Isaiah 66

1 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?

Thus said YHWH: “The heavens [are] My throne, And the earth My footstool, Where [is] this—the house that you build for Me? And where [is] this—the place—My rest?

2 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.

And My hand has made all these, And all these things are,” A declaration of YHWH! “And to this one I look attentively, To the humble and bruised in spirit, And who is trembling at My word.

3 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;

Whoever slaughters the ox strikes a man, Whoever sacrifices the lamb beheads a dog, Whoever is bringing up a present—The blood of a sow, Whoever is making mention of frankincense, Is blessing iniquity. Indeed, they have fixed on their own ways, And their soul has delighted in their abominations.

4 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.

I also—I fix on their distress, And I bring in their fears to them, Because I have called, and there is none answering, I spoke, and they have not listened, And they do evil in My eyes, And on that which I did not desire—fixed.”

5 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.

Hear a word of YHWH, You who are trembling at His word: “Your brothers who are hating you, Who are driving you out for My Name’s sake, have said, YHWH is honored, and we look on your joy, But they are ashamed.”

6 The sound of a tumult—out of the city, A sound, out of the temple, —The sound of Yahweh rendering recompense to his foes.

A voice of noise from the city, A voice from the temple, The voice of YHWH, Giving repayment to His enemies.

7 Before she travaileth, she hath brought forth, —Before her pains come to her, she hath given birth to a man-child!

“Before she is pained she has brought forth, Before a pang comes to her, She has delivered a male.

8 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.

Who has heard anything like this? Who has seen anything like these? Is earth caused to bring forth in one day? Is a nation born at once? For she has been pained, Zion has also borne her sons.

9 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.

Do I bring to the birth, And not cause to bring forth?” says YHWH, “Am I not He who is causing to beget? I have also restrained,” said your God.

10 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:

“Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad in her, all you loving her, Rejoice with her for joy, All you who are mourning for her,

11 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.

So that you suckle, and have been satisfied, From the breast of her consolations, So that you wring out, and have delighted yourselves From the abundance of her glory.”

12 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:

For thus said YHWH: “Behold, I am stretching out to her peace as a river, And the glory of nations as an overflowing stream, And you have sucked, You are carried on the side, And you are dandled on the knees.

13 As one whom, his mother, consoleth, So, will, I, console you, And in Jerusalem, shall ye be consoled.

As one whom his mother comforts, so do I comfort you, Indeed, you are comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 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!

And you have seen, and your heart has rejoiced, And your bones flourish as tender grass, And the hand of YHWH has been known to His servants, And He has been indignant with His enemies.

15 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.

For behold, YHWH comes in fire, And His chariots as a windstorm, To refresh His anger in fury, And His rebuke in flames of fire.

16 For, by fire, will Yahweh enter into judgment, And by his sword, with all flesh, —And many shall be the slain of Yahweh.

For by fire and by His sword, YHWH does judgment with all flesh. And many have been YHWH’s pierced ones.

17 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.

“Those sanctifying and cleansing themselves [to go] to the gardens, One after another in the midst, Eating flesh of the sow, And of the abomination, and of the muroid, Are consumed together,” A declaration of YHWH.

18 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.

“And I—their works and their thoughts, I come to gather all the nations and tongues, And they have come and seen My glory.

19 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.

And I have set a sign among them, And have sent out of them those escaping to the nations (Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, drawing bow, Tubal and Javan, the islands that are far off), Who have not heard My fame, nor seen My glory, And they have declared My glory among nations.

20 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.

And they have brought all your brothers out of all the nations, A present to YHWH, On horses, and on chariot, and on litters, And on mules, and on dromedaries, To My holy mountain Jerusalem,” said YHWH, “As the sons of Israel bring the present in a clean vessel, Into the house of YHWH.

21 And of them also, will I take for priests—for Levites, saith Yahweh,

And I also take of them for priests, For Levites,” said YHWH.

22 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.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, Are standing before Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “So your seed and your name remain.

23 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.

And it has been from month to month, And from Sabbath to Sabbath, All flesh come to bow themselves before Me,” said YHWH.

24 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.

“And they have gone forth, And looked on the carcasses of the men Who are transgressing against Me, For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched, And they have been an abhorrence to all flesh!”