66:2 My hand made them; 1
that is how they came to be,” 2 says the Lord.
I show special favor 3 to the humble and contrite,
who respect what I have to say. 4
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 5
Your countrymen, 6 who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.” 7
But they will be put to shame.
1 tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.
2 tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”
3 tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).
4 tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”
5 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
6 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
7 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.