Esias 65

1 I became manifest to them that asked not for me; I was found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold, I am [here], to a nation, who called not on my name.

I have been inquired of by those who asked not, I have been found by those who sought Me not, I have said, 'Behold Me, behold Me,' Unto a nation not calling in My name.

2 I have stretched forth my hands all day to a disobedient and gainsaying people, to them that walked in a way that was not good, but after their sins.

I have spread out My hands all the day Unto an apostate people, Who are going in the way not good after their own thoughts.

3 This is the people that provokes me continually in my presence; they offer sacrifices in gardens, and burn incense on bricks to devils, which exist not.

The people who are provoking Me to anger, To My face continually, Sacrificing in gardens, and making perfume on the bricks:

4 They lie down to sleep in the tombs and in the caves for the sake of dreams, [even] they that eat swine's flesh, and the broth of [their] sacrifices: all their vessels are defiled:

Who are dwelling among sepulchres, And lodge in reserved places, Who are eating flesh of the sow, And a piece of abominable things — their vessels.

5 who say, Depart from me, draw not near to me, for I am pure. This is the smoke of my wrath, a fire burns with it continually.

Who are saying, 'Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These [are] a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day.

6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not be silent until I have recompensed into their bosom,

Lo, it is written before Me: 'I am not silent, but have recompensed; And I have recompensed into their bosom,

7 their sins and [the sins] of their fathers, says the Lord, who have burnt incense on the mountains, and reproached me on the hills: I will recompense their works into their bosom.

Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, said Jehovah, Who have made perfume on the mountains, And on the heights have reproached Me, And I have measured their former work into their bosom.'

8 Thus says the Lord, As a grape-stone shall be found in the cluster, and they shall say, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for the sake of him that serves me, for his sake I will not destroy [them] all.

Thus said Jehovah: As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one hath said, 'Destroy it not for a blessing [is] in it,' So I do for My servants' sake, not to destroy the whole.

9 And I will lead forth the seed [that came] of Jacob and of Juda, and they shall inherit my holy mountain: and mine elect and my servants shall inherit it, and shall dwell there.

And I have brought out from Jacob a seed, And from Judah a possessor of My mount, And possess it do My chosen ones, And My servants do dwell there.

10 And there shall be in the forest folds of flocks, and the valley of Achor [shall] be for a resting-place of herds for my people, who have sought me.

And Sharon hath been for the habitation of a flock, And the valley of Achor for the lying down of a herd, For My people who have sought Me.

11 But you are they that have left me, and forget my holy mountain, and prepare a table for the devil, and fill up the drink-offering to Fortune.

And ye [are] those forsaking Jehovah, Who are forgetting My holy mountain, Who are setting in array for Gad a table, And who are filling for Meni a mixture.

12 I will deliver you up to the sword, you shall all fall by slaughter: for I called you, and you listened not; I spoke, and you refused to hear; and you did evil in my sight, and chose the things wherein I delighted not.

And I have numbered you for the sword, And all of you for slaughter bow down, Because I called, and ye have not answered, I have spoken, and ye have not hearkened, And ye do the evil thing in Mine eyes, And on that which I desired not — fixed.

13 Therefore thus says the Lord, Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall hunger: behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall thirst: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed:

Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, My servants do eat, and ye do hunger, Lo, My servants do drink, and ye do thirst, Lo, My servants rejoice, and ye are ashamed,

14 behold, my servants shall exult with joy, but you shall cry for the sorrow of your heart, and shall howl for the vexation of your spirit.

Lo, My servants sing from joy of heart, And ye cry from pain of heart, And from breaking of spirit ye do howl.

15 For you shall leave your name for a loathing to my chosen, and the Lord shall destroy you: but my servants shall be called by a new name,

And ye have left your name For an oath for My chosen ones, And the Lord Jehovah hath put thee to death, And to His servants He giveth another name.

16 which shall be blessed on the earth; for they shall bless the true God: and they that swear upon the earth shall swear by the true God; for they shall forget the former affliction, it shall not come into their mind.

So that he who is blessing himself in the earth, Doth bless himself In the God of faithfulness, And he who is swearing in the earth, Doth swear by the God of faithfulness, Because the former distresses have been forgotten, And because they have been hid from Mine eyes.

17 For there shall be a new heaven and a new earth: and they shall not at all remember the former, neither shall they at all come into their mind.

For, lo, I am creating new heavens, and a new earth, And the former things are not remembered, Nor do they ascend on the heart.

18 But they shall find in her joy and exultation; for, behold, I make Jerusalem a rejoicing, and my people a joy.

But joy ye, and rejoice for ever, that I [am] Creator, For, lo, I am creating Jerusalem a rejoicing, And her people a joy.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and will be glad in my people: and there shall no more be heard in her the voice of weeping, or the voice of crying.

And I have rejoiced in Jerusalem, And have joyed in My people, And not heard in her any more Is the voice of weeping, and the voice of crying.

20 Neither shall there be there any more a [child that dies] untimely, or an old man who shall not complete his time: for the youth shall be a hundred years [old], and the sinner who dies at a hundred years shall also be accursed:

There is not thence any more a suckling of days, And an aged man who doth not complete his days, For the youth a hundred years old dieth, And the sinner, a hundred years old, is lightly esteemed.

21 and they shall build houses, and themselves shall dwell in [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and themselves shall eat the fruit thereof.

And they have built houses, and inhabited, And planted vineyards, and eaten their fruit.

22 They shall by no means build, and others inhabit; and they shall by no means plant, and others eat: for as the days of the tree of life shall be the days of my people, they shall long enjoy the fruits of their labours.

They do not build, and another inhabit, They do not plant, and another eat, For as the days of a tree [are] the days of My people, And the work of their hands wear out do My chosen ones.

23 My chosen shall not toil in vain, neither shall they beget children to be cursed; for they are a seed blessed of God, and their offspring with them.

They labour not for a vain thing, Nor do they bring forth for trouble, For the seed of the blessed of Jehovah [are] they, And their offspring with them.

24 And it shall come to pass, [that] before they call, I will listen to them; while they are yet speaking, I will say, What is it?

And it hath come to pass, They do not yet call, and I answer, They are yet speaking, and I hear.

25 Then wolves and lambs shall feed together, and the lion shall eat chaff like the ox, and the serpent earth as bread. They shall not injure nor destroy in my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Wolf and lamb do feed as one, And a lion as an ox eateth straw, As to the serpent — dust [is] its food, They do no evil, nor destroy, In all My holy mountain, said Jehovah!