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.

ISAIAH 66:17KJV
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Isaiah 66:17 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 66:17 mean?

Isaiah 66:17 describes people who try to make themselves holy by their own rituals, gathering in gardens and eating foods that were forbidden by Israel’s law, such as pork and mice. God says these people will all be destroyed together because their actions are detestable to Him.

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah is speaking God’s words to the people of Israel near the end of the book. The setting is a warning against those who mix pagan practices with attempts at self-purification, especially by participating in ceremonies in gardens and eating unclean animals. The verse highlights that outward rituals and ignoring God’s commands cannot make someone truly holy.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 66:17

  • "Sanctify" (קָדַשׁ, qadash) and "purify" (טָהֵר, taher) both mean to make oneself holy or clean, but here they are done by the people themselves, not by God’s instruction, showing self-made religion.
  • "Gardens" (גַּנִּים, gannim) refers to places often used for idol worship in Isaiah’s time, not just ordinary gardens.
  • "Abomination" (שֶׁקֶץ, sheqets) is a strong word for something detestable or ritually unclean, emphasizing how offensive these actions are to God.
  • "Consumed" (סָפָה, safah) means to be swept away or destroyed completely, stressing the seriousness of the warning.

Why Isaiah 66:17 matters

  • Isaiah 66:17 clears up that not all religious acts are pleasing to God—rituals mixed with disobedience or pagan customs are condemned, even if they look spiritual.
  • The verse emphasizes that God cares about the heart and obedience, not just outward shows of holiness.
  • This warning connects to the wider theme in Isaiah 66, where God contrasts true worship with false, self-made religion, pointing to the need for genuine faithfulness.

Where else these words appear

“mouse” Hebrew H5909 · used in 6 verses

  • Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
  • 1 Samuel 6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
  • 1 Samuel 6:11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

“swine's” Hebrew H2386 · used in 7 verses

  • Leviticus 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
  • Psalms 80:13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
  • Isaiah 65:4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

“consumed” Hebrew H5486 · used in 7 verses

  • Esther 9:28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
  • Jeremiah 8:13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
  • Zephaniah 1:2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.

“abomination” Hebrew H8263 · used in 11 verses

  • Leviticus 7:21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
  • Leviticus 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
  • Leviticus 11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.