[1] Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house which you would build for me, and what is the place of my
rest? [2] All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are
mine, says the LORD. But this is the man to whom I will look, he that is
humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. [3] "He who
slaughters an ox is like him who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb,
like him who breaks a dog's neck; he who presents a cereal offering, like
him who offers swine's blood; he who makes a memorial offering of
frankincense, like him who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own
ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; [4] I also will choose
affliction for them, and bring their fears upon them; because, when I
called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not listen; but they did
what was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I did not delight." [5]
Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: "Your brethren who
hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, `Let the LORD be
glorified, that we may see your joy'; but it is they who shall be put to
shame. [6] "Hark, an uproar from the city! A voice from the temple! The
voice of the LORD, rendering recompense to his enemies! [7] "Before she was
in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she was delivered of
a son. [8] Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a
land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For
as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her sons. [9] Shall I bring
to the birth and not cause to bring forth? says the LORD; shall I, who
cause to bring forth, shut the womb? says your God. [10] "Rejoice with
Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in
joy, all you who mourn over her; [11] that you may suck and be satisfied
with her consoling breasts; that you may drink deeply with delight from the
abundance of her glory." [12] For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will
extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like
an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her
hip, and dandled upon her knees. [13] As one whom his mother comforts, so I
will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. [14] You shall see,
and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and
it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his
indignation is against his enemies. [15] "For behold, the LORD will come in
fire, and his chariots like the stormwind, to render his anger in fury, and
his rebuke with flames of fire. [16] For by fire will the LORD execute
judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and those slain by the LORD
shall be many. [17] "Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into
the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the
abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, says the LORD. [18]
"For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all
nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, [19] and I
will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the
nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan,
to the coastlands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory;
and they shall declare my glory among the nations. [20] And they shall
bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the LORD,
upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon
dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the
Israelites bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of
the LORD. [21] And some of them also I will take for priests and for
Levites, says the LORD. [22] "For as the new heavens and the new earth
which I will make shall remain before me, says the LORD; so shall your
descendants and your name remain. [23] From new moon to new moon, and from
sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the
LORD. [24] "And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men
that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire
shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."
