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Isaiah 42-46
Easy-to-Read Version
Isaiah 42-46
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord’s Special Servant
42 “Here is my servant,
the one I support.
He is the one I have chosen,
and I am very pleased with him.
I have filled him with my Spirit,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry out or shout
or try to make himself heard in the streets.
3 He will not break even a crushed reed.[a]
He will not put out even the weakest flame.
He will bring true justice.
4 He will not grow weak or give up
until he has brought justice to the world.
And people in faraway places will hope to receive his teachings.”
The Lord Is Ruler and Maker of the World
5 The Lord, the true God, said these things. (He created the sky and spread it out over the earth. He formed the earth and everything it produced. He breathes life into all the people on earth. He gives a spirit to everyone who walks on the earth.)
6 “I, the Lord, was right to call you.
I will hold your hand and protect you.
You will be the sign of my agreement with the people.
You will be a light for the other nations.
7 You will make the blind able to see.
You will free those who are held as captives.
You will lead those who live in darkness out of their prison.
8 “I am Yahweh.
That is my name.
I will not give my glory to another.
I will not let statues take the praise that should be mine.
9 In the past, I told you what would happen,
and it happened!
Now I am telling you something new,
and I am telling you now, before it happens.”
A Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing a new song[b] to the Lord;
praise him everywhere on earth—
all you who sail on the seas,
everything in the sea,
and all you people in faraway places!
11 Deserts and cities, villages of Kedar,
praise the Lord!
People living in Sela, sing for joy!
Sing from the top of your mountain.
12 Give glory to the Lord.
Praise him, all you people in faraway lands!
13 The Lord will go out like a strong soldier.
Like a man going into battle, he will be full of excitement.
He will shout with a loud cry,
and he will defeat his enemies.
God Is Very Patient
14 “For a long time I have said nothing.
I have controlled myself and kept quiet.
But now I will cry out like a woman giving birth.
My breathing is getting faster and louder.
15 I will destroy the hills and mountains.
I will dry up all the plants that grow there.
I will change rivers to dry land
and dry up pools of water.
16 Then I will lead the blind along a path they never knew
to places where they have never been before.
I will change darkness into light for them.
I will make the rough ground smooth.
I will do these things for them;
I will not abandon my people.
17 But some of them have left me.
They say to their gold statues, ‘You are my gods.’
They trust their false gods,
but they will be disappointed and shamed.
Israel Refused to Listen to God
18 “Deaf people, listen to me!
Blind people, look and see!
19 In all the world, no one is more blind than my servant.[c]
No one is more deaf than my messenger.
No one is more blind than my chosen people,
the servant of the Lord.
20 My people see what they should do,
but they do not obey me.
They can hear with their ears,
but they refuse to listen to me.”
21 The Lord wants them to do what is right.
He wants them to honor his wonderful teachings.[d]
22 But look at his people.
Others have defeated them and have stolen from them.
The young men are afraid.
They are locked in prisons.
People have taken advantage of them,
and there is no one to protect them.
Others take their money,
and there is no one to say, “Give it back!”
23 Will any of you pay attention to this warning? Will you ever learn to listen? 24 Who let Jacob be defeated? Who let others take what belonged to Israel? The Lord allowed them to do this. We sinned against him, so he let people take away our wealth. The people did not want to live the way he wanted. They refused to listen to his teaching. 25 So he poured out his anger on them and brought wars against them. It was as if there were fires all around them, but they didn’t know what was happening. It was as if they were burning, but they didn’t try to understand.
God Is Always With His People
43 Jacob, the Lord created you. Israel, he made you, and now he says, “Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. 2 When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. 3 That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine. 4 You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you. That’s why I am willing to trade others, to give up whole nations, to save your life.
5 “So don’t be afraid, because I am with you. I will gather your children and bring them to you. I will gather them from the east and from the west. 6 I will tell the north: Give my people to me. I will tell the south: Don’t keep my people in prison. Bring my sons and daughters to me from the faraway places. 7 Bring to me all the people who are mine—the people who have my name. I made them for myself. I made them, and they are mine.
8 “Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind. Bring out the people who have ears but are deaf.[e] 9 All people and all nations should also be gathered together. Which of their gods said this would happen? Which of their gods would tell what happened in the beginning? They should bring their witnesses. The witnesses should speak the truth. This will show they are right.”
