The Meaning of Isaiah 66:5 Explained

Isaiah 66:5

KJV: Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

YLT: Hear a word of Jehovah, Ye who are trembling unto His word, Said have your brethren who are hating you, Who are driving you out, for My name's sake: 'Honoured is Jehovah, and we look on your joy,' But they are ashamed.

Darby: Hear the word of Jehovah, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let Jehovah be glorified, and let us see your joy! but they shall be ashamed.

ASV: Hear the word of Jehovah, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for my name's sake, have said, Let Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy; but it is they that shall be put to shame.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Hear  the word  of the LORD,  ye that tremble  at his word;  Your brethren  that hated  you, that cast you out  for my name's  sake, said,  Let the LORD  be glorified:  but he shall appear  to your joy,  and they shall be ashamed. 

What does Isaiah 66:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord addressed the faithful who did tremble at His Word ( Isaiah 66:2). He would put to shame their ritualistic brethren, who hated them for their reality and excluded them for emphasizing genuineness. Those who obeyed God"s Word would find great joy and comfort in that Word.
These two groups of Israelites emerged conspicuously following the return from exile, but they also existed in Isaiah"s day (cf. Isaiah 5:19; Luke 6:22; John 16:2). One group worshipped God for His sake, and the other for their own benefit. The ritualists challenged the "spiritual" to find their joy in the Lord, while not really believing-they themselves-that obedience was the key to that joy. God promised that as they had shamed their spiritually sensitive brethren, so He would shame them in the end.

Context Summary

Isaiah 66:1-14 - God's People Made A Blessing
The prophet forecasts the advent of a new day, when places and rites would be comparatively unimportant compared with the condition of the heart, Isaiah 66:1-4. The opening words were quoted by Stephen, when announcing the substitution of spiritual worship for the effete system which it superseded. See Acts 7:48-49. What is the outward rite to God, when the spirit has fled? It was all one to Him, whether a man killed a lamb in the Temple, or broke a dog's neck on his farm. His chosen home is not in ornate temples but in contrite hearts!
The blessedness of God's people is depicted in glowing words, Isaiah 66:5-14. God will appear, to the joy of His people and the recompense of their foes. Those times will be characterized by great revivals, and souls will be easily born into the heavenly kingdom. The Jew and Gentile will meet like confluent streams in one blessed channel. But, above all, we shall become aware of the mother-side in God's nature. As one whom his mother comforteth, Isaiah 66:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 66

1  The glorious God will be served in humble sincerity
5  He comforts the humble by showing the confusion of their enemies
7  With the marvelous growth
10  And the gracious benefits of the church
15  God's severe judgments against the wicked
18  The Gentiles shall have an holy church
24  And see the damnation of the wicked

What do the individual words in Isaiah 66:5 mean?

Hear the word of Yahweh You who tremble at His word said Your brothers who hated you who cast you out for sake of My name let be glorified Yahweh that we may see your joy but they shall be ashamed
שִׁמְעוּ֙ דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֔ה הַחֲרֵדִ֖ים אֶל־ דְּבָר֑וֹ אָמְרוּ֩ אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם שֹׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם מְנַדֵּיכֶ֗ם לְמַ֤עַן שְׁמִי֙ יִכְבַּ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה וְנִרְאֶ֥ה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶ֖ם וְהֵ֥ם יֵבֹֽשׁוּ

שִׁמְעוּ֙  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַחֲרֵדִ֖ים  You  who  tremble 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָרֵד  
Sense: trembling, fearful, afraid.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
דְּבָר֑וֹ  His  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אָמְרוּ֩  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם  Your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
שֹׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם  who  hated  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
מְנַדֵּיכֶ֗ם  who  cast  you  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: נָדָא 
Sense: (Hiphil) exclude, drive away, thrust aside.
לְמַ֤עַן  for  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
שְׁמִי֙  of  My  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יִכְבַּ֣ד  let  be  glorified 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְנִרְאֶ֥ה  that  we  may  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶ֖ם  your  joy 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
וְהֵ֥ם  but  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
יֵבֹֽשׁוּ  shall  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.