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Isaiah 44-48
Easy-to-Read Version
Isaiah 44-48
Easy-to-Read Version
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,[a] 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[b] 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.[c] 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[d] and compass[e] to draw lines on the wood to show where he should cut. Then he uses his chisels[f] and cuts a statue from the wood. He uses his calipers[g] 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.[h] 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[i]:
“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.[j]
5 I am the Lord, the only God.
There is no other God except me.
I put your clothes on you,[k]
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.[l]
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.[m]
13 I was right to give power to Cyrus,[n]
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[o] and praise their God.
False Gods Are Useless
46 The Lord says, “Bel has fallen to the ground. Nebo[p] 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[q] 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.”
God’s Message to Babylon
47 “Fall down and sit in the dirt, Virgin Daughter Babylon.
You have no throne, so sit on the ground, daughter of the Chaldeans.[r]
You are not the ruler now.
You are no longer the beautiful young princess that people said you were.
2 Get the millstones ready
and grind the grain into flour.
Take off your veil and fancy clothes.
Lift your skirt and get ready to cross the rivers.[s]
3 Men will see your naked body
and use you for sex.
I will make you pay for the bad things you did,
and I will not let anyone help you.
4 “My people say, ‘God saves us.
His name is the Lord All-Powerful, the Holy One of Israel.’”
5 “So Babylon, sit down and shut up.
Daughter of the Chaldeans, go into the dark prison.
You will no longer be ‘The Queen of the Kingdoms.’
6 “I was angry with my people.
They were mine, but I turned against them.
I let you punish them,
but you showed them no mercy.
Even for those who were old
you made the work hard.
7 You said, ‘I will live forever.
I will always be the queen.’
You didn’t care what you did to my people.
You didn’t think about what might happen later.
8 So now listen, you who love only pleasure!
Feeling so safe, you tell yourself,
‘I alone am important, and no one else matters.
I will never be a widow or lose my children.’
9 These two things will happen to you:
First, you will lose your children and then your husband.
And none of your magic spells will help you.
10 You do bad things but still feel safe.[t]
You say to yourself, ‘No one sees the wrong I do.’
You thought that your wisdom and knowledge would save you.
You tell yourself, ‘I alone am important,
and no one else matters.’
11 “But disaster is coming your way.
You don’t know when it will happen, but disaster is coming.
And there is nothing you can do to stop it.
12 You worked hard all your life
learning magic and spells.
So start using that magic.
Maybe those spells will help you.
Maybe you will be able to frighten someone.
13 You have many advisors.
Are you tired of the advice they give?
Then send out your men who read the stars.
They can tell when the month starts,
so maybe they can tell you when your troubles will come.
14 But they cannot even save themselves.
They will burn like straw.
They will burn so fast that there will be no coals left to cook bread.
There will be no fire left to sit by.
15 That’s what will happen to those you have worked with,
the people you did business with all your life.
They will all go their own way.
There will be no one left to save you.”
God Rules His World
48 “Family of Jacob, listen to me!
You people call yourself ‘Israel,’
but you are from Judah’s family.
When you take an oath, I, the Lord, the God of Israel,
am the one whose name you use,
but you are not honest and sincere.
2 “Yes, you call yourselves citizens of the holy city,[u]
those who depend on the God of Israel.
The Lord All-Powerful is his name.
3 “Long ago I told you what would happen.
I told you about these things.
And suddenly I made them happen.
4 I did that because I knew you were stubborn.
You were like iron that will not bend,
with heads as hard as bronze.
5 So long ago I told you what would happen.
I told you about those things long before they happened.
I did this so that you could not say,
‘The gods we made did this.
Our idols, our statues, made this happen.’”
God Punishes Israel to Make Them Pure
6 “You heard what I said would happen.
And you can see it has all been done.
Shouldn’t you tell this to others?
Now I will tell you about new things,
secrets you have not known before.
7 This is something that is happening now, not long ago.
You have not heard about it before today.
So you cannot say, ‘We already knew that.’
8 But even in the past you didn’t listen.
You didn’t learn anything.
You never listen to what I say.
I have always known that you would turn against me.
You have rebelled against me from the time you were born.
9 “But I will be patient.
I will do this for myself.
People will praise me for not becoming angry and destroying you.
You will praise me for waiting.
10 “Look, I will make you pure,
but not in the way you make silver pure.
I will make you pure by giving you troubles.
11 I will do this for myself—for me!
I will not let you treat me as if I am not important.
I will not let some false god take my glory and praise.
12 “Jacob, listen to me!
Israel, I called you to be my people.
So listen to me!
I am the Beginning,
and I am the End.
13 I made the earth with my own hands.
My right hand made the sky.
And if I call them,
they will come to stand before me.
14 “All of you, come here and listen to me.
Did any of the false gods say these things would happen? No!
The Lord’s friend[v] will do what he wants
to Babylon and the Chaldeans.
15 “I told you that I would call him.
I will lead him,
and I will make him succeed.
16 Come here and listen to me!
I was there when Babylon began as a nation.
And from the beginning, I spoke clearly
so that people could know what I said.”
