New International Version
Isaiah 66:1
1This 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?
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?
- 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?
- New Living Translation (NLT)This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
Context of Isaiah 66:1
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? 2Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. 3But 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;
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 8:27“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
- 1 Chronicles 28:2King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.
- 2 Chronicles 6:18“But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
- Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.
- Psalms 99:9Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
- Psalms 132:7“Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool, saying,
- Matthew 5:34But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
- Matthew 23:21And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
- Acts 17:24“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
- 2 Samuel 7:5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?
- Jeremiah 7:4Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”
- Malachi 1:11My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.
- Matthew 24:2“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
- John 4:20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
- Acts 7:48“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human 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
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