Isaiah 44
1 And now hear, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen:
Yet now hear, O Jacob, my servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen;
2 thus saith Jehovah, that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who helpeth thee, Fear not, Jacob, my servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Creator, He that formed thee, and hath helped thee from thy birth, Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, O Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.
For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, And streams upon the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on thy children, And my blessing on thine offspring;
4 And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.
And they shall grow up, as among grass; As willows by the water-brooks.
5 One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand: [I am] Jehovah's, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
One shall say, “I belong to Jehovah”; Another shall call upon the name of Jacob; Another shall write upon his hand, Jehovah's! And praise the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, and beside me there is no God.
Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, His redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I am the first, and I the last, And besides me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the coming things, and those that shall happen, let them declare unto them.
Who like me hath proclaimed the future, —Let him declare it, and set it in order before me!— Since I established the people of old? Let them make known the future, even that which is to come!
8 Fear not, neither be afraid. Have I not caused thee to hear from that time, and have declared it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no Rock: I know not any.
Fear ye not, neither be ye afraid! Have I not declared and made it known to you of old? Ye are my witnesses; Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no other rock; I know not any.
9 They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; — that they may be ashamed.
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity, And their valued works are profitable for nothing; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor understand, So that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Who hath formed a god, And cast a graven image, that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; and the workmen are but men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up: they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; The workmen are themselves mortal men; They shall all be assembled; they shall stand up; They shall tremble, and be put to shame together!
12 The iron-smith [hath] a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; — but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.
The smith prepareth an axe in the coals, And fashioneth it with hammers, And worketh it with his strong arm; He becometh hungry, and his strength faileth; He drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The worker in wood stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with red chalk; he formeth it with sharp tools, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of man: that it may remain in the house.
The carpenter stretcheth out the line; He marketh out the form of it with the sharp tool; He formeth it with planes; He marketh it with the compass; He maketh it in the figure of a man, With the beauty of a man, To dwell in a house.
14 When he heweth him down cedars, he taketh also a holm-oak and a terebinth — he chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth a pine, and the rain maketh [it] grow.
He heweth him down cedars; He taketh the ilex and the oak; He chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest; He planteth the ash, and the rain matureth it;
15 And it shall be for a man to burn, and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; he kindleth it also, and baketh bread; he maketh also a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
These are fuel for man; He taketh thereof and warmeth himself; He kindleth with it, and baketh bread; A god also he formeth of it, and worshippeth it; A graven image, and falleth down before it.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh, he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he is warm, and saith, Aha, I am become warm, I have seen the fire.
Half of it he burneth with fire; With half of it he eateth flesh; He roasteth meat, and satisfieth himself; He also warmeth himself, and saith, Aha! I am warm; I feel the fire.
17 And with the remainder thereof he maketh a god, his graven image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god.
Of the residue he maketh a god, even his graven image; He falleth down before it and worshippeth it, And prayeth to it, and saith, “Deliver me, for thou art my God!”
18 They have no knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand.
They know not, neither understand; For their eyes are closed up, that they cannot see, And their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it], and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood?
None considereth in his mind, Or hath knowledge and understanding to say: “Half of it I have burned with fire; I have also baked bread on the coals of it; I have roasted flesh and have eaten; And shall I make the remnant an abomination? Shall I fall down before the stock of a tree?”
20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
He toileth for ashes; A deluded heart turneth him aside, So that he cannot deliver himself, and say “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art my servant; I have formed thee: thou art my servant, Israel; thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for thou art my servant! I formed thee; thou art my servant; O Israel, I will not forget thee.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
I have caused thy transgressions to vanish like a cloud, And thy sins like a mist; Return to me, for I have redeemed thee!
23 Sing, ye heavens; for Jehovah hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, the forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; Shout, O ye depths of the earth! Break forth into song, ye mountains! Thou forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I [am] Jehovah, the maker of all things; who alone stretched out the heavens, who did spread forth the earth by myself;
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, Even he that formed thee from the womb; I am Jehovah, who made all things; Who stretched out the heavens alone; Who spread out the earth by myself;
25 — he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
Who frustrateth the signs of deceivers, And maketh the diviners mad; Who putteth the wise men to shame, And maketh their knowledge folly;
26 that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built up, and I will raise up their ruins;
Who establisheth the word of his servant, And performeth the purpose of his messengers; Who saith of Jerusalem, “She shall be inhabited,” And of the cities of Judah, “They shall be built,” And, “Her desolated places I will restore.”
27 that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;
Who saith to the deep, “Be dry! I will dry up thy streams!”
28 that saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Who saith of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd; He shall perform all my pleasure”; Who saith of Jerusalem, “She shall be built,” And of the temple, “Her foundation shall be laid.”
