Isaiah 65

1I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

2I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

3A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;footnote a

4Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;footnote b

5Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.footnote c

6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

7Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

8Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

9And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

10And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

11But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.footnote dfootnote e

12Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

13Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

14Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.footnote f

15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

16That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.footnote g

18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.footnote h

23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Judgments and Promises

1“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me;I was found by those who did not seek Me.footnote aTo a nation that did not call My name,I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ 2All day long I have held out My handsto an obstinate peoplefootnote bwho walk in the wrong path,who follow their own imaginations, 3to a people who continually provoke Me to My face,sacrificing in the gardensand burning incense on altars of brick, 4sitting among the graves,spending nights in secret places,eating the meat of pigsand polluted broth from their bowls. 5They say, ‘Keep to yourself;do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’Such people are smoke in My nostrils,a fire that burns all day long. 6Behold, it is written before Me:I will not keep silent, but I will repay;I will pay it back into their laps, 7both for your iniquitiesand for those of your fathers,”says the LORD.“Because they burned incense on the mountainsand scorned Me on the hills,I will measure into their lapsfull payment for their former deeds.”

8This is what the LORD says:“As the new wine is found in a cluster of grapes,and men say, ‘Do not destroy it, for it contains a blessing,’so I will act on behalf of My servants;I will not destroy them all. 9And I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,and heirs from Judah;My elect will possess My mountains,footnote cand My servants will dwell there. 10Sharon will become a pasture for flocks,and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,for My people who seek Me.

11But you who forsake the LORD,who forget My holy mountain,who set a table for Fortunefootnote dand fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,footnote e 12I will destine you for the sword,and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered,because I called and you did not answer,I spoke and you did not listen;you did evil in My sightand chose that in which I did not delight.”

13Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:“My servants will eat,but you will go hungry;My servants will drink,but you will go thirsty;My servants will rejoice,but you will be put to shame. 14My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart,but you will cry out with a heavy heartand wail with a broken spirit.

15You will leave behind your nameas a curse for My chosen ones,and the Lord GOD will slay you;but to His servants He will give another name. 16Whoever invokes a blessing in the landwill do so by the God of truth,and whoever takes an oath in the landwill swear by the God of truth.For the former troubles will be forgottenand hidden from My sight.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

17For behold, I will createnew heavens and a new earth.footnote fThe former things will not be remembered,nor will they come to mind. 18But be glad and rejoice foreverin what I create;for I will create Jerusalem to be a joyand its people to be a delight. 19I will rejoice in Jerusalemand take delight in My people.The sounds of weeping and cryingwill no longer be heard in her.

20No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days,or an old man fail to live out his years.For the youth will die at a hundred years,and he who fails to reach a hundredwill be considered accursed. 21They will build houses and dwell in them;they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit,nor plant for others to eat.For as is the lifetime of a tree,so will be the days of My people,and My chosen ones will fully enjoythe work of their hands.

23They will not labor in vainor bear children doomed to disaster;for they will be a people blessed by the LORD—they and their descendants with them. 24Even before they call, I will answer,and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb will feed together,and the lion will eat straw like the ox,but the food of the serpentfootnote gwill be dust.They will neither harm nor destroyon all My holy mountain,”says the LORD.