Isaiah 65:5

Isaiah 65:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
• New International Version (NIV)who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
• English Standard Version (ESV)who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

Context of Isaiah 65:5

3These people constantly and openly provoked me. They offered sacrifices in gardens and burnt incense on brick altars. 4They sat among the graves and spent their nights in caves. They ate pork and in their pots made broth from unclean foods. They said, “Stay away! Don’t touch me! I’m holier than you are.” They have become like smoke in my nose, like a smoldering fire all day long. 6“Look! It is written in front of me. I will not be silent, but I will repay. I will repay you in full. 7I will repay you for your sins and for the sins of your ancestors,” says the Lord. They burnt incense on the mountains and slandered me on the hills, so I will be the first to pay them back in full.

Isaiah 65:5 word by word

הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ קְרַ֣ב אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־תִּגַּשׁ־בִּ֖י כִּ֣י קְדַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ אֵ֚לֶּה עָשָׁ֣ן בְּאַפִּ֔י אֵ֥שׁ יֹקֶ֖דֶת כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Which sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Standקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• by thyself, come not nearנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• to me; for I am holierקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
• a smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• in my noseאַף'aph · face: noseH639
• a fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• that burnethיָקַדyâqad · to burnH3344
• all the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Isaiah 65:5

• Matthew 9:11The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
• Luke 5:30The Pharisees and their experts in Moses’ Teachings complained to Jesus’ disciples. They asked, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
• Luke 7:39The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and thought, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.”
• Luke 15:2But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
• Luke 18:9Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else.
• Acts 22:21“But the Lord told me, ‘Go! I’ll send you on a mission. You’ll go far away to people who aren’t Jewish.’ ”
• Romans 2:17You call yourself a Jew, rely on the laws in Moses’ Teachings, brag about your God,
• Jude 1:19These are the people who cause divisions. They are concerned about physical things, not spiritual things.
• Proverbs 6:16There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him:
• Proverbs 10:26Like vinegar to the teeth, like smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy person to those who send him ⌞on a mission⌟.
• Proverbs 16:5Everyone with a conceited heart is disgusting to the Lord. Certainly, ⌞such a person⌟ will not go unpunished.
• James 4:6But God shows us even more kindness. Scripture says, “God opposes arrogant people, but he is kind to humble people.”
• 1 Peter 5:5Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.
• Deuteronomy 29:20The Lord will never be willing to forgive that person, because the Lord’s burning anger will smolder against him. All the curses described in this book will happen to him. The Lord will erase ⌞every memory of⌟ that person’s name from the earth.
• Deuteronomy 32:20He said, “I will turn away from them and find out what will happen to them. They are devious people, children who can’t be trusted.

Commentaries on Isaiah 65:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For I am holier than thou - So the Chaldee renders it. קדשתיך kedashticha is the same with ממך קדשתי kadashti mimmecha . In the same manner חזקתני chazaktani, Jeremiah 20:7, is used for ממני חזקת chazacta mimmenni, "thou art stronger than I." - L.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Which say, Stand by thyself - Who at the time that they engage in these abominations are distinguished for spiritual pride. The most worthless people are commonly the most proud; and they who have wandered farthest from God have in general the most exalted idea of their own goodness. It was a characteristic of a large part of the Jewish nation, and especially of the Pharisees, to be self-righteous and proud. A striking illustration of this we have in the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5do not come near me, for I am holier than you!: The people of Israel used the words of ritual purification found in the law of Moses. They spoke as if they were clean and obedient to God. But they also practiced worship influenced by pagan religions. Their actions did not match their words. Because of this hypocrisy, God was deeply displeased. The text says they were like a bad smell in his nostrils. This image shows how offensive their behavior was to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. (Mt 9:11; Lu 5:30; 18:11; Jude 19). Applicable to the hypocritical self-justifiers of our Lord's time. smoke--alluding to the smoke of their self-righteous sacrifices; the fire of God's wrath was kindled at the sight, and exhibited itself in the smoke that breathed forth from His nostrils; in Hebrew the nose is the seat of anger; and the nostrils distended in wrath, as it were, breathe forth smoke [Rosenmuller] (Psa 18:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 65:5

• Bigotry
• Church
• Condescension of God
• Heathen
• Hypocrisy
• Presumption
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Cry
• Sought
• Thence
• Fire
• Isaiah
• Nose; Nostrils
• Oreb; Zeeb
• Salvation

Commentaries on Isaiah 65

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings