Isaiah 66:2 · Bible study
Isaiah 66:2 Commentary: The Creator’s Regard for the Humble
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 66:2 explores how God as Creator values humility and contrition over Temple worship, exalting those who tremble at His word.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God as Creator does not need a temple; He values the humble, contrite, and those who revere His word.
- Key words: ani (poor/afflicted/humble), nakeh (smitten/contrite), chared (trembling/reverent).
- Main debate: Whether the verse opposes temple rebuilding entirely (Hitzig, Umbreit) or merely subordinates external worship to inward piety (majority view).
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign grace toward the lowly; the priority of heart religion over ritual.
- Best use: Teaching on true worship, humility, and the proper relationship between sacred spaces and spiritual character.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For my hand has made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but I will look to this man, even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.
KJV King James Version 1769
For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And all these My hand hath made, And all these things are, An affirmation of Jehovah! And unto this one I look attentively, Unto the humble and bruised in spirit, And who is trembling at My word.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Even all these things hath my hand made, and all these things have been, saith Jehovah. But to this man will I look: to the afflicted and contrite in spirit, and who trembleth at my word.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
My hand made all these things, and all these things were made, saith the Lord. But to whom shall I have respect, but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my words?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mi mano hizo todas estas cosas, y así todas estas cosas fueron, dice Jehová: mas á aquél miraré que es pobre y humilde de espíritu, y que tiembla á mi palabra.
Pois minha mão fez todas estas coisas, e todas estas coisas passaram a existir,diz o SENHOR; mas para tal eu olharei: aquele que é pobre e abatido de espírito, e treme por minha palavra.
Toutes ces choses, ma main les a faites,
Meine Hand hat alles gemacht, was da ist, spricht der HERR. Ich sehe aber an den Elenden und der zerbrochenen Geistes ist und der sich fürchtet vor meinem Wort.
Want Mijn hand heeft al deze dingen gemaakt, en al deze dingen zijn geweest, spreekt de HEERE; maar op dezen zal Ik zien, op den arme en verslagene van geest, en die voor Mijn woord beeft.
Tutte queste cose le ha fatte la mia mano, e così son tutte venute all’esistenza, dice l’Eterno. Ecco su chi io poserò lo sguardo: su colui ch’è umile, che ha lo spirito contrito, e trema alla mia parola.
Bo to wszystko ręka moja uczyniła, i nią stanęło to wszystko, mówi Pan. Wszakże Ja na tego patrzę, który jest utrapionego i skruszonego ducha, a który drży na słowo moje.
Ибо все это соделала рука Моя, и все сие было, говорит Господь. А вот на кого Я призрю: на смиренного и сокрушенного духом и на трепещущего пред словом Моим.
耶和華 說：這 一切 都是我手 所造的，所以就 都 有了。但我所 看顧的，就是虛心（原文是貧窮）痛悔、因 我話 而戰兢的人。
For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 66:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse contrasts God’s creative majesty with His special regard for the humble. God made all things, heaven, earth, everything, so no temple can contain Him. Yet He “looks” (Hebrew nabat, meaning to regard with favor) toward the person who is “poor” (עני, ani, meaning humble or afflicted, not merely impoverished) and “contrite” (נכה, nakeh, literally smitten or crushed) in spirit, and who “trembles” (חרד, chared, reverently fearful) at God’s word. Barnes notes that God’s favor does not rest on material poverty but on a subdued, self‑aware heart. The Cambridge Bible calls this “one of the most explicit declarations of the spirituality of religion to be found in the O.T.,” anticipating John 4:24. Most commentators (Barnes, Cambridge, Lange, Matthew Henry) agree the verse does not abolish temple worship but prioritizes inward piety over external ritual. Gill adds a typological reading, seeing Christ as the ultimate “poor and contrite” one. The shared core: God’s greatness magnifies His grace toward the lowly.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Anti-temple reading: Isaiah 66:1–2 is read by Hitzig and Umbreit as a polemic against any material temple. The logic: if heaven and earth are God’s dwelling, no human building is legitimate.
- Inward piety emphasis: The majority of commentators (Barnes, Cambridge, Lange, Matthew Henry) argue that the verse prioritizes heart religion but does not forbid the temple itself, as other passages in Isaiah promise its restoration.
- Christological typology: Gill interprets the “poor and contrite” one as a reference to Christ, who was literally poor and crushed for sins, and in whom the Father is well pleased.
