Focused Passage

Isaiah 66:1-6

The LORD’s Final Word: The Humble Who Tremble, the Birth of Zion, the Gathering of Nations, and the Judgment of Rebels

From the LORD’s declaration that heaven is his throne and earth his footstool, to his favor toward the humble and contrite who tremble at his word, to condemnation of self-chosen worship, to comfort for those hated for the LORD’s name, to Zion’s miraculous birth and Jerusalem’s maternal comfort, to the LORD’s fiery judgment, to the gathering of nations and return of scattered worshipers, to priestly inclusion, to enduring new creation worship, and finally to the horrifying end of rebels.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

2 Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.

4 So I will choose their punishment and I will bring terror upon them, because I called and no one answered, I spoke and no one listened. But they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”

5 You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”

6 Hear the uproar from the city; listen to the voice from the temple! It is the voice of the LORD, repaying His enemies what they deserve!

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

This is what כֹּ֚ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Heaven הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural is My throne כִּסְאִ֔י H3678 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and earth וְהָאָ֖רֶץ H776 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular is My footstool הֲדֹ֣ם H1916 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . רַגְלָ֑י H7272 Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular What kind אֵי־ H335 Interrogative . . . זֶ֥ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular of house בַ֙יִת֙ H1004 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative will you build תִּבְנוּ־ H1129 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural for Me לִ֔י Preposition | first person common singular Or where [will] וְאֵי־ H335 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative . . . זֶ֥ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular My place מָק֖וֹם H4725 Noun - masculine singular of repose [be] מְנוּחָתִֽי׃ H4496 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 2

Original words

[Has not] My hand יָדִ֣י H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular made עָשָׂ֔תָה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these things אֵ֙לֶּה֙ H428 Pronoun - common plural And so they אֵ֖לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural came into being וַיִּהְי֥וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition This is the one זֶ֣ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular I will esteem אַבִּ֔יט H5027 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition he who is humble עָנִי֙ H6041 Adjective - masculine singular and contrite וּנְכֵה־ H5223 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct in spirit ר֔וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular who trembles וְחָרֵ֖ד H2730 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular at עַל־ H5921 Preposition My word דְּבָרִֽי׃ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular וְאֶת־ וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Pro - כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct

BSB notes

  • Cited in Acts 7:49–50
Verse 3

Original words

Whoever slaughters שׁוֹחֵ֨ט H7819 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular an ox הַשּׁ֜וֹר H7794 Article | Noun - masculine singular is [like] one who slays מַכֵּה־ H5221 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct a man אִ֗ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular whoever sacrifices זוֹבֵ֤חַ H2076 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular a lamb הַשֶּׂה֙ H7716 Article | Noun - masculine singular [is like] one who breaks a dog’s כֶּ֔לֶב H3611 Noun - masculine singular neck עֹ֣רֵֽף H6202 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular whoever presents מַעֲלֵ֤ה H5927 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct a grain offering מִנְחָה֙ H4503 Noun - feminine singular [is like] one who offers מַזְכִּ֥יר H2142 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular pig’s חֲזִ֔יר H2386 Noun - masculine singular blood דַּם־ H1818 Noun - masculine singular construct whoever offers frankincense לְבֹנָ֖ה H3828 Noun - feminine singular [is like] one who blesses מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ H1288 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular an idol אָ֑וֶן H205 Noun - masculine singular Indeed גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction they הֵ֗מָּה H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural have chosen בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ H977 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural their own ways בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם H1870 Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine plural and delighted חָפֵֽצָה׃ H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular in their abominations וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם H8251 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural . . . נַפְשָׁ֥ם H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 4

Original words

So גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction I אֲנִ֞י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will choose אֶבְחַ֣ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular their punishment בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶ֗ם H8586 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural and I will bring אָבִ֣יא H935 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular terror וּמְגֽוּרֹתָם֙ H4035 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural upon them לָהֶ֔ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural because יַ֤עַן H3282 Adverb I called קָרָ֙אתִי֙ H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and no וְאֵ֣ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb one answered עוֹנֶ֔ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular I spoke דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular and no one וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle listened שָׁמֵ֑עוּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural But they did וַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural evil הָרַע֙ H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in My sight בְּעֵינַ֔י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | first person common singular and chose בָּחָֽרוּ׃ס H977 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural that in which וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Pronoun - relative I did not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle delight חָפַ֖צְתִּי H2654 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Verse 5

Original words

You who tremble הַחֲרֵדִ֖ים H2730 Article | Adjective - masculine plural at אֶל־ H413 Preposition His word דְּבָר֑וֹ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular hear שִׁמְעוּ֙ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the word דְּבַר־ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Your brothers אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural who hate you שֹׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם H8130 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and exclude you מְנַדֵּיכֶ֗ם H5077 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural because of לְמַ֤עַן H4616 Preposition My name שְׁמִי֙ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular have said אָמְרוּ֩ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Let the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular be glorified יִכְבַּ֣ד H3513 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular that we may see וְנִרְאֶ֥ה H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural your joy בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶ֖ם H8057 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural But they וְהֵ֥ם H1992 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural will be put to shame יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃ H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 6

Original words

Hear ק֤וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct the uproar שָׁאוֹן֙ H7588 Noun - masculine singular from the city מֵעִ֔יר H5892 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular [listen to] the voice ק֖וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular from the temple מֵֽהֵיכָ֑ל H1964 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular [It is] the voice ק֣וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular repaying מְשַׁלֵּ֥ם H7999 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular His enemies לְאֹיְבָֽיו׃ H341 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular what they deserve גְּמ֖וּל H1576 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.