1 This is what Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I may rest? 2 My hand has made all these things; that is how these things came to be—this is Yahweh's declaration. This is the man of whom I approve, the broken and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my word. 3 He who slaughters an ox also murders a man; he who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering offers swine's blood; he who offers a memorial of incense also blesses wickedness. They have chosen their own ways, and they take pleasure in their abominations. 4 In the same way I will choose their own punishment; I will bring on them what they fear, because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, no one listened. They did what was evil in my sight, and chose to do what displeases me.” 5 Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word, “Your brothers who hate and exclude you for my name's sake have said, 'May Yahweh be glorified, then we will see your joy,' but they will be put to shame. 6 A sound of battle tumult comes from the city, a sound from the temple, the sound of Yahweh paying back his enemies. 7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before pain is upon her, she gave birth to a son. 8 Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Will a land be born in one day? Can a nation be established in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor, she gives birth to her children. 9 Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and not permit the child to be born?—asks Yahweh. Or do I bring a child to moment of delivery and then hold it back?—asks your God.” 10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her, all you who mourned over her! 11 For you will nurse and be satisfied; with her breasts you will be comforted; for you will drink them to the full and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 This is what Yahweh says, “I am about to spread prosperity over her like a river, and the riches of the nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse at her side, be carried in her arms, and be dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” 14 You will see this, and your heart will rejoice, and your bones will sprout like the tender grass. The hand of Yahweh will be made known to his servants, but he will show his anger against his enemies. 15 For look, Yahweh is coming with fire, and his chariots are coming like the windstorm to bring the heat of his anger and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For Yahweh executes judgment on mankind by fire and with his sword. Those killed by Yahweh will be many. 17 They consecrate themselves and make themselves pure, so they may enter the gardens, following the one in the middle of those who eat the flesh of pig and abominable things like mice. “They will come to an end—this is Yahweh's declaration. 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 will see my glory. 19 I will set a mighty sign among them. Then I will send survivors from them to the nations: To Tarshish, Put, and Lud, archers who draw their bows, to Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands where they have not heard about me nor seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. 20 They will bring back all your brothers out of all the nations, as an offering to Yahweh. They will come on horses, and in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem—says Yahweh. For the people of Israel will bring a grain offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh. 21 Some of these I will even choose as priests and Levites—says Yahweh. 22 For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I will make will remain before me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so your descendants will remain, and your name will remain. 23 From one month to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to bow down to me—says Yahweh. 24 They will go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me, for the worms that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not be quenched; and it will be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Isaiah · Unlocked Literal Bible
Isaiah 66 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 7:48–50; Acts 17:24; Matthew 5:34–35; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 132:7
- 2 Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 51:17; Matthew 5:3–4; 2 Chronicles 34:27–28
- 3 Proverbs 15:8; Isaiah 1:11–15; Amos 5:21–22; Isaiah 65:12; Isaiah 66:17
- 4 Isaiah 65:12; Proverbs 10:24; Jeremiah 7:13; Proverbs 1:24; 2 Kings 21:2
- 5 Isaiah 66:2; John 15:18–20; Matthew 5:10–12; Psalm 38:20; Matthew 10:22
- 6 Joel 3:7–16; Isaiah 34:8; Amos 1:2; Isaiah 59:18; Isaiah 65:5–7
- 7 Revelation 12:1–5; Galatians 4:26
- 8 Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 49:20–22; Romans 15:18–21
- 9 Isaiah 37:3; Genesis 18:14
- 10 Psalm 26:8; Psalm 137:6; Deuteronomy 32:43; Isaiah 65:18; Ezekiel 9:4
- 11 Isaiah 60:16; Joel 3:18; Psalm 36:8; Isaiah 60:5; 1 Peter 2:2
- 12 Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 48:18; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 66:11; Isaiah 49:19–23
- 13 2 Corinthians 1:4; Isaiah 51:3; Isaiah 40:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:7; Isaiah 66:10
- 14 Zechariah 10:7; Proverbs 3:8; Ezra 8:31; Ezekiel 37:1–14; Ezra 8:22
- 15 Isaiah 30:33; 2 Peter 3:10–12; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9; Matthew 22:7; Psalm 11:6
- 16 Ezekiel 38:21–22; Isaiah 30:30; Ezekiel 39:2–10; Isaiah 27:1; Revelation 19:11–21
- 17 Isaiah 65:3–4; Deuteronomy 14:3–8; Isaiah 1:28–29; Leviticus 11:2–8
- 18 Psalm 86:9; Revelation 11:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4–6; Isaiah 2:2; John 5:42
- 19 Isaiah 52:15; Romans 15:21; Ezekiel 27:10; Isaiah 55:5; Isaiah 60:9
- 20 Isaiah 60:3–14; Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 65:25; Isaiah 65:11; Romans 15:16
- 21 1 Peter 2:9; Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:6; Isaiah 61:6
- 22 Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; John 10:27–29; 1 Peter 1:4–5
- 23 Ezekiel 46:1; Psalm 86:9; Ezekiel 46:6; Colossians 2:16–17; Zechariah 14:16
- 24 Isaiah 14:11; Revelation 14:10–11; Daniel 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Revelation 21:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For the holy word saith, "On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembleth at My words?"
The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool." And again, in another place, "Your new moons and your sabbaths My soul hateth; and the great day of the fast and of ceasing from labour I cannot away with; nor, if ye come to be seen of Me, will I hear you: your hands are full of blood; …
… nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King." For these words are evidently spoken with reference to the Creator, as also Esaias says: "Heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool." And besides this Being there is no other God; otherwise He would not be termed …
For with fire of the Lord shall all the earth be judged, and all flesh with His sword: many shall be wounded by the Lord." In His promise to the good he says that He will flow down as a river of peace, that is to say, in the greatest possible abundance of peace.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Whom also by His prophet Isaiah God earnestly accepting said, "To whom will I look, but to him who is meek and quiet, and trembleth at My words?" For indeed there are many kinds of humility: one is humble in his own measure, another with all excess of lowliness.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)