What is clear: God, as Creator of all things, does not depend on any human structure; He turns His favor toward those who are humble, broken in spirit, and reverent before His word.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'poor' (עני) | The word refers to humility and affliction, not primarily material poverty. God looks on the humble, not on the merely poor. | Some traditions (e.g., Gill, reading typologically) emphasize that Christ perfectly embodied this poor/afflicted state. Others focus on the ethical demand for believers to maintain a humble disposition. |
| Relationship to temple worship | God does not need a temple because He made all things. The verse prioritizes inner character over external religious structures. | A minority view (Hitzig, cited by Keil & Delitzsch and Cambridge) holds that the prophet opposes any rebuilding of the temple. The majority view (Cambridge, Lange, Matthew Henry, Barnes) insists that the verse only stresses the superiority of heart devotion, not the abolition of sanctuary or sacrifice. |
| Identity of 'this one' | The primary reference is to any believer who is humble, contrite, and reverent before God. | Gill sees a direct typological reference to Christ as the ultimate poor and contrite person. Others (Barnes, Wesley) read it strictly as a description of the faithful Israelite. |
| Role of 'trembling' at God's word | The term denotes reverent awe and submission, not abject terror. It is a mark of true devotion. | Some (Lange, Cambridge) emphasize that trembling arises from a deep sense of God’s holiness and one’s own sinfulness. Others (Wesley, Matthew Henry) highlight the fear of God’s judgments, especially his threats against sin. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 66 stands near the end of the prophecy, addressing a people facing a new start after the Babylonian exile. The surrounding verses (66:1, 3, 4) contrast the empty ritualism of those who trust in temple and sacrifice with the faithful remnant who “tremble at his word” (66:5). Historically, the returning exites were eager to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1, 6; Haggai 1, 2). Some may have assumed that a grand sanctuary would guarantee God’s presence and blessing. God’s words in 66:1, 2 cut through that assumption: heaven is His throne, earth His footstool, no building can contain the Creator. The point is not to forbid temple construction (the same prophet has already foretold its restoration, Isaiah 44:28; 56:5, 7) but to subordinate it to heart‑religion.
The three terms describing the person God regards, ani (poor/afflicted), nakeh (smitten/contrite), and chared (trembling), are drawn from a stream of Old Testament piety. The “afflicted” often appear in the Psalms as those who trust God under oppression (Psalm 10:9, 34:18). The “contrite” or “broken” spirit appears in Psalm 51:17, where David confesses that God does not despise a broken heart. And those who “tremble at God’s word” appear in Ezra 9:4 and 10:3 as a faithful minority who gather to make covenant in a time of national sin. Together, these terms describe not mere emotionalism but a life shaped by humble dependence on God and reverent submission to His commands. The historical setting, post-exilic, temple‑rebuilding, prophetic warning against empty religion, gives the verse its sharp edge.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one textual variation. Adam Clarke observes that the opening clause “and all these things have been” (wayyihyu kol-elleh) may have originally included the word li (“mine”), making it “all these things are mine.” He cites support from the Septuagint and Syriac versions. Other commentators (Barnes, Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch) do not mention this variant and proceed with the standard Masoretic Text as reflected in the WEB and KJV. The Hebrew manuscripts do not contain li in this verse, and the overall sense, God’s ownership of creation, is already clear from the preceding clause.
Reception History
Isaiah 66:2 has been a touchstone for Christian teaching on true worship across the centuries. Early church writers such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen saw in it a rejection of Jewish temple‑centeredness and a call to spiritual worship. The verse influenced the monastic ideal of poverty of spirit; figures like Augustine and Bernard of Clairvaux cited it to argue that God dwells in humble hearts rather than in stone buildings. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin appealed to the verse to critique reliance on ceremony and to emphasize the necessity of contrite faith. In the Evangelical and Reformed traditions, it has been used to comfort believers who feel unworthy, reminding them that God draws near to the broken. Jewish commentators, including Rashi, similarly highlight the call to humility and reverence for God’s word. The verse continues to be quoted in discussions about the relationship between liturgy and personal piety.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s greatness makes every human structure relative. He made all things; He does not need anything we build.
- God’s grace singles out the humble. He looks with favor on those who know their need.
- God’s word demands a trembling response. Reverence, not routine, marks the faithful heart.
