65:1 by those who did not ask A response to the appeal of Isa 64:1–12. God was willing and ready for them to seek Him, but they did not. This verse is quoted in Rom 10:20–21.

Here I am Alluding to the divine response of Isa 52:6.

a nation that did not call Or “nation that did not call upon my name;” see 64:7.

65:3 slaughtering for sacrifices in the garden The list of sinful idolatrous behaviors here is recapped in 66:17 (see note on 1:29).

65:4 who eat the flesh of swine Their eating pig’s flesh was symbolic of the people’s failure to observe the biblical dietary laws (see Lev 11:7 and note).

65:5 a smoke in my nostrils Those who think themselves holy without Yahweh’s favor can expect judgment. Compare Isa 1:31 and 9:18.

65:7 your iniquities and the iniquities of your ancestors Unlike the warning of Exod 20:5 that the children would be punished for their parents’ sins, the judgment comes on them for their own sins compounded by the legacy of the sinful attitudes and practices passed on by their parents.

on the mountains The high places. See note on Isa 57:7; compare Ezek 20:28.

65:8 for the sake of my servants Judgment is required as punishment for sin, but God has mercy for the sake of His true followers.

65:10 Sharon The coastal plain between the hills of Judah and the Mediterranean Sea, forming the western border of Judah.

the valley of Achor A valley near Jericho, northeast of Jerusalem, that forms the northern border of Judah (Josh 7:26; 15:7).

65:11 who set a table for Fortune The Hebrew term for “fortune” (gad) appears as a name for the god of fortune in Canaanite literature.

pour out a jug of mixed wine for Destiny The Hebrew term for “destiny” (meni) apparently refers to a god of fate or destiny unknown in extrabiblical sources. References to Fortune and Destiny indicate that idol worship was still a problem in Judah after the return from exile.

65:13 My servants shall eat Those who truly seek Yahweh will eat and drink while the idol worshipers go without. The servant group in this last part of Isaiah focuses on those who worship Yahweh with genuine faith—including both Jews and Gentiles (see Matt 3:7–10).

65:16 former troubles are forgotten Salvation brings a new era (see Isa 43:10–11).

65:17 new heavens and a new earth Represents the culmination of Isaiah’s visions for an idealized future ruled by the Messiah (11:1–11).

shall not be remembered Compare Isa 43:10–11.

65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed like one See 11:6 and note; 11:7.

dust shall be the serpent’s food An allusion to Gen 3:14–15. The salvation prefigured there will be accomplished by the Messiah.

my holy mountain Mount Zion. See Isa 2:2 and note.