Isaiah 66

1 Yahweh [also] said this: “[All of] heaven is [like] my throne, and the whole earth is [like] my footstool. So you could certainly not [RHQ] build a house [that would be adequate] for me to live in and rest!

Thus saith the Lord, The heauen is my throne, and the earth is my footestoole: where is that house that ye will builde vnto me? and where is that place of my rest?

2 I [MTY] have created everything; all things exist because I made them. [That is true because I], Yahweh, have said it. The people I am [most] pleased with are those who are humble, who [patiently endure it when they] (suffer/are afflicted), and who tremble when they hear me [rebuking them].

For all these things hath mine hand made, and all these things haue bene, sayth the Lord: and to him will I looke, euen to him, that is poore, and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes.

3 You have enjoyed [continually] doing the things that you want to do: [Some of] you slaughter oxen [to sacrifice them to me], but you also bring human sacrifices [to your idols]! You sacrifice lambs [to me], but you kill dogs [to offer them to your gods]. You offer grain to me, but you also bring pigs’ blood [to your idols]. You burn incense [to me], but you also praise your idols. You enjoy doing those disgusting things.

He that killeth a bullocke, is as if he slewe a man: he that sacrificeth a sheepe, as if he cut off a dogges necke: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swines blood: he that remembreth incense, as if he blessed an idole: yea, they haue chosen their owne wayes, and their soule deliteth in their abominations.

4 When I called [out to you], you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not pay attention. You did [many] things that I say are evil; you chose [to do] things that I did not like. So [now] I will punish you by causing you to experience the things that you are [very] afraid of.”

Therefore will I chuse out their delusions, and I will bring their feare vpon them, because I called, and none woulde answere: I spake and they woulde not heare: but they did euill in my sight, and chose the things which I would not.

5 But you people who tremble when you hear what Yahweh says, listen to what he says [now]: “Some of your people hate you and reject you because you belong to me. They make fun of you, and they say, ‘Yahweh should show his glorious power! We want to see him [do something to cause] you to be truly happy.’ But [some day] those people will be [very] disgraced.”

Heare the worde of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his worde, Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my Names sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appeare to your ioy, and they shall be ashamed.

6 [At that time], you will listen to the noise in the city. You will hear the shouting in the temple. It will be the sound of Yahweh shouting while he is punishing his enemies!

A voyce soundeth from the citie, euen a voyce from the Temple, the voyce of the Lord, that recompenseth his enemies fully.

7 No one [RHQ] ever heard that a woman gave birth to a baby when she was just starting to have birth pains.

Before she trauailed, she brought foorth: and before her paine came, she was deliuered of a man childe.

8 Certainly no one [RHQ] ever heard about such a thing happening, and no one has ever seen it happen. [Similarly], no one ever [RHQ] heard that a nation was created in one instant, not even in one day. But Jerusalem is like [MET] [a woman who] gives birth to children as soon as she starts to have birth pains.

Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seene such things? shall ye earth be brought forth in one day? or shall a nation be borne at once? for assoone as Zion trauailed, she brought foorth her children.

9 Women certainly do not [RHQ] bring infants to the time when they are ready to be born and then do not allow them to be born. [Similarly, he will do for Jerusalem] [MET] [what he has promised to do]: [He will cause Jerusalem to be full of people again]. [That will happen because] Yahweh has said it.

Shall I cause to trauaile, and not bring forth? shall I cause to bring forth, and shall be baren, saith thy God?

10 You people in [APO] Jerusalem, rejoice! And all you people who love Jerusalem should also be happy. You people who were sad because of [what happened to Jerusalem], you should now be glad.

Reioyce ye with Ierusalem, and be gladde with her, all ye that loue her: reioyce for ioy with her, all ye that mourne for her,

11 [You people in Jerusalem] will [have everything that you need] like [MET] a baby that gets all it needs from its mother’s breasts. You will enjoy all the abundant and glorious things [MET] in the city.

That ye may sucke and be satisfied with the brestes of her consolation: that ye may milke out and be delited with ye brightnes of her glorie.

12 Yahweh has promised, “I will cause Jerusalem to be full of valuable things that come from other nations; those things will pour into Jerusalem; it will be like [SIM] a big flood. I will take care of the people of Jerusalem like women care for the babies that they nurse.

For thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I will extend peace ouer her like a flood, and the glorie of the Gentiles like a flowing streame: then shall ye sucke, ye shall be borne vpon her sides, and be ioyfull vpon her knees.

13 I will comfort you people in Jerusalem like [MET] mothers comfort their children.”

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Ierusalem.

14 When you see [those things happen], you [SYN] will rejoice. Your [old] bones will become strong [again] like [SIM] grass [that grows quickly/well in the springtime]. [When that happens, everyone] will know that Yahweh has power [MTY] to help those who worship and obey him, but that he is angry with his enemies.

And when ye see this, your hearts shall reioyce, and your bones shall flourish like an herbe: and the hand of the Lord shall be knowen among his seruants, and his indignation against his enemies.

15 Yahweh will come down with flames of fire, and his chariots [will come down] like [SIM] a whirlwind; he will be extremely angry, and he will punish [his enemies] by burning them in a fire.

For beholde, the Lord will come with fire, and his charets like a whirlewinde, that he may recompence his anger with wrath, and his indignation with the flame of fire.

16 [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has a [big] sword, and he will judge and execute many people.

For the Lord will iudge with fire, and with his sworde all flesh, and the slaine of the Lord shall be many.

17 Yahweh says, “Some of you people purify/bathe yourselves and [then] go to a garden to worship your gods. You eat the meat of pigs and lizards and mice, [and other things that I have forbidden you to eat]. So I will get rid of you [for doing that].

They that sanctifie themselues, and purifie themselues in the gardens behinde one tree in the middes eating swines flesh, and such abomination, euen the mouse, shall be consumed together, sayeth the Lord.

18 I know [all] the [evil] things that you think and do. [It is now time] for me to gather together the people who live in all nations and who speak all languages, and to show them that I am very great.

For I will visite their workes, and their imaginations: for it shall come that I will gather all nations, and tongues, and they shall come, and see my glorie.

19 I will put a mark on them, and those whom I have spared will go to various [distant] countries: to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, Javan, and to distant islands. I will send them to proclaim to nations that have never heard about me that I am very great and glorious.

And I will set a signe among them, and will send those that escape of them, vnto the nations of Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, and to them that drawe the bowe, to Tubal and Tauan, yles afarre off, that haue not heard my fame, neither haue seene my glorie, and they shall declare my glorie among the Gentiles.

20 Then they will bring back here your relatives [who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries)], to be like [SIM] an offering to me. They will come on horses, in chariots, on mules, and on camels. They will come to [Zion, ] my sacred hill in Jerusalem. That will be like [SIM] the offerings that [my] Israeli people used to bring in the correct manner to the temple.

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering vnto the Lord out of all nations, vpon horses, and in charets, and in horse litters, and vpon mules, and swift beastes, to Ierusalem mine holy Mountaine, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel, offer in a cleane vessell in the House of the Lord.

21 [I solemnly promise that] I will appoint some of them to be priests, and others to do other work in my temple. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.

And I will take of them for Priestes, and for Leuites, saith the Lord.

22 I [also] promise that just like the new heaven and the new earth will last forever, you will always have descendants, and you [MTY] will always be honored.

For as the newe heauens, and the newe earth which I will make, shall remaine before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seede and your name continue.

23 At every festival to celebrate the Sabbath [each week] and the new moon [each month], everyone will [come and] worship me. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.

And from moneth to moneth, and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

24 Then they will go out [of Jerusalem] and look at the corpses of those who rebelled against me. The maggots in those corpses will never die, the fire will never stop burning them, and everyone [who sees their corpses] will detest them.”

And they shall goe forth, and looke vpon the carkases of the men that haue transgressed against me: for their worme shall not dye, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shalbe an abhorring vnto all flesh.