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I have made everything;
that's how it all came to be.[a]
    I, the Lord, have spoken.

The people I treasure most
    are the humble—
they depend only on me
    and tremble when I speak.

You sacrifice oxen to me,
    and you commit murder;
you sacrifice lambs to me
    and dogs to other gods;
you offer grain to me
    and pigs' blood to idols;
you burn incense to me
    and praise your idols.[b]
You have made your own choice
to do these disgusting things
    that you enjoy so much.
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.
Now I will punish[c] you
    in a way you dread the most.

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Footnotes

  1. 66.2 that's … be: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 66.3 You sacrifice oxen … idols: Or “Sacrificing oxen to me is the same as murder; sacrificing lambs to me is the same as sacrificing dogs to other gods; offering grain to me is the same as offering pigs' blood to idols; and burning incense to me is the same as praising idols.”
  3. 66.4 punish: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Has not my hand made all these things,(A)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,(B)
    and who tremble at my word.(C)
But whoever sacrifices a bull(D)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s(E) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense(F)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,(G)
    and they delight in their abominations;(H)
so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and will bring on them what they dread.(I)
For when I called, no one answered,(J)
    when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil(K) in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”(L)

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