The Meaning of Isaiah 65:12 Explained

Isaiah 65:12

KJV: Therefore 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.

YLT: And I have numbered you for the sword, And all of you for slaughter bow down, Because I called, and ye have not answered, I have spoken, and ye have not hearkened, And ye do the evil thing in Mine eyes, And on that which I desired not -- fixed.

Darby: I will even assign you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down in the slaughter; because I called, and ye did not answer, I spoke, and ye did not hear; but ye did what was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delight not.

ASV: I will destine 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 ye did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore 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. 

What does Isaiah 65:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

These Israelite hypocrites would be the objects of His judgment because when He had called, they had not responded with obedience (cf. Isaiah 64:12). Far from controlling their own fortune and destiny, Yahweh would control it. They had chosen the things in which the Lord did not delight-they had rebelled-so He would bring discipline on them (cf. Matthew 22:7; Matthew 23:37; Luke 19:27; Acts 13:46).

Context Summary

Isaiah 65:1-12 - A Seed Rescued From Destruction
The prophet now enumerates the reasons that forced the Lord to turn aside from the Chosen People, and call in the Gentiles to occupy the place and perform the mission which they had despised and forfeited. Paul makes memorable reference to this passage. See Romans 10:20-21. Their gardens were scenes of debauchery; their altars were covered by polluting engravings; they practiced necromancy in the graveyards, and ate swine's flesh, Isaiah 65:3-4. Fortune and destiny were their chosen deities, Isaiah 65:11, r.v. While professing greater holiness than others, the land was filled with abominations.
But the Lord ever discriminates between the righteous and the wicked. Did He not spare Noah and Lot and Caleb? There has always been a faithful remnant, and these become the seed germs of a new nation. Ponder Isaiah 65:8-10. Then ask that your life may be like the new young grapes of the vineyard, on which the blessing of God rests! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 65

1  The calling of the Gentiles,
2  and the rejection of the Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy
8  A remnant shall be saved
11  Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly
17  The blessed state of the new Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Isaiah 65:12 mean?

Therefore I will number you for the sword and you all to the slaughter Shall bow down because when I called and not you did answer when I spoke you did hear but did evil before My eyes and in which not I do delight chose [that] -
וּמָנִ֨יתִי אֶתְכֶ֜ם לַחֶ֗רֶב וְכֻלְּכֶם֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח תִּכְרָ֔עוּ יַ֤עַן קָרָ֙אתִי֙ וְלֹ֣א עֲנִיתֶ֔ם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וַתַּעֲשׂ֤וּ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ חָפַ֖צְתִּי בְּחַרְתֶּֽם פ

וּמָנִ֨יתִי  Therefore  I  will  number 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָנָה  
Sense: to count, reckon, number, assign, tell, appoint, prepare.
לַחֶ֗רֶב  for  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְכֻלְּכֶם֙  and  you  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לַטֶּ֣בַח  to  the  slaughter 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טֶבַח 
Sense: slaughter, slaughtering, animal.
תִּכְרָ֔עוּ  Shall  bow  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: כָּרַע  
Sense: to bend, kneel, bow, bow down, sink down to one’s knees, kneel down to rest (of animals), kneel in reverence.
יַ֤עַן  because  when 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
קָרָ֙אתִי֙  I  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עֲנִיתֶ֔ם  you  did  answer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי  when  I  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם  you  did  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וַתַּעֲשׂ֤וּ  but  did 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָרַע֙  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
בְּעֵינַ֔י  before  My  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר  and  in  which 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָפַ֖צְתִּי  I  do  delight 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
בְּחַרְתֶּֽם  chose  [that] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation