The Reign of Jesse’s Offspring(A)

11 There (B)shall come forth a [a]Rod from the [b]stem of (C)Jesse,
And (D)a Branch shall [c]grow out of his roots.
(E)The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But (F)with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall (G)strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

“The(H) wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
(I)They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For (J)the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.

10 “And(K) in that day (L)there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a (M)banner to the people;
For the (N)Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”

11 It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
(O)From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the [d]islands of the sea.

12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will [e]assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together (P)the dispersed of Judah
From the four [f]corners of the earth.
13 Also (Q)the envy of Ephraim shall depart,
And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west;
Together they shall plunder the [g]people of the East;
(R)They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
15 The Lord (S)will utterly [h]destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over [i]the River,
And strike it in the seven streams,
And make men cross over [j]dry-shod.
16 (T)There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
Who will be left from Assyria,
(U)As it was for Israel
In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.

A Hymn of Praise

12 And (V)in that day you will say:

“O Lord, I will praise You;
Though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
(W)‘For (X)Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Therefore with joy you will draw (Y)water
From the wells of salvation.

And in that day you will say:

(Z)“Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
(AA)Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His (AB)name is exalted.
(AC)Sing to the Lord,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
(AD)Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is (AE)the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

Proclamation Against Babylon

13 The (AF)burden[k] against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.

“Lift(AG) up a banner (AH)on the high mountain,
Raise your voice to them;
(AI)Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
I have commanded My [l]sanctified ones;
I have also called (AJ)My mighty ones for My anger—
Those who (AK)rejoice in My exaltation.”

The (AL)noise of a multitude in the mountains,
Like that of many people!
A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together!
The Lord of hosts musters
The army for battle.
They come from a far country,
From the end of heaven—
The (AM)Lord and His [m]weapons of indignation,
To destroy the whole (AN)land.

Wail, (AO)for the day of the Lord is at hand!
(AP)It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
Therefore all hands will be limp,
Every man’s heart will melt,
And they will be afraid.
(AQ)Pangs[n] and sorrows will take hold of them;
They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth;
They will be amazed at one another;
Their faces will be like flames.

Behold, (AR)the day of the Lord comes,
Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger,
To lay the land desolate;
And He will destroy (AS)its sinners from it.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be (AT)darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.

11 “I will (AU)punish the world for its evil,
And the wicked for their iniquity;
(AV)I will halt the arrogance of the proud,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the [o]terrible.
12 I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold,
A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 (AW)Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place,
In the wrath of the Lord of hosts
And in (AX)the day of His fierce anger.
14 It shall be as the hunted gazelle,
And as a sheep that no man [p]takes up;
(AY)Every man will turn to his own people,
And everyone will flee to his own land.
15 Everyone who is found will be thrust through,
And everyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
16 Their children also will be (AZ)dashed to pieces before their eyes;
Their houses will be plundered
And their wives (BA)ravished.

17 “Behold,(BB) I will stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not [q]regard silver;
And as for gold, they will not delight in it.
18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces,
And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb;
Their eye will not spare children.
19 (BC)And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God overthrew (BD)Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 (BE)It will never be inhabited,
Nor will it be settled from generation to generation;
Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there,
Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.
21 (BF)But wild beasts of the desert will lie there,
And their houses will be full of [r]owls;
Ostriches will dwell there,
And wild goats will caper there.
22 The hyenas will howl in their citadels,
And jackals in their pleasant palaces.
(BG)Her time is near to come,
And her days will not be prolonged.”

Mercy on Jacob

14 For the Lord (BH)will have mercy on Jacob, and (BI)will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. (BJ)The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Then people will take them (BK)and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, (BL)and rule over their oppressors.

Fall of the King of Babylon

It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, that you (BM)will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say:

“How the oppressor has ceased,
The (BN)golden[s] city ceased!
The Lord has broken (BO)the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of the rulers;
He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke,
He who ruled the nations in anger,
Is persecuted and no one hinders.
The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
They break forth into singing.
(BP)Indeed the cypress trees rejoice over you,
And the cedars of Lebanon,
Saying, ‘Since you [t]were cut down,
No woodsman has come up against us.’

“Hell(BQ)[u] from beneath is excited about you,
To meet you at your coming;
It stirs up the dead for you,
All the chief ones of the earth;
It has raised up from their thrones
All the kings of the nations.
10 They all shall (BR)speak and say to you:
‘Have you also become as weak as we?
Have you become like us?
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
And the sound of your stringed instruments;
The maggot is spread under you,
And worms cover you.’

The Fall of Lucifer

12 “How(BS) you are fallen from heaven,
O [v]Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
(BT)‘I will ascend into heaven,
(BU)I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the (BV)mount of the congregation
(BW)On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
(BX)I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you (BY)shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the [w]lowest depths of the Pit.

16 “Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities,
Who [x]did not open the house of his prisoners?’

