Isaiah 66
1 Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What is this house that you would build for me? And what is this place of my rest?
Thus, saith Yahweh, The, heavens, are my throne, and The earth, is my footstool: Where then is the house which ye can build me? Or where is my place of rest?
2 My hand has made all these things, and all these things have been made, says the Lord. But upon whom will I look with favor, except upon a poor little one, who is contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my words?
For, all these things, hath mine own hand made, And all these things came into being, —Declareth Yahweh. But for this one, will I look around, For him who is humbled and smitten in spirit, And so careth anxiously for my word.
3 Whoever immolates an ox, it is as if he slaughters a man. Whoever sacrifices a sheep, it is as if he is smashing the head of a dog. Whoever offers an oblation, it is as if he is offering swine’s blood. Whoever makes remembrance with incense, it is as if he is blessing an idol. All these things, they have chosen according to their own ways, and their soul has taken delight in their own abominations.
He that slaughtereth an ox, [is as one] who smiteth a man, He that sacrificeth a lamb, [is as one] who beheadeth a dog, he that causeth a meal-offering to ascend, offereth it with the blood of swine, He that maketh a memorial of frankincense, [is as one] who blesseth iniquity: They indeed, have chosen their own ways, And in their own abominations, their soul hath found delight;
4 Therefore, I also will choose their illusions, and I will lead over them the things that they feared. For I called, and there was no one who would respond. I have spoken, and they have not listened. And they have done evil in my eyes; and what I did not will, they have chosen.
I, also, will choose the things that vex them. And the things they dread, will I bring upon them, Because—I called and there was none to answer, I spake, and they hearkened not, —But did that which was wicked in mine eyes, And of that wherein I delighted not, made choice.
5 Listen to the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word. Your brothers, who hate you and who cast you out because of my name, have said: “Let the Lord be glorified, and we will see by your rejoicing.” But they themselves will be confounded.
Hear the word of Yahweh, ye who care anxiously for his word: Said your brethren Who hated you. Who thrust you out for my Name’s sake, Yahweh be glorified! Therefore shall he appear to your rejoicing, But, they, shall turn pale.
6 A voice of the people from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord repaying retribution to his enemies!
The sound of a tumult—out of the city, A sound, out of the temple, —The sound of Yahweh rendering recompense to his foes.
7 Before she was in labor, she gave birth. Before her time arrived for delivery, she gave birth to a male child.
Before she travaileth, she hath brought forth, —Before her pains come to her, she hath given birth to a man-child!
8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? And who has seen anything like this? Will the earth give birth in one day? Or will a nation be born all at once? For Zion has been in labor, and she has given birth to her sons.
Who hath heard the like of this? Who hath seen the like of these things? Can a land, be made to bring forth in one day? Or a nation, be born, at one time? As soon as she travaileth, Zion hath also given birth to her children.
9 Will I, who causes others to give birth, not also give birth myself, says the Lord? Will I, who bestows generation upon others, be barren myself, says the Lord your God?
Could, I, bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth? saith Yahweh. Or, I, be causing to bring forth and then prevent? Saith thy God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all you who love her! Rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her!
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and exult over her All ye who love her, —Joy with her right joyfully, All ye who used to mourn over her:
11 So may you nurse and be filled, from the breasts of her consolations. So may you receive milk and overflow with delights, from every portion of her glory.
That ye may draw to satisfaction out of the fountain of her consolations, —That ye may drain out and get exquisite delight from the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will turn a river of peace toward her, with an inundating torrent: the glory of the Gentiles, from which you will nurse. You will be carried at the breasts, and they will caress you upon the knees.
For, thus, saith Yahweh, —Behold me! extending unto her like a river, prosperity, And as a torrent o’erflowing, the glory of the nations. That ye may draw it forth—Upon the side, shall ye be carried, and Upon the knees, shall ye be caressed:
13 In the manner of one whom a mother caresses, so will I console you. And you will be consoled in Jerusalem.
As one whom, his mother, consoleth, So, will, I, console you, And in Jerusalem, shall ye be consoled.
14 You will see, and your heart will be glad, and your bones will flourish like a plant, and the hand of the Lord will be known to his servants, and he will be angry with his enemies.
As soon as ye have seen it, your heart, shall be joyful, And your bones, like green herbage, shall thrive, —So shall be known The hand of Yahweh with his servants, But indignation with his foes!
15 For behold, the Lord will arrive with fire, and his four-horse chariots will be like a whirlwind: to render his wrath with indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For lo! Yahweh, with fire, doth come, And like a storm-wind, [are] his chariots, —To render with fury, his anger, And his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For the Lord will divide with fire, and with his sword among all flesh, and those slain by the Lord will be many.
For, by fire, will Yahweh enter into judgment, And by his sword, with all flesh, —And many shall be the slain of Yahweh.
17 Those who were sanctified, who thought themselves to be clean in the gardens behind the inner gate, who were eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse: they will be consumed all at once, says the Lord.
They who hallow themselves and purify themselves for the gardens, Behind a certain thing in the midst, Who eat the flesh of swine and the abomination, and the mouse, Together, shall be cut off—Declareth Yahweh.
18 But I know their works and their thoughts. I am arriving, so that I may gather them together with all nations and languages. And they will approach, and they will see my glory.
Because, I, …for their works and their devices, doth it come! …Am about to gather together all nations and tongues, —So shall they come and see my glory.
19 And I will set a sign among them. And I will send some of those who will have been saved to the Gentiles in the sea, to Africa, and to those who draw the bow in Lydia, to Italy and Greece, to islands far away, to those who have not heard of me, and to those who have not seen my glory. And they will announce my glory to the Gentiles.
Then will I set among them, a sign, And will send, of them such as have escaped unto the nations—Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the bow, Tubal and Javan, —The Coastlands that are afar off, Who have not heard my fame Nor seen my glory, And they shall tell my glory throughout the nations.
20 And they will lead all of your brothers from all of the Gentiles as a gift to the Lord, on horses, and in four-horse chariots, and on stretchers, and on mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, in the same manner that the sons of Israel would carry an offering in a pure vessel into the house of the Lord.
Then shall they bring in all your brethren out of all the nations, As a present unto Yahweh, Upon horses and in chariots and in palanquins and on mules and on dromedaries Unto my holy mountain—Jerusalem, saith Yahweh, —Just as the sons of Israel, bring in their present in a pure vessel, into the house, of Yahweh.
21 And I will take from them to be priests and Levites, says the Lord.
And of them also, will I take for priests—for Levites, saith Yahweh,
22 For in like manner as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will cause to stand before me, says the Lord, so will your offspring and your name stand.
For, as the new heavens and the new earth, which I am about to make, are to remain before me, Declareth Yahweh, So, shall remain your seed and your name.
23 And there will be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath. And all flesh will approach, so as to adore before my face, says the Lord.
And it shall come to pass, that From one new moon to another, and From one sabbath to another, Shall all flesh, come in, to bow down before me, Saith Yahweh.
24 And they will go out, and they will view the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against me. Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be extinguished. And they will be a sight to all flesh even unto revulsion.
Then shall they go forth and look upon the dead bodies of the men who had been trespassing against me—For, their worm, shall not die, And, their fire, shall not be quenched; So shall they become an abhorrence to all flesh.
