22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied(A) yourselves for[a] me, Israel.(B)
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,(C)
    nor honored(D) me with your sacrifices.(E)
I have not burdened(F) you with grain offerings
    nor wearied you with demands(G) for incense.(H)
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus(I) for me,
    or lavished on me the fat(J) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied(K) me with your offenses.(L)

25 “I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions,(M) for my own sake,(N)
    and remembers your sins(O) no more.(P)
26 Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;(Q)
    state the case(R) for your innocence.
27 Your first father(S) sinned;
    those I sent to teach(T) you rebelled(U) against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
    I consigned Jacob to destruction[b](V)
    and Israel to scorn.(W)

Israel the Chosen

44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(X)
    Israel, whom I have chosen.(Y)
This is what the Lord says—
    he who made(Z) you, who formed you in the womb,(AA)
    and who will help(AB) you:
Do not be afraid,(AC) Jacob, my servant,(AD)
    Jeshurun,[c](AE) whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water(AF) on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;(AG)
I will pour out my Spirit(AH) on your offspring,
    and my blessing(AI) on your descendants.(AJ)
They will spring up like grass(AK) in a meadow,
    like poplar trees(AL) by flowing streams.(AM)
Some will say, ‘I belong(AN) to the Lord’;
    others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(AO) ‘The Lord’s,’(AP)
    and will take the name Israel.

The Lord, Not Idols

“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King(AQ) and Redeemer,(AR) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(AS)
    apart from me there is no God.(AT)
Who then is like me?(AU) 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(AV) what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
    Did I not proclaim(AW) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(AX) besides me?
    No, there is no other Rock;(AY) I know not one.”

All who make idols(AZ) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.(BA)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(BB)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.(BC)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(BD)
    which can profit nothing?(BE)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(BF)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(BG)

12 The blacksmith(BH) 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.(BI)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(BJ)
13 The carpenter(BK) 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,(BL)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(BM)
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,(BN) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(BO) 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(BP) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(BQ) 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.(BR)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(BS)
He prays(BT) to it and says,
    “Save(BU) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(BV) nothing;
    their eyes(BW) 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(BX) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(BY)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(BZ) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(CA)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(CB) a deluded(CC) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(CD)

21 “Remember(CE) these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.(CF)
I have made you, you are my servant;(CG)
    Israel, I will not forget you.(CH)
22 I have swept away(CI) your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return(CJ) to me,
    for I have redeemed(CK) you.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of
  2. Isaiah 43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  3. Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.

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