Isaiah 66:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Distant nations will bring all of God's scattered people back to Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord.
The Context of Isaiah 66:20
The Gentile nations will bring back God's scattered people as an offering to Him.
What Does Isaiah 66:20 Mean?
The prophecy expands: those distant nations who hear God's glory proclaimed will themselves bring back God's scattered people—'all your brethren'—to Jerusalem. They arrive via various modes of transport (horses, chariots, litters, mules, swift beasts), suggesting a grand, honored return. These exiles are brought to God's holy mountain as an offering to the LORD, not as prisoners but as precious gifts being presented to the King.
The comparison is striking: just as Israel brings sacrificial offerings in clean vessels to God's house, so the Gentile nations will bring God's people to Him as an offering. This reverses the typical narrative of conquest and enslavement. Instead, those once scattered and despised are gathered up and honored by the nations themselves, presented to God as something precious and clean. The restored people return not in shame but in dignity, as an offering of restored humanity to their God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 66:20
What does Isaiah 66:20 mean?
Distant nations will bring all of God's scattered people back to Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord.
What is the context of Isaiah 66:20?
The Gentile nations will bring back God's scattered people as an offering to Him.