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 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. 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. 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.” 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. 6What is all the commotion in the city? What is that terrible noise from the Temple? It is the voice of the Lord taking vengeance against 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 22:19Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
• Psalms 81:12So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.
• Proverbs 1:31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.
• Proverbs 10:24The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted.
• Isaiah 50:2Why was no one there when I came? Why didn’t anyone answer when I called? Is it because I have no power to rescue? No, that is not the reason! For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up! I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish.
• 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.”
• Proverbs 1:24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
• Jeremiah 7:13While you were doing these wicked things, says the Lord, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.
• Matthew 22:2“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.
• Isaiah 65:3All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on pagan altars.
• 2 Kings 21:2He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the detestable practices of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven from the land ahead of 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