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.
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)But those who choose their own ways— delighting in their detestable sins— will not have their offerings accepted. When such people sacrifice a bull, it is no more acceptable than a human sacrifice. When they sacrifice a lamb, it’s as though they had sacrificed a dog! When they bring an offering of grain, they might as well offer the blood of a pig. When they burn frankincense, it’s as if they had blessed an idol.

Context of Isaiah 66:3

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? 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. 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; 4so 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.” 5Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet 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“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
• Proverbs 15:8The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
• Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with evil intent!
• Amos 5:21“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.
• Deuteronomy 23:18You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.
• Isaiah 66:17“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.
• Isaiah 65:3a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick;
• Deuteronomy 14:8The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
• Leviticus 2:2and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
• Isaiah 65:12I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
• Judges 5:8God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but 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 save you when you are in trouble!”

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