Isaiah 65:17–19
God announces he is creating new heavens and a new earth, and a people of joy
Study it word by word17For look, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor rise in the heart.
18But rather rejoice and exult forever in what I create; for look, I create Jerusalem as exultation, and her people as rejoicing.
19And I will exult in Jerusalem and rejoice in my people; and no longer will be heard in her the sound of weeping or the sound of crying.
In its context
15And you will leave your name as an oath to my chosen ones: ‘So may Adonai YHWH put you to death!’ but his servants he will call by another name.
16So that whoever blesses himself in the land will bless himself by the Elohim of Amen, and whoever swears in the land will swear by the Elohim of Amen; for the former distresses have been forgotten, and because they have been hidden from my eyes.
…
20There will no longer be there an infant of few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days; for the youth will die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old will be cursed.
21And they will build houses and live in them; and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Its words in the original
- בוֹרֵאvore· create
Create: make something new exist. In its basic form this verb is used in the Hebrew Bible only when God is the one acting. In other forms it means "clear, cut down" (a forest) or "fatten".
- שָׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- חֲדָשִׁיםchadashim· new
New.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- תִזָּכַרְנָהtizacharna· remember
Remember, call to mind; also mention. When God "remembers" someone, it is not that he had forgotten: it means he acts in his favor.
- רִאשֹׁנוֹתrishonot· first
First, in place, time or rank; former.
- תַעֲלֶינָהtaalena· go up, offer up
Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.
- לֵבlev· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- שִׂישׂוּsisu· rejoice
Rejoice, be very glad.
- גִילוּgilu· rejoice
To rejoice: to be very glad, to leap for joy.
- עַדad· forever
Forever, without end.
- יְרוּשָׁלִַםyerushalaim· Jerusalem
Jerusalem: a city in the hill country that later became David's capital and the place of the temple.
- גִּילָהgila· rejoicing
Rejoicing, gladness that leaps.
- עַמָּama· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- מָשׂוֹשׂmasos· joy, delight
Joy, delight; also what causes it.
- יִשָּׁמַעyishama· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- קוֹלkol· voice, sound
Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).
- בְּכִיbechi· weeping
Weeping.
- זְעָקָהzeaka· outcry
Cry, outcry: the cry of someone who suffers injustice and calls for help.