Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 66:1
1This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be?
Isaiah 66:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?
Context of Isaiah 66:1
This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be? 2My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word. 3One person slaughters an ox, another kills a person; one person sacrifices a lamb, another breaks a dog’s neck; one person offers a grain offering, another offers pig’s blood; one person offers incense, another praises an idol — all these have chosen their ways and delight in their abhorrent practices.
Read all of Isaiah 66Isaiah 66:1 word by word
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנוּחָתִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- The heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- my throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
- and the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- my footstoolהֲדֹםhădôm · footstoolH1916
- my footstoolרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
- that ye buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- of my restמְנוּחָהmenûchâh menûchâh · restingH4496
Cross-references for Isaiah 66:1
- 1 Kings 8:27But will God indeed live on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this temple I have built.
- 1 Chronicles 28:2Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the Lord’s covenant and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build,
- 2 Chronicles 6:18But will God indeed live on earth with humans? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this temple I have built.
- Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord—his throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his gaze examines everyone.
- Psalms 99:9Exalt the Lord our God; bow in worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
- Psalms 132:7Let’s go to his dwelling place; let’s worship at his footstool.
- Matthew 5:34But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne;
- Matthew 23:21The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it.
- Acts 17:24The God who made the world and everything in it — he is Lord of heaven and earth — does not live in shrines made by hands.
- 2 Samuel 7:5“Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?
- Jeremiah 7:4Do not trust deceitful words, chanting, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.”
- Malachi 1:11“My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Matthew 24:2He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”
- John 4:20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
- Acts 7:48but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says:
Commentaries on Isaiah 66:1
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The heaven is my throne - (See the notes at Isaiah 57:15). Here he is represented as having his seat or throne there. He speaks as a king. heaven is the place where he holds his court; from where he dispenses his commands; and from where he surveys all his works (compare 2 Chronicles 6:18; Matthew 5:34). The idea here is, that as God dwelt in the vast and distant heavens, no house that could be built on earth could be magnificent enough to be his abode…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God looks at the heart, and vengeance is threatened for guilt. (Is. 66:1-4) The increase of the church, when Jew and Gentile shall be gathered to the Redeemer. (Is. 66:5-14) Every enemy of the church shall be destroyed, and the final ruin of ungodly men shall be seen. (Is. 66:15-24) Verses 1-4 The Jews gloried much in their temple. But what satisfaction can the Eternal Mind take in a house made with men's hands? God has a heaven and an earth of his own…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1My throne … My footstool: God's kingdom extends over all creation (see Isaiah 40:22; Matthew 5:34–035). house … place of repose: The entire universe is God's home, so humans cannot confine him to a building (see 1 Kings 8:27). Stephen quoted Isaiah 66:1–2a in his final sermon (Acts 7:49–50).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-24This closing chapter is the summary of Isaiah's prophecies as to the last days, hence the similarity of its sentiments with what went before. 1. heaven ... throne ... where is ... house ... ye build--The same sentiment is expressed, as a precautionary proviso for the majesty of God in deigning to own any earthly temple as His, as if He could be circumscribed by space (1Ki 8:27) in inaugurating the temple of stone; next, as to the temple of the Holy Ghost…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 66:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 66
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries