The relationship between this verse and verses 15-16 is difficult to determine. Verse 17 is directed against those in Judah who were following Canaanite practices, as noted in 65.3-4, but apart from the common theme of punishment there is nothing that links the three verses. However, for New Jerusalem Bible and Bible en français courant this common theme is sufficient, so they link this verse closely with the previous ones.

Those who sanctify and purify themselves refers to people in Judah who cleanse themselves in order to participate in certain Canaanite rituals. Sanctify means they set themselves apart for worship, while purify means they cleanse themselves ritually for worship. Good News Translation combines both verbs and adds the purpose for the purification by saying “those who purify themselves for pagan worship,” which is a valid model. Bible en français courant also combines both verbs, saying “the people who purify themselves in a special way.”

To go into the gardens is the purpose for the ritual purification. Although this phrase is vague, based on 65.3-4 we assume that there were certain garden-like places set aside to worship other gods. Good News Translation makes this interpretation explicit by placing the same footnote here as at 65.3|prj:GNTD.Isa 65.3, referring back to 1.29, where such gardens were first mentioned.

People went into the gardens following one in the midst. It is very difficult to know what this clause means. Some have suggested that it refers to a person leading a procession into a garden. That person would be one in the midst, that is, in the middle of the people. Revised English Bible expresses this sense with “one after another in a magic ring.” However, in the midst could also refer to the middle of the garden. Furthermore, there is a textual problem here with some ancient texts reading “behind one [masculine] in the middle,” and others reading “behind one [feminine] in the middle.” If the word for one is feminine, it could refer to an image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, so Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “to worship a foreign goddess.” However, this is a very free interpretation. It is impossible to make a final decision about the correct text and the members of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project were evenly divided on the issue. In light of the exegetical and textual problems, de~Waard suggests a neutral rendering, such as “following the one in the center” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Good News Translation does not mention any leader but only says the people go “in procession.”

Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and mice: Those who go to the sacred gardens also eat ritually unclean animals, probably as part of the forbidden Canaanite rituals. For swine’s flesh (that is, pork), see the comments on 65.4. Abomination refers to any unclean animal, which should not be eaten (see Lev 11). The Hebrew word rendered abomination comes from the same root as the word for “abominations” in verse 3 (see the comments there). The Hebrew word for mice includes any kind of rodent, which is another type of unclean animal (see Lev 11.29). Good News Translation summarizes the forbidden foods by saying “who eat pork and mice and other disgusting foods,” and so does Bible en français courant (1997) with “they eat pork meat, or rats—abominable things.”

Shall come to an end together: Those who follow these Canaanite religious practices will all face the same fate. Shall come to an end means they will die. It is possible that there is a play-on-words between the Hebrew root for come to an end (suph) and the noun for “stormwind” in verse 15. Since the subject of this main verb is rather lengthy, Good News Translation places the verb near the beginning of the verse for clarity (see also the first example below). Bible en français courant begins a new sentence here by saying “Those people will come to an end in one go” (see also the second example below).

Says the LORD (literally “declaration of the LORD”) underlines this verse as part of God’s messages (see the comments on 43.10 and 49.18). Good News Translation places this quote frame at the beginning, which other languages may find helpful.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The LORD says, “These will all perish together: the people who set themselves apart and purify themselves to go into the gardens behind the one who stands in the center, and who eat pigs, mice, and other unclean animals.

• “There are people who set themselves apart and purify themselves, going into the gardens behind the one in the center, and who eat pork, mice, and other disgusting things. Those people will all perish together,” says the LORD.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .