Isaiah 66

1Thus says Yahweh: "The heavens are my throne, and the earth my footstool. Where is this house that you will build for me? And where is this place of my rest?"

2My hand made all these, and all these came to be, declares Yahweh; but to this one I turn, to the humble and crushed in spirit, trembling at my word.

3Slaughtering an ox is like slaying a man; sacrificing a lamb, like breaking a dog's neck; bringing an offering, like spilling swine's blood; burning frankincense, like blessing an idol. They too have chosen their ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.

4I also will choose their delusions and bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none answered; when I spoke, they did not hear; but they did evil in my sight and chose what I did not desire.

5Hear Yahweh's word, you who tremble at his word; your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name's sake, said, "Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy," but they will be ashamed.

6A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh repaying recompense to his enemies.

7Before she labored, she gave birth; before her birth pains came, she delivered a son.

8Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land go into labor in one day? Shall a nation come to birth all at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she also bore her sons.

9Shall I break open the womb and not bring forth? says Yahweh. Shall I who brings forth shut the womb? says your God.

10Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her, all you who love her; exult with her in joy, all you who mourn over her.

11that you may nurse and be filled from her comforting breasts; that you may milk and delight yourselves in the abundance of her glory.

12For thus says Yahweh: Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing torrent; you will nurse, you will be carried on her side, and dandled on her knees.

13As a mother comforts her son, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.

14You will see it, your heart will rejoice, and your bones will flourish like sprouting grass; Yahweh's hand will be revealed to his servants, and his indignation to his enemies.

15See, Yahweh comes with fire, his chariots like a whirlwind, to repay his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire.

16For Yahweh will judge by fire and by his sword all flesh, and the slain of Yahweh will multiply.

17Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to enter the gardens one after another in the midst, eating pig's flesh, the abomination, and the mouse, will perish together, says Yahweh.

18I know their deeds and their thoughts; it comes to gather all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.

19I will set a sign among them, and send survivors from them to the nations—to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud who draw the bow, Tubal and Javan, the distant islands—who have not heard my fame nor seen my glory; and they will proclaim my glory among the nations.

20They will bring all your brothers from all nations as an offering to Yahweh on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on swift beasts to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring the offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.

21I will also take some of them for priests and Levites, says Yahweh.

22For as the new heavens and new earth that I make will endure before me, declares Yahweh, so your offspring and your name will endure.

23And it will be from new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, that all flesh will come to bow down before me, says Yahweh.

24They will go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against me, for their worm will not die, nor their fire be quenched; and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.