Isaiah 66:3

Isaiah 66:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
• New International Version (NIV)But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
• English Standard Version (ESV)"He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig's blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;
• New King James Version (NKJV)“He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,

Context of Isaiah 66:3

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? 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. One 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. 4So I will choose their punishment, and I will bring on them what they dread because I called and no one answered; I spoke and they did not listen; they did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in. 5You who tremble at his word, hear the word of the Lord: “Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified so that we can see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”

Isaiah 66:3 word by word

שׁוֹחֵ֨ט הַשּׁ֜וֹר מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זוֹבֵ֤חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ עֹ֣רֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַעֲלֵ֤ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that killethשָׁחַטshâchaţ · to slaughterH7819
• an oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• he slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• he that sacrificethזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• a lambשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
• he cut offעָרַף‛âraph · to break the neckH6202
• a dog’sכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• he that offerethעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
• an oblationמִנְחָהminchâh · offeringH4503
• swine’sחֲזִירchăzîyr · swineH2386
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• he that burnethזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• incenseלְבֹנָהlebônâh lebônâh · frankincenseH3828
• he blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• an idolאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• Yea, they have chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• their own waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• and their soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• delightethחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
• in their abominationsשִׁקּוּץshiqqûts shiqqûts · abominationH8251

Cross-references for Isaiah 66:3

• Isaiah 1:11“What are all your sacrifices to me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats.
• Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
• Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable — how much more so when he brings it with ulterior motives!
• Amos 5:21I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
• Deuteronomy 23:18Do not bring a female prostitute’s wages or a male prostitute’s earnings into the house of the Lord your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the Lord your God.
• Isaiah 66:17“Those who dedicate and purify themselves to enter the groves following their leader, eating meat from pigs, vermin, and rats, will perish together.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Isaiah 65:3These people continually anger me to my face, sacrificing in gardens, burning incense on bricks,
• Deuteronomy 14:8and pigs, though they have hooves, they do not chew the cud — they are unclean for you. Do not eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
• Leviticus 2:2and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
• Isaiah 65:12I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not hear; you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.”
• Judges 5:8Israel chose new gods, then there was war in the city gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
• Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed.”

Commentaries on Isaiah 66:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man "He that slayeth an ox killeth a man" - These are instances of wickedness joined with hypocrisy; of the most flagitious crimes committed by those who at the same time affected great strictness in the performance of all the external services of religion. God, by the Prophet Ezekiel, upbraids the Jews with the same practices: "When they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man - Lowth and Noyes render this, He that slayeth an ox, killeth a man.‘ This is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Jerome renders it, He who sacrifices an ox is as if (quasi) he slew a man.‘ The Septuagint, in a very free translation - such as is common in their version of Isaiah - render it, The wicked man who sacrifices a calf, is as he who kills a dog; and he who offers to me fine flour, it is as the blood…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3delighted in their abominations: This refers to pagan worship practices. slaughters an ox … blesses an idol: Some wicked people offered sacrifices as the law of Moses required. But they continued to sin and worship idols. Because of this, their sacrifices were no better than pagan offerings in God’s sight (see Isaiah 1:11–17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (Is 1:11; Pr 15:8; 28:9). is as if--Lowth not so well omits these words: "He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man" (as in Eze 23:39). But the omission in the Hebrew of "is as if"--increases the force of the comparison. Human victims were often offered by the heathen. dog's neck--an abomination according to the Jewish law (De 23:18); perhaps made so, because dogs were venerated in Egypt. He…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 66:3

• Frankincense
• Hypocrisy
• Offerings
• Swine

In the dictionaries

• Abomination
• Boar
• Draw
• Extend
• Idol
• Swine
• Throne
• Abomination of Desolation
• Aven
• Delight

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