Isaiah 66
1 Thus hath said the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is there a house that ye can build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
This is what Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I may rest?
2 For all these things hath my hand made, that all these things came into being, saith the Lord; but upon such a one will I look, upon the poor, and him who is of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word.
My hand has made all these things; that is how these things came to be—this is Yahweh's declaration. This is the man of whom I approve, the broken and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my word.
3 He that slaughtereth the ox, slayeth a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, breaketh the neck of a dog; he that offereth a meat-offering, [offereth] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, blesseth an idol: yea, they have made choice of their own ways, and in their abominations doth their soul delight.
He who slaughters an ox also murders a man; he who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering offers swine's blood; he who offers a memorial of incense also blesses wickedness. They have chosen their own ways, and they take pleasure in their abominations.
4 So will I also make choice of their misfortune, and what they dread will I bring upon them; because I called, and none did answer; I spoke, and they did not hear; and they did what is evil in my eyes, and that in which I delighted not did they choose.
In the same way I will choose their own punishment; I will bring on them what they fear, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, no one listened. They did what was evil in my sight, and chose to do what displeases me.”
5 Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for the sake of my name, said, “Let the Lord be glorified;” but he will appear to your joy, and they shall be made ashamed.
Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word, “Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name's sake have said, 'May Yahweh be glorified, then we will see your joy,' but they will be put to shame.
6 [There is] a voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord who rendereth recompense to his enemies.
A sound of battle tumult comes from the city, a sound from the temple, the sound of Yahweh paying back his enemies.
7 Before she had travailed she brought forth; before yet her pain was come, she was delivered of a man-child.
Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before pain is upon her, she gave birth to a son.
8 Who hath heard the like? who hath seen such things? shall a land be made to travail in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? that Zion hath travailed, also brought forth her children?
Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Will a land be born in one day? Can a nation be established in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor, she gives birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord; or shall I who cause to bring forth, now prevent it? saith thy God.
Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and not permit the child to be born?—asks Yahweh. Or do I bring a child to moment of delivery and then hold it back?—asks your God.”
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be delighted over her, all ye that love her; be highly glad with her, all ye that mourn for her.
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her, all you who mourned over her!
11 In order that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations; in order that ye may sip, and find pleasure from the abundance of her glory.
For you will nurse and be satisfied; with her breasts you will be comforted; for you will drink them to the full and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will extend to her peace like a river, and like a rapid stream the glory of nations, that ye may suck: upon the arm shall ye be borne, and upon knees shall ye be dandled.
This is what Yahweh says, “I am about to spread prosperity over her like a river, and the riches of the nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse at her side, be carried in her arms, and be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and in Jerusalem shall ye be comforted.
As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 And ye shall see this, and your heart shall be glad, and your bones shall flourish like the grass; and then will be known the hand of the Lord on his servants, and he will be indignant toward his enemies.
You will see this, and your heart will rejoice, and your bones will sprout like the tender grass. The hand of Yahweh will be made known to his servants, but he will show his anger against his enemies.
15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the storm-wind, to send forth his anger with fury, and his threatening with flames of fire.
For look, Yahweh is coming with fire, and his chariots are coming like the windstorm to bring the heat of his anger and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire will the Lord judge, and by his sword against all flesh: and many shall be the slain of the Lord.
For Yahweh executes judgment on mankind by fire and with his sword. Those killed by Yahweh will be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves for the gardens, behind one tree in the midst, they who eat the flesh of the swine, and the abomination, and the mouse, together shall they perish, saith the Lord.
They consecrate themselves and make themselves pure, so they may enter the gardens, following the one in the middle of those who eat the flesh of pig and abominable things like mice. “They will come to an end—this is Yahweh's declaration.
18 And I, because of their works and their thoughts, will let it come to pass to gather all the nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see my glory.
For I know their deeds and their thoughts. The time is coming when I will gather all nations and languages. They will come and will see my glory.
19 And I will display a sign on them, and I will send from them those that escape unto the nations, Tharshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, Thubal, and Javan, the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, and have not seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations.
I will set a mighty sign among them. Then I will send survivors from them to the nations: To Tarshish, Put, and Lud, archers who draw their bows, to Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands where they have not heard about me nor seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.
20 And they shall bring all your brethren out of all nations as an offering unto the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring the offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
They will bring back all your brothers out of all the nations, as an offering to Yahweh. They will come on horses, and in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem—says Yahweh. For the people of Israel will bring a grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.
21 And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.
Some of these I will even choose as priests and Levites—says Yahweh.
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall have permanence before me, saith the Lord, so shall exist permanently your seed and your name.
For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I will make will remain before me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so your descendants will remain, and your name will remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to the other new moon, and from one sabbath to the other sabbath, shall all flesh come to prostrate themselves before me, saith the Lord.
From one month to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to bow down to me—says Yahweh.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, nor shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence unto all flesh.
They will go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me, for the worms that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not be quenched; and it will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
