Bible in 90 Days
Fourth Servant Song: The Lamb
13 “Behold, My servant will prosper,
He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.[a]
14 Just as many were appalled at You—
His appearance was disfigured more than any man,
His form more than the sons of men.
15 So He will sprinkle many nations.
Kings will shut their mouths because of Him,
for what had not been told them they will see,
and what they had not heard they will perceive.
Isaiah 53
53 ‘Who has believed our report?[b]
To whom is the arm of Adonai revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
like a root out of dry ground.
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
nor beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief,
One from whom people hide their faces.
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.[c]
4 Surely He has borne our griefs[d]
and carried our pains.
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
struck by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced[e] because of our transgressions,
crushed because of our iniquities.
The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him,
and by His stripes we are healed.
6 We all like sheep have gone astray.
Each of us turned to his own way.
So Adonai has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted
yet He did not open His mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter,[f]
like a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so He did not open His mouth.[g]
8 Because of oppression and judgment He was taken away.
As for His generation, who considered?
For He was cut off from the land of the living,
for the transgression of my people—
the stroke was theirs
9 His grave was given with the wicked,
and by a rich man in His death,[h]
though He had done no violence,
nor was there any deceit in His mouth.[i]
10 Yet it pleased Adonai to bruise Him.
He caused Him to suffer.
If He makes His soul a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,
and the will of Adonai will succeed by His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul
He will see it and be satisfied by His knowledge.
The Righteous One, My Servant will make many righteous
and He will bear their iniquities.[j]
12 Therefore I will give Him a portion with the great,
and He will divide the spoil with the mighty—
because He poured out His soul to death,
and was counted with transgressors.[k]
For He bore the sin of many,
and interceded for the transgressors.[l]
Your Husband is Your Maker
54 “Sing, barren one, who has not given birth.
burst into singing and shout,
you who have not travailed.
For more are the children of the desolate
than the children of the married one,”
says Adonai.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch out your tabernacle curtains.
Do not hold back—
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left.
Your offspring will possess the nations
and will resettle the desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed.
Nor cringe, for you will not be disgraced.
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband[m]
—Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
He will be called God of all the earth.
6 “For Adonai has called you back
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of one’s youth that is rejected,”
says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I deserted you,
but I will regather you with great compassion.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid My face from you a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says Adonai your Redeemer.
9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me:
for as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
nor will I rebuke you.
10 Though the mountains depart and the hills be shaken,
My love will not depart from you,
nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,
says Adonai who has compassion on you.
11 Afflicted one, storm-tossed, unconsoled,
behold, I set your stones in antimony,
lay your foundations with sapphires,
12 make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of crystal,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by Adonai.
Your children will have great shalom.
No Weapon Formed Against You
14 “In righteousness you will be established.
You will be far from oppression
—for you will not fear—
and from terror—
for it will not come near you.
15 Behold, anyone fiercely attacking is not from Me.
Whoever stirs up strife with you will fall because of you.
16 Behold, I created the smith
who blows the fire of coals
and produces a weapon for its work,
and I created the destroyer to ruin.
17 No weapon formed against you will prosper
and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of Adonai’s servants—
their vindication is from Me.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
Trees of the Field will Clap Their Hands
55 “Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the water,[n]
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread?
Your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, so that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
the trustworthy loyalty to David.
4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you will summon a nation you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you will run to you,
because of Adonai your God
and the Holy One of Israel,
for He has glorified you.”
6 Seek Adonai while He may be found,
call on Him while He is near.[o]
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous one his thoughts,
let him return to Adonai, so He may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways My ways.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain and snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return there
without having watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to sow and bread to eat,
11 so My word will be that goes out from My mouth.
It will not return to Me in vain,
but will accomplish what I intend,
and will succeed in what I sent it for.
12 “Yes, you will go out with joy
and be led forth with peace.
The mountains and the hills
will break forth before you singing,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands!
13 Instead of the thorn bush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up,
and it will be a memorial to Adonai,
as an everlasting sign
that will never be cut off.”
Foreigners Keeping Shabbat
56 Thus says Adonai:
“Preserve justice,
do righteousness.
For My salvation is about to come,
and My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the one who does this,
the son of man who takes hold of it,
who keeps from profaning Shabbat,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
3 Do not let a son of a foreigner who has joined himself to Adonai[p] say,
‘Adonai will surely exclude me from His people.”
Nor let the eunuch say,
‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’”
4 For thus says Adonai,
“To the eunuchs who keep My Shabbatot,
who choose what pleases Me,
and hold fast My covenant:
5 I will give to them in My House and within My walls
a memorial and a name[q]
better than sons and daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name
that will not be cut off.
6 Also the foreigners who join themselves to Adonai, to minister to Him,
and to love the Name of Adonai,
and to be His servants—
all who keep from profaning Shabbat,
and hold fast to My covenant—
7 these I will bring to My holy mountain,
and let them rejoice in My House of Prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on My altar.
For My House will be called
a House of Prayer for all nations.”[r]
8 Adonai Elohim,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
“I will gather still others to him,
to those already gathered.”
9 All you beasts of the field, come to eat,
all you beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are all blind.
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
dreamers lying down, lovers of slumber,
11 and the dogs are greedy—
they never have enough.
They are shepherds with no discernment.
They have all turned to their own way,
each to his own gain, one and all.
12 “Come, let’s get wine, let’s guzzle strong drink.
Tomorrow will be like today,
only even better!”
Remove Every Stumbling Block
57 The righteous one perishes,
but no one takes it to heart.
Godly men are taken away,
but no one discerns
that the righteous man is taken from evil.
2 He enters into shalom.
They rest on their beds,
each who walked in his integrity.
3 But as for you, come here, you children of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and prostitute.
4 Whom are you mocking?
At whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
offspring of deceit?
5 You who burn with lust among the oaks
and under every green tree,
who sacrifice your children in the wadis
and under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the wadi is your portion—
they are your lot.
To them you have even poured out a drink offering,
made a grain offering.
Shall I relent concerning these things?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain you made your bed.
You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your memorial sign.
For away from Me, you uncovered,
went up and made your bed wide,
and cut covenant with them.
You loved their bed—
you looked on their nakedness.
9 You journeyed to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors far away,
and made them go down to Sheol.
10 You wearied of the length of your way,
yet you did not say, “It is hopeless!”
You found renewed strength,
so you did not weaken.
11 “Whom was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied.
But you did not remember Me
or take it to heart?
Have I not kept silent a long time—
yet you do not fear Me?
12 I will expose your ‘righteousness’, and your deeds—
they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
will your collection of idols save you?
The wind will carry them off,
a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in Me
will possess the land,
and will inherit My holy mountain.”
14 Then it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15 For thus says the High and Exalted One
who inhabits eternity, whose Name is Holy:
“I dwell in a high and holy place,
yet also with a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry,
for the spirit would grow weak before Me,
the breath of those whom I made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry;
I struck him; I hid My face; I was angry—
but he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him.
I will lead him and restore comfort to him
and his mourners.
19 Creating the praise of lips:
‘Shalom, shalom to him who is far and to him who is near,’
says Adonai, ‘and I will heal him.’”
20 But the wicked are like a troubled sea,
for it cannot rest,
and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
21 “There is no shalom,” says my God
“for the wicked.”
Fasting and Tzedakah
58 “Cry aloud, do not hold back!
Raise your voice like a shofar.
Tell My people their transgression,
and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek Me day to day
and delight to know My ways,
as if they were a nation that did right,
and had not forsaken their God’s decree.
They ask Me for righteous judgments;
they delight in the nearness of God.”
3 “Why have we fasted.
yet You do not see?
Why have we afflicted our souls,
yet You take no notice?”
“Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and exploit all your laborers.
4 Behold, you fast for strife and contention
and to strike with a wicked fist.
You should not fast as you do today
to make your voice heard on high.
5 Is this the fast I have chosen?
A day for one to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and spreading out sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to Adonai?
6 “Is not this the fast I choose:
to release the bonds of wickedness,
to untie the cords of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to tear off every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
to bring the homeless poor into your house?
When you see the naked, to cover him,
and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will spring up speedily.
Your righteousness will go before you,
the glory of Adonai as your rear guard.”
9 Then you will call, and Adonai will answer.
You will cry and He will say, “Here I am.”
If you get rid of the yoke among you—
finger-pointing and badmouthing—
10 If you give yourself to the hungry,
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then your light will rise in darkness,
and your gloom will be like midday.
11 Then Adonai will guide you continually,
satisfy your soul in drought
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water whose waters never fail.
12 Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins,
will raise up the age-old foundations,
will be called Repairer of the Breach,
Restorer of Streets for Dwelling.
13 If you turn back your foot from Shabbat,
from doing your pleasure on My holy day,
and call Shabbat a delight,
the holy day of Adonai honorable,
If you honor it, not going your own ways,
not seeking your own pleasure,
nor speaking your usual speech,
14 then You will delight yourself in Adonai,
and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth,
I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.
Separation from God
59 Behold, Adonai’s hand is not too short to save,
nor His ear too dull to hear.
2 Rather, your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God.
Your sins have hidden His face from you,
so that He does not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers with iniquity.
Your lips have spoken lies,
your tongue mutters wickedness.
4 No one sues justly,
and none pleads a case honestly.
They trust in confusion and speak lies.
They conceive mischief,
and bring forth iniquity.
5 They hatch adders’ eggs,
and weave the spider’s web—
whoever eats their eggs dies;
crack one open, a viper breaks out.
6 Their webs will not become clothing,
nor will they cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are works of iniquity,
an act of violence is in their hands.
7 Their feet run after evil.
They rush to shed innocent blood.[s]
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity.
Violence and ruin are on their highways.
8 They do not know the path of peace,
and there is no justice in their tracks.
They have made their paths crooked.
Whoever walks in them will not experience shalom.
9 That is why justice is far from us
and righteousness does not reach us.
We hope for light, but behold darkness,
for brightness, but walk in gloom.
10 We grope along the wall like the blind.
We grope like those with no eyes.
We stumble at noon as at twilight.
We are like the dead in desolation.
11 All of us growl like bears
or moan like doves.
We hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
and our sins testify against us,
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13 transgressing and denying Adonai,
turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far off.
For truth has stumbled in the street,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 So now truth is missing,
and whoever shuns evil becomes prey.
Now when Adonai saw it, it was displeasing in His eyes
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no one—
He was astonished that no one was interceding.[t]
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him,
and His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate
and a helmet of salvation on His head.
He clothed Himself in robes of vengeance
and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds,
so He will repay:
wrath to His adversaries,
retribution to His enemies.
To the islands He will repay as due.
19 So from the west they will fear the Name of Adonai,
and His glory from the rising of the sun.
For He will come like a rushing stream
driven along by the Ruach Adonai.
20 “But a Redeemer will come to Zion,
and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says Adonai: “My Ruach who is on you,[u] and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your offspring, or from the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says Adonai, “from now on and forever.”
Arise, Shine, O Zion
60 Arise, shine, for your light has come!
The glory of Adonai has risen on you.
2 For behold, darkness covers the earth,
and deep darkness the peoples.
But Adonai will arise upon you,
and His glory will appear over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
kings to the brilliance of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes and look all around:
they all gather—they come to you—
your sons will come from far away,
your daughters carried on the hip.
5 Then you will see and be radiant,
and your heart will throb and swell with joy.
For the abundance of the sea will be turned over to you.
The wealth of nations will come to you.
6 A multitude of camels will cover you,
young camels of Midian and Ephah,
all those from Sheba will come.
They will bring gold and frankincense,[v]
and proclaim the praises of Adonai.
7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you.
Nebaioth’s rams will minister to you.
They will go up with favor on My altar,
and I will beautify My glorious House.
8 Who are these who fly like a cloud,
like doves to their windows?
9 Surely the islands will hope in Me,
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,
to bring your sons from afar,
their silver and gold with them,
for the Name of Adonai your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because He has glorified you.
10 Foreigners will build up your walls,
and their kings will minister to you.
For in My fury I struck you,
but in My favor I will show you mercy.
11 Your gates will be open continually.
They will not be shut day or night,
so that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession.
12 For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish—
those nations will be utterly ruined.
13 The glory of Lebanon will come to you
—cypress, elm and pine together—
to beautify the place of My Sanctuary.
I will give to the place of My feet glory.
14 The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
and all those who despised you will fall at the soles of your feet.
They will call you the city of Adonai,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Instead of deserted and hated,
no one passing through,
I will make you an eternal pride,
joy from generation to generation.
16 You will also suck the milk of nations
and nurse at the breast of kings.
Then you will know that I, Adonai, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
instead of iron I will bring silver,
instead of wood, bronze,
and instead of stones, iron.
I will make shalom your overseer,
and righteousness your taskmasters.
18 No more will violence be heard in your land,
devastation nor destruction within your borders.
But you will call your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
19 No more will the sun be your light by day,
nor the glow of the moon be your light,
but Adonai will be your everlasting light,
and your God for your glory.[w]
20 No more will your sun set,
nor will your moon wane,
for Adonai will be your everlasting light,
as the days of your mourning end.[x]
21 Then your people will all be righteous.
They will possess the land forever—
the branch of His planting,
the work of My hands—
that I may be glorified.
22 The smallest will become a thousand,
and the least a mighty nation.
I, Adonai, will hasten it in its time.”
Besorah for the Brokenhearted
61 The Ruach of Adonai Elohim is on me,[y]
because Adonai has anointed me
to proclaim Good News to the poor.[z]
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,
2 to proclaim the year of Adonai’s favor
and the day of our God’s vengeance,
to comfort all who mourn
3 to console those who mourn in Zion,
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,[aa]
the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of Adonai,
that He may be glorified.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins.
They will restore former desolations.
They will repair the ruined cities,
the desolations of many generations.
5 Strangers will stand and shepherd your flocks,
children of foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.
6 But you will be called the kohanim of Adonai,
They will speak of you as the ministers of our God.
You will eat the wealth of nations
and boast in their abundance.
7 Instead of your shame, double portion.
instead of disgrace they will sing for joy.
Therefore in their land they will inherit a double portion;
they will have everlasting joy.
8 For I, Adonai, love justice.
I hate robbery in the burnt offering.
In faithfulness I will reward My people
and cut an eternal covenant with them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations,
their descendants among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize them,
for they are the seed that Adonai has blessed.
10 I will rejoice greatly in Adonai.
My soul will be joyful in my God.
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness—
like a bridegroom wearing a priestly turban,
like a bride adorning herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes things sown to spring up,
so Adonai Elohim will cause justice and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
Watchmen for Jerusalem
62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her righteousness shines out brightly,
and her salvation as a blazing torch.
2 Nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory.
You will be called by a new name,
which Adonai’s mouth will bestow.
3 You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Adonai,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will you be termed “Forsaken”,
no longer your land termed “Desolate”.
Instead you will be called, “My Delight is in Her”
and your land, “Married”.
For Adonai delights in you,
and your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
so your sons will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, Jerusalem, I have set watchmen.
All day and all night, they will never hold their peace.
“You who remind Adonai,
take no rest for yourselves,
7 And give Him no rest until He establishes
and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 Adonai has sworn by His right hand
and by His strong arm:
“Surely I will never again give your grain
as food for your enemies,
nor will foreigners drink your new wine,
for which you have labored.
9 But those who have garnered it will eat it
and praise Adonai,
and those who have gathered it
will drink it in the courts of My Sanctuary.”
10 Go through, go through the gates.
Clear the way for the people!
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Lift up a banner over the peoples.
11 Behold, Adonai has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to the Daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes!
See, His reward is with Him,
and His recompense before Him.”[ab]
12 Then they will call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of Adonai,
and you will be called, Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.
Winepress of Vengeance
63 “Who is this coming from Edom,
in crimsoned garments from Bozrah?
This One splendid in His apparel,
pressing forward in His great might?”
“It is I who speak in righteousness,
mighty to save.”
2 “Why is Your apparel so red,
and Your garments like one who treads in a wine press?”[ac]
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone—
from the peoples, no man was with Me.
