1This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you would build for me? And where is the place of my rest?"
2My hand made all those things, and so they all came to be, says the LORD. But this is the one I will look to: the one who is poor and has a broken spirit, and who trembles at my word.
3The one who kills an ox is like one who kills a man. The one who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog's neck. The one who brings a grain offering is like one who offers pig's blood. The one who burns incense is like one who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and they take delight in their disgusting practices.
4"So I will choose to deal harshly with them, and I will bring on them the things they fear. For when I called, no one answered. When I spoke, they did not listen. They did evil in my sight, and chose what did not please me."
5Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: "Your own brothers hated you and threw you out because of my name. They said, 'Let the LORD be glorified.' But he will appear to your joy, and they will be ashamed."
6A sound of uproar comes from the city, a voice from the temple. It is the voice of the LORD, paying back his enemies what they deserve.
7Before she went into labour, she gave birth. Before her pain came, she delivered a son.
8Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a land be brought to birth in one day? Can a nation be born all at once? Yet as soon as Zion went into labour, she gave birth to her children.
9"Do I bring a child to the point of birth and not let it be born?" says the LORD. "Do I cause the birth and then close the womb?" says your God.
10Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Be full of joy with her, all you who mourn for her.
11Then you may feed and be satisfied at her comforting breasts. You may drink deeply and delight in the fullness of her glory.
12For this is what the LORD says: "Look, I will spread peace over her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a flooding stream. Then you will feed; you will be carried on her side and bounced on her knees."
13"As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem."
14When you see this, your heart will rejoice, and your bones will grow strong like new grass. The hand of the LORD will be known to his servants, and his anger to his enemies.
15Look, the LORD will come with fire, and his chariots will come like a whirlwind. He will pay back his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16For with fire and with his sword the LORD will bring judgment on all flesh, and those killed by the LORD will be many.
17"Those who make themselves holy and clean to go into the gardens, following the one in the middle, eating pig's flesh, and the disgusting things, and the mouse, will be destroyed together," says the LORD.
18"For I know their deeds and their thoughts. The time is coming when I will gather all nations and languages. They will come and see my glory."
19I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape from them to the nations: to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the far-off coastlands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. And they will tell of my glory among the nations.
20"They will bring all your brothers and sisters out of all nations as an offering to the LORD. They will bring them on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules and on swift animals, to my holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "just as the people of Israel bring an offering in a clean dish into the house of the LORD."
21"And I will take some of them to be priests and Levites," says the LORD.
22"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will last before me," says the LORD, "so your children and your name will last."
23"And from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me," says the LORD.
24"And they will go out and look at the dead bodies of the men who rebelled against me. Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be put out; and they will be a horror to all flesh."