Isaiah 66 · Verse 3

Isaiah 66:3

He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Isaiah 66:3, King James Version

Isaiah 66:3 in other translations

BSBWhoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
WEBHe who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
ASVHe that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as he that breaketh a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as he that offereth swine’s blood; he that burneth frankincense, as he that blesseth an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations:
YLTWhoso slaughtereth the ox smiteth a man, Whoso sacrificeth the lamb beheadeth a dog, Whoso is bringing up a present--The blood of a sow, Whoso is making mention of frankincense, Is blessing iniquity. Yea, they have fixed on their own ways, And in their abominations their soul hath delighted.
DARBYHe that slaughtereth an ox, smiteth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, breaketh a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, it is as swine's blood; he that presenteth a memorial of incense, is as he that blesseth an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations,
BBEHe who puts an ox to death puts a man to death; he who makes an offering of a lamb puts a dog to death; he who makes a meal offering makes an offering of pig's blood; he who makes an offering of perfumes for a sign gives worship to an image: as they have gone after their desires, and their soul takes pleasure in their disgusting things;
WebsterHe that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

What does Isaiah 66:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (Is 1:11; Pr 15:8; 28:9). is as if--Lowth not so well omits these words: "He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man" (as in Eze 23:39). But the omission in the Hebrew of "is as if"--increases the force of the comparison. Human victims were often offered by the heathen. dog's neck--an abomination according to the Jewish law (De 23:18); perhaps made so, because dogs were venerated in Egypt. He does not honor this abomination by using the word "sacrifice," but uses the degrading term, "cut off a dog's neck" (Ex 13:13; 34:20). Dogs as unclean are associated with swine (Mt 7:6; 2Pe 2:22). oblation--unbloody: in antithesis to "swine's blood" (Is 65:4). burneth--Hebrew, "he who offereth as a memorial oblation" (Le 2:2). they have chosen--opposed to the two first clauses of Is 66:4: "as they have chosen their own ways, &c., so I will choose their delusions.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man "He that slayeth an ox killeth a man" - These are instances of wickedness joined with hypocrisy; of the most flagitious crimes committed by those who at the same time affected great strictness in the performance of all the external services of religion. God, by the Prophet Ezekiel, upbraids the Jews with the same practices: "When they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it," Eze 23:39. Of the same kind was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in our Savior's time:" who devoured widows' houses, and for a pretense made long prayers," Mat 23:14. The generality of interpreters, by departing from the literal rendering of the text, have totally lost the true sense of it, and have substituted in its place what makes no good sense at all; for it is not easy to show how, in any circumstances, sacrifice and murder, the presenting of legal offerings and idolatrous worship, can possibly be of the same account in the sight of God. He that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood "That maketh an oblation offereth swine's blood" - A word here likewise, necessary to complete the sense, is perhaps irrecoverably lost out of the text. The Vulgate and Chaldee add the word offereth, to make out the sense; not, as I imagine, from any different reading, (for the word wanted seems to have been lost before the time of the oldest of them as the Septuagint had it not in their copy,; but from mere necessity. Le Clerc thinks that מעלה maaleh is to be repeated from the beginning of this member; but that is not the case in the parallel members, which have another and a different verb in the second place, "דם dam, sic Versiones; putarem tamen legendum participium aliquod, et quidem זבח zabach, cum sequatur ח cheth, nisi jam praecesserat." - Secker. Houbigant supplies אכל achal, eateth. After all, I think the most probable word is that which the Chaldee and Vulgate seem to have designed to represent; that is, מקריב makrib, offereth. In their abominations - ובשקוציהם ubeshikkutseyhem, "and in their abominations;" two copies of the Machazor, and one of Kennicott's MSS. have ובגלוליהם ubegilluleyhem, "and in their idols." So the Vulgate and Syriac.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 66:1-4

God looks at the heart, and vengeance is threatened for guilt. (Is. 66:1-4) The increase of the church, when Jew and Gentile shall be gathered to the Redeemer. (Is. 66:5-14) Every enemy of the church shall be destroyed, and the final ruin of ungodly men shall be seen. (Is. 66:15-24) Verses 1-4 The Jews gloried much in their temple. But what satisfaction can the Eternal Mind take in a house made with men's hands? God…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 66:1-4 →

