Isaiah 66

1 Thus says Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What manner of house will ye build to me, and what place shall be my rest?

Thus said Jehovah: The heavens [are] My throne, And the earth My footstool, Where [is] this — the house that ye build for Me? And where [is] this — the place — My rest?

2 For all these things my hand has made, and all these things came to be, says Jehovah. But to this man I will look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.

And all these My hand hath made, And all these things are, An affirmation of Jehovah! And unto this one I look attentively, Unto the humble and bruised in spirit, And who is trembling at My word.

3 He who slaughters an ox is as he who kills a man. He who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog's neck. He who offers an oblation, as swine's blood. He who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.

Whoso slaughtereth the ox smiteth a man, Whoso sacrificeth the lamb beheadeth a dog, Whoso is bringing up a present — The blood of a sow, Whoso is making mention of frankincense, Is blessing iniquity. Yea, they have fixed on their own ways, And in their abominations their soul hath delighted.

4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them. Because when I called, none answered. When I spoke, they did not hear. But they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I did not delight.

I also — I fix on their vexations, And their fears I bring in to them, Because I have called, and there is none answering, I spake, and they have not hearkened, And they do the evil things in Mine eyes, And on that which I desired not — fixed.

5 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye who tremble at his word: Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name's sake, have said, Let Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy. But it is those who shall be put to shame.

Hear a word of Jehovah, Ye who are trembling unto His word, Said have your brethren who are hating you, Who are driving you out, for My name's sake: 'Honoured is Jehovah, and we look on your joy,' But they are ashamed.

6 A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Jehovah who renders recompense to his enemies.

A voice of noise [is] from the city, a voice from the temple, The voice of Jehovah, giving recompence to His enemies.

7 Before she travailed, she brought forth. Before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child.

Before she is pained she hath brought forth, Before a pang cometh to her, She hath delivered a male.

8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons.

Who hath heard anything like this? Who hath seen anything like these? Is earth caused to bring forth in one day? Born is a nation at once? For she hath been pained, Zion also hath borne her sons.

9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says Jehovah. Shall I who cause to bring forth shut the womb? says thy God.

'Do I bring to the birth, And not cause to bring forth?' saith Jehovah, 'Am not I He who is causing to beget? I have also restrained,' said thy God.

10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all ye who mourn over her,

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, And be glad in her, all ye loving her, Rejoice ye with her for joy, All ye are mourning for her,

11 that ye may nurse and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, that ye may get milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

So that ye suck, and have been satisfied, From the breast of her consolations, So that ye wring out, and have delighted yourselves From the abundance of her honour.

12 For thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream. And ye shall nurse thereof. Ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees.

For thus said Jehovah: 'Lo, I am stretching out to her peace as a river, And as an overflowing stream the honour of nations, And ye have sucked, on the side ye are carried, And on the knees ye are dandled.

13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

As one whom his mother comforteth, so do I comfort you, Yea, in Jerusalem ye are comforted.

14 And ye shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass. And the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants, and he will have indignation against his enemies.

And ye have seen, and rejoiced hath your heart, And your bones as tender grass do flourish, And the hand of Jehovah hath been known unto His servants, And He hath been indignant with His enemies.

15 For, behold, Jehovah will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind, to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

For, lo, Jehovah in fire cometh, And as a hurricane His chariots, To refresh in fury His anger, And His rebuke in flames of fire.

16 For by fire Jehovah will execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh, and the slain of Jehovah shall be many.

For by fire and by His sword, Doth Jehovah do judgment with all flesh. And many have been Jehovah's pierced ones.'

17 Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together, says Jehovah.

Those sanctifying and cleansing themselves at the gardens, After Ahad in the midst, Eating flesh of the sow, And of the abomination, and of the mouse, Together are consumed, An affirmation of Jehovah.

18 For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes, that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come, and shall see my glory.

And I — their works and their thoughts, I come to gather all the nations and tongues, And they have come and seen My honour.

19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory, and they shall declare my glory among the nations.

And I have set among them a sign, And have sent out of them those escaping unto the nations, (Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, drawing bow, Tubal and Javan, the isles that are far off, ) Who have not heard My fame, nor seen Mine honour, And they have declared Mine honour among nations.

20 And they shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an oblation to Jehovah, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Jehovah, as the sons of Israel bring their oblation in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah.

And they have brought all your brethren out of all the nations, A present to Jehovah, On horses, and on chariot, and on litters, And on mules, and on dromedaries, Unto My holy mountain Jerusalem, said Jehovah, As the sons of Israel bring the present in a clean vessel, Into the house of Jehovah.

21 And of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says Jehovah.

And also of them I take for priests, For Levites, said Jehovah.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain.

For, as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, Are standing before Me, An affirmation of Jehovah! So remain doth your seed and your name.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says Jehovah.

And it hath been from month to month, And from sabbath to sabbath, Come do all flesh to bow themselves before Me, Said Jehovah.

24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me. For their worm shall not die, nor shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh.

And they have gone forth, And looked on the carcases of the men Who are transgressing against me, For their worm dieth not, And their fire is not quenched, And they have been an abhorrence to all flesh!