Isaiah 66:4

Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose [that] in which I delighted not.

Ver. 4. I also will choose their delusions.] As they have had their will, so will I have mine another while. I will make them to perish by their mockeries, idque ex lege talionis. See Isa 65:11-12. They thought to dupe me by an outside service; but it shall appear that they have duped themselves when I bring upon them mercedem multiplicis petulantiae eorum, as Piscator rendereth it, the reward of their manifold petulancies and illusions.

And will bring their fear upon them.] Inducam nivem super eos qui timuerunt a pruina. They have feared the coming of the Chaldees, and come they shall. So their posterity feared the Romans, {Joh 11:48} and they felt their fury. See Pro 10:24. {See Trapp on "Pro 10:24"}

Because when I called, &c.] See Isa 65:12.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_66:4

I also will choose their delusions

Sin and penalty

I.

THE OFFENCE. Impenitence, aggravated transgression, wilful contempt.

II. THE PUNISHMENT. Delusion, fear, ruin. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa 66:4. I also will choose their delusions — I will punish them in their own way, and set those over them as teachers who shall govern them by their traditions instead of my word. Or, I will suffer false Christs and false prophets to deceive them, Mat 24:24; Joh 5:43. And I will bring their fears upon them — This was exactly fulfilled when, as they crucified Christ for fear of the Romans, (Joh 11:48,) that very sin was punished with their utter destruction by the Romans. Because when I called — Because when, by my servants, I called you to repentance, to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance, and to believe in my Son, your true Messiah; none did answer — Very few yielded obedience. He evidently speaks of the calls to repentance, and the invitations to believe in Christ, given them by John the Baptist, Jesus himself, and his apostles and evangelists. When I spake they did not hear — God accounts that those do not hear who do not obey his will.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I will discover their wickedness and hypocrisy, wherewith they think to blind mine eyes, to all the world.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

delusions-- (Th2 2:11), answering to "their own ways" (Isa 66:3; so Pro 1:31). However, the Hebrew means rather "vexations," "calamities," which also the parallelism to "fears" requires; "choose their calamities" means, "choose the calamities which they thought to escape by their own ways."

their fears--the things they feared, to avert which their idolatrous "abominations" (Isa 66:3) were practised.

I called . . . none . . . answer--(See on Isa 65:12; Isa 65:24; Jer 7:13).

did . . . chose--not only did the evil deed, but did it deliberately as a matter of choice (Rom 1:32). "They chose that in which I delighted not"; therefore, "I will choose" that in which they delight not, the "calamities" and "fears" which they were most anxious to avert.

before mine eyes--(See on Isa 65:3).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(4) I also will choose their delusions . . .—The Hebrew noun conveys the thought of the turnings and windings of fortune—what has been called the irony of history. These are the instruments with which God, as it were, mocks and has in derision those who mock Him by their hypocrisy. Their choice did not delight Him; what He chooses will be far other than delightful for them. (Comp. Psa_2:4; Pro_1:24-26.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. delusions] Perhaps insults; see on ch. Isa_3:4. Cheyne renders expressively “freaks of fortune,” remarking, “the word is very peculiar: it represents calamity under the figure of a petulant child.”

their fears] i.e. “that which they fear,” and strive to avert by their magical rites.

because when I called &c.] Repeated from ch. Isa_65:12.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I also will choose their delusions,.... Suffer them to approve and make choice of such persons that should delude and deceive them; as the Scribes and Pharisees, who were wolves in sheep's clothing, and through their appearance of sanctity deceived many, and by their long prayers devoured widows' houses; and as these false prophets, so likewise false Christs, many of which arose after the true Messiah was come, and was rejected by them, whom they embraced, and, by whom they were deluded and ruined, Mat 7:15.

and will bring their fears upon them; the things they feared; such as the sword, famine, and pestilence; and especially the Romans, who, they feared, would come and take away their place and nation, Joh 11:48,

because, when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear; that is, when Christ called unto the Jews, in the external ministry of the word, to come and hear him, they refused to come, nor would they suffer others to answer to this call, and hear him, and attend on his ministry; which rejection of him and his Gospel was the cause of their ruin:

but they did evil before mine eyes; openly and publicly to his face; blasphemed and contradicted his word, and despised his ordinances: and chose that in which I delighted not; their oral law, their legal sacrifices, and their own self-righteousness, as well as their immoralities.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I also will choose their delusions - Margin, ‘Devices.’ The Hebrew word rendered here ‘delusions’ and ‘devices’ (תעלוּלים ta‛ălûlı̂ym) properly denotes petulance, sauciness; and then vexation, adverse destiny, from עלל ‛âlal, to do, to accomplish, to do evil, to maltreat. It is not used in the sense of delusions, or devices; and evidently here means the same as calamity or punishment. Compare the Hebrew in Lam 1:22. Lowth and Noyes render it, Calamities; though Jerome and the Septuagint understand it in the sense of illusions or delusions; the former rendering it, ‘Illusiones, and the latter ἐμπαίγματα empaigmata - ‘delusions.’ The parallelism requires us to understand it of calamity, or something answering to ‘fear,’ or that which was dreaded; and the sense undoubtedly is, that God would choose out for them the kind of punishment which would be expressive of his sense of the evil of their conduct.