18 “All the kings of the nations,
All of them, sleep in glory,
Everyone in his own house;
19 But you are cast out of your grave
Like an [y]abominable branch,
Like the garment of those who are slain,
[z]Thrust through with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a corpse trodden underfoot.
20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.
(BZ)The brood of evildoers shall never be named.
21 Prepare slaughter for his children
(CA)Because of the iniquity of their fathers,
Lest they rise up and possess the land,
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

Babylon Destroyed

22 “For I will rise up against them,” says the Lord of hosts,
“And cut off from Babylon (CB)the name and (CC)remnant,
(CD)And offspring and posterity,” says the Lord.
23 “I will also make it a possession for the (CE)porcupine,
And marshes of muddy water;
I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says the Lord of hosts.

Assyria Destroyed

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying,
“Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass,
And as I have purposed, so it shall (CF)stand:
25 That I will break the (CG)Assyrian in My land,
And on My mountains tread him underfoot.
Then (CH)his yoke shall be removed from them,
And his burden removed from their shoulders.
26 This is the (CI)purpose that is purposed against the whole earth,
And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.
27 For the Lord of hosts has (CJ)purposed,
And who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
And who will turn it back?”

Philistia Destroyed

28 This is the [aa]burden which came in the year that (CK)King Ahaz died.

29 “Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia,
(CL)Because the rod that struck you is broken;
For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper,
(CM)And its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will feed,
And the needy will lie down in safety;
I will kill your roots with famine,
And it will slay your remnant.
31 Wail, O gate! Cry, O city!
All you of Philistia are dissolved;
For smoke will come from the north,
And no one will be alone in his [ab]appointed times.”

32 What will they answer the messengers of the nation?
That (CN)the Lord has founded Zion,
And (CO)the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 11:1 Shoot
  2. Isaiah 11:1 stock or trunk
  3. Isaiah 11:1 be fruitful
  4. Isaiah 11:11 Or coastlands
  5. Isaiah 11:12 gather
  6. Isaiah 11:12 Lit. wings
  7. Isaiah 11:14 Lit. sons
  8. Isaiah 11:15 So with MT, Vg.; LXX, Syr., Tg. dry up
  9. Isaiah 11:15 The Euphrates
  10. Isaiah 11:15 Lit. in sandals
  11. Isaiah 13:1 oracle, prophecy
  12. Isaiah 13:3 consecrated or set apart
  13. Isaiah 13:5 Or instruments
  14. Isaiah 13:8 Sharp pains
  15. Isaiah 13:11 Or tyrants
  16. Isaiah 13:14 gathers
  17. Isaiah 13:17 esteem
  18. Isaiah 13:21 Or howling creatures
  19. Isaiah 14:4 Or insolent
  20. Isaiah 14:8 have lain down
  21. Isaiah 14:9 Or Sheol
  22. Isaiah 14:12 Lit. Day Star
  23. Isaiah 14:15 Lit. recesses
  24. Isaiah 14:17 Would not release
  25. Isaiah 14:19 despised
  26. Isaiah 14:19 Pierced
  27. Isaiah 14:28 oracle, prophecy
  28. Isaiah 14:31 Or ranks

The Branch From Jesse

11 A shoot(A) will come up from the stump(B) of Jesse;(C)
    from his roots a Branch(D) will bear fruit.(E)
The Spirit(F) of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom(G) and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,(H)
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord
and he will delight in the fear(I) of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,(J)
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;(K)
but with righteousness(L) he will judge the needy,(M)
    with justice(N) he will give decisions for the poor(O) of the earth.
He will strike(P) the earth with the rod of his mouth;(Q)
    with the breath(R) of his lips he will slay the wicked.(S)
Righteousness will be his belt(T)
    and faithfulness(U) the sash around his waist.(V)

The wolf will live with the lamb,(W)
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.(X)
The infant(Y) will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s(Z) nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy(AA)
    on all my holy mountain,(AB)
for the earth(AC) will be filled with the knowledge(AD) of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day(AE) the Root of Jesse(AF) will stand as a banner(AG) for the peoples; the nations(AH) will rally to him,(AI) and his resting place(AJ) will be glorious.(AK) 11 In that day(AL) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant(AM) of his people from Assyria,(AN) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,(AO) from Cush,[b](AP) from Elam,(AQ) from Babylonia,[c] from Hamath(AR) and from the islands(AS) of the Mediterranean.(AT)

12 He will raise a banner(AU) for the nations
    and gather(AV) the exiles of Israel;(AW)
he will assemble the scattered people(AX) of Judah
    from the four quarters of the earth.(AY)
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
    and Judah’s enemies[d] will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
    nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.(AZ)
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia(BA) to the west;
    together they will plunder the people to the east.(BB)
They will subdue Edom(BC) and Moab,(BD)
    and the Ammonites(BE) will be subject to them.(BF)
15 The Lord will dry up(BG)
    the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind(BH) he will sweep his hand(BI)
    over the Euphrates River.(BJ)
He will break it up into seven streams
    so that anyone can cross over in sandals.(BK)
16 There will be a highway(BL) for the remnant(BM) of his people
    that is left from Assyria,(BN)
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from Egypt.(BO)

