Bible Strands
Isaiah 65:1
“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks in a declaration of initiative toward a people who have not sought Him; the following verse (65:2) identifies them as obstinate, walking in a wrong path.
The words — Both נִדְרַשְׁתִי (nid.Rash.ti, "I let myself be consulted") and נִמְצֵאתִי (nim.Tze.ti, "I let myself be found") are nifal forms, marking God as making Himself available rather than acting upon others.
The thread — Paul quotes the second half directly in Romans 10:20 and applies the whole pattern to Gentile inclusion in Romans 9:24 and 1 Peter 2:10.
Why it lands — The verse removes the excuse that God has not made Himself known; the refusal to respond is the reader's own, not a gap in divine initiative.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Cross-references
- Romans 10:20 And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”
- Romans 9:24 including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
- 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
- Isaiah 45:22 Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’
- Psalms 22:27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
- Isaiah 55:5 Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”
- Zechariah 8:22 And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”
- Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!