Isaiah 65

Text

Textual witnesses

• 1QIsa^a: complete
• 1QIsa^b: extant: verses 17‑25
• 4QIsa^b : extant: verses 1

Parashot

Verse 1

• "I am sought": rather, "inquired of", or "consulted". The Pulpit Commentary suggests that the application of the text by Saint Paul to the calling of the Gentiles will be felt by all believers in inspiration to preclude the interpretation which supposes Israel to be the subject of verse 1 no less than of verses 2-7.
• "I am found of them": Paul has rendered this Romans 10:20, Ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην Emphanēs egenomēn - 'I was made manifest.' The idea is, that they obtained his favor.f
• "nation … not called by my name": that is, the Gentiles. God retorts in their own words that their plea as being exclusively "called by His name" will not avail, for God's gospel invitation is not so exclusive.The calling of the Gentiles, Isaiah 65:1. The Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy, rejected, Isaiah 65:2-7. A remnant shall be saved, Isaiah 65:8-10. Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly, Isaiah 65:11-16. The flourishing and peaceable state of the new Jerusalem, Isaiah 65:17-25. R. Moses the priest, as Aben Ezra observes, interprets this of the nations of the world; and that the sense is, "even to the Gentiles that are not called by my name I am preached", which agrees with Paul's sense of them.

  Verse 11

• "Fortune" is translated from Hebrew: Gad, while "Destiny" is translated from Hebrew Meni; both are the deities of fate and good luck venerated by ancient Syrians, Arabs and Nabateans.

  Verse 17

• "Create new heavens and a new earth": Israel's God is a creator deity.

  Verse 25

Jewish

• Christian