Isaiah – Chapter 65

Old Testament25 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 65 of Isaiah begins: "They have sought me that before asked not for me, they have found me that sought me not. I said: Behold me, behold me, to a nation that did…" Jacob stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 25 verses, two threads run through the text: God feeding His people and worship and praise. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1They have sought me that before asked not for me, they have found me that sought me not. I said: Behold me, behold me, to a nation that did not call upon my name.

2I have spread forth my hands all the day to an unbelieving people, who walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts.

3A people that continually provoke me to anger before my face, that immolate in gardens, and sacrifice upon bricks.

4That dwell in sepulchres, and sleep in the temple of idols: that eat swine's flesh, and profane broth is in their vessels.

5That say: Depart from me, come not near me, because thou art unclean: these shall be smoke in my anger, a fire burning all the day.

6Behold it is written before me: I will not be silent, but I will render and repay into their bosom.

7Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, who have sacrificed upon the mountains, and have reproached me upon the hills; and I will measure back their first work in their bosom.

8Thus saith the Lord: As if a grain be found in a cluster, and it be said: Destroy it not, because it is a blessing: so will I do for the sake of my servants, that I may not destroy the whole.

9And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Juda a possessor of my mountains: and my elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

10And the plains shall be turned to folds of flocks, and the valley of Achor into a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

11And you, that have forsaken the Lord, that have forgotten my holy mount, that set a table for fortune, and offer libations upon it,

12I will number you in the sword, and you shall all fall by slaughter: because I called and you did not answer: I spoke, and you did not hear: and you did evil in my eyes, and you have chosen the things that displease me.

13Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry: behold my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty.

14Behold my servants shall rejoice, and you shall be confounded: behold my servants shall praise for joyfulness of heart, and you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for grief of spirit.

15And you shall leave your name for an execration to my elect: and the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.

16In which he that is blessed upon the earth, shall be blessed in God, amen: and he that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by God, amen: because the former distresses are forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes.

17For behold I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former things shall not be in remembrance, and they shall not come upon the heart.

18But you shall be glad and rejoice for ever in these things, which I create: for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and the people thereof joy.

19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20There shall no more be an infant of days there, nor an old man that shall not fill up his days: for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.

21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruits of them.

22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of my people, and the works of their hands shall be of long continuance.

23My elect shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth in trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their posterity with them.

24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will hear; as they are yet speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion and the ox shall eat straw; and dust shall be the serpent's food: they shall not hurt nor kill in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.

Important Verses in Isaiah 65

Thus saith the Lord: As if a grain be found in a cluster, and it be said: Destroy it not, because it is a blessing: so will I do for the sake of my servants, that I may not destroy the whole.

Isaiah 65:8

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry: behold my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty.

Isaiah 65:13

In which he that is blessed upon the earth, shall be blessed in God, amen: and he that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by God, amen: because the former distresses are forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes.

Isaiah 65:16

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion and the ox shall eat straw; and dust shall be the serpent's food: they shall not hurt nor kill in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.

Isaiah 65:25

Historical Context

Isaiah belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for judah in crisis, the exiles in Babylon, and all who await the Messiah. Chapter 65 of 66 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Jacob appear at the center of the events recorded here. The passage starts with these words: "They have sought me that before asked not for me, they have found me that sought me not. I said: Behold me, behold me,…" The final verse reads: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion and the ox shall eat straw; and dust shall be the serpent's food:…" Read against its original backdrop, Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem during the Assyrian crisis, calling kings to trust God rather than alliances. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples

When It Was Written

Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 8: "Thus saith the Lord: As if a grain be found in a cluster, and it be said: Destroy it not, because it is a blessing: so will I do for the sake of my servants,…" The passage repeatedly touches on God feeding His people.

Catholic exegesis reads Isaiah 65 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). St. Gregory the Great and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 302).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: From the manna to the Last Supper, God feeds His people — fully in the Eucharist.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • From the manna to the Last Supper, God feeds His people — fully in the Eucharist.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.

People in This Chapter

Jacob1 mention

Reflection for Today

Isaiah Chapter 65 belongs to the Old Testament and forms part of the Catholic canon proclaimed in the liturgy of the Word.

Through typology, the Church often reads Old Testament passages as preparing for Christ, while New Testament passages reveal Him explicitly. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). Here the believer is invited to ponder worship as the heart of the Christian life.

Consider praying with this chapter again at day's end, offering God gratitude for one insight received. The Church encourages daily contact with Scripture (CIC 355) so that Christ's mind may be formed in us.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Isaiah Chapter 65 about?

Isaiah 65 contains 25 verses. It opens with "They have sought me that before asked not for me, they have found me that sought me not. I said: Behold me, behold me,…" and closes with "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion and the ox shall eat straw; and dust shall be the serpent's food:…". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles and poetry.

What is a key verse in Isaiah 65?

One of the most significant verses is verse 8: "Thus saith the Lord: As if a grain be found in a cluster, and it be said: Destroy it not, because it is a blessing: so will I do for the sake of my servants, that I may not…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Isaiah Chapter 65?

This chapter mentions Jacob.

Who wrote Isaiah and when?

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples. Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

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