1This is what the LORD says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be?
2My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the LORD's declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word.
3One person slaughters an ox, another kills a person; one person sacrifices a lamb, another breaks a dog's neck; one person offers a grain offering, another offers pig's blood; one person offers incense, another praises an idol--all these have chosen their ways and delight in their abhorrent practices.
4So I will choose their punishment, and I will bring on them what they dread because I called and no one answered; I spoke and they did not listen; they did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in.
5You who tremble at his word, hear the word of the LORD: "Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name's sake have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified so that we can see your joy!' But they will be put to shame."
8Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons.
12For this is what the LORD says: I will make peace flow to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flood; you will nurse and be carried on her hip and bounced on her lap.
14You will see, you will rejoice, and you will flourish like grass; then the LORD's power will be revealed to his servants, but he will show his wrath against his enemies.
17"Those who dedicate and purify themselves to enter the groves following their leader, eating meat from pigs, vermin, and rats, will perish together." This is the LORD's declaration.
19I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from them to the nations--to Tarshish, Put, Lud (who are archers), Tubal, Javan, and the coasts and islands far away--who have not heard about me or seen my glory. And they will proclaim my glory among the nations.
20They will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots, in litters, and on mules and camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.
22"For just as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will remain before me"--this is the LORD's declaration--"so your offspring and your name will remain.
24"As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never go out, and they will be a horror to all mankind."