10 The Lord says, “You people are my witnesses and the servant I chose. I chose you so that you would help people believe me. I chose you so that you would understand that ‘I Am He’—I am the true God. There was no God before me, and there will be no God after me. 11 I myself am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. 12 I am the one who spoke to you, saved you, and told you those things. It was not some stranger who was with you. You are my witnesses, and I am God.” (This is what the Lord himself said.) 13 “I have always been God. When I do something, no one can change what I have done. And no one can save people from my power.”
14 The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, saves you, and he says, “I will send armies to Babylon for you. Many people will be captured. Those Chaldeans will be taken away in their own boats. (They are so proud of those boats.)[f] 15 I am the Lord your Holy One. I made Israel. I am your King.”
God Will Save His People Again
16 The Lord is making roads through the sea. He is making a path for his people, even through rough waters. The Lord says, 17 “Those who fight against me with their chariots, horses, and armies will be defeated. They will never rise again. They will be destroyed. They will be put out like the flame in a lamp. 18 So don’t remember what happened in earlier times. Don’t think about what happened a long time ago, 19 because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land. 20 The wild animals will thank me. The large animals and birds will honor me when I put water in the desert and make rivers flow through that dry land. I will do this to give water to my chosen people. 21 I made them, and they will sing songs of praise to me.
22 “Jacob, you did not pray to me. Israel, you became tired of me. 23 You have not brought your sheep as sacrifices to me. You have not honored me with your sacrifices. I did not force you to give gifts to me like slaves. I did not force you to burn incense until you became tired. 24 So you did not use your money to buy things to honor me. But you did force me to be like your slave. You sinned until the bad things you did made me very tired.
25 “I, I am the one who wipes away all your sins. I do this to please myself. I will not remember your sins. 26 But you should remember me. Let’s meet together and decide what is right. Tell your story and prove that you are innocent. 27 Your first father sinned, and your lawyers[g] committed crimes against me. 28 I will make your Temple leaders unfit to serve there. I will destroy Jacob.[h] Bad things will happen to Israel.
The Lord Is the Only God
44 “Jacob, you are my servant. Israel, I chose you. Listen to me! 2 I am the Lord, and I made you. I am the one who created you. I have helped you since you were in your mother’s womb. Jacob, my servant, don’t be afraid. Jeshurun,[i] I chose you.
3 “I will pour water for thirsty people, and streams will flow through the desert. I will pour my Spirit on your children, and I will bless[j] your family. 4 They will sprout like grass in the spring and grow like trees by streams of water.
5 “One man will call himself, ‘I am the Lord’s.’ Another will use the name, ‘Jacob.’ Another man will sign his name as ‘The Lord’s Hand.’ And another will use the name, ‘Israel.’”
6 The Lord is the king of Israel. The Lord All-Powerful is the one who will set Israel free. And he says, “I am the only God. There are no other gods. I am the Beginning and the End. 7 There is no other God like me. If there is, that god should speak now. Let him lay out everything he has done since the time I made these ancient people. Let him show me the signs he gave long ago that prove he knew what would happen in the future.
8 “Don’t be afraid! Don’t worry. I am the one who always told you what would happen. You are my proof.[k] There is no other God; I am the only one. There is no other ‘Rock’; I know I am the only one.”
False Gods Are Useless
9 Some people make idols, but they are worthless. They love their statues, which are useless. Those who serve as witnesses for these statues cannot even see. They don’t know enough to be ashamed.
10 Who made these false gods? Who covered these useless statues? 11 Workers made them, and the workers are only human. If they all would come together before me, we could discuss this. Then they would all be ashamed and afraid.
12 One worker uses his tools to heat iron over hot coals. Then he uses his hammer to beat the metal to shape it into a statue. He uses his own powerful arms, but when he gets hungry, he loses his strength. If he does not drink water, he becomes weak.
13 Another worker uses his string line[l] and compass[m] to draw lines on the wood to show where he should cut. Then he uses his chisels[n] and cuts a statue from the wood. He uses his calipers[o] to measure the statue. In this way the worker makes the wood look exactly like a man, and this statue of a man does nothing but sit in the house.
14 To split the cedar tree, the worker took some oak or cypress wedges. To make sure he had plenty of wood, he planted some pines. But it was the rain that made them grow.
