New Living Translation
Isaiah 66:3
3But 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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;
- 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,
Context of Isaiah 66:3
1This 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? 2My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. 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. 4I 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.” 5Hear this message from the Lord, all you who tremble at his words: “Your own people hate you and throw you out for being loyal to my name. ‘Let the Lord be honored!’ they scoff. ‘Be joyful in him!’ But they will be put to shame.
Read all of Isaiah 66Isaiah 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“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
- Proverbs 15:8The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
- Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.
- Amos 5:21“I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
- Deuteronomy 23:18When you are bringing an offering to fulfill a vow, you must not bring to the house of the Lord your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the Lord your God.
- Isaiah 66:17“Those who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center—feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats—will come to a terrible end,” says the Lord.
- Isaiah 65:3All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on pagan altars.
- Deuteronomy 14:8And you may not eat the pig. It has split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses.
- Leviticus 2:2and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
- Isaiah 65:12now I will ‘destine’ you for the sword. All of you will bow down before the executioner. For when I called, you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not listen. You deliberately sinned—before my very eyes— and chose to do what you know I despise.”
- Judges 5:8When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
- Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”
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
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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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