Isaiah 65:22 kjv
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
Isaiah 65:22 nkjv
They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
Isaiah 65:22 niv
No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.
Isaiah 65:22 esv
They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
Isaiah 65:22 nlt
Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses
and confiscate their vineyards.
For my people will live as long as trees,
and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.
Isaiah 65 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 65:20 | "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..." | Context of longevity in new creation |
| Genesis 3:19 | "...for dust you are and to dust you will return." | Mortality due to sin |
| Romans 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | Sin leads to death |
| 1 Corinthians 15:26 | "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." | Death as an ultimate enemy |
| Revelation 21:4 | "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain..." | Elimination of death in new creation |
| Revelation 22:15 | "Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters..." | Exclusion of wicked from new city |
| Psalm 90:10 | "Our days may last seventy years, or eighty if we have strong health; but then the best years are filled with pain and trouble..." | Human lifespan and frailty |
| Deuteronomy 32:29 | "If only they were wise, they would understand this and discern their end!" | Consequences of disobedience |
| Jeremiah 31:16 | "This is what the LORD says: 'Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded...'" | Hope for future reward |
| Joel 2:26 | "You will eat abundantly and be satisfied; praise the name of the LORD your God, who has wonderfully dealt with you..." | Abundance and divine provision |
| Zechariah 8:4 | "'So says the LORD of Hosts: Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with his staff in his hand because of old age.'" | Restoration of a full life |
| 1 John 5:12 | "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." | Life through Christ |
| John 11:26 | "and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" | Eternal life through belief |
| Romans 8:2 | "For the law of the Spirit who gives life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." | Freedom from sin and death's power |
| Philippians 3:21 | "who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our humble bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." | Transformation of bodies |
| 1 Thessalonians 4:17 | "...and in this way we will be with the Lord forever." | Everlasting presence with God |
| 2 Peter 3:13 | "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells." | New heaven and new earth |
| Revelation 20:14 | "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death." | Defeat of death |
| Isaiah 25:8 | "He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth..." | Lord swallowing up death |
| Isaiah 11:6-9 | "The wolf will lie down with the lamb... They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain..." | Peace and absence of destruction |
| Romans 5:17 | "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" | Righteousness and reign in life |
| Genesis 1:28 | "God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and govern it..." | Original mandate for life |
Isaiah 65 verses
Isaiah 65 22 Meaning
No one in this new creation will prematurely end their life through sin or its natural consequences. All will live their full lifespan.
Isaiah 65 22 Context
Isaiah 65 prophesies a new heaven and a new earth, a restoration and renewal after judgment. This chapter contrasts the ultimate fate of the faithful remnant with the unrepentant. Verse 22 describes the blessed state of those who live in God's presence, specifically highlighting a complete absence of premature death or sorrow associated with the brevity of life. This vision builds upon earlier promises of longevity and blessing found throughout the Old Testament. The imagery contrasts sharply with the fallen human condition where death is a constant reality, often arriving too soon and leaving behind grief. This passage anticipates the full redemption realized in the new covenant.
Isaiah 65 22 Word analysis
- לֹא (lo'): Not. Indicates negation.
- תִּקָּטֵף (tiq-qa-tet): Will be plucked off, cut off. Refers to a premature end, being cut short in life.
- וְלֹא (we-lo'): And not. Continues the negation.
- תְּהִי (te-hi): Will be. From the verb "to be."
- שָׁכָל (sha-kal): A miscarriage, childless. Extends the concept of life being cut short to include the inability to produce offspring or losing them. It implies a barrenness or loss that signifies an incomplete life.
- כִּי (ki): For, because. Introduces a reason or explanation.
- חַיֵּי (cha-ye): The years of, the life of. Refers to the span of one's existence.
- יְמֵי (ye-mei): Days of.
- רָשָׁע (ra-sha): Wicked, wicked one. Implies that the shortened life is due to the presence and effects of wickedness.
- אֹרֶךְ (o-rekh): Length.
- הַמְּרִי (ha-me-ri): The rebellion, the ungodly. Connects the concept of a long life (contrasting with the shortened life of the wicked) to those who are obedient and godly. The phrasing suggests that the wicked, due to their rebellion, will not have extended life, while the righteous will experience its fullness.
Word groups:
- לֹא תִּקָּטֵף וְלֹא תְּהִי שָׁכָל (lo tiq-qa-tet we-lo te-hi sha-kal): "No one will be plucked off and no one will be childless." This dual negation emphasizes the completeness of life's preservation, covering both sudden termination and the inability to fulfill life's potential, especially regarding lineage and posterity, which was a sign of blessing in the Old Testament.
- כִּי חַיֵּי יְמֵי אֹרֶךְ (ki cha-ye ye-mei o-rekh): "For the years of [are] length of days." This links the previous negative statement to the positive reality of longevity for the righteous.
- הַמְּרִי (ha-me-ri): This refers to the wicked. The structure implies that the wicked, by contrast, will experience the opposite – lives cut short. The full meaning here is that those in the new creation will not experience the premature death and barrenness (shakal) that characterize the lives of the wicked in the present age, because the righteous will enjoy length of days.
Isaiah 65 22 Bonus Section
The concept of a shortened life being linked to wickedness is seen in passages like Psalm 55:23, where the "bloody and treacherous men" will not live out half their days. Conversely, a long life is often presented as a blessing for the righteous (Proverbs 3:2). Isaiah 65:22 reverses the curse of sin, ensuring that in the new creation, the full measure of days, a sign of God's favor and a life free from the debilitating effects of sin, will be the norm for His people. This ultimate fulfillment of the promise of longevity finds its deepest meaning in the eternal life given through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 65 22 Commentary
This verse describes a redeemed existence in the eternal kingdom of God, where the corrupting influence of sin, which brought death and decay into the world (Romans 5:12), is eradicated. In the current age, lives are often cut short by disease, accidents, or as consequences of wickedness. Childlessness or the premature death of children (shakal) was a significant source of grief and a perceived sign of divine displeasure. However, in the new heavens and new earth, such sorrows will be banished. The "wicked" (rasha) and "rebellion" (meri) will be fully dealt with, so that those living in God's renewed creation will not experience their shortening, but rather enjoy the full length of days promised to the righteous. This represents a profound restoration of God's original intention for humanity from Genesis. The context makes it clear that this is a characteristic of the eternal state.