כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי אֵי־זֶה בַיִת אֲשֶׁר תִּבְנוּ־לִי וְאֵי־זֶה מָקֹום מְנוּחָתִי׃ 66:1
Isai. 66:1 Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is My throne and the earth My footstool.
Where is there a house that you would build for Me?
And where is there My resting place?”
וְאֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה יָדִי עָשָׂתָה וַיִּהְיוּ כָל־אֵלֶּה נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְאֶל־זֶה אַבִּיט אֶל־עָנִי וּנְכֵה־רוּחַ וְחָרֵד 66:2 עַל־דְּבָרִי׃
Isai. 66:2 “But My ‘hand’ had made all these things,
and all these have come to be,” says the Lord,
“and to this will I look with favor:
To a humble and contrite spirit,
and trembling at My word.”
I don’t believe this trembling spirit is meant to convey the emotion of fear of the Lord. In accordance with my belief about the goodness of the Lord and my understanding of the phrase humble and contrite, it is intended to convey reverence, and the trembling reflects the potential for the spirit’s desire to stray.
שֹׁוחֵט הַשֹּׁור מַכֵּה־אִישׁ זֹובֵחַ הַשֶּׂה עֹרֵף כֶּלֶב מַעֲלֵה מִנְחָה דַּם־חֲזִיר מַזְכִּיר לְבֹנָה מְבָרֵךְ אָוֶן 66:3 גַּם־הֵמָּה בָּחֲרוּ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם נַפְשָׁם חָפֵצָה׃
Isai. 66:3 “A slaughterer of an ox slays a human;
sacrificing a lamb is breaking the neck of a dog;
an offering of a meal offering is of swine's blood;
burning frankincense is blessing an idol;
likewise they who choose their own ways,
and in their abominations their soul delights.”
What do these words mean? I imagine God may be speaking only of sinners who play-act their ritual observances. This supposition is supported by the next verse.
גַּם־אֲנִי אֶבְחַר בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶם וּמְגוּרֹתָם אָבִיא לָהֶם יַעַן קָרָאתִי וְאֵין עֹונֶה דִּבַּרְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ 66:4 הָרַע בְּעֵינַי וּבַאֲשֶׁר לֹא־חָפַצְתִּי בָּחָרוּ׃
Isai. 66:4 “I likewise shall test their delusions,
and bring their fears to them,
because I called and there was no answer,
I spoke and they did not hear,
and they did what was evil in My eyes,
and they chose in what I took no delight.”
שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־יְהוָה הַחֲרֵדִים אֶל־דְּבָרֹו אָמְרוּ אֲחֵיכֶם שֹׂנְאֵיכֶם מְנַדֵּיכֶם לְמַעַן שְׁמִי יִכְבַּד יְהוָה 66:5 וְנִרְאֶה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶם וְהֵם יֵבֹשׁוּ׃
Isai. 66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
those trembling at His word!
“Your brothers, your enemies, your banishers,
have said for the sake of My name,
‘Let the Lord be glorified
so we may look on your joy,’
but they shall be put to shame.”
קֹול שָׁאֹון מֵעִיר קֹול מֵהֵיכָל קֹול יְהוָה מְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְאֹיְבָיו׃ 66:6
Isai. 66:6 A noise! An uproar from the city!
A noise from the Temple!
The noise of the Lord
rendering recompense to His enemies!
בְּטֶרֶם תָּחִיל יָלָדָה בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹוא חֵבֶל לָהּ וְהִמְלִיטָה זָכָר׃ 66:7
Isai. 66:7 Before she might be in labor,
she bears young;
before pain would come to her,
a male child is delivered.
As revealed in the next verse, this verse refers to Israel. The female giving birth to the land of Israel is Zion.
מִי־שָׁמַע כָּזֹאת מִי רָאָה כָּאֵלֶּה הֲיוּחַל אֶרֶץ בְּיֹום אֶחָד אִם־יִוָּלֵד גֹּוי פַּעַם אֶחָת כִּי־חָלָה גַּם־יָלְדָה 66:8 צִיֹּון אֶת־בָּנֶיהָ׃
Isai. 66:8 Who has heard of such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Could the birth of a land be in one day?
Could a nation be brought forth at one time?
When she travailed Zion also bore her children.
הַאֲנִי אַשְׁבִּיר וְלֹא אֹולִיד יֹאמַר יְהוָה אִם־אֲנִי הַמֹּולִיד וְעָצַרְתִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃ 66:9
Isai. 66:9 “Would I bring to labor and not allow delivery?”
shall say the Lord.
“Likewise, would I Who brings forth,
then restrain?” says your God.
שִׂמְחוּ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְגִילוּ בָהּ כָּל־אֹהֲבֶיהָ שִׂישׂוּ אִתָּהּ מָשֹׂושׂ כָּל־הַמִּתְאַבְּלִים עָלֶיהָ׃ 66:10
Isai. 66:10 Rejoice with Jerusalem
and be happy over her, all loving her!
Rejoice with her for joy,
all who were mourners for her!
לְמַעַן תִּינְקוּ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם מִשֹּׁד תַּנְחֻמֶיהָ לְמַעַן תָּמֹצּוּ וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּם מִזִּיז כְּבֹודָהּ׃ 66:11
Isai. 66:11 For the reason that you will suck,
and you will be satisfied,
from the breast of her consolations;
for the reason that you may suck deeply,
and be delighted,
from the abundance of her glory.
כִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי נֹטֶה־אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלֹום וּכְנַחַל שֹׁוטֵף כְּבֹוד גֹּויִם וִינַקְתֶּם עַל־צַד תִּנָּשֵׂאוּ 66:12 וְעַל־בִּרְכַּיִם תְּשָׁעֳשָׁעוּ׃
Isai. 66:12 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I am delivering to her,
like a river, peace,
and like a stream overflowing,
the wealth of nations,
and you shall suck.
