“A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 66:6 Mean?
"A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies." Three voices — from the city, from the temple, from the LORD — converge in a crescendo of divine action. The noise from the city signals urban upheaval. The voice from the temple signals divine presence. The voice of the LORD signals the recompense — the rendering of deserved consequences to His enemies. The three voices are one judgment.
The phrase "a voice of noise from the city" (qol sha'on me'ir — a sound of tumult from the city) is the sound of divine action breaking into urban life: the noise isn't peaceful. It's tumultuous — the sound of something happening that changes everything. The city that was operating normally is disrupted by a voice it can't ignore.
The progression — city, temple, LORD — moves from general to specific: the noise starts in the broader city, narrows to the temple (God's specific dwelling), and finally identifies itself as THE LORD's voice. The generic noise becomes specific divine speech. The tumult becomes targeted recompense. The sound has a source, and the source is God rendering judgment.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What disruption are you hearing — and have you traced it to its divine source?
- 2.How does the progression from city-noise to temple-voice to LORD-speaking model discerning God's action?
- 3.What does 'rendering recompense to his enemies' teach about God's judgment being earned, not arbitrary?
- 4.What noise in your world might be the sound of God acting — if you listened carefully enough?
Devotional
A voice from the city. A voice from the temple. A voice from THE LORD. Three voices — or one voice heard at three ranges. The noise in the city, the sound in the temple, the word from God — all announcing the same thing: recompense to His enemies. The judgment has arrived.
The 'voice of noise from the city' is the public disruption: something is happening in the city that can't be ignored. The normal rhythms are interrupted. The everyday noise is overwhelmed by a different sound. The city hears something it hasn't heard before — tumult that signals change.
The 'voice from the temple' narrows the source: the noise isn't random urban chaos. It originates from the TEMPLE — from God's dwelling, from the place where divine presence resides. The tumult in the city can be traced to the voice in the temple. The public disruption has a sacred origin. The noise that shakes the city comes from the house that hosts God.
The 'voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense' is the final identification: the noise IS God. The voice IS divine judgment. The recompense — the deserved consequences rendered to enemies — is what the voice announces. The three stages of hearing are the three stages of recognition: first you hear noise (something is happening). Then you locate it in the temple (it's from God). Then you understand the content (God is rendering consequences to His enemies).
What 'voice of noise' are you hearing — and have you traced it to its divine source?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
A voice of noise from the city,.... From the city of Jerusalem, as the Targum; so Kimchi, who says, that in the days of…
A voice of noise from the city - That is, from the city of Jerusalem. The prophet sees in a vision a tumult in the city.…
A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord - It is very remarkable that similar words…
The prophet, having denounced God's judgments against a hypocritical nation, that made a jest of God's word and would…
Description of the sudden outbreak of Jehovah's destructive might from His city and sanctuary (cf. Amo 1:2; Joe 3:16;…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture