Isaiah

Isaiah 65:2–5

²All day long I have held out My hands

to an obstinate people^b

who walk in the wrong path,

who follow their own imaginations,

³to a people who continually provoke Me to My face,

sacrificing in the gardens

and burning incense on altars of brick,

⁴sitting among the graves,

spending nights in secret places,

eating the meat of pigs

and polluted broth from their bowls.

⁵They say, ‘Keep to yourself;

do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’

Such people are smoke in My nostrils,

a fire that burns all day long.

Footnotes

b 65:2 LXX to a disobedient and obstinate people; cited in Romans 10:21|ROM 10:21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All day long	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
I have held out	פֵּרַ֧שְׂתִּי	pê·raś·tî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H6566 spread out, spread
My hands	יָדַ֛י	yā·ḏay	Noun - feminine dual construct; first person common singular	H3027 hand
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
an obstinate	סוֹרֵ֑ר	sō·w·rêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5637 be stubborn, rebellious
people	עַ֣ם	‘am	Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
who walk	הַהֹלְכִים֙	ha·hō·lə·ḵîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
in the wrong	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
path	הַדֶּ֣רֶךְ	had·de·reḵ	Article; Noun - common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
who follow	אַחַ֖ר	’a·ḥar	Adverb	H310 behind
their own imaginations	מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃	maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯê·hem	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4284 thought, device

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
to a people	הָעָ֗ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
who continually	תָּמִ֑יד	tā·mîḏ	Adverb	H8548 continuity
provoke Me	הַמַּכְעִיסִ֥ים	ham·maḵ·‘î·sîm	Article; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H3707 be vexed, angry
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
My face	פָּנַ֖י	pā·nay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
sacrificing	זֹֽבְחִים֙	zō·ḇə·ḥîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
in the gardens	בַּגַּנּ֔וֹת	bag·gan·nō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H1593 garden
and burning incense	וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים	ū·mə·qaṭ·ṭə·rîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H6999 make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
altars of brick	הַלְּבֵנִֽים׃	hal·lə·ḇê·nîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H3843 brick, tile

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
sitting	הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙	hay·yō·šə·ḇîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
among the graves	בַּקְּבָרִ֔ים	baq·qə·ḇā·rîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6913 grave, sepulchre
spending nights	יָלִ֑ינוּ	yā·lî·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3885 lodge, pass the night
in secret places	וּבַנְּצוּרִ֖ים	ū·ḇan·nə·ṣū·rîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H5341 watch, guard, keep
eating	הָאֹֽכְלִים֙	hā·’ō·ḵə·lîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H398 eat
the meat	בְּשַׂ֣ר	bə·śar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1320 flesh
of pigs	הַחֲזִ֔יר	ha·ḥă·zîr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2386 swine, boar
and polluted broth	פִּגֻּלִ֖ים	pig·gu·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6292 foul thing, refuse
from their bowls	כְּלֵיהֶֽם׃	kə·lê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H3627 article, utensil, vessel

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They say	הָאֹֽמְרִים֙	hā·’ō·mə·rîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Keep	קְרַ֣ב	qə·raḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7126 come near, approach
to yourself	אֵלֶ֔יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
come near	תִּגַּשׁ־	tig·gaš-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
me	בִּ֖י	bî	Preposition; first person common singular
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I am holier than you	קְדַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ	qə·ḏaš·tî·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H6942 be set apart, consecrated
Such people	אֵ֚לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
are smoke	עָשָׁ֣ן	‘ā·šān	Noun - masculine singular	H6227 smoke
in My nostrils	בְּאַפִּ֔י	bə·’ap·pî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
a fire	אֵ֥שׁ	’êš	Noun - common singular	H784 fire
that burns	יֹקֶ֖דֶת	yō·qe·ḏeṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H3344 be kindled, burn
all day long	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all