Songs of Praise

12 In that day(BP) you will say:

“I will praise(BQ) you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(BR)
    and you have comforted(BS) me.
Surely God is my salvation;(BT)
    I will trust(BU) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(BV) is my strength(BW) and my defense[e];
    he has become my salvation.(BX)
With joy you will draw water(BY)
    from the wells(BZ) of salvation.

In that day(CA) you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;(CB)
    make known among the nations(CC) what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.(CD)
Sing(CE) to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;(CF)
    let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy,(CG) people of Zion,
    for great(CH) is the Holy One of Israel(CI) among you.(CJ)

A Prophecy Against Babylon

13 A prophecy(CK) against Babylon(CL) that Isaiah son of Amoz(CM) saw:(CN)

Raise a banner(CO) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates(CP) of the nobles.
I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors(CQ) to carry out my wrath(CR)
    those who rejoice(CS) in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!(CT)
Listen, an uproar(CU) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty(CV) is mustering(CW)
    an army for war.
They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens(CX)
the Lord and the weapons(CY) of his wrath(CZ)
    to destroy(DA) the whole country.

Wail,(DB) for the day(DC) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction(DD) from the Almighty.[f](DE)
Because of this, all hands will go limp,(DF)
    every heart will melt with fear.(DG)
Terror(DH) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip(DI) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.(DJ)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.(DK)

See, the day(DL) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel(DM) day, with wrath(DN) and fierce anger(DO)
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.(DP)
The rising sun(DQ) will be darkened(DR)
    and the moon will not give its light.(DS)
11 I will punish(DT) the world for its evil,
    the wicked(DU) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty(DV)
    and will humble(DW) the pride of the ruthless.(DX)
12 I will make people(DY) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.(DZ)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;(EA)
    and the earth will shake(EB) from its place
at the wrath(EC) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.(ED)

14 Like a hunted(EE) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,(EF)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee(EG) to their native land.(EH)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall(EI) by the sword.(EJ)
16 Their infants(EK) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.(EL)

17 See, I will stir up(EM) against them the Medes,(EN)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.(EO)
18 Their bows(EP) will strike down the young men;(EQ)
    they will have no mercy(ER) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.(ES)
19 Babylon,(ET) the jewel of kingdoms,(EU)
    the pride and glory(EV) of the Babylonians,[g]
will be overthrown(EW) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.(EX)
20 She will never be inhabited(EY)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads(EZ) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21 But desert creatures(FA) will lie there,
    jackals(FB) will fill her houses;
there the owls(FC) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats(FD) will leap about.
22 Hyenas(FE) will inhabit her strongholds,(FF)
    jackals(FG) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,(FH)
    and her days will not be prolonged.(FI)

14 The Lord will have compassion(FJ) on Jacob;
    once again he will choose(FK) Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.(FL)
Foreigners(FM) will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
Nations will take them
    and bring(FN) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(FO)
    and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(FP) of their captors
    and rule over their oppressors.(FQ)

On the day the Lord gives you relief(FR) from your suffering and turmoil(FS) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(FT) you will take up this taunt(FU) against the king of Babylon:(FV)

How the oppressor(FW) has come to an end!
    How his fury[h] has ended!
The Lord has broken the rod(FX) of the wicked,(FY)
    the scepter(FZ) of the rulers,
which in anger struck down peoples(GA)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(GB) nations
    with relentless aggression.(GC)
All the lands are at rest and at peace;(GD)
    they break into singing.(GE)
Even the junipers(GF) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”(GG)

The realm of the dead(GH) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(GI) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders(GJ) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.(GK)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”(GL)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(GM)
    along with the noise of your harps;(GN)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms(GO) cover you.(GP)

12 How you have fallen(GQ) from heaven,
    morning star,(GR) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!(GS)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend(GT) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(GU)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(GV)
    on the utmost heights(GW) of Mount Zaphon.[i]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(GX)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”(GY)
15 But you are brought down(GZ) to the realm of the dead,(HA)
    to the depths(HB) of the pit.(HC)

16 Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:(HD)
“Is this the man who shook(HE) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(HF)
    who overthrew(HG) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(HH)

18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.(HI)
19 But you are cast out(HJ) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(HK)
    with those pierced by the sword,(HL)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.(HM)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20     you will not join them in burial,(HN)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring(HO) of the wicked(HP)
    never be mentioned(HQ) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(HR)
    for the sins of their ancestors;(HS)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

22 “I will rise up(HT) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(HU) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,(HV)
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(HW)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(HX)
    declares the Lord Almighty.(HY)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(HZ)

“Surely, as I have planned,(IA) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(IB)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(IC) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(ID) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(IE)

26 This is the plan(IF) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(IG) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(IH) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(II) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(IJ)

A Prophecy Against the Philistines

28 This prophecy(IK) came in the year(IL) King Ahaz(IM) died:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(IN)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(IO)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(IP)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy(IQ) will lie down in safety.(IR)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(IS)
    it will slay(IT) your survivors.(IU)

31 Wail,(IV) you gate!(IW) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!(IX)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(IY)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(IZ)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys(JA) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(JB)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(JC)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 11:6 Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed
  2. Isaiah 11:11 That is, the upper Nile region
  3. Isaiah 11:11 Hebrew Shinar
  4. Isaiah 11:13 Or hostility
  5. Isaiah 12:2 Or song
  6. Isaiah 13:6 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Isaiah 13:19 Or Chaldeans
  8. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  9. Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.

The Earthly Sanctuary(A)

Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and (B)the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the [a]sanctuary; (C)and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the (D)golden censer and (E)the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were (F)the golden pot that had the manna, (G)Aaron’s rod that budded, and (H)the tablets of the covenant; and (I)above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

Now when these things had been thus prepared, (J)the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone (K)once a year, not without blood, which he offered for (L)himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that (M)the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered (N)which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with (O)foods and drinks, (P)various [b]washings, (Q)and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

11 But Christ came as High Priest of (R)the good things [c]to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not (S)with the blood of goats and calves, but (T)with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place (U)once for all, (V)having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if (W)the blood of bulls and goats and (X)the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, [d]sanctifies for the [e]purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without [f]spot to God, (Y)cleanse your conscience from (Z)dead works (AA)to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason (AB)He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that (AC)those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For (AD)a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 (AE)Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every [g]precept to all the people according to the law, (AF)he took the blood of calves and goats, (AG)with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, (AH)“This is the (AI)blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise (AJ)he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are [h]purified with blood, and (AK)without shedding of blood there is no [i]remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

23 Therefore it was necessary that (AL)the copies of the things in the heavens should be [j]purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For (AM)Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are [k]copies of (AN)the true, but into heaven itself, now (AO)to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as (AP)the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 (AQ)And as it is appointed for men to die once, (AR)but after this the judgment, 28 so (AS)Christ was (AT)offered once to bear the sins (AU)of many. To those who (AV)eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:2 holy place, lit. holies
  2. Hebrews 9:10 Lit. baptisms
  3. Hebrews 9:11 NU that have come
  4. Hebrews 9:13 sets apart
  5. Hebrews 9:13 cleansing
  6. Hebrews 9:14 blemish
  7. Hebrews 9:19 command
  8. Hebrews 9:22 cleansed
  9. Hebrews 9:22 forgiveness
  10. Hebrews 9:23 cleansed
  11. Hebrews 9:24 representations

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.(A) A tabernacle(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand(C) and the table(D) with its consecrated bread;(E) this was called the Holy Place.(F) Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(G) which had the golden altar of incense(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.(L) Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered(P) the inner room,(Q) and that only once a year,(R) and never without blood,(S) which he offered for himself(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(U) The Holy Spirit was showing(V) by this that the way(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered(Y) were not able to clear the conscience(Z) of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food(AA) and drink(AB) and various ceremonial washings(AC)—external regulations(AD) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ came as high priest(AE) of the good things that are now already here,[a](AF) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle(AG) that is not made with human hands,(AH) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;(AI) but he entered the Most Holy Place(AJ) once for all(AK) by his own blood,(AL) thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls(AM) and the ashes of a heifer(AN) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit(AO) offered himself(AP) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences(AQ) from acts that lead to death,[c](AR) so that we may serve the living God!(AS)

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator(AT) of a new covenant,(AU) that those who are called(AV) may receive the promised(AW) eternal inheritance(AX)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.(AY)

16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.(AZ) 19 When Moses had proclaimed(BA) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,(BB) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.(BC) 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e](BD) 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,(BE) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.(BF)

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies(BG) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;(BH) he entered heaven itself,(BI) now to appear for us in God’s presence.(BJ) 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place(BK) every year with blood that is not his own.(BL) 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.(BM) But he has appeared(BN) once for all(BO) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.(BP) 27 Just as people are destined to die once,(BQ) and after that to face judgment,(BR) 28 so Christ was sacrificed once(BS) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,(BT) not to bear sin,(BU) but to bring salvation(BV) to those who are waiting for him.(BW)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come
  2. Hebrews 9:12 Or blood, having obtained
  3. Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals
  4. Hebrews 9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17
  5. Hebrews 9:20 Exodus 24:8