And will bring their fears upon them - That is, the punishment which they have so much dreaded, or which they had so much reason to apprehend.

Because when I called - (See the notes at Isa 65:12).

But they did evil before mine eyes - (See the notes at Isa 65:3).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mockeries. I will turn their mockeries upon themselves; and will cause them to be mocked by their enemies. (Challoner)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They had made their choice, they chose not the ways of God, but their own ways, that which God delighted not in, as in the latter part of this verse; therefore (saith God) I will also choose their delusions, or illusions, or devices. Montanus translates it, ad inventionibus; it is a noun derived from a word which signifies to speak childishly or corruptly; the word in this form is only used in this text, and in 1Sa 25:3; it signifies studies, or works, Psa 12:4; Isa 3:4; Hos 4:9. It is an ordinary thing for God thus generally to declare his justice against men, that he will deal with sinners as they deal with him; so Psa 18:25,26; Le 26:27,28; Jer 34:17; Pro 1:24,28. The meaning is, I will be no kinder to them than they have been to me; they have chosen to mock and delude me, I will choose to suffer them to delude themselves; or they have chosen to work wickedness, I will choose the effect. Their fears; that is, (say some,) the things which they feared, and did these things to avoid, as Jer 42:16; Eze 11:8. Others by their fears choose rather to understand such terrors and affrightments as are natural to men upon the prospect of great evils, as. Lev 20:4; as God in mercy delivereth his people from their fears, Psa 34:4; so in judgment he causeth fears as a great judgment to possess sinners, Lev 26:16; Deu 28:66.

Because when I called, none did answer; because when by my prophets I exhorted you to your duty, very few yielded obedience: see Pro 1:24; Isa 65:12; Jer 7:13.

When I spake, they did not hear: hearing here signifieth hearkening or obeying; not hearing is expounded by doing evil, and choosing that wherein God delighted not. God accounts that those do not hear who do not obey his will.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Choose their delusions — “Delusions” — rather, devices — consists of still offering ritual worship now that its original intent is all removed from it. The born, crucified, and risen Messiah, to whom it had pointed in its symbols and types, has taken its place.

Because — From this point the language is the same as that of Isa_65:12.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Their delusions; or, their childish follies (LXX, empaigmata ). As God sends on some men "strong delusion that they should believe a lie", (2Th_2:11) so on others he sends a spirit of childish folly, which makes their conduct silly and headstrong. Persons whose characters are of this stamp are especially liable to vain and groundless "fears." When I called, none did answer. (comp. Isa_65:12, and see the comment on that passage)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chuse - They have chosen to mock and delude me, I will chuse to suffer them to delude themselves; they have chosen to work wickedness, I will chuse the effect. Their fears - That is, the things which they feared. Did not hear - God accounts that those do not hear, who do not obey his will.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“I also will choose their vexations, and their fear I will bring upon them; because I called and there was no one answering, I spake and they did not hear, and they did evil in my eyes, and that which I delight not in they chose.” The larger part of this verse, from because to the end, is repeated from Isa 65:12, and serves not only to connect the passages as parts of an unbroken composition, but also to identify the subjects of discourse in the two places. The common version of the first Hebrew noun (delusions) seems to be founded on a misconception of the Vulgate (illusiones), which was probably intended to suggest the idea of derision like the empaigmata of the Septuagint. It is in the cognate sense of petulance, caprice, that it is used to denote children in Isa 3:4. Their fear is the evil which they fear, as in Pro 10:24, where the same idea is expressed almost in the same words.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking about the wicked people.

what was evil in my sight

Here sight represents judgment or evaluation. AT: "what I consider to be evil" or "what is evil in my judgement" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

fear

call

evil

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

their mockeries Heb. בְּתַעֲלוּלֵיהֶם, to mock them, an expression like (ibid. 22:29) “For you mocked (הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ) me.”

and their fears What they fear.

since I called Hearken and return to Me.

and no one answered saying, “I heard.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

I also will choose, etc. בתעלוליהם Their charges. Comp. עלילות charges (Deut. 22:17), their charges are the charges brought against them. It may also be rendered their delusions; comp. ויתעללו and they abused (Judg. 19:25); התעולל he mocked (1 Sam. 6:6).

מגורתם Their fears. Comp. ויגר and was afraid (Num. 22:3)

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.