Isaiah 66:17 Meaning: What Does 'Following One in the Middle' Mean?
“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.
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.
They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go unto the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together, saith Jehovah.
Those sanctifying and cleansing themselves at the gardens, After Ahad in the midst, Eating flesh of the sow, And of the abomination, and of the mouse, Together are consumed, An affirmation of Jehovah.
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one in the midst; that eat swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall perish together, saith Jehovah.
Meaning in one sentence
What is the idolatrous practice in Isaiah 66:17? Discover what 'following one in the middle' means and why it matters for your faith today.
Context
Isaiah 66 is the final chapter of the prophecy. It opens with God declaring heaven His throne and the earth His footstool, then moves to a contrast: those who are humble and contrite will receive comfort, but those who rebel will face judgment. Verses 15-16 describe the Lord coming with fire and sword to execute judgment on all flesh. Verse 17 sits right in that judgment passage, naming a specific group of people within Israel who have blended the worship of the Lord with pagan rites. The chapter ends with hope: the new heavens and new earth, and all nations coming to worship. This verse is a warning not to mix true worship with empty ritual and disobedience.
Key Words
Two key Hebrew verbs open the verse: mitqaddeshim and mittaharin, both in the reflexive form. These people are ‘sanctifying themselves’ and ‘purifying themselves’, not set apart by God, but actively consecrating themselves for something else. The word for ‘one’ (echad) has puzzled readers. Some interpreters see it as a hierophant, a priest who leads the group in pagan ceremonies, standing ‘in the middle’ (battavekh). Others, noting that a Syrian god was called Adad (meaning ‘one’), think it refers to a specific deity. The verse also lists unclean foods: pig’s flesh, ‘the abomination,’ and the mouse, animals explicitly forbidden in the law (Leviticus 11:7-8, 29). These were not just dietary violations; they were signs of joining the nations in their cultic practices. The self-made holiness of these people was a cover for outright rebellion.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions agree this verse condemns syncretism, mixing God’s worship with pagan rites. Some commentators, like Matthew Henry and Wesley, emphasize the hypocrisy of people who act religious while disobeying God’s clear commands. Others, such as Keil and Delitzsch, point to a specific hierarchical structure: a leader standing in the midst, directing the rituals. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible suggest the phrase ‘after one’ may refer to following a human leader or a deity. The details matter, the gardens, the purification, the forbidden food, but the core message holds across traditions: God sees past outward ritual to the heart’s true allegiance.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers focus on the ‘pig’s meat’ and assume this verse is mainly about dietary laws. In fact, the context is idolatrous worship. These people were not just eating bacon; they were participating in pagan ceremonies in gardens, using ritual washings to ‘purify’ themselves for forbidden acts. The real sin is mixing devotion to God with practices that belong to other gods. The food is a symptom of a deeper rebellion.
Living This Out
Ask yourself this week: are there places where I am polishing the outside while ignoring what God has said is wrong? It is easy to perform religious routines while harboring secret compromises. Maybe it is a habit you know is unhealthy but you justify. Maybe it is letting culture shape your values more than Scripture. The people in this verse thought their rituals made them holy. God saw through them. You don't have to pretend. Bring the whole truth of your life to Him, and let Him purify you from the inside out.
Main takeaway: Outward religious rituals cannot cover a heart that is dedicated to disobedience.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people tried to look like they loved God, but they were doing things He said not to do. God sees what is in our hearts, not just what we show on the outside.
For ages 9, 12
In Isaiah’s time, some people washed themselves and went to special gardens to worship, but they were also eating food God had forbidden and following pagan leaders. They thought their cleaning made them holy, but their hearts were far from God. This verse warns us not to go through religious motions while ignoring what God actually says. He wants our real obedience, not just a show.
Questions People Ask
What does 'following one in the middle' mean in Isaiah 66:17?
This phrase has been interpreted in a few ways. Some scholars think it refers to a leader or priest who stands in the middle of the group and directs the pagan rituals. Others see it as a reference to a god named Adad, which means 'one' in Syrian. The key point is that these people are following someone or something other than the Lord in their worship.
Why are pig, mouse, and abominable things mentioned together?
These animals were considered unclean according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 11:7-8, 29). By eating them, these people were deliberately breaking God's commands. The list shows they were fully participating in pagan cultic practices that involved forbidden foods, not just making a dietary mistake.
Is this verse about dietary laws or idolatry?
It is primarily about idolatry. The dietary violations are symptoms of a deeper sin: mixing the worship of the Lord with pagan rituals. The people were consecrating themselves for false worship in gardens, which was a common practice among surrounding nations. God condemns the whole package of hypocrisy and rebellion.
What kind of purification is condemned here?
The purification described is a self-initiated, ritual washing meant to prepare for pagan ceremonies. The Hebrew verbs are reflexive, meaning they were purifying themselves for their own purposes, not obeying God's instructions. This shows an outward religious show that covered inner defiance.
How does this verse relate to the rest of Isaiah 66?
Isaiah 66 contrasts God's comfort for the humble and repentant with judgment on the rebellious. Verse 17 appears in the judgment section (verses 15-24), specifying the kind of rebels who will be consumed. The chapter ends with hope for those who worship God rightly, showing that God both judges sin and gathers a purified people.
For pastors & researchers
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