Isaiah 66:4

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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.”

Context of Isaiah 66:4

2My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the Lord. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say. 3The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; the one who offers incense also praises an idol. They have decided to behave this way; they enjoy these disgusting practices. So I will choose severe punishment for them; I will bring on them what they dread, because I called, and no one responded, I spoke and they did not listen. They did evil before me; they chose to do what displeases me.” 5Hear the word of the Lord, you who respect what he has to say! Your countrymen, who hate you and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name, say, “May the Lord be glorified, then we will witness your joy.” But they will be put to shame. 6The sound of battle comes from the city; the sound comes from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.

Isaiah 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 22:19Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.
• Psalms 81:12I gave them over to their stubborn desires; they did what seemed right to them.
• Proverbs 1:31Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.
• Proverbs 10:24What the wicked fears will come on him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
• Isaiah 50:2Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.
• Isaiah 65:12I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond, I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.”
• Proverbs 1:24However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention,
• Jeremiah 7:13You also have done all these things, says the Lord, and I have spoken to you over and over again. But you have not listened! You have refused to respond when I called you to repent!
• Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
• Isaiah 65:3These people continually and blatantly offend me as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards and burn incense on brick altars.
• 2 Kings 21:2He did evil in the sight of the Lord and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.

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

• God
• Hypocrisy
• Impenitence

In the dictionaries

• Draw
• Extend
• Throne
• Delight
• Delusion
• Eschatology of the Old Testament
• Fear
• Isaiah

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