1Thussays the LORD, "1Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool*. Wherethen is a 2house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
2
"For 3My handmadeallthesethings, Thus allthesethingscame into being," declares the LORD. "But to thisone I will look, To him who is humble and 4contrite of spirit, and who5trembles at My word.
Hypocrisy Rebuked
3 "But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog'sneck; He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers 6swine'sblood; He who 7burnsincense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their 8own ways, And their souldelights in their 9abominations,
4
So I will 10choose their punishments And will 11bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but 12nooneanswered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did13evil in My sight And chose that in which I did not delight."
5
Hear the word of the LORD, you who14tremble at His word: "Your brothers who 15hate you, who 16exclude you for My name'ssake, Have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy.' But 17they will be put to shame.
6
"A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple, The voice of the LORD who is 18renderingrecompense to His enemies.
7
"Before she travailed, 19she broughtforth; Before her paincame, 20she gavebirth to a boy.
8
"21Who has heardsuch a thing? Who has seensuch things? Can a land be born in oneday? Can a nation be broughtforthall at once*? As soon as Ziontravailed, she alsobroughtforth her sons.
9
"Shall I bring to the point of birth and 22not givedelivery?" says the LORD. "Or shall I who givesdeliveryshut the womb?" says your God.
Joy in Jerusalem's Future
10 "Be 23joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who 24love her; Be exceedingly25glad with her, all you who mournover her,
11
That you may nurse and 26be satisfied with her comfortingbreasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her 27bountifulbosom."
12
For thussays the LORD, "Behold, I extend28peace to her like a river, And the 29glory of the nations like an overflowingstream; And you will be nursed, you will be 30carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.
13
"As onewhom his mothercomforts, so I will 31comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem."
14
Then you will 32see this, and your 33heart will be glad, And your 34bones will flourish like the newgrass; And the 35hand of the LORD will be madeknown to His servants, But He will be 36indignanttoward His enemies.
15
For behold, the LORD will come in 37fire And His 38chariots like the whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16
For the LORD will executejudgment by 39fire And by His 40sword on allflesh, And those slain by the LORD will be many.
17
"Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the 41gardens, Followingone in the center, Who eat42swine'sflesh, detestablethings and mice, Will 43come to an endaltogether," declares the LORD.
18
"For I know their works and their 44thoughts; the time is coming to 45gatherallnations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory.
19
"I will set a 46sign among them and will sendsurvivors from them to the nations: 47Tarshish, Put, 48Lud, Meshech, 49Tubal and Javan, to the distant 50coastlands that have neitherheard My famenorseen My glory. And they will 51declare My glory among the nations.
20
"Then they shall 52bringall your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My 53holymountainJerusalem," says the LORD, "just as the sons of Israelbring their grain offering in a 54cleanvessel to the house of the LORD.
21
"I will alsotakesome of them for 55priests and for Levites," says the LORD.
22
"For just as the 56newheavens and the newearthWhich I make will endurebefore Me," declares the LORD, "So your 57offspring and your 58name will endure.
23
"And it shall be from 59newmoon to newmoon And from sabbath to sabbath, Allmankind will come to 60bowdownbefore Me," says the LORD.
24
"Then they will goforth and look On the 61corpses of the men Who have 62transgressed against Me. For their 63worm will not die64And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an 65abhorrence to allmankind."