Isaiah 65:3

3 A people who continually ¹provoke Me to My face, Offering sacrifices in ²gardens and ³burning incense on bricks;

Isaiah 65:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 65:3

A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face,
&c.] They committed their sins openly, without any fear of the divine Being, and in defiance of him, not at all awed by his omniscience and omnipresence; they committed them in the open streets, and even in the temple, the place of the divine residence; and these they did constantly, which provoked him to anger and wrath against them; particularly the following sins: that sacrificeth in gardens;
to idols, as the Targum, placed there, as they were under every green tree; or in groves, where idols were worshipped. Fortunatus Scacchus ^F8 thinks this refers to their having their sepulchres in their gardens, where they consulted the dead; which is favoured by a clause in the next verse: and burneth incense on altars of brick:
or, "upon bricks" ^F9. Kimchi says, when they made bricks, they put upon them incense for idols; or, "upon tiles"; upon the roofs of their houses, which were covered with tiles; see ( Jeremiah 19:13 ) when incense should only have been burnt upon the golden altar erected for that purpose, ( Exodus 30:1 Exodus 30:3 ) , not that these idolatrous actions were committed by the Jews in the times of Christ and his apostles, the times preceding their last destruction; for, after their return front the Babylonish captivity, they were not guilty of idolatry; but these were the sins of their fathers, which God would recompense into their bosoms, according to ( Isaiah 65:7 ) they now filling up the measure of their iniquities, ( Matthew 23:32 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Sacr. Eleaochr. Myrothec. I. 2. c. 55. col. 580.
F9 (Mynblh le) "super lateres", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vitringa.

Isaiah 65:3 In-Context

1 "I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' To a nation which did not call on My name.

2 "I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

3 A people who continually provoke Me to My face, Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks;

4 Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places; Who eat swine's flesh, And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.

5 "Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

Cross References

• 1. Job 1:11; Job 2:5; Isaiah 3:8
• 2. Isaiah 1:29; Isaiah 66:17
• 3. Isaiah 66:3