Isaiah 66:17 kjv
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17 nkjv
"Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together," says the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17 niv
"Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things?they will meet their end together with the one they follow," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17 esv
"Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17 nlt
"Those who 'consecrate' and 'purify' themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center ? feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats ? will come to a terrible end," says the LORD.
Isaiah 66 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 66:17 | "Those who consecrate themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one within, eating the flesh of pigs and detestable things and mice—they will be consumed all together," declares the LORD. | Contrasts purity with impurity, judgment upon the impure. |
| Isaiah 58:2 | They seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God... | Describes seeking God, paralleling the purification in v.17. |
| 1 Corinthians 11:28 | But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. | Urges self-examination before partaking in sacred meals. |
| Hebrews 12:14 | Strive for peace with all men, and for the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. | Emphasizes sanctification as essential for seeing the Lord. |
| 1 Peter 1:16 | because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” | Reinforces the call to holiness, reflecting the idea of consecration in v.17. |
| John 6:56 | Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. | Spiritual feeding and abiding in Christ, contrasting with forbidden practices. |
| Revelation 19:9 | And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” | Refers to a blessed participation in a divine feast. |
| Deuteronomy 14:3 | You shall not eat any abomination. | Prohibits the consumption of unclean foods, directly addressed in v.17. |
| Leviticus 11:4 | Nevertheless, of the animals that chew the cud or that have divided hoofs, you shall not eat these... | Lists prohibited foods, including those mentioned in v.17 (pigs). |
| 2 Kings 23:11 | And he burned the high places that were before the gates of the city, to the west of the gate of the city, just inside the gate of the city of Joshua the governor of the city, and he pulled down the temples of the male cult prostitutes, who were in the house of the LORD. | Illustrates the eradication of pagan practices. |
| Romans 2:21 | you, then, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who hate idols, do you sacrilege? | Addresses hypocrisy in religious practice. |
| Jeremiah 7:30 | For the sons of Judah have done evil in my eyes, declares the LORD. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, and have defiled it. | Links detestable practices to defilement of God's house. |
| Zephaniah 1:8 | and on the day of the LORD's sacrifice, I will punish the princes and the king’s sons and all who are clad in foreign garments. | Mentions judgment on those engaging in foreign, likely pagan, practices. |
| Matthew 22:11 | But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who was not dressed in a wedding garment. | Parable of wedding feast, highlighting the need for proper attire. |
| 1 John 2:15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. | Warns against worldly desires that would exclude devotion to God. |
| Ephesians 4:30 | And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. | The Holy Spirit’s work in believers’ lives leads to redemption. |
| Isaiah 65:4 | who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the secret places, who eat pig’s flesh, and the broth of detestable things is in their vessels; | Directly parallels the forbidden practices with sitting among graves, suggesting necromancy or mourning rituals. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:20 | No, I sacrifice, I sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to be partners with demons. | Explains that partaking in idol feasts is communing with demons. |
| Revelation 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. | Lists those excluded from the new Jerusalem, including the detestable. |
| Isaiah 66:24 | “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” | Describes the final judgment and perpetual ruin of the ungodly. |
| Psalm 51:7 | Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. | A plea for cleansing and purification. |
Isaiah 66 verses
Isaiah 66 17 Meaning
This verse describes those who sanctify themselves and who truly follow the LORD. These are the ones who will partake in God's feast, while others who partake in forbidden practices will be judged and destroyed. It highlights the final separation between the faithful and the unfaithful.
Isaiah 66 17 Context
Isaiah chapter 66 concludes the book with a stark vision of judgment and restoration. The preceding verses describe God's wrath upon those who reject Him and participate in pagan rites, specifically mentioning gardens, sanctuaries, and forbidden foods. This chapter, and verse 17 in particular, highlights the ultimate consequences for such practices. Historically, these gardens and practices likely refer to idolatrous cults prevalent during Isaiah's time and even later, possibly involving fertility rites or necromancy. The "gardens" could be sacred groves, and the "eating of pigs and detestable things" points to violation of Mosaic dietary laws, a clear sign of allegiance to paganism rather than the LORD. The verse sets up a strong contrast between the impure who are consumed and the pure who will experience God's fulfillment.
Isaiah 66 17 Word Analysis
"Those" (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - 'asher): A relative pronoun, introducing a description of a specific group of people.
"who consecrate themselves" (Hebrew: מִתְקַדְּשִׁים - mitqaddeshim): Present participle, from the verb qadash (קדש), meaning to be holy, sacred, consecrated. It implies a self-initiated act of setting oneself apart, often in a ritualistic manner. In a negative context, it signifies dedicating oneself to pagan or impure purposes.
