The seraphim’s declaration, “Holy, holy, holy,” isn't just an exclamation of God’s purity; it’s a responsive, antiphonal song between heavenly choirs. This repetition highlights not only God’s supreme holiness but also the active, communal worship of heaven, where praise is a dialogue, not a monologue.
And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Isaiah has just had a powerful vision of God in the Temple, surrounded by angelic beings called seraphim. These seraphim are engaged in a responsive song of worship, proclaiming God's absolute holiness and the fullness of His glory throughout creation. This vision profoundly impacts Isaiah, leading him to confess his own unworthiness and be purified by a seraph. Immediately following this purification, God commissions Isaiah to deliver a difficult message to the people.
Why repeat 'Holy' three times? Is it just emphasis, or something more profound?
The seraphim's cry, 'Holy, holy, holy,' is a powerful declaration of God's absolute and supreme holiness. This threefold repetition, a common Hebrew idiom for expressing the superlative, emphasizes that God's holiness is not just great, but infinitely so. It points to His perfect separation from all sin and imperfection. While the ancient Israelites might have understood this as an intensifier, later revelation, particularly through the New Testament, also invites us to see in this threefold declaration a reflection of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – all equally and perfectly holy.
The seraphim cry out that the whole earth is full of His glory. What does that really mean for us?
Beyond God's transcendent holiness, the seraphim declare that 'the whole earth is full of his glory.' This means God's presence, power, and character are not confined to heaven but are actively and universally displayed throughout creation. Every mountain, every river, every living creature, and every human event is, in some way, a reflection of God's magnificent glory. Even in judgment, His glory is revealed. This perspective shifts our focus from seeing only the mundane or the chaotic in the world to recognizing it as a canvas painted with the very essence of God.
Understand the original words
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qadosh · Hebrew Adjective
The quality of being set apart, utterly distinct, and morally perfect. It is God's essential nature, signifying His separation from all creation, His purity, and His transcendence.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithfulness to His people. It is the name through which God enters into relationship with His creation.
tseba'ot · Hebrew Noun
A title for God describing Him as the commander of the angelic armies of heaven. It emphasizes His supreme power, authority, and sovereignty over all celestial and terrestrial forces.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
The visible manifestation of God’s presence, attributes, and majesty. It refers to the radiance of His character and power as it is displayed or perceived within the created order.
Isaiah's vision occurs during a turbulent period in Judah's history, marked by political instability and the looming threat of powerful empires. The encounter with God's overwhelming holiness in the midst of this crisis profoundly shapes Isaiah's message of judgment and hope.
740 BC— this verse
Reign of Uzziah Ends
King Uzziah, a significant ruler in Judah, dies after a long reign. His death marks a period of transition and uncertainty, prompting Isaiah's profound vision.
c. 740-730 BC
Isaiah's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Isaiah receives his commissioning vision in the temple, where he is confronted with God's holiness and cleansed for his prophetic task. This marks the start of his extensive ministry.
c. 730s BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria attack Judah. Isaiah is sent to warn Judah's king, Ahaz, urging reliance on God rather than foreign alliances.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel and deports its inhabitants. This event serves as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of unfaithfulness.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and besieches Jerusalem. Despite the dire circumstances, Jerusalem is miraculously spared through God's intervention, largely due to Isaiah's prophecies.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's vision, describing the same celestial beings proclaiming "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" highlighting the eternal nature of God's holiness.
Exodus 15:11This verse from the Song of Moses at the Red Sea offers a parallel praise, asking 'Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?' This connects to the awe-inspiring holiness declared by the seraphim.
Psalm 99:3This psalm repeats the theme of God's holiness, stating 'Let them praise your great and awesome name—he is holy!' reinforcing the central idea of God's unmatched, fearsome holiness.
John 12:41John's Gospel explicitly links this vision to Jesus Christ, stating 'Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him.' This provides a New Testament perspective, connecting the seraphim's praise of Jehovah Sabaoth to the incarnate Son of God.
Psalm 72:19This verse proclaims 'Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen.' It shares the same profound declaration that God's glory permeates the entire earth, echoing the seraphim's chant.
barnesIsaiah 6:3: "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
And one cried to another - Hebrew 'This cried to this.' That is, they cried to each other in alternate responses. One cried 'holy;' the second repeated it; then the third; and then they probably united in the grand chorus, 'Full is all the earth of his glory.' This was an ancient mode of singing or recitative among the Hebrews; see Exodus 15:20-21 , where Miriam is r…
clarkeIsaiah 6:3: "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
Holy, holy, holy - This hymn performed by the seraphim, divided into two choirs, the one singing responsively to the other, which Gregory Nazian., Carm. 18, very elegantly calls Συμφωνον, αντιφωνον, αγγελων στασιν, is formed upon the practice of alternate singing, which prevailed in the Jewish Church from the time of Moses, whose ode at the Red Sea was thus performed…
The seraphim’s declaration, “Holy, holy, holy,” isn't just an exclamation of God’s purity; it’s a responsive, antiphonal song between heavenly choirs. This repetition highlights not only God’s supreme holiness but also the active, communal worship of heaven, where praise is a dialogue, not a monologue.
Isaiah has just had a powerful vision of God in the Temple, surrounded by angelic beings called seraphim. These seraphim are engaged in a responsive song of worship, proclaiming God's absolute holiness and the fullness of His glory throughout creation. This vision profoundly impacts Isaiah, leading him to confess his own unworthiness and be purified by a seraph. Immediately following this purification, God commissions Isaiah to deliver a difficult message to the people.
Isaiah has just had a powerful vision of God in the Temple, surrounded by angelic beings called seraphim. These seraphim are engaged in a responsive song of worship, proclaiming God's absolute holiness and the fullness of His glory throughout creation. This vision profoundly impacts Isaiah, leading him to confess his own unworthiness and be purified by a seraph. Immediately following this purification, God commissions Isaiah to deliver a difficult message to the people.
"And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke." — The seraphim’s declaration, “Holy, holy, holy,” isn't just an exclamation of God’s purity; it’s a responsive, antiphonal song between heavenly choirs. This repetition highlights not only God’s suprem…
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Last reviewed October 2026