Isaiah 65:6-9

65:6 Look, I have decreed:

I will not keep silent, but will pay them back;

I will pay them back exactly what they deserve,

65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” says the Lord.

“Because they burned incense on the mountains

and offended me on the hills,

I will punish them in full measure.”

65:8 This is what the Lord says:

“When juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,

someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’

So I will do for the sake of my servants –

I will not destroy everyone.

65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,

and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains.

My chosen ones will take possession of the land;

my servants will live there.

Isaiah 65:18

65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore

over what I am about to create!

For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem 10  to be a source of joy, 11 

and her people to be a source of happiness. 12 


tn Heb “Look, it is written before me.”

tn Heb “I will pay back into their lap.”

tn Heb “the iniquities of your fathers.”

tn Or perhaps, “taunted”; KJV “blasphemed”; NAB “disgraced”; NASB “scorned”; NIV “defied”; NRSV “reviled.”

tn Heb “I will measure out their pay [from the] beginning into their lap,” i.e., he will give them everything they have earned.

tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”

tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”

tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”

tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to the land which contains the aforementioned mountains.

10 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

11 tn Heb “Jerusalem, joy.” The next verse suggests the meaning: The Lord will create Jerusalem to be a source of joy to himself.

12 tn Heb “her people, happiness.” See the preceding note.