I trod them in My anger,
and trampled them in My wrath.
Their lifeblood spattered My garments,
so I stained all My robes.
4 For a day of vengeance was in My heart,
and My year of redemption has come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help.
I was amazed, but no one was assisting.
So My own arm won victory for Me,
and My wrath upheld Me.
6 So I trod down the peoples in My anger,
and made them drunk in My wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood[ad] on the earth.”
Remembering His Chesed
7 I will remember the lovingkindnesses of Adonai, the praises of Adonai, according to all that Adonai has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion, and according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
So He became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction He was afflicted.
So the angel of His presence saved them.
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
then He lifted them and carried them
all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled,
and grieved His Ruach ha-Kodesh.
So He turned to become their enemy.
He Himself fought against them.
11 Then His people remembered the days of old,
the days of Moses:
“Where is He who brought them through the sea
with the shepherd of His flock?
Where is He who put among them
His Ruach ha-Kodesh?
12 Who caused His glorious arm to go
at the right hand of Moses?
Who divided the waters before them—
to make Himself a Name forever?
13 Who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down into a valley,
the Ruach Adonai gave them rest.
So You led Your people,
to make Yourself a glorious Name.
15 Look down from heaven and see
from Your holy, glorious, lofty abode.
Where are Your zeal and mighty deeds?
Are the yearnings of Your heart,
Your compassions, withheld from me?
16 For You are our Father—
even if Abraham would not know us
or Israel not recognize us.
You, Adonai, are our Father, our Redeemer—
from everlasting is Your Name.
17 Adonai, why do You cause us to stray from Your ways,
and harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for Your servants’ sake,
the tribes of Your heritage.
18 Briefly Your holy people possessed it—
our foes have trampled Your Sanctuary.
19 We have become like those over whom[ae]
You have never ruled,
like those not called by Your Name.
Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at Your presence!
As Unclean Rags
64 As fire kindles brushwood,
as fire causes water to boil,
make Your Name known to Your foes,
so the nations may tremble before You!
2 When You did awesome things that we were not expecting,
You came down—the mountains shook at Your presence!
3 For from days of old no one has heard,
no ear perceived,
no eye has seen God, except You,
who acts on behalf of the one waiting for Him.
4 You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
who remembers You in Your ways.
Behold, You were angry.
When we keep sinning all the time,
would we be saved?
5 For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteousness is like a filthy garment,
and all of us wither like a leaf,
and our iniquities carry us away, like the wind.
6 No one calls on Your Name,
or stirs himself up to take hold of You.
For You have hidden Your face from us,
and have consumed us, because of our iniquities.
7 But now, Adonai, You are our Father.
We are the clay and You are our potter,
We are all the work of Your hand.
8 Do not be angry much more, Adonai,
or remember iniquity forever.
Oh, please see,
we are all Your people!
9 Your holy cities became a wilderness,
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
10 Our holy and beautiful House, where our fathers praised You,
Has been burned with fire—
all our pleasant things are laid waste.
11 Will You restrain Yourself at these things?
Adonai, will You stay silent,
and afflict us very severely?
Outstretched Hands
65 “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me,
I was found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Hineni, hineni!’
to a nation not called by My Name.[af]
2 I have stretched out My hands all day
to a rebellious people,[ag]
who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own thoughts.
3 These people provoke Me continually
to My face,
sacrificing in gardens,
burning incense on bricks,
4 sitting among graves,
spending the night in cave-tombs;
eating swine’s flesh,
and the broth of detestable things is in their pots,
5 who say, ‘Keep to yourself, don’t come to me,
for I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My nostrils,
a fire that burns all day.
6 Behold, it is written before Me;
I will not keep silence, but will repay,
even repay into their laps,
7 your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together,”
says Adonai,
“because they burned incense on the mountains,
and scorned Me on the hills.
So I will measure into their laps
full wages for their former deeds.”
8 Thus says Adonai:
“As new wine is found in a cluster,
and one says, ‘Do not destroy it,
for a blessing is in it,’
so I will do for My servants’ sakes,
that I may not destroy them all.
