Proper Worship

66 Thus says Yahweh:

“Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is the footstool for my feet.

Where is this house that you would build for me?

And where is this resting place for me?

2 And my hand has made all these things,

and all these ⌊came to be⌋,”a

⌊declares⌋b Yahweh, “butc I look to this one:

to the humble and the contrite of spirit

and the one frightened at my word.

3 The one who slaughters a bull strikes a man;

the one who slaughters a lamb for sacrifice breaks the neck of a dog.

The one who offers an offering, the blood of swine;

the one who offers frankincense blesses an idol.

Indeed, they themselves have chosen their ways,

and their soul delights in their abhorrence.

4 Indeed, I myself I will choose their ill treatment,

and I will bring them objects of their dread,

because I called, and ⌊no one answered⌋;d

I spoke and they did not listen,

bute they did the evil in my eyes,

and they chose that in which I do not delight.”

5 Hear the word of Yahweh, you who are frightened at his word:

Your brothers who hate you,

who exclude you for my name’s sake have said,

“Let Yahweh be honored so thatf we may see your joy!”

Butg they themselves shall be ashamed.

6 A voice, an uproar from the city!

A voice from the temple!

The voice of Yahweh ⌊paying back⌋h his enemies!

Zion’s Delivery

7 Before she was in labor she gave birth;

before labor painsi came to her, she gave birth to a son.

8 Who has heard anything like this?

Who has seen anything like these things?

Can a land be born in one day?

Or can a nation be born in a moment?

Yet when she was in labor, Zion indeed gave birth to her children.

9 Shall I myself break open and not ⌊deliver⌋?”j says Yahweh,

“or I who ⌊delivers⌋k lock up the womb?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem

and shout in exultation with her, all those who love her!

Rejoice with her in joy, all those who mourn over her,

11 so that you may suck and be satisfied from her ⌊consoling breast⌋,l

so that you may drink deeply and refresh yourselves from her ⌊heavy breast⌋.”m

12 For thus says Yahweh:

“Look! I am about to spread prosperity out to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream,

and you shall suck and be carried on the hip;

and you shall be played with on the knees.

13 As a man whose mother comforts him, so I myself will comfort you,

and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.