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.
• 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.”
• 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

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; 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.” 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. 6Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.

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 continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left.
• Psalms 81:12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
• Proverbs 1:31they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
• 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 all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
• Proverbs 10:24What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.
• Isaiah 50:2When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
• 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.”
• Proverbs 1:24But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
• Jeremiah 7:13While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.
• Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
• Isaiah 65:3a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick;
• 2 Kings 21:2He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out 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