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

ISAIAH 65:21KJV
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Isaiah 65:21 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 65:21 mean?

Isaiah 65:21 describes a time when people will be able to build their own houses and live in them, and plant vineyards and enjoy the fruit themselves. The verse promises stability and the ability to enjoy the results of one’s own work, without fear of loss or injustice.

In this passage, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel, describing a future of restoration and blessing after hardship and exile. The verse paints a picture of security and peace, where people are not displaced or deprived of what they have worked for, which was a real concern in times of war and conquest.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 65:21

  • בָּנָה (banah, "build"): This word means to construct or establish, often used for building houses or cities. Here, it emphasizes the personal effort and investment people will make in their own homes.
  • יָשַׁב (yashav, "inhabit"): This means to dwell or settle, highlighting that the builders themselves will get to live in the houses they construct, not someone else.
  • נָטַע (nata‘, "plant"): This word refers to planting, especially of vineyards. It suggests long-term investment, since vineyards take years to mature.
  • אָכַל (’akal, "eat"): This means to eat or consume, stressing that people will directly benefit from their own labor, rather than others taking what they have grown.

Why Isaiah 65:21 matters

  • This verse corrects the fear that hard work will be taken away by others, a common worry in ancient times due to invasions or oppressive rulers.
  • Isaiah 65:21 highlights a reversal of earlier judgments in the book, where people lost their homes and crops; now, God promises a future where justice and stability are restored.
  • The verse sets the tone for the surrounding passage, which describes a new creation and a time of blessing, helping the reader see the concrete ways God’s promises would change daily life.

Where else these words appear

“plant” Hebrew H5193 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
  • Psalms 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
  • Jeremiah 12:2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

“vineyards” Hebrew H3754 · used in 82 verses

  • Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
  • 1 Kings 21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
  • Song of Solomon 8:12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

“fruit” Hebrew H6529 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Nehemiah 10:35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
  • Isaiah 37:30 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.