Five-point outline
- The Creator transcends all human worship spaces (v.1, 2a).
- True worship is not about location but disposition (v.2b).
- “Poor in spirit” means honest dependence, not self‑abasement.
- “Contrite spirit” is a heart wounded by sin and softened by grace.
- “Trembling at the word” is reverence that leads to obedience, not terror.
Illustration hooks
- Imagine overhearing a church committee arguing about renovations while a homeless person sits unnoticed outside. The verse reframes priority: God sees the person, not the building.
- A child who obeys a parent because she loves and respects her, not because she fears punishment, that’s the kind of “trembling” God wants.
- Suppose a skilled professional regularly seeks advice from a younger coworker. True strength shows in humility, not in pretending to have everything together.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about how we worship, or just that we worship?
- How can I know if my heart is truly contrite, not just feeling guilty?
- What does it look like to tremble at God’s word in everyday life, especially when friends or culture treat Scripture lightly?
Leading a Discussion
Read Isaiah 66:1, 2 aloud together. This passage challenges every assumption about where God dwells and whom He honors. Before you discuss, pause to consider how often we equate religious activity with genuine devotion. The group’s goal is not to find the “right” answer but to let the text reshape how we think about worship and humility.
Discussion questions
- What do the opening images, heaven as a throne, earth as a footstool, tell you about God’s relationship to the physical universe?
- Verse 2 lists three marks of the person God looks to. Why does God choose to highlight those specific qualities?
- The Hebrew word translated “poor” (ani) can also mean “afflicted” or “humble.” How does that range of meaning affect your understanding of the verse?
- Compare God’s statement here with his words in Isaiah 57:15. What does it mean that God “dwells” with the contrite?
- The phrase “trembles at my word” also appears in Ezra 9:4 and 10:3. What kind of people are described there, and how does that context deepen your understanding?
- How might a person who takes this verse seriously approach church architecture, liturgy, or personal prayer differently?
- What is one area of your life where you sense God inviting you to respond with more humility or reverence this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. |
| Genesis 1:31 | God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. |
| II Kings 22:19 | because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,’ says Yahweh. |
| II Kings 22:20 | ‘Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’”’” So they brought this message back to the king. |
| II Chronicles 34:27 | because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh. |
| II Chronicles 34:28 | “Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes won’t see all the evil that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” They brought back this message to the king. |
| Ezra 9:4 | Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel were assembled to me because of the trespass of the exiles; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. |
| Ezra 10:3 | Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that a key Hebrew word, "li" meaning "mine," appears to have been lost from the standard Hebrew text of this verse. He notes that this necessary word is preserved in the ancient Greek Septuagint and Syriac translations.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that God, who created the heavens and earth as His own dwelling, needs no temple built by human hands. The person God favors is not the poor in property but the humble and contrite, with a spirit crushed by sin and a reverent fear of God's word.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that this passage does not oppose the Temple or its rituals, as some claim. Instead, it warns against building a Temple with the wrong spirit, possibly targeting unworthy Israelites or a proposed Samaritan rival sanctuary. The prophet’s point is that God cannot be confined to any building built by human presumption.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that God, who made all things by His own hand and owns everything, does not look for grand offerings or impressive worship. Instead, He looks favorably only on the person who is humble, contrite in spirit, and trembles with reverent fear at His word.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this verse as pointing to both Christ and the believer. He sees Christ as the primary fulfillment — poor, afflicted, of a contrite spirit, trembling at God's word — and then applies the same description to every true believer who shares those qualities. God looks with love and acceptance to both.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the things mentioned were made by God and therefore belong to Him. God looks with favor on the humble and those who tremble at His word. The spiritual temple of the heart, though not replacing outward worship, is God's preferred dwelling, foreshadowing the final state where the Lord Himself is the temple.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch contends that the passage rebukes the un
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that this passage does not forbid the returning exiles from rebuilding the temple. Instead, the prophet looks ahead to the final age when there will be no temple and no animal sacrifices, because God will dwell directly in humble, contrite hearts.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry downplays the temple's significance by contrasting it with a humble heart. He argues that God, who fills heaven and earth, does not need a human-built house. Instead, God looks favorably on the person who is poor, contrite, and reverent toward his word.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley contrasts God's general care for all creation with His special regard for the humble. Though God keeps everything in being, He looks with favor only on those with a broken, contrite spirit who tremble at His word with reverence.