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65 The Lord Will Punish the Guilty
1 I, the Lord, was ready 
answer even those
who were not asking
and to be found by those
who were not searching.
To a nation that refused
to worship me,  p 65.1 refused ... me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
I said, “Here I am!”
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65
  Chapter recording
List of all recordings of KJV
1 I 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.
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2 All day long I have reached out
to stubborn and sinful people
going their own way.
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2 I 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;
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3 They keep making me angry
by sneering at me,
while offering sacrifices
to idols in gardens
and burning incense
to them on bricks.
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3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; upon...: Heb. upon bricks
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4 They spend their nights
hiding in burial caves;
they eat the meat of pigs, q 65.4 burial ... pigs: Coming in contact with the dead or eating the meat of pigs made a person unacceptable to God.
cooked in sauces
made of stuff unfit to eat.
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4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; broth: or, pieces
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5 And then they say to others,
“Don't come near us!
We're dedicated to God.”
Such people are like smoke,
irritating my nose all day.
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5 Which 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. nose: or, anger
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6 I have written this down;
I won't keep silent.
I'll pay them back
just as their sins deserve.
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6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
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7 I, the Lord, will make them pay
for their sins
and for those
of their ancestors—
they have disgraced me
by burning incense
on mountains.
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7 Your 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.
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8 Here is what the Lord says:
A cluster of grapes
that produces wine
is worth keeping!
So, because of my servants,
I won't destroy everyone.
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8 Thus 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.
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9 I have chosen the people
of Israel and Judah,
and I will bless them
with many descendants.
They will settle here
in this land of mountains,
and it will be theirs.
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9 And 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.
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10 My people will worship me.
Then the coastlands of Sharon
and the land as far
as Achor Valley r 65.10 coastlands of Sharon ... Achor Valley: Sharon is the coastal plain on the west, and Achor Valley is in the east near Jericho. These two places stand for the whole country.
will turn into pastureland
where cattle and sheep
will feed and rest.
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10 And 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.
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11 What will I, the Lord, do
if any of you reject me
and my holy mountain?
What will happen to you
for offering food and wine
to the gods you call
“Good Luck” and “Fate”?
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11 But 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. troop: or, Gad number: or, Meni, a pagan god
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12 Your luck will end!
I will see to it
that you
are slaughtered with swords.
You refused to answer
when I called out;
you paid no attention
to my instructions.
Instead, you did what I hated,
knowing it was wrong.
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12 Therefore 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.
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13 I, the Lord God, will give
food and drink
to my servants,
and they will celebrate.
But all of you sinners
will go hungry and thirsty,
overcome with disgrace.
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13 Therefore 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:
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14 My servants will laugh and sing,
but you will be sad
and cry out in pain.
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14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. vexation: Heb. breaking
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15 I, the Lord God, promise
to see that you are killed
and that my chosen servants use
your names
as curse words.
But I will give new names s 65.15 new names: The giving of a new name suggests the beginning of a new life.
to my servants. t 65.15 But I ... servants: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
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15 And 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:
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16 I am God! I can be trusted.
Your past troubles are gone;
I no longer think of them.
When you pray for someone
to receive a blessing,
or when you make a promise,
you must do it in my name.
I alone am the God
who can be trusted.
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16 That 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.
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The Lord's New Creation
17 I am creating new heavens
and a new earth;
everything of the past
will be forgotten.
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17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. come...: Heb. come upon the heart
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18 Celebrate and be glad forever!
I am creating a Jerusalem,
full of happy people.
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18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
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19 I will celebrate with Jerusalem
and all of its people;
there will be no more crying
or sorrow in that city.
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19 And 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.
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20 No child will die in infancy;
everyone will live
to a ripe old age.
Anyone a hundred years old
will be considered young,
and to die younger than that
will be considered a curse.
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20 There 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.
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21 My people will live
in the houses they build;
they will enjoy grapes
from their own vineyards.
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21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
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22 No one will take away
their homes or vineyards.
My chosen people will live
to be as old as trees,
and they will enjoy
what they have earned.
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22 They 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. shall long...: Heb. shall make them continue long, or, shall wear out
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23 Their work won't be wasted,
and their children won't die
of dreadful diseases. u 65.23 their children ... diseases: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
I will bless their children
and their grandchildren.
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23 They 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.
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24 I will answer their prayers
before they finish praying.
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24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
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25 Wolves and lambs
will graze together;
lions and oxen
will feed on straw.
Snakes will eat only dirt!
They won't bite
or harm anyone
on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
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25 The 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.
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© 1999 American Bible Society |
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