Isaiah 65 18

Isaiah 65:18 kjv

But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

Isaiah 65:18 nkjv

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.

Isaiah 65:18 niv

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

Isaiah 65:18 esv

But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness.

Isaiah 65:18 nlt

Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!
And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness.
Her people will be a source of joy.

Isaiah 65 verses

Isaiah 65 18 meaning

This verse conveys God's sovereign command and promise for His people to experience profound and everlasting gladness. This eternal joy is to be found in God's mighty creative work, specifically His transformation of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. It highlights that God Himself is the initiator and executor of this new reality, where the city and its people will not merely possess joy but will become the very embodiment of delight and rejoicing, an ultimate restoration surpassing all past sorrow.

Isaiah 65 18 Context

Isaiah 65 unfolds as a powerful declaration of God's justice and ultimate faithfulness. The preceding verses (1-16) recount Israel's apostasy, idolatry, and rebellion, leading to judgment, but also assure a future distinction between God's "servants" (the faithful remnant) and those who forsook Him. This verse (18) marks a pivotal shift, introducing the climax of God's redemptive plan for His chosen people. It launches into the description of "new heavens and a new earth" (v. 17) where sorrow, crying, and pain are no more, providing the immediate backdrop for the promise of everlasting joy centered on a newly created Jerusalem. The historical context reflects a people who had experienced significant devastation and exile, and whose spiritual identity was intertwined with the physical city of Jerusalem. Culturally, this prophecy stands in stark contrast to the cyclic and often harsh deities of surrounding pagan cultures, emphasizing a single, sovereign God who unilaterally brings forth a joyful and perfect future through a deliberate act of creation, not by fickle fortune or human effort.

Isaiah 65 18 Word analysis

• But be glad (וְשִׂישׂוּ - v'śîśû): This is an imperative, a direct command, indicating an expected state of being. The root śūs (שׂושׂ) signifies intense, exuberant, and often outward joy, jubilation, or rejoicing. It implies a deep emotional response that comes from the heart, often in connection with a significant event or divine favor. This is not passive happiness, but an active, joyous celebration.
• and rejoice (וְגִילוּ - v'gîlû): Also an imperative, and a near-synonym to "be glad," amplifying the command for profound joy. The root gîl (גיל) often carries the nuance of "leaping for joy" or "spinning around in delight," suggesting a physical, expressive manifestation of inner exultation. Paired with śūs, it conveys a full and unrestrained expression of joy.
• forever (עֲדֵי עַד - aḏê ‘aḏ): This is a strong and emphatic Hebrew idiom for "eternally," "perpetually," or "without end." It underscores the enduring, boundless, and unchanging nature of the promised joy. It speaks of a duration far beyond any temporal suffering or transient human happiness. This contrasts with the temporary sorrow described previously for Israel.
• in what I create (בַּאֲשֶׁר אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא - ba'ăšer 'ănî bōrē'): This phrase directs the source and object of this joy.
  • אֲנִי ('ănî): The emphatic "I" highlights God Himself as the sole and supreme Agent.
  • בּוֹרֵא (bōrē'): The participle of the verb bārā’ (ברא) signifies "create" or "am creating," implying an ongoing, active, and fundamental act of divine creation. This is creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) or a radical re-creation, a unique prerogative of God that sets it apart from human "making" (‘āśāh). The joy is rooted in God's absolute, originating power.
• for behold (כִּי הִנְנִי - kî hinnēnî): Kî ("for") introduces the reason for the command to rejoice, connecting it directly to God's impending action. Hinnēnî ("behold I") is an attention-grabbing, emphatic divine self-declaration, emphasizing the certainty and immediate impact of what God is about to do. It reinforces God's personal and determined involvement.
• I create (בּוֹרֵא - bōrē'): Repeated emphasis on God's unique creative action. The future act is so certain it's presented as though already underway or perpetually in His will.
• Jerusalem (אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם - ‘et-yərûšālayim): The literal and spiritual heart of Israel. In this context, it signifies not just the earthly city, but a newly established, ideal, and spiritually transformed metropolis—often understood eschatologically as the "New Jerusalem" where God's presence truly dwells. It embodies God's covenant people and their ultimate blessed state.
• for rejoicing (גִּילָה - gîlâ): This is a noun form derived from gîl, meaning "exultation," "joy," or "delight." It means Jerusalem will be a rejoicing, a source and embodiment of it, not just a place where people rejoice. It fundamentally defines the transformed nature of the city.
• and her people (וְעַמָּהּ - v'‘ammāh): Referring to the inhabitants of this recreated Jerusalem—God's covenant people, the faithful remnant. This includes those from every tribe, nation, and tongue who find their dwelling with God in the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:24).
• for gladness (מָשׂוֹשׂ - māśōś): This is a noun form derived from śūs, meaning "gladness" or "joy." Parallel to gîlâ, it signifies that the people themselves will be gladness, personifying and radiating this divine attribute. They will reflect the very nature of God's joy.

Words-group analysis:

• "But be glad and rejoice forever": This strong double imperative, coupled with the modifier "forever," mandates and promises a profound, never-ending state of celebratory joy, originating from a divine source rather than human circumstance.
• "in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem": This phrase emphasizes that the foundation of this everlasting joy is God's unique and specific act of creation. The shift from "what I create" (general) to "I create Jerusalem" (specific) clarifies the focal point of God's redemptive work. It’s an act solely performed by God, giving Him ultimate authority and establishing the unchangeable nature of the joy.
• "for rejoicing and her people for gladness": This construction uses abstract nouns (gîlâ, māśōś) as predicatives for Jerusalem and its people. It elevates their status beyond merely experiencing joy; they will embody and be defined by it. The new Jerusalem will be, in its very essence, an object and source of absolute delight, and its inhabitants will inherently radiate profound gladness.

Isaiah 65 18 Bonus section

The concept of God "creating" Jerusalem for rejoicing in Isaiah 65:18 foreshadows the New Testament concept of the "New Jerusalem" descending from heaven, as depicted in Rev 21:2. While rooted in the earthly, physical city that was dear to Israel, the prophetic language transcends a mere geographical location. It speaks to a divine re-establishment of a holy community, a place and people defined by God's manifest presence and perfect peace. This "new creation" of Jerusalem is a central aspect of the new heavens and new earth, embodying the ultimate triumph over sin and sorrow and representing the permanent dwelling place of God with His people. The divine intent is for joy not to be an intermittent feeling but the very atmosphere and identity of this ultimate dwelling place, a direct outflow of God's redemptive plan to permanently eliminate mourning and pain.

Isaiah 65 18 Commentary

Isaiah 65:18 offers a breathtaking glimpse into God’s ultimate vision for His redeemed. After recounting a past marked by rebellion and impending judgment, this verse pivots sharply, revealing God’s intention to usher in a future of unparalleled and permanent joy. The command to "be glad and rejoice forever" is not a wish, but a divinely ordained reality rooted in His absolute creative power. The object of this boundless joy is "what I create," particularly the New Jerusalem and its transformed inhabitants. This is not simply an architectural renewal; it's a spiritual metamorphosis where the city becomes a personification of delight (גִּילָה) and its people an embodiment of gladness (מָשׂוֹשׂ). God declares, "I create," stressing His sole, sovereign agency, distinct from any human effort or fleeting historical restoration. This vision extends beyond a mere return from exile; it foretells an eschatological reordering of creation, a realm free from the previous sorrows, where God’s presence permeates all, generating an eternal, exuberant joy that is both His gift and His character within His people.