The Meaning of Isaiah 65:21 Explained

Isaiah 65:21

KJV: And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

YLT: And they have built houses, and inhabited, And planted vineyards, and eaten their fruit.

Darby: And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof:

ASV: And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall build  houses,  and inhabit  [them]; and they shall plant  vineyards,  and eat  the fruit  of them. 

What does Isaiah 65:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 65:13-25 - A New Earth For God's Servants
Notice the wide difference that religion makes to the soul. The children of God are secured against the evils which visit all others. They eat; they drink; they rejoice; they sing; they are called by another name, Isaiah 65:13-15.
Behold a new creation, Isaiah 65:17-25! The present dispensation is ended. Jerusalem, restored to her former glory, sings for very joy; and her rejoicing sends a thrill of joy through the nature of God. Long years of life and security of tenure are granted again to man. The red rapine of the forest is ended, for creation is emancipated from its bondage and participates in the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Peace shall reign in the forest glades, never again to abdicate her throne, Isaiah 65:25. But, best of all, there shall be such unity between man and God that prayer will be anticipated, and the pleading soul shall be conscious of the listening ear of God. Hasten, O day of days, for which creation groans, and the saints groan with inexpressible desire! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 65

1  The calling of the Gentiles,
2  and the rejection of the Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy
8  A remnant shall be saved
11  Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly
17  The blessed state of the new Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Isaiah 65:21 mean?

And they shall build houses and inhabit [them] and they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit
וּבָנ֥וּ בָתִּ֖ים וְיָשָׁ֑בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְאָכְל֖וּ פִּרְיָֽם

וּבָנ֥וּ  And  they  shall  build 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
בָתִּ֖ים  houses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְיָשָׁ֑בוּ  and  inhabit  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
וְנָטְע֣וּ  and  they  shall  plant 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָטַע  
Sense: to plant, fasten, fix, establish.
כְרָמִ֔ים  vineyards 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֶּרֶם 
Sense: vineyard.
וְאָכְל֖וּ  and  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
פִּרְיָֽם  their  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.