Bible Strands
Isaiah 65:15
You will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but to His servants He will give another name.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Lord addresses the rebellious Israelites who reject His covenant, positioning their impending judgment directly against the joyful fate of His faithful servants. This declaration occurs within a broader oracle contrasting wailing idolaters with rejoicing remnant.
The words — שִׁמְכֶם (shim.Khem) translates literally as “your name,” while שְׁבוּעָה (sh.vu.'Ah) means “a curse” or “an oath.” The text pairs these terms to show how the rebels’ identity becomes the enduring mark of their destruction.
The thread — The motif of a divinely given name appears in Isaiah 62:2, where Zion receives a new name reflecting restored glory. The curse-to-blessing reversal echoes Zechariah 8:13, while the identity shift from rejected to called echoes Romans 9:26.
Why it lands — The verse demands a clear alignment with God’s servants rather than the rebellious majority. It requires readers to recognize that divine judgment erases cursed identities while divine provision creates new, enduring ones.
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
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
Cross-references
- Isaiah 62:2 Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
- Romans 9:26 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.’”
- Zechariah 8:13 As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”
- Acts 11:26 and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
- Jeremiah 29:22 Because of them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!’
- Isaiah 65:9 And I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and heirs from Judah; My elect will possess My mountains, and My servants will dwell there.
- Isaiah 65:22 No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
- Isaiah 65:12 I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”