Isaiah — Chapter 66

Thus said GOD:The heaven is My throneAnd the earth is My footstool:Where could you build a house for Me,What place could serve as My abode?

All this was made by My hand,And thus it all came into being—declares GOD.Yet to such a one I look:To the poor and brokenhearted,Who is concerned about My word.

aVerses 3–4 refer to practitioners of idolatrous rites; cf. v. 17 and 57.5–8; 65.1–12. As for those who slaughter oxen and slay humans,Who sacrifice sheep and immolatebimmolate Lit. “break the necks of.” dogs,Who present as oblation the blood of swine,Who offercoffer Heb. mazkir refers to giving the “token portion” (ʼazkarah); cf. Lev. 2.2, etc. incense and worship false gods—Just as they have chosen their waysAnd take pleasure in their abominations,

So will I choose to mock them,To bring on them the very thing they dread.For I called and none responded,I spoke and none paid heed.They did what I deem evilAnd chose what I do not want.

Hear the word of GOD,You who are concerned about God’s word!Your own kindred who hate you,Who spurn you because of Me,dMe Lit. “My name.” are saying,“Let GOD manifest the divine Presence,So that we may look upon your joy.”But theirs shall be the shame.

Hark, tumult from the city,Thunder from the temple!It is GOD’s thunder As retribution is dealt to the foe.

Before she labored, she was delivered;Before her pangs came, she bore a son.eson Who would assure the household’s continuity.

Who ever heard the like?Who ever witnessed such events?Can a land pass through travailIn a single day?Or is a nation bornAll at once?Yet Zion travailedAnd at once bore her children!

Shall I who bring on labor not bring about birth?—says GOD.Shall I who cause birth shut the womb?—said your God.

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,All you who love her!Join in her jubilation,All you who mourned over her—

That you may suck from her breastConsolation to the full,That you may draw from her bosomfbosom Cf. Akkadian zīzu, Arabic zīzat, “udder.” Glory to your delight.

For thus said GOD:I will extend to herProsperity like a stream,The wealth of nationsLike a wadi in flood;And you shall drink of it.You shall be carried on shouldersAnd dandled upon knees

Like one whom a mother comforts.So I will comfort you:You shall find comfort in Jerusalem.

You shall see and your heart shall rejoice,Your limbs shall flourish like grass.GOD’s power shall be revealedOn behalf of those who render service;But [God] shall rage against all foes.

See, GOD is coming with fire—With chariots like a whirlwind—To vent anger in fury,And rebuke in flaming fire.

For with fire will contend,With the sword, against all flesh;And many shall be GOD’s slain.

Those who sanctify and purify themselves to enter the groves, imitating one in the center,gimitating one in the center Meaning of Heb. uncertain. eating the flesh of the swine, the reptile, and the mouse, shall one and all come to an end—declares GOD.

hExact construction of this verse uncertain; for the insertions in brackets, cf. Kimhi. For I [know] their deeds and purposes.[The time] has come to gather all the nations and tongues; they shall come and behold My glory.

I will set a sign among them, and send from them survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud—that draw the bow—to Tubal, Javan, and the distant coasts, that have never heard My fame nor beheld My glory. They shall declare My glory among these nations.

And out of all the nations, said GOD, they shall bring all your kindred on horses, in chariots and drays, on mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem My holy mountain as an offering to GOD—just as the Israelites bring an offering in a pure vessel to the House of GOD.

And from them likewise I will take some to be levitical priests,ilevitical priests Some Heb. mss. read “priests and Levites.” said GOD.

For as the new heaven and the new earthThat I will makeShall endure by My will—declares GOD—So shall your seed and your name endure.

And new moon after new moon,And sabbath after sabbath,All flesh shall come to worship Me—said GOD.

They shall go out and gazeOn the corpses of those who rebelled against Me:Their worms shall not die,Nor their fire be quenched;They shall be a horrorTo all flesh.And new moon after new moon,And sabbath after sabbath,All flesh shall come to worship Me—said GOD.