15 When the man wanted a fire, he took some of the wood to keep him warm. He also used some of it to bake his bread. But then he used that same wood to make a statue to worship as a god! That god is only a statue that he made, but he bows down to it! 16 He burns half of the wood in the fire. He uses the fire to cook his meat, and he eats the meat until he is full. He burns the wood to keep himself warm. He says, “Good! Now I am warm, and I can see by the light of the fire.” 17 There is a little of the wood left, so he makes a statue and calls it his god. He bows down before it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “You are my god, save me!”
18 People like that don’t know what they are doing! They don’t understand. It is as if they have mud in their eyes so they cannot see. Their minds cannot understand. 19 They don’t realize what they are doing. They aren’t smart enough to think, “I burned half of the wood in the fire. I used the hot coals to bake my bread and cook the meat I ate. And I used the wood that was left to make this terrible thing. I am worshiping a block of wood!”
20 Someone like that is deceived. They don’t know what they are doing.[p] They cannot save themselves, and they will not admit, “This statue I am holding is a lie!”
The Lord, the True God, Helps Israel
21 “Jacob, remember these things!
Israel, remember, you are my servant.
I made you, and you are my servant.
So, Israel, don’t forget me.
22 Your sins were like a big cloud,
but I wiped them all away.
Your sins are gone,
like a cloud that disappeared into thin air.
I rescued and protected you,
so come back to me.”
23 Skies, rejoice for what the Lord has done.
Earth, shout for joy down to your deepest parts!
Start singing, you mountains
and all you trees in the forest!
Yes, the Lord has saved Jacob.
He has shown his glory by rescuing Israel.
24 The one who rescued you is the Lord,
the one who formed you in your mother’s womb.
He says, “I, the Lord, made everything.
I put the skies there myself.
I spread out the earth before me.”
25 False prophets tell lies, but the Lord shows that their lies are false. He makes fools of those who do magic. He confuses even the wise. They think they know a lot, but he makes them look foolish. 26 The Lord sends his servants to tell his messages to the people, and he makes those messages come true. He sends messengers to tell the people what they should do, and he proves that the advice is good.
God Chooses Cyrus to Rebuild Judah
The Lord says to Jerusalem, “People will live in you again.”
He says to the cities of Judah, “You will be rebuilt.”
He says to them, “I will repair your ruins.”
27 He tells the deep waters, “Become dry!
I will make your streams dry too.”
28 He says to Cyrus, “You are my shepherd.
You will do what I want.
You will say to Jerusalem, ‘You will be rebuilt!’
You will tell the Temple, ‘Your foundations will be put in place!’”
God Chooses Cyrus to Make Israel Free
45 This is what the Lord said to Cyrus, his chosen king[q]:
“I took you by your right hand to help you defeat nations,
to strip other kings of their power,
and to open city gates that will not be closed again.
2 I will go in front of you
and make the mountains flat.
I will break the city gates of bronze
and cut the iron bars on the gates.
3 I will give you the wealth that is stored in secret places.
I will give you those hidden treasures.
Then you will know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 I do this for my servant, Jacob.
I do it for my chosen people, Israel.
Cyrus, I am calling you by name.
You don’t know me, but I know you.[r]
5 I am the Lord, the only God.
There is no other God except me.
I put your clothes on you,[s]
but still you don’t know me.
6 I am doing this so that everyone will know
that I am the only God.
From the east to the west, people will know that I am the Lord
and that there is no other God.
7 I made the light and the darkness.
I bring peace, and I cause trouble.
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “May the clouds in the skies above
pour goodness on the earth like rain.
May the earth open up
to let salvation grow.
And may goodness grow with that salvation,
which I, the Lord, created.
God Controls His Creation
9 “Look at these people! They are arguing with the one who made them. Look at them argue with me. They are like pieces of clay from a broken pot. Clay does not say to the one molding it, ‘Man, what are you doing?’ Things that are made don’t have the power to question the one who makes them. 10 A father gives life to his children, and they cannot ask, ‘Why are you giving me life?’ They cannot question their mother and ask, ‘Why are you giving birth to me?’”
11 The Lord God is the Holy One of Israel. He created Israel, and he says,
“My children, you asked me to show you a sign.
You told me to show you what I have done.[t]
12 I made the earth,
and I created the people on it.
I used my own hands to make the skies.
And I command all the armies in the sky.[u]
13 I was right to give power to Cyrus,[v]
and I will make his work easy.
He will rebuild my city,
and he will set my people free without bribes or payment.”
The Lord All-Powerful said this.
14 The Lord says, “Egypt and Ethiopia are rich,
but, Israel, you will get those riches.
The tall people from Seba will be yours.
They will walk behind you with chains around their necks.
They will bow down before you
and ask you to pray for them and say,
‘The true God really is with you,
and there is no other God.’”
15 You are the God people cannot see.
You are the God who saves Israel.
16 Many people make false gods,
but they will be disappointed.
All of them will go away ashamed.
17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord.
That salvation will continue forever.
Never again will Israel be shamed.
18 The Lord is God.
He made the skies and the earth.
He put the earth in its place.
He did not want the earth to be empty when he made it.
He created it to be lived on.
“I am the Lord.
There is no other God.
19 I have spoken openly, not in secret.
I did not hide my words in a dark and secret place.
I did not tell the people of Jacob
to look for me in empty places.
I am the Lord, and I speak the truth.
I say only what is right.
The Lord Proves He Is the Only God
20 “You people who escaped from other nations, gather together before me. (These people carry statues of false gods. They pray to useless gods, but they don’t know what they are doing. 21 Tell them to come to me. Let them present their case and discuss these things.)
“Who told you about this before it happened? Who told you this so long ago? I, the Lord, am the one who said these things. I am the only God, the one who does what is right. I am the one who saves, and there is no other! 22 So all you people in faraway places, turn to me and be saved, because I am God, and there is no other.
23 “When I make a promise, that promise is true. It will happen. And I swear by my own power that everyone will bow before me and will take an oath to obey me. 24 They will say, ‘Goodness and strength come only from the Lord.’”
And all who show their anger against him will be humiliated. 25 The Lord will help the people of Israel live right[w] and praise their God.
False Gods Are Useless
46 The Lord says, “Bel has fallen to the ground. Nebo[x] is kneeling before me.
“Men put those idols on the backs of animals. They are only heavy burdens that must be carried. They do nothing but make people tired. 2 But they all bowed down and fell to the ground. They couldn’t escape; they were all carried away like prisoners.
3 “Family of Jacob, listen to me! You who are left from the family of Israel, listen! I have carried you since you left your mother’s womb. I carried you when you were born, 4 and I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.
5 “Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me. You cannot understand everything about me. There is nothing like me. 6 Some people are rich with gold and silver. Gold falls from their purses, and they weigh their silver on scales. They pay an artist to make a false god from wood. Then they bow down and worship that false god. 7 They put their false god on their shoulders and carry it. That false god is useless; people have to carry it! People set the statue on the ground, and it cannot move. That false god never walks away from its place. People can yell at it, but it will not answer. That false god is only a statue; it cannot save people from their troubles.
8 “Sinners, change your heart and mind. Think about this again. Remember it and be strong. 9 Remember what happened long ago. Remember, I am God and there is no other God. There is no other like me.
10 “In the beginning, I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago, I told you things that have not happened yet. When I plan something, it happens. I do whatever I want to do. 11 I am calling a man from the east to do what I want. He will come like an eagle from a faraway country. He will do all that I have planned. Everything I said will happen just as I said it would.
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn[y] people! You are far from doing what is right. 13 But I am close to making things right. Salvation will not be delayed much longer. I will bring salvation to Zion and to my wonderful Israel.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 42:3 reed A plant that grows near water.
- Isaiah 42:10 new song Whenever God did a new and wonderful thing for his people, they would write a new song about it.
- Isaiah 42:19 my servant Here, this probably means the people of Israel.
- Isaiah 42:21 Or “The Lord will make his teachings very wonderful. He will do this because he is good.”
- Isaiah 43:8 blind … deaf This probably means the Israelites who would not believe God. See Isa. 6:9-10.
- Isaiah 43:14 I will send … boats Or with minor changes to the Hebrew, “I will send someone against Babylon to break open the gates, and the shouts of victory from the Chaldeans will be changed to crying.”
- Isaiah 43:27 lawyers Or “speakers,” people who argue a person’s case in court. This might refer to priests or prophets.
- Isaiah 43:28 destroy Jacob Or “I will make Jacob completely mine.”
- Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun Another name for Israel. It means “good” or “honest.”
- Isaiah 44:3 bless This is a wordplay. This Hebrew word sounds like the word meaning “pool.”
- Isaiah 44:8 proof Or “witnesses.”
- Isaiah 44:13 string line In ancient times, this was a piece of string with wet paint on it. It was used to make straight lines on wood or stone.
- Isaiah 44:13 compass A tool used to draw circles and copy measurements.
- Isaiah 44:13 chisels Sharp tools used to carve wood or stone.
- Isaiah 44:13 calipers A special measuring tool, like a compass.
- Isaiah 44:20 They … doing Literally, “They eat ashes.”
- Isaiah 45:1 chosen king Literally, “the anointed one.”
- Isaiah 45:4 I know you Or “I will give you a title.”
- Isaiah 45:5 I put … you This also means “I made you strong.”
- Isaiah 45:11 My children … done Or “Those who are coming asked for my children. They commanded me to give them the people I made with my own hands.”
- Isaiah 45:12 armies in the sky Sometimes this means the angels, and sometimes it means the stars.
- Isaiah 45:13 I was right … Cyrus Or “I gave Cyrus power to do something good.”
- Isaiah 45:25 live right Or “find justice.”
- Isaiah 46:1 Nebo A false god of Babylon.
- Isaiah 46:12 stubborn Literally, “mighty of heart.”
Isaiah 42-46
New International Version
Isaiah 42-46
New International Version
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Here is my servant,(A) whom I uphold,
my chosen one(B) in whom I delight;(C)
I will put my Spirit(D) on him,
and he will bring justice(E) to the nations.(F)
2 He will not shout or cry out,(G)
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed(H) he will not break,(I)
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(J)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(K)
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(L) on earth.
In his teaching(M) the islands(N) will put their hope.”(O)
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(P) who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth(Q) with all that springs from it,(R)
who gives breath(S) to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called(T) you in righteousness;(U)
I will take hold of your hand.(V)
I will keep(W) you and will make you
to be a covenant(X) for the people
and a light(Y) for the Gentiles,(Z)
7 to open eyes that are blind,(AA)
to free(AB) captives from prison(AC)
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.(AD)
8 “I am the Lord;(AE) that is my name!(AF)
I will not yield my glory to another(AG)
or my praise to idols.(AH)
9 See, the former things(AI) have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce(AJ) them to you.”
Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing(AK) to the Lord a new song,(AL)
his praise(AM) from the ends of the earth,(AN)
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,(AO)
you islands,(AP) and all who live in them.
11 Let the wilderness(AQ) and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar(AR) lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela(AS) sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.(AT)
12 Let them give glory(AU) to the Lord
and proclaim his praise(AV) in the islands.(AW)
13 The Lord will march out like a champion,(AX)
like a warrior(AY) he will stir up his zeal;(AZ)
with a shout(BA) he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.(BB)
14 “For a long time I have kept silent,(BC)
I have been quiet and held myself back.(BD)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.(BE)
15 I will lay waste(BF) the mountains(BG) and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up(BH) the pools.
16 I will lead(BI) the blind(BJ) by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light(BK) before them
and make the rough places smooth.(BL)
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake(BM) them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’(BN)
will be turned back in utter shame.(BO)
Israel Blind and Deaf
18 “Hear, you deaf;(BP)
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind(BQ) but my servant,(BR)
and deaf like the messenger(BS) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant(BT) with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen.”(BU)
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake(BV) of his righteousness
to make his law(BW) great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered(BX) and looted,
all of them trapped in pits(BY)
or hidden away in prisons.(BZ)
They have become plunder,
with no one to rescue them;(CA)
they have been made loot,
with no one to say, “Send them back.”
23 Which of you will listen to this
or pay close attention(CB) in time to come?
24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
and Israel to the plunderers?(CC)
Was it not the Lord,(CD)
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow(CE) his ways;
they did not obey his law.(CF)
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,(CG)
the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,(CH) yet they did not understand;(CI)
it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.(CJ)
Israel’s Only Savior
43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created(CK) you, Jacob,
he who formed(CL) you, Israel:(CM)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(CN) you;
I have summoned you by name;(CO) you are mine.(CP)
2 When you pass through the waters,(CQ)
I will be with you;(CR)
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,(CS)
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.(CT)
3 For I am the Lord your God,(CU)
the Holy One(CV) of Israel, your Savior;(CW)
I give Egypt(CX) for your ransom,
Cush[a](CY) and Seba(CZ) in your stead.(DA)
4 Since you are precious and honored(DB) in my sight,
and because I love(DC) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid,(DD) for I am with you;(DE)
I will bring your children(DF) from the east
and gather(DG) you from the west.(DH)
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south,(DI) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters(DJ) from the ends of the earth(DK)—
7 everyone who is called by my name,(DL)
whom I created(DM) for my glory,(DN)
whom I formed and made.(DO)”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(DP)
who have ears but are deaf.(DQ)
9 All the nations gather together(DR)
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(DS) this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(DT)” declares the Lord,
“and my servant(DU) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(DV) and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(DW) was formed,
nor will there be one after me.(DX)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(DY)
and apart from me there is no savior.(DZ)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god(EA) among you.
You are my witnesses,(EB)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days(EC) I am he.(ED)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”(EE)
God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness
14 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer,(EF) the Holy One(EG) of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives(EH) all the Babylonians,[b](EI)
in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord,(EJ) your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator,(EK) your King.(EL)”
16 This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,(EM)
17 who drew out(EN) the chariots and horses,(EO)
the army and reinforcements together,(EP)
and they lay(EQ) there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:(ER)
18 “Forget the former things;(ES)
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!(ET)
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness(EU)
and streams in the wasteland.(EV)
20 The wild animals(EW) honor me,
the jackals(EX) and the owls,
because I provide water(EY) in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed(EZ) for myself(FA)
that they may proclaim my praise.(FB)
22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
you have not wearied(FC) yourselves for[c] me, Israel.(FD)
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,(FE)
nor honored(FF) me with your sacrifices.(FG)
I have not burdened(FH) you with grain offerings
nor wearied you with demands(FI) for incense.(FJ)
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus(FK) for me,
or lavished on me the fat(FL) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied(FM) me with your offenses.(FN)
25 “I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions,(FO) for my own sake,(FP)
and remembers your sins(FQ) no more.(FR)
26 Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;(FS)
state the case(FT) for your innocence.
27 Your first father(FU) sinned;
those I sent to teach(FV) you rebelled(FW) against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
I consigned Jacob to destruction[d](FX)
and Israel to scorn.(FY)
Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(FZ)
Israel, whom I have chosen.(GA)
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made(GB) you, who formed you in the womb,(GC)
and who will help(GD) you:
Do not be afraid,(GE) Jacob, my servant,(GF)
Jeshurun,[e](GG) whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water(GH) on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;(GI)
I will pour out my Spirit(GJ) on your offspring,
and my blessing(GK) on your descendants.(GL)
4 They will spring up like grass(GM) in a meadow,
like poplar trees(GN) by flowing streams.(GO)
5 Some will say, ‘I belong(GP) to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(GQ) ‘The Lord’s,’(GR)
and will take the name Israel.
The Lord, Not Idols
6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King(GS) and Redeemer,(GT) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(GU)
apart from me there is no God.(GV)
7 Who then is like me?(GW) Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell(GX) what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim(GY) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(GZ) besides me?
No, there is no other Rock;(HA) I know not one.”
9 All who make idols(HB) are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.(HC)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(HD)
they are ignorant, to their own shame.(HE)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(HF)
which can profit nothing?(HG)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(HH)
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame.(HI)
12 The blacksmith(HJ) takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.(HK)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.(HL)
13 The carpenter(HM) measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(HN)
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.(HO)
14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine,(HP) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(HQ) for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(HR) it;
he makes an idol and bows(HS) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(HT)”
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.(HU)
He prays(HV) to it and says,
“Save(HW) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(HX) nothing;
their eyes(HY) are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding(HZ) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(IA)
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(IB) thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(IC)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(ID) a deluded(IE) heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(IF)”
21 “Remember(IG) these things, Jacob,
for you, Israel, are my servant.(IH)
I have made you, you are my servant;(II)
Israel, I will not forget you.(IJ)
22 I have swept away(IK) your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return(IL) to me,
for I have redeemed(IM) you.”
23 Sing for joy,(IN) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth(IO) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(IP)
you forests and all your trees,(IQ)
for the Lord has redeemed(IR) Jacob,
he displays his glory(IS) in Israel.
Jerusalem to Be Inhabited
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,(IW)
who spreads out the earth(IX) by myself,
25 who foils(IY) the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,(IZ)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(JA)
and turns it into nonsense,(JB)
26 who carries out the words(JC) of his servants
and fulfills(JD) the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem,(JE) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
and of their ruins,(JF) ‘I will restore them,’(JG)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
and I will dry up(JH) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(JI) ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(JJ) “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple,(JK) “Let its foundations(JL) be laid.”’
45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,(JM)
to Cyrus,(JN) whose right hand I take hold(JO) of
to subdue nations(JP) before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you(JQ)
and will level(JR) the mountains[f];
I will break down gates(JS) of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.(JT)
3 I will give you hidden treasures,(JU)
riches stored in secret places,(JV)
so that you may know(JW) that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.(JX)
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,(JY)
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge(JZ) me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;(KA)
apart from me there is no God.(KB)
I will strengthen you,(KC)
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting(KD)
people may know(KE) there is none besides me.(KF)
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form the light and create darkness,(KG)
I bring prosperity and create disaster;(KH)
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “You heavens above, rain(KI) down my righteousness;(KJ)
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation(KK) spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 “Woe to those who quarrel(KL) with their Maker,(KM)
those who are nothing but potsherds(KN)
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(KO)
‘What are you making?’(KP)
Does your work say,
‘The potter has no hands’?(KQ)
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
‘What have you brought to birth?’
11 “This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One(KR) of Israel, and its Maker:(KS)
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?(KT)
12 It is I who made the earth(KU)
and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;(KV)
I marshaled their starry hosts.(KW)
13 I will raise up Cyrus[g](KX) in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.(KY)
He will rebuild my city(KZ)
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,(LA)
says the Lord Almighty.”
14 This is what the Lord says:
“The products(LB) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,[h]
and those tall Sabeans(LC)—
they will come over to you(LD)
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,(LE)
coming over to you in chains.(LF)
They will bow down before you
and plead(LG) with you, saying,
‘Surely God is with you,(LH) and there is no other;
there is no other god.(LI)’”
15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding(LJ) himself,
the God and Savior(LK) of Israel.
16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;(LL)
they will go off into disgrace together.
17 But Israel will be saved(LM) by the Lord
with an everlasting salvation;(LN)
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,(LO)
to ages everlasting.
18 For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,(LP)
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,(LQ)
but formed it to be inhabited(LR)—
he says:
“I am the Lord,
and there is no other.(LS)
19 I have not spoken in secret,(LT)
from somewhere in a land of darkness;(LU)
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,(LV)
‘Seek(LW) me in vain.’
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.(LX)
20 “Gather together(LY) and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant(LZ) are those who carry(MA) about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.(MB)
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold(MC) this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?(MD)
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no God apart from me,(ME)
a righteous God(MF) and a Savior;(MG)
there is none but me.
22 “Turn(MH) to me and be saved,(MI)
all you ends of the earth;(MJ)
for I am God, and there is no other.(MK)
23 By myself I have sworn,(ML)
my mouth has uttered in all integrity(MM)
a word that will not be revoked:(MN)
Before me every knee will bow;(MO)
by me every tongue will swear.(MP)
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
are deliverance(MQ) and strength.(MR)’”
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.(MS)
25 But all the descendants(MT) of Israel
will find deliverance(MU) in the Lord
and will make their boast in him.(MV)
Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(MW) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(MX) are borne by beasts of burden.[i]
The images that are carried(MY) about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.(MZ)
3 “Listen(NA) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(NB) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(NC)
and have carried(ND) since you were born.(NE)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(NF)
I am he,(NG) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(NH) you and I will rescue you.
5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(NI)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(NJ) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(NK)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(NL) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(NM)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(NN)
it cannot save(NO) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(NP) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(NQ)
9 Remember the former things,(NR) those of long ago;(NS)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(NT)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(NU)
from ancient times,(NV) what is still to come.(NW)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(NX)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(NY) a bird of prey;(NZ)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(OA) that I will do.(OB)
12 Listen(OC) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(OD)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(OE)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(OF) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(OG) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(OH)
my splendor(OI) to Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 43:14 Or Chaldeans
- Isaiah 43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of
- Isaiah 43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.
- Isaiah 45:2 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Isaiah 45:13 Hebrew him
- Isaiah 45:14 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle
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