Isaiah 66
1 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.”
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 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.
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 A sound of battle tumult comes from the city, a sound from the temple, the sound of Yahweh paying back his enemies.
A voice of tumult from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of Jehovah, rendering recompense to his enemies!
7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before pain is upon her, she gave birth to a son.
Before she was in travail, she brought forth, Before her pangs came, she was delivered of a son.
8 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.
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 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.”
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 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her, all you who mourned over 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 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.
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 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.
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 a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you, 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 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.
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 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.
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 Yahweh executes judgment on mankind by fire and with his sword. Those killed by Yahweh will be many.
For with fire will Jehovah contend, And with his sword, with all flesh, And many shall be the slain of Jehovah.
17 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Some of these I will even choose as priests and Levites—says Yahweh.
And of them will I also take For priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah.
22 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.
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 From one month to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to bow down to me—says Yahweh.
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 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.”
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.