Isaiah 66:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שׁוֹחֵ֨טsho.Chet[one who] slaughtersH7819
הַשּׁ֜וֹרha.Shor<the> oxH7794
מַכֵּה\־ma.keh-[one who] strikes downH5221
אִ֗ישׁ'Ish<of> a personH376
זוֹבֵ֤חַzo.Ve.ach[one who] sacrificesH2076
הַשֶּׂה֙ha.Seh<the> lambH7716
עֹ֣רֵֽף'O.ref[one who] breaks [the] neck ofH6202
כֶּ֔לֶבKe.leva dogH3611
מַעֲלֵ֤הma.'a.Leh[one who] offers upH5927
מִנְחָה֙min.Chah<of> a grain offeringH4503
דַּם\־dam-[the] blood ofH1818
חֲזִ֔ירcha.Zira pigH2386
מַזְכִּ֥ירmaz.Kir[one who] offers as a memorialH2142
לְבֹנָ֖הle.vo.NahfrankincenseH3828
מְבָ֣רֵֽךְme.Va.rekh[one who] blessesH1288
אָ֑וֶן'A.venwickednessH205
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
הֵ֗מָּהHe.mahtheyH1992
בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ba.cha.Ruthey have chosenH977
בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔םbe.dar.khei.Hem<in> own ways theirH1870
וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖םu.ve.shi.ku.tzei.Hemand <in> detestable things theirH8251
נַפְשָׁ֥םnaf.Shamself theirH5315
חָפֵֽצָה\׃cha.Fe.tzahit has delightedH2654

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 66:3

  • Proverbs 15:8

    The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

  • Isaiah 1:11-15

    To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. …

  • Amos 5:21-22

    I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

  • Isaiah 65:12

    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.

  • Isaiah 66:17

    They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.

  • Leviticus 2:2

    And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord:

  • Isaiah 65:3-4

    A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

  • Proverbs 21:27

    The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

  • Deuteronomy 23:18

    Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

  • Deuteronomy 14:8

    And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

  • Judges 10:14

    Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

  • Isaiah 57:17

    For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
killeth.
1:11-15; Pr 15:8; 21:27; Am 5:21,22
lamb. or, kid. cut.
De 23:18
as if he offered.
17; 65:3,4; De 14:8
burneth. Heb maketh a memorial of.
Le 2:2
they have.
65:12; Jud 5:8; 10:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 66:2

    For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

  • Isaiah 66:3

    He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

  • Isaiah 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.

Read all of Isaiah 66

Isaiah 66:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
El que sacrifica buey, como si matase un hombre; el que sacrifica oveja, como si degollase un perro; el que ofrece presente, como si ofreciese sangre de puerco; el que ofrece perfume, como si bendijese á un ídolo. Y pues escogieron sus caminos, y su alma amó sus abominaciones,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Celui qui égorge un bœuf, frappe un homme; celui qui sacrifie un agneau, brise la nuque à un chien; celui qui offre un gâteau, c’est du sang de porc; celui qui présente le mémorial de l’encens est comme celui qui bénit une idole. Comme ils ont choisi leurs propres chemins, et que leur âme a pris plaisir à leurs choses exécrables,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wer ein Rind schlachtet, erschlägt einen Menschen; wer ein Schaf opfert, bricht einem Hunde das Genick; wer Speisopfer opfert: es ist Schweinsblut; wer Weihrauch als Gedächtnisopfer darbringt, preist einen Götzen. So wie diese ihre Wege erwählt haben und ihre Seele Lust hat an ihren Scheusalen,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui immolat bovem, quasi qui interficiat virum; qui mactat pecus, quasi qui excerebret canem; qui offert oblationem, quasi qui sanguinem suillum offerat; qui recordatur thuris, quasi qui benedicat idolo. Hæc omnia elegerunt in viis suis, et in abominationibus suis anima eorum delectata est.