Isaiah 66 4

Isaiah 66:4 kjv

I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

Isaiah 66:4 nkjv

So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."

Isaiah 66:4 niv

so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."

Isaiah 66:4 esv

I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight."

Isaiah 66:4 nlt

I will send them great trouble ?
all the things they feared.
For when I called, they did not answer.
When I spoke, they did not listen.
They deliberately sinned before my very eyes
and chose to do what they know I despise."

Isaiah 66 verses

Isaiah 66 4 meaning

God declares that because the people willfully rejected His repeated calls and messages, refusing to listen to His instructions, and actively chose to engage in evil and practices detestable to Him, He will, in turn, sovereignly choose to bring upon them their own delusive and fearsome consequences. The very paths they pursued in their rebellion and the objects of their spiritual folly will become the instruments of their just judgment.

Isaiah 66 4 Context

Isaiah 66:4 concludes a severe declaration of divine judgment against those within Israel who practiced a form of superficial and syncretistic religion. The chapter begins by asserting God's grandeur, noting that heaven is His throne and earth His footstool, and therefore no mere man-made temple can contain Him (vv. 1-2). He then immediately clarifies that He favors those with a humble and contrite spirit, contrasting them with the hypocritical who engage in outward rituals while simultaneously embracing abominable pagan practices (vv. 3-4). Specifically, verse 3 describes how those offering sacrifices of ox or lamb were also performing detestable acts like sacrificing a dog, offering pig's blood, burning incense for idols, and eating forbidden creatures like mice. Verse 4 serves as the divine pronouncement of judgment for these actions.

Historically, ancient Israel frequently struggled with idolatry and the incorporation of pagan customs, often attempting to blend Yahwistic worship with practices explicitly forbidden by the Mosaic Law. This verse acts as a strong polemic against such syncretism and religious hypocrisy. God emphasizes that external religious observance is meaningless and even offensive when the heart is rebellious, and one deliberately chooses evil and things contrary to His expressed will. This rejection of God's word and the pursuit of abominable practices become the justification for divine retribution, highlighting that true worship demands both internal devotion and outward obedience.

Isaiah 66 4 Word analysis

• So I will choose (אֶבְחַר - evḥar) their delusions (בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶ֔ם - b'taʿaluleihem):

  • I will choose: Emphasizes God's sovereign, active, and deliberate decision, underscoring an intentional act of judgment rather than passive allowance.
  • their delusions: Refers to the people's foolish, wayward, or mischievous acts and their consequences, especially the idolatrous and rebellious paths that lead to self-deception and futility. God will turn these chosen follies into the means or substance of their punishment.

• and bring (אָבִ֣יא - avi) their fears (מְגֻרֹתָ֖ם - m'gurotam) upon them (לָהֶ֑ם - lahem):

  • bring: Denotes God's active involvement in orchestrating the consequences, directly imposing the judgment.
  • their fears: The very terrors, anxieties, or dreadful outcomes that their sinful choices naturally or supernaturally produce. These are the things they dread or the inevitable calamitous results of their rebellion, which God brings to fruition.

• because (תַּ֙חַת֙ כִּֽי־ - taḥat ki), when I called (קָרָ֣אתִי - karati), no one answered (וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶ֔ה):

  • because: Establishes a direct causal link, stating the explicit justification for God's impending judgment.
  • I called: God initiated gracious communication, consistently seeking to draw His people back through prophets, law, and various appeals.
  • no one answered: Highlights a pervasive and deliberate refusal across the community to respond positively, listen, or heed God's instruction.

• when I spoke (דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ - dibarti), they did not hear (וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֔עוּ - v'lo sham'u):

  • I spoke: Refers to God's continuous and authoritative revelation of His will, commands, and warnings.
  • they did not hear: Signifies more than just not perceiving sound; it denotes a willful rejection and refusal to listen, understand, and, crucially, to obey God's word.

• but they did evil (הָרַ֗ע - hara') before My eyes (בְּעֵינַי֙ - b'einay):

  • did evil: Emphasizes active, deliberate participation in wicked deeds and immoral practices. This goes beyond mere negligence to active defiance.
  • before My eyes: Underscores God's omniscient awareness and direct observation of their sinful acts, emphasizing their brazenness and His full witness to their rebellion.

• and chose (בָּחָֽרו׃ - baḥaru) that in which I did not delight (לֹא־חָפַ֖צְתִּי - lo'-ḥafatztí):

  • chose: Reiterates their deliberate, conscious decision-making, directly paralleling God's earlier "I will choose," setting up an ironic, reciprocal judgment.
  • I did not delight: Expressly states God's strong displeasure and utter aversion to their chosen ways, which are fundamentally contrary to His nature and holy will.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "So I will choose their delusions and bring their fears upon them": This phrase embodies the principle of divine retribution. God's response mirrors their own spiritual folly, turning their chosen misguided paths and the consequent terrors into the very judgment they face. It asserts God's ultimate control even over the negative outcomes of human sin.
  • "because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not hear": This part identifies the foundational reason for God's judgment: a consistent pattern of persistent rejection of His communication. It paints a picture of spiritual deafness and intentional unresponsiveness despite God's repeated attempts to engage and guide them.
  • "but they did evil before My eyes and chose that in which I did not delight": This emphasizes not just passive neglect, but active, conscious rebellion and transgression. Their actions were performed brazenly, fully visible to God, demonstrating a willful preference for wickedness and practices that were explicitly detestable to His holy character. The parallel use of "choose" with God's earlier choice highlights the cosmic reciprocity of justice.

Isaiah 66 4 Bonus section

The concept of God "choosing their delusions" or "giving them over" to their ways is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing that when humanity persistently rejects divine guidance, God sometimes withdraws His restraining hand, allowing individuals or communities to fully experience the natural and divinely ordained consequences of their own rebellion (e.g., Ps 81:12; Rom 1:24, 26, 28). This does not imply God creates evil, but rather permits the fruit of human sin to mature as a form of righteous judgment. The identical Hebrew verb בָּחַר (bahar, "to choose") is deliberately used both for God's action ("I will choose") and the people's action ("they chose"). This rhetorical parallel serves to heighten the sense of poetic justice, making their ultimate demise a direct outcome of their earlier, defiant choices against God. This passage stands as a critical part of Isaiah's final address, urging genuine repentance and true worship as the only escape from such severe divine reckoning.

Isaiah 66 4 Commentary

Isaiah 66:4 delivers a powerful pronouncement of divine judgment rooted in the principle of moral causality and reciprocation. Because the people obstinately closed their ears and hearts to God's repeated calls, choosing to indulge in evil and detestable practices, God declares that He will actively bring the consequences of their delusive choices and the fears inherent in their rebellion upon them. This is not arbitrary punishment but a direct reflection of their own willful choices—the "harvest" of their spiritual "sowing." God’s discerning eye observed their blatant defiance, their performative rituals mixed with abominable acts. His response is a just and sovereign action, where He ensures that the natural trajectory of their chosen path, devoid of Him, culminates in their dreadful undoing, aligning His will with the consequences they, in essence, invited upon themselves.