On the side you shall be borne,
and on the knees you shall be dandled.”
כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִמֹּו תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ כֵּן אָנֹכִי אֲנַחֶמְכֶם וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם תְּנֻחָמוּ׃ 66:13
Isai. 66:13 “Like one whom his mother would comfort,
so will I comfort you,
and in Jerusalem you shall find comfort.”
וּרְאִיתֶם וְשָׂשׂ לִבְּכֶם וְעַצְמֹותֵיכֶם כַּדֶּשֶׁא תִפְרַחְנָה וְנֹודְעָה יַד־יְהוָה אֶת־עֲבָדָיו וְזָעַם אֶת־אֹיְבָיו׃ 66:14
Isai. 66:14 Then you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice,
and your bones shall flourish like tender grass.
Then His servants will acknowledge the “hand” of the Lord,
and abhor His enemies.
כִּי־הִנֵּה יְהוָה בָּאֵשׁ יָבֹוא וְכַסּוּפָה מַרְכְּבֹתָיו לְהָשִׁיב בְּחֵמָה אַפֹּו וְגַעֲרָתֹו בְּלַהֲבֵי־אֵשׁ׃ 66:15
Isai. 66:15 For behold, the Lord shall come with fire,
and His chariots like a whirlwind,
to deliver His “anger” with fury,
and His rebuke, with flames of fire.
כִּי בָאֵשׁ יְהוָה נִשְׁפָּט וּבְחַרְבֹּו אֶת־כָּל־בָּשָׂר וְרַבּוּ חַלְלֵי יְהוָה׃ 66:16
Isai. 66:16 For we shall be judged with fire of the Lord,
and with His sword, all flesh,
and many shall be the slain of the Lord.
הַמִּתְקַדְּשִׁים וְהַמִּטַּהֲרִים אֶל־הַגַּנֹּות אַחַר אֶחַד בַּתָּוֶךְ אֹכְלֵי בְּשַׂר הַחֲזִיר וְהַשֶּׁקֶץ וְהָעַכְבָּר יַחְדָּו 66:17 יָסֻפוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃
Isai. 66:17 Those sanctifying and purifying themselves
at the gardens behind anyone within,
eaters of the flesh of swine,
and of abomination and of the mouse,
together shall be consumed, says the Lord.
וְאָנֹכִי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶם בָּאָה לְקַבֵּץ אֶת־כָּל־הַגֹּויִם וְהַלְּשֹׁנֹות וּבָאוּ וְרָאוּ אֶת־כְּבֹודִי׃ 66:18
Isai. 66:18 “Then I will be of their occupations and of their thoughts; it comes, to gather all the nations and all the tongues, that they would come and see My glory.”
וְשַׂמְתִּי בָהֶם אֹות וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי מֵהֶם פְּלֵיטִים אֶל־הַגֹּויִם תַּרְשִׁישׁ פּוּל וְלוּד מֹשְׁכֵי קֶשֶׁת תֻּבַל וְיָוָן 66:19 הָאִיִּים הָרְחֹקִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָׁמְעוּ אֶת־שִׁמְעִי וְלֹא־רָאוּ אֶת־כְּבֹודִי וְהִגִּידוּ אֶת־כְּבֹודִי בַּגֹּויִם׃
Isai. 66:19 “Then I will set a sign by them and I will send the refugees of them to the nations of Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, the drawers of the bow to Tubal and Javan, the distant islands, which have not heard My fame and have not seen My glory, that they might declare My glory among the nations.”
וְהֵבִיאוּ אֶת־כָּל־אֲחֵיכֶם מִכָּל־הַגֹּויִם מִנְחָה לַיהוָה בַּסּוּסִים וּבָרֶכֶב וּבַצַּבִּים וּבַפְּרָדִי וּבַכִּרְכָּרֹ עַל 66:20 הַר קָדְשִׁי יְרוּשָׁלִַם אָמַר יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָבִיאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה בִּכְלִי טָהֹור בֵּית יְהוָה׃
Isai. 66:20 “And they shall bring all your brothers from all nations, a gift for the Lord, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on swift beasts, to My holy mountain, Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel would bring the offering in a pure vessel into the house of the Lord.”
וְגַם־מֵהֶם אֶקַּח לַכֹּהֲנִים לַלְוִיִּם אָמַר יְהוָה׃ 66:21
Isai. 66:21 “And also I will take of them for priests, for Levites,” says the Lord.
כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר הַשָּׁמַיִם הַחֳדָשִׁים וְהָאָרֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה עֹמְדִים לְפָנַי נְאֻם־יְהוָה כֵּן יַעֲמֹד 66:22 זַרְעֲכֶם וְשִׁמְכֶם׃
Isai. 66:22 “For as the new heaven and the new earth that I am making are remaining before Me, so will your seed and your name remain.”
וְהָיָה מִדֵּי־חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשֹׁו וּמִדֵּי שַׁבָּת בְּשַׁבַּתֹּו יָבֹוא כָל־בָּשָׂר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְפָנַי אָמַר יְהוָה׃ 66:23
Isai. 66:23 “And it shall be, month after month and Sabbath after Sabbath all humankind shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפֹּשְׁעִים בִּי כִּי תֹולַעְתָּם לֹא תָמוּת וְאִשָּׁם לֹא תִכְבֶּה וְהָיוּ דֵרָאֹון 66:24 לְכָל־בָּשָׂר׃
Isai. 66:24 “And they shall go forth
and look at the carcasses
of the ones rebelling against Me,
for their worm shall not die
and their fire shall not be quenched,
and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
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