” God shows that institutional religion offers no safety when the representatives are corrupt (Jeremiah 5:31; Ezekiel 22:26). Rebellion at the top filters through the nation (Malachi 2:8).

• The statement prepares hearts for the Servant passages that follow (Isaiah 53:6, 11), highlighting the need for a perfect Mediator who will never rebel and can truly stand in the gap (Hebrews 7:26–27).

Isaiah 43:27 roots Israel’s present exile-bound condition in two historical realities: the original sin of their “first father” and the ongoing rebellion of their spiritual leaders. Both strands prove that sin is endemic to the human story and that neither ancestry nor religious office can secure righteousness. Only God’s promised redemption—fully revealed in the Messiah—answers the deep, inherited rebellion this verse exposes.

Thy teachers.--Literally, thy interpreters (Job 33:23), or thy mediators. The term is used in 2Chronicles 32:31 of the "ambassadors "of the king of Babylon, and stands here for the priests and the prophets, who ought officially to have been the expounders of the Divine will.