9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,
an heir of My mountains from Judah.
My chosen ones will inherit it,
and My servants will dwell there.
10 Sharon will be a fold of flocks,
and the valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down in,
for My people who seek Me.
11 But you who forsake Adonai,
who forget My holy mountain,
who prepare a table for Fortune,
who fill cups of mixed wine for Fate,
12 I will fate you to the sword,
and all of you will kneel to slaughter.
For I called, but you did not answer,
I spoke, but you did not hear.
So you did what was evil in My sight,
and chose what I did not delight in.”
13 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim:
“Behold, My servants will eat,
while you will go hungry.
Behold, My servants will drink,
but you will be thirsty.
Behold, My servants will rejoice,
but you will be put to shame.
14 Behold, My servants will sing for joy
with a happy heart,
but you will cry from pain of heart,
and wail out of a broken spirit.
15 You will leave your name behind
as a curse for My chosen ones,
and Adonai Elohim will slay you.
But He will call His servants by another name.
16 So he who says a bracha in the land
will be blessed by the God of truth,
and he who swears in the land
will swear by the God of truth.
For the former troubles are forgotten,
because they are hidden from My sight!
New Heavens and New Earth
17 For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth.[ah]
The former things will not be remembered
or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I am creating.
For behold, I am creating Jerusalem for rejoicing,
and her people for joy.
19 Then I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and be glad in My people.
No longer will the voice of weeping
or the voice of crying be heard in her.
20 No longer will there be in it an infant
who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days.
For the youth will die at a hundred years,
But one who misses the mark of a hundred
must be accursed.
21 They will build houses and inhabit them.
They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They will not build and another inhabit,
nor plant and another eat.
For like the days of a tree,
so will be the days of My people,
and My chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain
nor bear children for calamity.
For they are the offspring of those blessed by Adonai,
as well as descendants with them.
24 And it will come to pass that before they call,
I will answer,
and while they are still speaking,
I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
The lion will eat straw like the ox,
but dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will not hurt or destroy
in all My holy mountain,” says Adonai.
Tremble At His Word
66 Thus says Adonai:
“Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool.[ai]
Where then is the House you would build for Me?
Where is the place of My rest?
2 For My hand has made all these things,
so all these things came to be,”
declares Adonai.
“But on this one will I look,
one humble and of a contrite spirit,
who trembles at My word.”
3 One who kills an ox
is like one who kills a man;
one who sacrifices a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
one who offers a grain offering
is like one who offers swine’s blood;
one who burns incense
is like one who blesses an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
so their soul delights in their abominations.
4 So I will choose their punishments
and bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered;
when I spoke, they did not listen.
But they did what was evil in My eyes,
and chose what I did not delight in.
5 Hear the word of Adonai,
you who tremble at His word:
“Your brothers who hated you,
excluding you for My Name’s sake, have said,
‘Let Adonai be glorified,
that we may see your joy’—
but they will be put to shame.”
6 A sound of uproar from the city,
a sound from the Temple—
the sound of Adonai
who fully repays His enemies.
A Nation Born in a Day
7 Before she was in labor,
she gave birth.
Before her pain came,
she delivered a male child.
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 at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
she gave birth to her children.
9 “Will I bring the moment of birth,
and not give delivery?” says Adonai.
“Will I who cause delivery
shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her,
all you who love her.
Rejoice for joy with her
all you who mourned over her.
11 For you will nurse and be satisfied
from her comforting breast.
You will drink deeply and delight
from her glorious abundance.
12 For thus says Adonai:
“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream.
You will be nursed, carried on the hip,
and bounced on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
so I will comfort you,
so you will be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 You will see, your heart will rejoice,
and your bones will flourish like grass.
So the hand of Adonai will be known to His servants,
and His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, Adonai will come in fire,
and His chariots like the whirlwind,
to render His anger with fury,
and His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and His sword
Adonai will execute judgment on all flesh
and those slain by Adonai will be many.
17 Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves, following after one in the midst, who eat swine’s flesh, vermin and mice, will come to an end altogether.
It is a declaration of Adonai. 18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It will come about that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.