What Does Isaiah 66:18 Mean in the King James?

For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

Isaiah 66:18 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

What is already known within becomes a shared sight: every nation and tongue comes to see the LORD’s weight.

THE MEANING

Works and thoughts alike lie open before God. The gathering reaches across every nation and language, bringing people together to see what carries God’s weight.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that only outward actions are seen: the verse places thoughts alongside works in what God knows.

THE ROOT

כְּבוֹדִי

kevodi

GROWS FROM

כ־ב־ד

K-B-D

To be heavy; to carry weight.

English “glory” can sound like splendor alone, while this root also carries the sense of weight and substance. The nations see what is weighty about God, not merely something bright to look at.

ALSO GROWS

kaved: Heavy; carrying weight.

כָּבֵד

This concrete sense gives “glory” the feel of substance and consequence.

kibbed: To honor or treat as weighty.

כִּבֵּד

The branch links seeing God’s glory with recognizing the weight that belongs to God.

THE PATTERN

God’s weight becomes visible beyond one people, drawing many peoples into shared witness.

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

Psalm 96:3 · KJVGod’s glory is made known among the peoples, extending the witness beyond one community.

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:5 · KJVThe LORD’s glory is revealed for all flesh to see together, as the nations do here.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Revelation 7:9 · KJVPeople of every nation and tongue appear together before the throne, giving the gathering a many-peoples scope.

THE THREAD

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:5 · KJV

Both verses join seeing with the same Hebrew word for glory, rooted in the sense of weight. Isaiah 40:5 makes the shared sight explicit: all flesh sees the LORD’s glory together.

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