Isaiah 66:17 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-24

These verses, like the pillar of cloud and fire, have a dark side towards the enemies of God's kingdom and all that are rebels against his crown, and a bright side towards his faithful loyal subjects. Probably they refer to the Jews in captivity in Babylon, of whom some are said to have been sent thither for their hurt, and with them God here threatens to proceed in his controversy; they hated to be reformed, and therefore should be ruined by the calamity (Jer. 24:9); others were sent thither... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

They that sanctify themselves ,.... This is a description of the enemies of the Lord, and of his people, who shall be slain at this time; not who are sanctified by the Spirit and grace of God, but who sanctify themselves, pretend to make themselves holy, and give out that they are holier than others; professing great outward sanctity, as the Papists do, but destitute of real inward holiness: or, "that prepare themselves", as the Targum; to go and worship such an idol, on such a day, as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 66:17

Behind one tree "After the rites of Achad" - The Syrians worshipped a god called Adad, Plin. Nat. Hist. 37:11; Macrob. Sat. 1:23. They held him to be the highest and greatest of the gods, and to be the same with Jupiter and the sun; and the name Adad, says Macrobius, signifies one; as likewise does the word Achad in Isaiah. Many learned men therefore have supposed, and with some probability, that the prophet means the same pretended deity. אחד achad , in the Syrian and Chaldean dialects,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-17

The purging of the earth by the destruction of the wicked. The kingdom of Christ cannot be fully set up in all its blessedness until the earth is prepared for its reception; and the main preparation required is the elimination from it of those wicked persons who, while they remain, must always constitute a disturbing element, inimical to the earth's peace and a hindrance to the Church's happiness. The teaching of Scripture is that, before the Church is finally established in the blissful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-18

THE VENGEANCE WHICH GOD WILL TAKE ON HIS ENEMIES . A signal outpouring of God's vengeance upon his enemies precedes the settlement of the Church in its final glorious condition, both in Isaiah and in the Revelation of St. John (see ch. 34; 35, and Revelation 19-21.). The wicked have to be removed before the righteous can be established in peace. Here the agencies employed against the wicked are "fire" and "sword"—fire pointing (as Delitzsch remarks) to destructive occurrences... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-24

The manifestation of Jehovah. I. IT IS A MANIFESTATION IN FIRE . Very common is the representation of this coming by or in the element of fire. Its associations are of judgment , vengeance—devouring fire ( Psalms 50:3 ). So it is associated with the pestilence ( Habakkuk 2:5 ). It consumes God's enemies ( Psalms 97:3 ). Nor can we deny that such representations do in part enter into Christianity ( 2 Thessalonians 1:8 ; Hebrews 10:27 ; 2 Peter 3:7 ; cf. also ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

They that sanctify … themselves in the gardens (comp. Isaiah 1:29 ; Isaiah 65:3 ; and see the comment on the latter passage). Behind one tree in the midst; literally, behind one in the midst. It seems quite impossible that "one" can mean "one tree," when no tree has been mentioned, and gardens do not necessarily contain trees. The marginal rendering, "one after another," is also impossible. The "one in the midst" must have been either a hierophant who directed the ceremonies (Gesenius,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

Vain attempts to sanctify self. "They that sanctify themselves. shall be consumed together." The prophetic allusion is to those who attempted secure themselves by "fearing the Lord, and serving other gods." They wanted to secure all possible Israelite privileges, yet wanted to sanctify themselves by means of the heathen rites which were the fashion of their times. "Such a blending of incompatible elements was eminently characteristic of the reign of Manasseh." The things specially noticed... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 66:17

They that sanctify themselves - That is, who attempt to purify themselves by idolatrous rites, by ablutions, and lustrations. The design here is, to describe those who will be exposed to the wrath of God when he shall come to execute vengeance.And purify themselves in the gardens - (See the notes at Isaiah 65:3).Behind one tree in the midst - This passage has not a little exercised the ingenuity of commentators. It is quite evident that our translators were not able to satisfy themselves with... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 66:17

Isaiah 66:17. They that sanctify themselves, &c. “Behold,” says Vitringa, “the reason of the great severity above mentioned, namely, a base and abominable departure from God, represented under a certain kind of idolatry and detestable superstition, of all others the most odious and contrary to the institutions of the ancient religion.” It is evident the passage is to be understood figuratively, like those in Isaiah 66:3, and in Isaiah 65:3-4; Isaiah 65:11, on which see the notes. And... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 66:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:15-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:17

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 66:17

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 66:17

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