The big picture
Isaiah 65 opens in verse 1 with “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be…”, and closes in verse 25 with “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, servants, people, days, create. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 25Isaiah 65:1-7
1–7: I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that…
Isaiah 65:1–7 opens with “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold…” and reaches “Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD , which have burned…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 65 develops its own movement around LORD, servants, people, days, create, with particular weight carried by bosom, burneth, incense.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include sought, asked, name. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their…” The line’s distinctive content terms include good, hands, people. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 65:1-7
King James Version1I 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.
2I 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;
3A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5Which 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.
6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
7Your 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.
Isaiah 65:8-14
8–14: Thus saith the LORD , As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one…
Isaiah 65:8–14 opens with “Thus saith the LORD , As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not…” and reaches “Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 65 develops its own movement around LORD, servants, people, days, create, with particular weight carried by servants, LORD, destroy.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 65:8-14
King James Version8Thus 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.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11But 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.
12Therefore 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.
13Therefore 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:
14Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Isaiah 65:15-21
15–21: Ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD…
Isaiah 65:15–21 opens with “And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and…” and reaches “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 65 develops its own movement around LORD, servants, people, days, create, with particular weight carried by create, earth, days.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Isaiah 65:15-21
King James Version15And 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:
16That 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.
17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19And 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.
20There 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.
21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
Isaiah 65:22-25
22–25: They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and…
Isaiah 65:22–25 opens with “They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the…” and reaches “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 65 develops its own movement around LORD, servants, people, days, create, with particular weight carried by days, LORD, answer.
Context that brings the passage to life
“They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 65:22-25
King James Version22They 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.
23They 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.
24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25The 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 .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 65:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 65:13 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Isaiah 65:25 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, servants, people, days, create, destroy help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.