Isaiah 66

1 The Lord says, Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is the resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, and what place will be my resting-place?

Thus saith Jehovah: Heaven is my throne, And the earth my footstool; Where is the house that ye can build me, And where is the place of my rest?

2 For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.

For all these things hath my hand made; By it do all these things exist, saith Jehovah. But to this man will I look, Even to him who is humble and of a contrite spirit, And who trembleth at my word.

3 He who puts an ox to death puts a man to death; he who makes an offering of a lamb puts a dog to death; he who makes a meal offering makes an offering of pig's blood; he who makes an offering of perfumes for a sign gives worship to an image: as they have gone after their desires, and their soul takes pleasure in their disgusting things;

He that slayeth an ox killeth a man; He that sacrificeth a lamb beheadeth a dog; He that maketh an oblation offereth swine's blood; He that burneth incense blesseth an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, And in their abominations their souls delight.

4 So I will go after trouble for them, and will send on them what they are fearing: because no one made answer to my voice, or gave ear to my word; but they did what was evil in my eyes, going after that in which I took no pleasure.

I also will choose their calamities; What they dread I will bring upon them; Because I called, and no one answered, I spake, and they did not hear; But they did what is evil in my sight, And chose that in which I have no delight.

5 Give ear to the word of the Lord, you who are in fear at his word: your countrymen, hating you, and driving you out because of my name, have said, Let the Lord's glory be made clear, so that we may see your joy; but they will be put to shame.

Hear the word of Jehovah, Ye that tremble at his word! “Your brethren that hate you, And thrust you out for my name's sake, have said, “May Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy!” But they shall be confounded.

6 There is a noise of war from the town, a sound from the Temple, the voice of the Lord giving punishment to his haters.

A voice of tumult from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of Jehovah, rendering recompense to his enemies!

7 Before her pains came, she gave birth; before her pains, she gave birth to a man-child.

Before she was in travail, she brought forth, Before her pangs came, she was delivered of a son.

8 When has such a story come to men's ears? who has seen such things? will a land come to birth in one day? will a nation be given birth in a minute? For when Zion's pains came on her, she gave birth to her children straight away.

Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Is a country brought forth in a day? Is a nation born at once? For as soon as Zion was in travail, she brought forth her children.

9 Will I by whom the birth was started, not make it complete? says the Lord. Will I who make children come to birth, let them be kept back? says your God.

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth, saith Jehovah; Shall I, who beget, restrain the birth? saith thy God.

10 Have joy with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you her lovers: take part in her joy, all you who are sorrowing for her:

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, And exult for her, all ye that love her! Be very joyful with her, all ye that mourn for her!

11 So that you may take of the comfort flowing from her breasts, and be delighted with the full measure of her glory.

That ye may suck, and be satisfied, from the breast of her consolations, That ye may suck and be delighted with the fulness of her glory.

12 For the Lord says, See, I will make her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream, and she will take her children in her arms, gently caring for them on her knees.

For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring prosperity to her like a river, And the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; Ye shall suck at the breast, Ye shall be carried on the arm, And on the knees shall ye be dandled.

13 As to one who is comforted by his mother, so will I give you comfort: and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.

As one whom his mother comforteth, So will I comfort you; And in Jerusalem shall ye be comforted.

14 And you will see it and your heart will be glad, and your bones will get new strength, like young grass: and the hand of the Lord will be seen at work for his servants, and his wrath against his haters.

Ye shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like a green plant, And the hand of Jehovah shall be manifested to his servants, And be moved with indignation against his enemies.

15 For the Lord is coming with fire, and his war-carriages will be like the storm-wind; to give punishment in the heat of his wrath, and his passion is like flames of fire.

For behold, Jehovah cometh with fire, Like a whirlwind are his chariots, To breathe forth his anger in a glowing heat, And his rebuke in flames of fire.

16 For with fire and sword will the Lord come, judging all the earth, and his sword will be on all flesh: and great numbers will be put to death by him.

For with fire will Jehovah contend, And with his sword, with all flesh, And many shall be the slain of Jehovah.

17 As for those who keep themselves separate, and make themselves clean in the gardens, going after one in the middle, taking pig's flesh for food, and other disgusting things, such as the mouse: their works and their thoughts will come to an end together, says the Lord.

They who sanctify and purify themselves in the groves, Following one in the midst, Who eat swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse. They shall all perish together, saith Jehovah.

18 And I am coming to get together all nations and tongues: and they will come and will see my glory.

For I know their works, and their thoughts; The time cometh to gather all nations and tongues together; They shall come, and behold my glory.

19 And I will put a sign among them, and I will send those who are still living to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, Meshech and Rosh, Tubal and Javan, to the sea-lands far away, who have not had word of me, or seen my glory; and they will give the knowledge of my glory to the nations.

And I will give a sign among them, And of those that escape I will send to the nations, To Tarshish, Phul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, To the distant coasts, who never heard my name, And who never saw my glory; And they shall declare my glory among the nations.

20 And they will take your countrymen out of all the nations for an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in carriages, and in carts, and on asses, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, as the children of Israel take their offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

And they shall bring all your brethren From all the nations, an offering to Jehovah, Upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules and dromedaries, To my holy mountain, Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, As the sons of Israel bring their gifts In pure vessels to the house of Jehovah.

21 And some of them will I take for priests and Levites, says the Lord.

And of them will I also take For priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah.

22 For as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make will be for ever before me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name be for ever.

For as the new heavens, And the new earth, which I make, Endure before me, saith Jehovah, So shall your race and your name endure.

23 And it will be, that from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to give worship before me, says the Lord.

And it shall be, from new moon to new moon, And from sabbath to sabbath, That all flesh shall come and worship before me, saith Jehovah.

24 And they will go out to see the dead bodies of the men who have done evil against me: for their worm will ever be living, and their fire will never be put out, and they will be a thing of fear to all flesh.

Then shall they go forth and see The dead bodies of the men that rebelled against me! For their worm shall not die, And their fire shall not be quenched, And they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.