BOOK 23 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Isaiah 65

Isaiah book home•Chapter 65 of 66•25 verses

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Isaiah 65 Overview

The LORD answers by contrasting rebellious people who provoke Him with servants who seek Him; He promises judgment and blessing, then describes new heavens and a new earth marked by joy, longevity, fruitful labor, answered prayer, and peace in creation.

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65Chapter

25Verses

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Before you read Isaiah 65

Coming from

The prayer continues with a plea for God to rend the heavens and come down, confessing uncleanness and iniquity while appealing to the Creator as Father and Potter not to remain angry forever over ruined Zion.

In this chapter

Leads into

Isaiah closes by declaring that heaven is God’s throne and no temple can contain Him, favoring the humble who tremble at His word; Zion gives birth suddenly, the LORD comforts and judges, nations gather to see His glory, and all flesh worships while rebellion meets final disgrace.

Key understandingExplore deeper

This is God’s answer to the lament of chapters 63–64. It distinguishes between persistent rebels and God’s servants rather than treating the entire nation identically.

The interpretive center of Isaiah 65 is the chapter’s own movement: god’s patience does not mean indifference to rebellion. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

God’s patience does not mean indifference to rebellion

He stretches out His hands to a disobedient people yet promises measured repayment.

A chosen remnant inherits the promise

The LORD preserves seed from Jacob rather than destroying everything.

God’s restoration ultimately reaches creation itself

New heavens and new earth frame a world of joy, peace, and transformed conditions.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Romans 10:20-21

Paul quotes Isaiah 65:1-2 concerning Gentiles finding God and Israel’s disobedient resistance.

2 Peter 3:13

Peter cites the promise of new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.

Revelation 21:1

John’s vision of a new heaven and new earth directly echoes Isaiah 65.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not assume every detail of Isaiah’s new-creation picture maps one-to-one onto Revelation’s final state without interpretive questions.

Isaiah includes longevity and death language alongside 'new heavens and new earth,' which requires careful canonical comparison.

Do not erase the distinction between rebels and servants.

The chapter’s promises and judgments are not indiscriminately addressed to everyone.

Read Isaiah 65 watching for…

God found by those who had not sought Him

stretched-out hands to a rebellious people

servants contrasted with rebels

new heavens and new earth

peaceful creation and answered prayer

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7The LORD is found by those who did not seek him while rebellious Israel provokes him 8-10A remnant of Jacob will inherit the land and seek the LORD 11-16Those who forsake the LORD are judged while his servants rejoice and receive a new name 17-25God creates new heavens and a new earth marked by joy, long life, and peace

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;

Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.

Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

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.

And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

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.

And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

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.

They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

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Isaiah 65:9

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