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1 Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me, and where is the place of my rest?
2 My hand made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” declares the LORD.
“But this is the one to whom I will look: the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word.
3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood;
whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
4 So I too will choose harsh treatment for them and bring upon them what they dread, because I called and no one answered;
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil in my eyes and chose what did not please me.”
5 Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”
6 A sound of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple!
The voice of the LORD, repaying his enemies!
7 Before she went into labor, she gave birth;
before pain came upon her, she delivered a son.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Can a land be brought forth in one day, or a nation be born all at once?
Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
9 “Will I bring to the point of birth and not bring forth?”
says the LORD.
“Or will I, who bring forth, shut the womb?”
says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all who love her.
Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her,
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breast, that you may drink deeply and delight in the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus says the LORD: “Look, I am extending peace to her like a river, and the glory of nations like an overflowing stream.
You will nurse, be carried on the hip, and be dandled on the knees.
13 As a mother comforts her son, so I will comfort you, and in Jerusalem you will be comforted.”
14 You will see, and your heart will rejoice;
your bones will flourish like grass.
The hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, and his indignation to his enemies.
15 For look, the LORD will come with fire, and his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger in fury and his rebuke in flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword the LORD will judge all flesh, and those slain by the LORD will be many.
17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves for the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pork and detestable things and mice, will come to an end together,” declares the LORD.
18 “But I know their deeds and their thoughts;
the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues.
They will come and see my glory.
19 I will set a sign among them and send survivors from them to the nations: to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have not heard my fame or seen my glory.
They will declare my glory among the nations.
20 They will bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots and litters, on mules and camels, to my holy mountain, Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “as the Israelites bring the grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.
21 And from them also I will take some for priests and Levites,” says the LORD.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making will remain before me,” declares the LORD, “so your offspring and your name will remain.
23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to bow down before me,” says the LORD.
24 “They will go out and look on the corpses of the people who rebelled against me.
For their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”