Isaiah 66:16

For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The LORD delivers this declaration immediately after describing His fiery arrival in Isaiah 66:15 and directly before warning idolaters in Isaiah 66:17.

The words — נִשְׁפָּ֔ט (nishpat) translates literally to "will enter into judgment," and בָּשָׂ֑ר (basar) means "flesh," grounding the verse in concrete terms of universal human vulnerability.

The thread — The sword motif appears in Ezekiel 38:21 as a divine summons against Gog, while Isaiah 30:30 describes the LORD striking in angry wrath with a revealed mighty arm.

Why it lands — The text states that divine judgment will cut down all humanity regardless of status, and it asks the reader to recognize that no ritual or location provides escape from this reality.

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

כִּ֤יkifor בָאֵשׁ֙va./'Eshby <the>/ fire יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh נִשְׁפָּ֔טnish.Pat[will] enter into judgment וּבְחַרְבּ֖וֹu./ve./char.B/oand/ by/ sword/ his אֶת־'et-with כָּל־kol-all בָּשָׂ֑רba.Sarflesh וְרַבּ֖וּve./ra.Buand/ they will be many חַֽלְלֵ֥יcha.Lei[those] slain of יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 38:21 And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.
Isaiah 30:30 And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.
Ezekiel 39:2 I will turn you around, drive you along, bring you up from the far north, and send you against the mountains of Israel.
Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.
Revelation 19:11 Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
Isaiah 34:5 When My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, then it will come down upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.