Isaiah 44
1 But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.
Now listen, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
This is what Yahweh says, he who made you and formed you in the womb and who will help you: “Do not fear, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
For I will pour water on the thirsty ground, and flowing streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your children.
4 They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
They will spring up among the grass, like willows by the streams of water.
5 One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
One will say, 'I belong to Yahweh,' and another will call out the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand 'Belonging to Yahweh,' and name himself by the name of Israel.”
6 Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
This is what Yahweh says—the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: “I am the first, and I am the last; and there is no God but me.
7 Who then is like Me? Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people. Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place.
Who is like me? Let him announce it and explain to me the events that occurred since I established my ancient people, and let them declare the events to come.
8 Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
Do not fear or be afraid. Have I not declared to you long ago, and announced it? You are my witnesses: Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock; I know of none.”
9 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
All who fashion idols are nothing; the things they delight in are worthless; their witnesses cannot see or know anything, and they will be put to shame.
10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
Who would form a god or cast an idol that is worthless?
11 Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame.
Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are only men. Let them take their stand together; they will cower and be put to shame.
12 The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.
The smith works with his tools, forming it, working over the coals. He shapes it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength wanes; he drinks no water and becomes faint.
13 The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
The carpenter measures the wood with a line, and marks it with a stylus. He shapes it with his tools and marks it out with a compass. He shapes it after the figure of a man, like an attractive human, so it may stay in a house.
14 He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
He cuts down cedars, or chooses a cypress tree or an oak tree. He picks for himself trees in the forest. He plants a fir tree and the rain makes it grow.
15 It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread; he even fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Then a man uses it for a fire and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes from it a god and bows down to it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. Indeed, he warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”
He burns part of the wood for the fire, roasting his meat over it. He eats and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “Ah, I am warm, I have seen the fire.”
17 From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
With the rest of the wood he makes a god, his carved image; he bows down to it and reverences it, and prays to it saying, “Rescue me, for you are my god.”
18 They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
They do not know, nor do they understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see, and their hearts cannot perceive.
19 And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
No one thinks, nor do they comprehend and say, “I have burned part of the wood in the fire; yes, I have also baked bread upon its coals. I have roasted meat over its coals and eaten. Now should I make the other part of the wood into something disgusting to worship? Should I bow down to a block of wood?”
20 He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
It is as if he were eating ashes; his deceived heart misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, “This thing in my right hand is a false god.”
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are My servant, O Israel. I have made you, and you are My servant; O Israel, I will never forget you.
Think about these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your rebellious deeds, and like a cloud, your sins; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.
Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done this; shout, you depths of the earth. Break out into singing, you mountains, you forest with every tree in it; for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will show his glory in Israel.
24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
This is what Yahweh says, your Redeemer, he who formed you from the womb: “I am Yahweh, who made everything, who alone stretched out the heavens, who alone fashioned the earth.
25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
I who frustrate the omens of the empty talkers and who disgrace those who read omens; I who overturn the wisdom of the wise and make their advice foolish.
26 who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
I, Yahweh, who confirmed the words of his servant and brings to pass the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited,' and of the towns of Judah, 'They will be built again, and I will raise up their ruins';
27 who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
who says to the deep sea, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your currents.'
28 who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”
Yahweh is the one who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, he will do my every wish; he will decree about Jerusalem, 'She will be rebuilt,' and about the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'”
