¹The LORD says :

“Heaven is my throne , and the earth is my footstool .

What kind of house will you build to me ?

Where will I rest ?

²For my hand has made all these things ,

and so all these things came to be ,” says the LORD :

“but I will look to this man ,

even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit ,

and who trembles at my word .

³He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man ;

he who sacrifices a lamb , as he who breaks a dog ’s neck ;

he who offers an offering , as he who offers pig ’s blood ;

he who burns frankincense , as he who blesses an idol .

Yes , they have chosen their own ways ,

and their soul delights in their abominations .

⁴I also will choose their delusions ,

and will bring their fears on them ,

because when I called , no one answered ;

when I spoke , they didn’t listen ,

but they did that which was evil in my eyes ,

and chose that in which I didn’t delight .”

⁵Hear the LORD ’s word ,

you who tremble at his word :

“Your brothers who hate you ,

who cast you out for my name ’s sake , have said ,

‘Let the LORD be glorified ,

that we may see your joy ;’

but it is those who shall be disappointed.

⁶A voice of tumult from the city ,

a voice from the temple ,

a voice of the LORD that repays his enemies what they deserve.

⁷“Before she travailed , she gave birth .

Before her pain came, she delivered a son .

⁸Who has heard of such a thing ?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day ?

Shall a nation be born at once ?

For as soon as Zion travailed ,

she gave birth to her children .

⁹Shall I bring to the birth , and not cause to be delivered ?” says the LORD .

“Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God .

¹⁰“Rejoice with Jerusalem , and be glad for her , all you who love her .

Rejoice for joy with her , all you who mourn over her ;

¹¹that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts ;

that you may drink deeply,

and be delighted with the abundance of her glory .”

¹²For the LORD says , “Behold , I will extend peace to her like a river ,

and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream ,

and you will nurse .

You will be carried on her side ,

and will be dandled on her knees .

¹³As one whom his mother comforts ,

so I will comfort you .

You will be comforted in Jerusalem .”

¹⁴You will see it , and your heart shall rejoice ,

and your bones will flourish like the tender grass .

The LORD ’s hand will be known amongst his servants ;

and he will have indignation against his enemies .

¹⁵For , behold , the LORD will come with fire,

and his chariots will be like the whirlwind ;

to give his anger with fierceness,

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

¹⁶For the LORD will execute judgement by fire and by his sword on all flesh ;

and those slain by the LORD will be many .

¹⁷“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens , following one in the middle , eating pig ’s meat , abominable things , and the mouse , they shall come to an end together ,” says the LORD .

¹⁸“For I know their works and their thoughts . The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages , and they will come, and will see my glory .

¹⁹“I will set a sign amongst them , and I will send those who escape of them to the nations , to Tarshish , Pul , and Lud , who draw the bow , to Tubal and Javan , to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame , nor have seen my glory ; and they shall declare my glory amongst the nations .

²⁰They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to the LORD , on horses , in chariots , in litters , on mules , and on camels , to my holy mountain Jerusalem , says the LORD , as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the LORD ’s house .

²¹Of them I will also select priests and 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 your offspring and your name shall remain .

²³It shall happen that from one new moon to another , and from one Sabbath to another , all flesh will come to worship before me ,” says the LORD .

²⁴“They will go out , and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me ; for their worm will not die , nor will their fire be quenched , and they will be loathsome to all mankind .”