English Standard Version
Isaiah 66:4
4I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight."
Isaiah 66:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
- New International Version (NIV)so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)I will send them great trouble— all the things they feared. For when I called, they did not answer. When I spoke, they did not listen. They deliberately sinned before my very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise.”
Context of Isaiah 66:4
2All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. 3"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; I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight." 5Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: "Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, 'Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy'; but it is they who shall be put to shame. 6"The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!
Read all of Isaiah 66Isaiah 66:4 word by word
גַּם־אֲנִ֞י אֶבְחַ֣ר בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶ֗ם וּמְגֽוּרֹתָם֙ אָבִ֣יא לָהֶ֔ם יַ֤עַן קָרָ֙אתִי֙ וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶ֔ה דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָפַ֖צְתִּי בָּחָֽרוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I also will chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- their delusionsתַּעֲלוּלִיםta‛ălûl · capriceH8586
- and will bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- their fearsמְגוּרָהmegûrâh · fearH4035
- upon them; because when I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- none did answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- when I spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- they did not hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- but they didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- before mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- in which I delightedחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
Cross-references for Isaiah 66:4
- 1 Kings 22:19And Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left;
- Psalms 81:12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
- Proverbs 1:31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
- Matthew 24:24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
- Proverbs 10:24What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- Isaiah 50:2Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.
- Isaiah 65:12I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in."
- Proverbs 1:24Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
- Jeremiah 7:13And now, because you have done all these things, declares the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer,
- Matthew 22:2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,
- Isaiah 65:3a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;
- 2 Kings 21:2And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.
Commentaries on Isaiah 66:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I also will choose their delusions - Margin, Devices.‘ The Hebrew word rendered here delusions‘ and devices‘ (תעלוּלים ta‛ălûlı̂ym ) properly denotes petulance, sauciness; and then vexation, adverse destiny, from עלל ‛âlal to do, to accomplish, to do evil, to maltreat. It is not used in the sense of delusions, or devices; and evidently here means the same as calamity or punishment. Compare the Hebrew in Lamentations 1:22. Lowth and Noyes render it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-24Here, the Lord responds to the prayer in Isaiah 63:7–64:12.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. delusions--(2Th 2:11), answering to "their own ways" (Is 66:3; so Pr 1:31). However, the Hebrew means rather "vexations," "calamities," which also the parallelism to "fears" requires; "choose their calamities" means, "choose the calamities which they thought to escape by their own ways." their fears--the things they feared, to avert which their idolatrous "abominations" (Is 66:3) were practised. I called ... none ... answer--(See on Is 65:12; Is 65:24…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 66:4
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
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Commentaries