Isaiah 65 20

Isaiah 65:20 kjv

There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

Isaiah 65:20 nkjv

"No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.

Isaiah 65:20 niv

"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

Isaiah 65:20 esv

No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.

Isaiah 65:20 nlt

"No longer will babies die when only a few days old.
No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.
No longer will people be considered old at one hundred!
Only the cursed will die that young!

Isaiah 65 verses

Isaiah 65 20 meaning

Isaiah 65:20 describes a radically transformed experience of life within the promised new heavens and new earth, specifically in the restored Jerusalem. It prophesies the complete elimination of premature death for both infants and the elderly, ensuring that everyone lives a full and extended life. The verse hyperbolically establishes a new standard of longevity: even dying at the age of one hundred years will be considered a 'youthful' departure. Conversely, to die before reaching one hundred years will be viewed as an extraordinary, and likely cursed, occurrence, signifying divine displeasure rather than a natural part of the blessed new order.

Isaiah 65 20 Context

Isaiah 65:20 is situated within a magnificent prophecy about the new heavens and new earth, specifically detailing the joyous and blessed life within the New Jerusalem (Isa 65:17-19). This section (chapters 40-66) of Isaiah is often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" and shifts from pronouncements of judgment to an outpouring of hopeful and glorious promises for Israel's restoration. The prophecies in this chapter were given primarily to an audience facing or emerging from Babylonian exile, a time of national catastrophe, despair, and perceived divine punishment, often characterized by premature death, scarcity, and suffering. Against this backdrop, the detailed description of radically extended lifespans, absence of sorrow, abundant provision, and harmonious coexistence offers a powerful counter-narrative, presenting a future completely reversed from their present difficulties. The verse's polemic implicitly contrasts with contemporary pagan beliefs where divine whims could arbitrarily cut short lives and where disease was often seen as punishment from hostile deities, emphasizing the consistent, life-giving blessings of the God of Israel.

Isaiah 65 20 Word analysis

• No longer (לֹא עוֹד / lo' 'od): A powerful expression of definitive cessation. It signals a complete and permanent end to the existing reality of limited and often short life spans.
• will there be in it (יִהְיֶה מִשָּׁם / yihiyeh mi-sham): Refers directly to the "new Jerusalem" (mentioned in Isa 65:18-19). The blessing of extended life is a characteristic feature of this specific, divine city, the heart of the new creation.
• an infant (עוּל יָמִים / 'ul yamim): Literally "suckling of days." Represents life in its most fragile and vulnerable beginning. Its absence from premature death underscores the completeness of God's protection and blessing, addressing a major cause of suffering in the ancient world.
• who lives but a few days: Translates the literal "suckling of days" implying extreme brevity. This tragic occurrence will cease entirely.
• or an old man (וְזָקֵן / v'zaqen): The 'old man' signifies the other end of life's spectrum. Its inclusion shows that life will reach its natural, extended course without being cut short.
• who does not live out his years (אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְמַלֵּא אֶת יָמָיו / asher lo yemalle et yamav): "who does not fulfill his days." This denotes a life prematurely shortened or uncompleted. In ancient Israel, such a death was often viewed as a consequence of sin or divine judgment. Its abolition is a profound blessing.
• for a person (כִּי הַנַּעַר / ki ha-na'ar): "For the youth" or "For the young one." This dramatically redefines what "youth" entails in this new era.
• will die at a hundred years (בֶּן מֵאָה שָׁנָה יָמוּת / ben me'ah shanah yamut): "a son of a hundred years will die." Reaching 100 years of age is presented as a significant benchmark for 'youthful' death, radically shifting the perception of longevity.
• and still be considered a youth: This phrase is an interpretive rendering, implying that dying at 100 is no longer an indicator of old age but is instead the new standard for a 'youthful' death. This means typical lifespans in the new creation will far exceed a century.
• and the one who falls short of a hundred years (וְהַחוֹטֶא בֶּן מֵאָה שָׁנָה / ve-ha-chote ben me'ah shanah): The Hebrew literally says "and the sinner, a son of a hundred years." This clause, though often translated interpretively as "the one who falls short," refers to the "sinner." The interpretation "falls short" connects the sin (חָטָא, chata, "to miss the mark/sin") to failing to attain this new blessed longevity, thereby implying that a short life, even if one would reach 100 if righteous, would be due to sin.
• will be considered accursed (יְקֻלָּל / yequllal): From the root קלל (q-l-l), meaning to curse. This is a strong declaration of divine judgment. Dying before reaching this new baseline of a 'youthful' century signifies a dire consequence, setting a boundary where the blessed extended life is withheld, pointing to God's persistent justice against sin.

Isaiah 65 20 Bonus section

• The promise of extended longevity in this verse appears to point to characteristics of life during the millennial reign or a particular stage of the new creation, rather than the ultimate, perfected state where "there will be no more death" (Rev 21:4), as it still mentions death, albeit in an extraordinarily altered context. This suggests that Isaiah 65:20 highlights the abolition of premature death, and the curse associated with it, rather than all forms of natural demise.
• The hyper-extended lifespans in the New Jerusalem recall the remarkably long lives of the antediluvian patriarchs in Genesis 5, before the general reduction of human life noted in Genesis 6:3 and Psalm 90:10. This indicates a restoration of primordial vitality and a partial reversal of the consequences of the fall.
• The re-evaluation of 100 years as 'young' dramatically emphasizes the sheer blessing of this age. In contrast to a short earthly existence, life in God's renewed order is abundant, healthy, and exceptionally prolonged, signaling a world far removed from human suffering and the brokenness of the present age.

Isaiah 65 20 Commentary

Isaiah 65:20 vividly portrays an unprecedented state of health and longevity in the eschatological new creation. The verse abolishes the common tragedies of premature death, establishing a radical new norm where a one-hundred-year life is considered "youthful," profoundly shifting the understanding of life's duration. This reflects a significant reversal of the Genesis 3 curse, moving humanity closer to pre-Fall vitality, though not explicitly promising immortality here. Crucially, the verse contains a strong caveat: anyone dying before the new 'youthful' age of 100 will be deemed "accursed." This inclusion indicates that even within the framework of the new heavens and new earth, divine justice for sin remains active, and a shortened life serves as a clear sign of God's displeasure, contrasting the blessed long life promised to the righteous inhabitants of this new age.