Bible Strands
Isaiah 65:4
sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs and polluted broth from their bowls.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses the rebellious Israelites to catalog their current ritual behavior. He identifies their practices as daily provocations occurring during a period of covenant rebellion.
The words — יֹשְׁבִים (yo.shvim) means "sitting" and חֲזִיר (cha.zir) means "pig." These terms anchor the description of their defiled habits.
The thread — The text describes practices that parallel the forbidden grove rituals in Isaiah 66:17 and the dietary laws in Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8. These references establish a consistent pattern of ritual defilement.
Why it lands — The text states that grave-side gatherings and pork consumption directly contradict claims of personal holiness. Readers must recognize that outward religious performance cannot mask inward covenant violation.
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
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
Cross-references
- Isaiah 66:17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.
- Leviticus 11:7 And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
- Deuteronomy 14:8 as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.
- Isaiah 66:3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
- Deuteronomy 14:3 You must not eat any detestable thing.
- Deuteronomy 18:11 casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
- Ezekiel 4:14 “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”
- Matthew 8:28 When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, He was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
- Mark 5:2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.
- Luke 8:27 When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs.