¹⁵ Look down from heaven,^(A) your holy dwelling place, and bless^(B) your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

¹³ Be still^(A) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.^(B)”

²³ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,^[a](A) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless^(B) you, you prosperous city,^(C) you sacred mountain.’^(D)

Judgment and Hope

66 This is what the Lord says:

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(A) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[a](B) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(C)

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(D) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(E) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(F) he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(G) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(H) set before us may be greatly encouraged.