1 T hus said Jehovah: The heavens My throne, And the earth My footstool, Where this -- the house that ye build for Me? And where this -- the place -- My rest?

The Lord says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the place where I rest My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?

2 A nd all these My hand hath made, And all these things are, An affirmation of Jehovah! And unto this one I look attentively, Unto the humble and bruised in spirit, And who is trembling at My word.

My hands made all these things, and so all these things came into being,” says the Lord. “But I will look to the one who has no pride and is broken in spirit, and who shakes with fear at My Word.

3 W hoso slaughtereth the ox smiteth a man, Whoso sacrificeth the lamb beheadeth a dog, Whoso is bringing up a present -- The blood of a sow, Whoso is making mention of frankincense, Is blessing iniquity. Yea, they have fixed on their own ways, And in their abominations their soul hath delighted.

“He who kills an ox is like one who kills a man. He who kills a lamb on the altar in worship is like one who breaks a dog’s neck. He who gives a grain gift is like one who gives pig’s blood. He who burns special perfume is like the one who gives honor and thanks to a false god. They have chosen their own ways, and their soul finds joy in the sinful things they do.

4 I also -- I fix on their vexations, And their fears I bring in to them, Because I have called, and there is none answering, I spake, and they have not hearkened, And they do the evil things in Mine eyes, And on that which I desired not -- fixed.

So I will choose their punishments, and will bring on them what they are most afraid of. I called, but no one answered, and spoke, but they did not listen. They did what was sinful in My eyes, and chose what did not please Me.”

5 H ear a word of Jehovah, Ye who are trembling unto His word, Said have your brethren who are hating you, Who are driving you out, for My name's sake: `Honoured is Jehovah, and we look on your joy,' But they are ashamed.

Hear the word of the Lord, you who shake in fear at His word: “Your brothers who hate you and have nothing to do with you because of Me have said, ‘Let the Lord be honored, that we may see your joy.’ But they will be put to shame.

6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, The voice of Jehovah, giving recompence to His enemies.

Listen! A noise from the city! A voice from the house of God! It is the voice of the Lord Who is giving punishment to those who hate Him.

7 B efore she is pained she hath brought forth, Before a pang cometh to her, She hath delivered a male.

“Before she suffered, she gave birth. Before her pain came, a son was born to her.

8 W ho hath heard anything like this? Who hath seen anything like these? Is earth caused to bring forth in one day? Born is a nation at once? For she hath been pained, Zion also hath borne her sons.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be born all at once? As soon as Zion’s pains came, she gave birth to her sons.

9 ` Do I bring to the birth, And not cause to bring forth?' saith Jehovah, `Am not I He who is causing to beget? I have also restrained,' said thy God.

Will I bring a child to birth, and not let him be born?” says the Lord. “Will I, Who gives birth, stop it?” says your God.

10 R ejoice ye with Jerusalem, And be glad in her, all ye loving her, Rejoice ye with her for joy, All ye are mourning for her,

Be glad with Jerusalem and have joy in her, all you who love her. Be filled with joy for her, all you who have sorrow for her.

11 S o that ye suck, and have been satisfied, From the breast of her consolations, So that ye wring out, and have delighted yourselves From the abundance of her honour.

Then you will nurse and be filled with her comforting breasts. You will drink and be happy with her greatness.”

12 F or thus said Jehovah: `Lo, I am stretching out to her peace as a river, And as an overflowing stream the honour of nations, And ye have sucked, on the side ye are carried, And on the knees ye are dandled.

For the Lord says, “See, I will give peace to her like a river, and the greatness of the nations like a river flowing over. And you will be nursed. You will be carried at the side and given loving-kindness on the knees.

13 A s one whom his mother comforteth, so do I comfort you, Yea, in Jerusalem ye are comforted.

I will comfort you as one is comforted by his mother. And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14 A nd ye have seen, and rejoiced hath your heart, And your bones as tender grass do flourish, And the hand of Jehovah hath been known unto His servants, And He hath been indignant with His enemies.

When you see this, your heart will be glad. Your bones will get new strength like the new grass. And the hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants. But He will be angry with those who hate Him.

15 F or, lo, Jehovah in fire cometh, And as a hurricane His chariots, To refresh in fury His anger, And His rebuke in flames of fire.

For see, the Lord will come in fire. His war-wagons will be like a very strong wind. And He will show His anger with fire.

16 F or by fire and by His sword, Doth Jehovah do judgment with all flesh. And many have been Jehovah's pierced ones.'

The Lord will punish by fire and by His sword on all flesh. And those killed by the Lord will be many.

17 T hose sanctifying and cleansing themselves at the gardens, After Ahad in the midst, Eating flesh of the sow, And of the abomination, and of the mouse, Together are consumed, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Those who set themselves apart and make themselves pure to go to the gardens, following one in the center, who eat pig’s flesh, hated things, and mice, will come to an end together,” says the Lord.

18 A nd I -- their works and their thoughts, I come to gather all the nations and tongues, And they have come and seen My honour.

“For I know their works and their thoughts. The time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they will come and see My shining-greatness.

19 A nd I have set among them a sign, And have sent out of them those escaping unto the nations, (Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, drawing bow, Tubal and Javan, the isles that are far off,) Who have not heard My fame, nor seen Mine honour, And they have declared Mine honour among nations.

I will put something special among them. And I will send some of them who are left alive to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Mashech, Rosh, Tubal, and Javan, to the far islands that have not heard of My name or seen My greatness. And they will make My greatness known among the nations.

20 A nd they have brought all your brethren out of all the nations, A present to Jehovah, On horses, and on chariot, and on litters, And on mules, and on dromedaries, Unto My holy mountain Jerusalem, said Jehovah, As the sons of Israel bring the present in a clean vessel, Into the house of Jehovah.

Then they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a grain gift to the Lord, on horses, in war-wagons, on beds pulled by animals, on donkeys, and on camels. They will be brought to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain gift in a clean pot to the house of the Lord.

21 A nd also of them I take for priests, For Levites, said Jehovah.

I will take some of them for religious leaders and for Levites,” says the Lord.

22 F or, as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, Are standing before Me, An affirmation of Jehovah! So remain doth your seed and your name.

“As the new heavens and the new earth which I make will last before Me,” says the Lord, “in the same way, your children’s children and your name will last.

23 A nd it hath been from month to month, And from sabbath to sabbath, Come do all flesh to bow themselves before Me, Said Jehovah.

From a new moon to another new moon, and from one Day of Rest to another Day of Rest, all people will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord.

24 A nd they have gone forth, And looked on the carcases of the men Who are transgressing against me, For their worm dieth not, And their fire is not quenched, And they have been an abhorrence to all flesh!

“Then they will go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have sinned against Me. For their worm will not die, and their fire will not be put out. And they will be a hated thing to all people.”