"and purify themselves" (Hebrew: וּמִטַּהֲרִים - umittahorim): Present participle, from the verb tahor (טהר), meaning to be clean, pure, cleansed. Similar to consecrate, it indicates an active effort to become pure, which in this context is a false or self-imposed purity for illicit rites.
"to go to the gardens" (Hebrew: לָבוֹא אֶל-הַגַּנּוֹת - lavo' el-haggannot): "Lavo" means to go in, enter. "Hagannot" means the gardens, the enclosed, cultivated places. This phrase likely refers to sacred groves or garden-like settings used for pagan worship and rituals. These were often associated with idolatry and fertility cults, which involved licentious or forbidden practices.
"following one within" (Hebrew: אַחַר-אַחַת - 'akhar-'achat): "Ach'ar" means after, behind. "Ach'at" means one, specifically feminine. This phrase is somewhat debated. It can refer to a leader among them, or possibly to an idol or a false god (often depicted as feminine in surrounding cultures), or even a specific pagan priestess or ritual leader within these gardens. The feminine article could be significant in this regard.
"eating the flesh of pigs" (Hebrew: אֹכְלִים - okelimm (participle, eating) בְּשַׂר - besar (flesh) חֲזִיר - khazir (pig)): "Besar" is flesh or meat. "Khazir" specifically denotes a pig. This is a direct reference to the prohibition of consuming pork in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:7), a clear marker of unfaithfulness to God in this context.
"and detestable things" (Hebrew: וְשׁקֶץ - veshoqets): "Ve" is and. "Shoqets" is a detestable thing, an abomination, typically referring to creatures that were unclean according to the Mosaic Law or idols and their offerings.
"and mice" (Hebrew: וָעַכְבָּר - va'akhbar): "Va" is and. "Akhbar" refers to mice or rats. Another creature prohibited by the dietary laws in Leviticus 11:29. The inclusion of mice alongside pigs emphasizes the extent of their transgression.
"they will be consumed all together" (Hebrew: כֻּלָּם - kullam (all of them) יִסָּפוּ - yissafu (will be destroyed, consumed)): "Yissafu" is the future tense, Hophal conjugation of the verb sapah (ספה), meaning to sweep away, to be exterminated, to be annihilated. This signifies utter destruction and finality.
Group analysis: The phrase "those who consecrate themselves and purify themselves" represents a perverted religious fervor, an outward show of piety misapplied to illicit practices. The combination of "gardens," "following one within," and the specific forbidden foods like "pigs," "detestable things," and "mice" paints a vivid picture of paganistic worship, likely syncretistic, which blended outward acts of ritual with the violation of divine commands. The immediate consequence, "they will be consumed all together," starkly contrasts the supposed sanctification with divine judgment.
Isaiah 66 17 Bonus Section
The imagery of "gardens" as sites of pagan worship echoes throughout the Old Testament, often linked to idolatry and impurity (e.g., Isaiah 1:29; 65:3). The emphasis on dietary laws, like the prohibition of pork, was a significant marker of Israel's distinctiveness and covenant relationship with God, a separation from surrounding nations who often incorporated such foods into their worship. This verse offers a theological insight into the nature of sin and judgment: it is not merely outward action, but a matter of the heart and the dedication of one's life and practices to the true God. The "consuming all together" is a powerful foreshadowing of the final separation described in the New Testament, where there is a clear distinction between those in Christ and those who remain separated from Him. This verse, in its concluding placement within Isaiah, serves as a powerful final statement on the consequences of choosing impurity and rebellion over covenant faithfulness.
Isaiah 66 17 Commentary
This verse serves as a final indictment against apostasy and ritual impurity within Israel. It speaks of individuals who, under the guise of spiritual devotion ("consecrate," "purify"), engage in prohibited acts ("gardens," forbidden foods). These acts signify their allegiance to false worship, likely including idolatry, fertility rites, or necromancy, all an affront to the covenant God of Israel. The "gardens" symbolize places of illicit religious activity. Eating "pigs" and "detestable things" directly transgresses the Mosaic Law, highlighting a deliberate rejection of God’s order. The "mice" further emphasize the gross defilement. The consequence is swift and absolute: "they will be consumed all together," a total annihilation signifying divine retribution for their rebellion. It underscores that true sanctification is found in obedience to God, not in self-invented rituals that defile.