3“But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;
         He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck;
         He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood;
         He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol.
         As they have chosen their own ways,
         And their soul delights in their abominations,

4So I will choose their punishments
         And will bring on them what they dread.
         Because I called, but no one answered;
         I spoke, but they did not listen.
         And they did evil in My sight
         And chose that in which I did not delight.”

5Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word:
         “Your brothers who hate you, who 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 voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple,
         The voice of the LORD who is rendering recompense to His enemies.

7“Before she travailed, she brought forth;
         Before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy.

8“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
         Can a land be born in one day?
         Can a nation be brought forth all at once?
         As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.

9“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD.
         “Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

10“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;
         Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

11That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,
         That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

12For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river,
         And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
         And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.

13“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;
         And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

14Then you will see this, and your heart will be glad,
         And your bones will flourish like the new grass;
         And the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants,
         But He will be indignant toward His enemies.

15For behold, the LORD will come in fire
         And His chariots like the whirlwind,
         To render His anger with fury,
         And His rebuke with flames of fire.

16For the LORD will execute judgment by fire
         And by His sword on all flesh,
         And those slain by the LORD will be many.

17“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,
         Following one in the center,
         Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,
         Will come to an end altogether,” declares the LORD.

      18“For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19“I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. 20“Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. 21“I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says the LORD.

22“For just as the new heavens and the new earth
         Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD,
         “So your offspring and your name will endure.

23“And it shall be from new moon to new moon
         And from sabbath to sabbath,
         All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the LORD.

24“Then they will go forth and look
         On the corpses of the men
         Who have transgressed against Me.
         For their worm will not die
         And their fire will not be quenched;
         And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.”

NASB ©1995