Heaven Is Yahweh’s Throne

1Thus says Yahweh,

“Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet.

Where then is a house you could build for Me?

And where is a place that [†]I may rest?

2For My hand made all these things,

Thus all these things came into being,” declares Yahweh.

“But to this one I will look,

To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

3“But he who slaughters an ox is the one who strikes down a man;

He who sacrifices a lamb is the one who breaks a dog’s neck;

He who offers a grain offering is the one who offers swine’s blood;

He who offers a memorial offering of frankincense is the one who blesses wickedness.

As they have chosen their own ways,

And their soul takes pleasure in their detestable things,

4So I will choose their [†]punishments

And will bring on them what they dread,

Because I called, but no one answered;

I spoke, but they did not listen.

And they did what was evil in My eyes

And chose that in which I did not take pleasure.”

5Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at His word:

“Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name’s sake,

Have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your gladness.’

But they will be put to shame.

6A voice of rumbling from the city, a voice from the temple,

The voice of Yahweh who is paying recompense to His enemies.

7“Before she was in labor pains, she gave birth;

Before her pangs came, she delivered a male child.

8Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?

Can a land be [†]brought forth through labor pains in one day?

Can a nation be born all at once?

As soon as Zion was in labor pains, she also gave birth to her sons.

9Shall I bring to the point of breaking forth and not cause birth?” says Yahweh.

“Or shall I who causes birth shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

10“Be glad with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;

Be exceedingly joyful with her, all you who mourn over her,

11That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,

That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

12For thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I stretch out peace to her like a river,

And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

And you will [†]be nursed; you will be carried on the [†]hip and played with on the knees.

13As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;

And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14Then you will see this, and your heart will be joyful,

And your bones will flourish like the new grass;

And the hand of Yahweh will be made known to His slaves,

But He will be indignant toward His enemies.

15For behold, Yahweh will come in fire

And His chariots like the whirlwind,

To return His anger with wrath,

And His rebuke with flames of fire.

16For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire

And by His sword on all flesh,

And those slain by Yahweh will be many.

17“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,

[†]Following one in the center,

Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice,

Will come to an end altogether,” declares Yahweh.

18“And I [†]know their works and their thoughts; [†]the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19I will set a sign among them and will send those who have escaped from them to the nations: Tarshish, [†]Put, Lud, [†]Meshech, Tubal, and [†]Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My report nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. 20Then they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as a grain offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says Yahweh, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of Yahweh. 21I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says Yahweh.

22“For just as the new heavens and the new earth

Which I make will endure before Me,” declares Yahweh,

“So your seed and your name will endure.

23And it shall be from new moon to new moon

And from sabbath to sabbath,

All [†]mankind will come to worship before Me,” says Yahweh.

24“Then they will go forth and look

On the corpses of the men

Who have [†]transgressed against Me.

For their worm will not die

And their fire will not be quenched;

And they will be an object of contempt to all [†]mankind.”