Now, the Lord God sends me and his Spirit to tell you these things. 17 The Lord, the Savior, the Holy One of Israel, says,
“I am the Lord your God.
I teach you for your own good.
I lead you in the way you should go.
18 If you had obeyed me,
then peace would have come to you
like a full flowing river.
Good things would have come to you again and again,
like the waves of the sea.
19 If you had obeyed me,
you would have had as many children as there are grains of sand.
And they would always have been mine
and would never have been destroyed.”
20 My people, leave Babylon!
My people, run from the Chaldeans!
Tell the news with joy.
Spread the news around the world.
Tell them,
“The Lord rescued his servant Jacob.”
21 They never got thirsty as he led them through the desert,
because he made water flow from a rock.
He split the rock,
and water flowed out.
22 But the Lord also said,
“There is no peace for evil people.”
Footnotes
- 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 47:1 Virgin Daughter Babylon, daughter of the Chaldeans Names for the city of Babylon.
- Isaiah 47:2 rivers The Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Babylon was between these two rivers.
- Isaiah 47:10 You … safe Or “You put your trust in your evil.”
- Isaiah 48:2 holy city That is, Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 48:14 friend Or “partner.” This probably means Cyrus, king of Persia. He ruled about 550–530 B.C.
Isaiah 44-48
New International Version
Isaiah 44-48
New International Version
Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(A)
Israel, whom I have chosen.(B)
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made(C) you, who formed you in the womb,(D)
and who will help(E) you:
Do not be afraid,(F) Jacob, my servant,(G)
Jeshurun,[a](H) whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water(I) on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;(J)
I will pour out my Spirit(K) on your offspring,
and my blessing(L) on your descendants.(M)
4 They will spring up like grass(N) in a meadow,
like poplar trees(O) by flowing streams.(P)
5 Some will say, ‘I belong(Q) to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(R) ‘The Lord’s,’(S)
and will take the name Israel.
The Lord, Not Idols
6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King(T) and Redeemer,(U) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(V)
apart from me there is no God.(W)
7 Who then is like me?(X) 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(Y) what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim(Z) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(AA) besides me?
No, there is no other Rock;(AB) I know not one.”
9 All who make idols(AC) are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.(AD)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(AE)
they are ignorant, to their own shame.(AF)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(AG)
which can profit nothing?(AH)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(AI)
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame.(AJ)
12 The blacksmith(AK) 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.(AL)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.(AM)
13 The carpenter(AN) 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,(AO)
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.(AP)
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,(AQ) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(AR) 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(AS) it;
he makes an idol and bows(AT) 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.(AU)”
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.(AV)
He prays(AW) to it and says,
“Save(AX) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(AY) nothing;
their eyes(AZ) 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(BA) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(BB)
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(BC) thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(BD)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(BE) a deluded(BF) heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(BG)”
21 “Remember(BH) these things, Jacob,
for you, Israel, are my servant.(BI)
I have made you, you are my servant;(BJ)
Israel, I will not forget you.(BK)
22 I have swept away(BL) your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return(BM) to me,
for I have redeemed(BN) you.”
23 Sing for joy,(BO) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth(BP) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(BQ)
you forests and all your trees,(BR)
for the Lord has redeemed(BS) Jacob,
he displays his glory(BT) in Israel.
Jerusalem to Be Inhabited
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,(BX)
who spreads out the earth(BY) by myself,
25 who foils(BZ) the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,(CA)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(CB)
and turns it into nonsense,(CC)
26 who carries out the words(CD) of his servants
and fulfills(CE) the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem,(CF) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
and of their ruins,(CG) ‘I will restore them,’(CH)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
and I will dry up(CI) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(CJ) ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(CK) “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple,(CL) “Let its foundations(CM) be laid.”’
45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,(CN)
to Cyrus,(CO) whose right hand I take hold(CP) of
to subdue nations(CQ) 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(CR)
and will level(CS) the mountains[b];
I will break down gates(CT) of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.(CU)
3 I will give you hidden treasures,(CV)
riches stored in secret places,(CW)
so that you may know(CX) that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.(CY)
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,(CZ)
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge(DA) me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;(DB)
apart from me there is no God.(DC)
I will strengthen you,(DD)
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting(DE)
people may know(DF) there is none besides me.(DG)
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form the light and create darkness,(DH)
I bring prosperity and create disaster;(DI)
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “You heavens above, rain(DJ) down my righteousness;(DK)
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation(DL) spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 “Woe to those who quarrel(DM) with their Maker,(DN)
those who are nothing but potsherds(DO)
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(DP)
‘What are you making?’(DQ)
Does your work say,
‘The potter has no hands’?(DR)
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(DS) of Israel, and its Maker:(DT)
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?(DU)
12 It is I who made the earth(DV)
and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;(DW)
I marshaled their starry hosts.(DX)
13 I will raise up Cyrus[c](DY) in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.(DZ)
He will rebuild my city(EA)
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,(EB)
says the Lord Almighty.”
14 This is what the Lord says:
“The products(EC) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,[d]
and those tall Sabeans(ED)—
they will come over to you(EE)
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,(EF)
coming over to you in chains.(EG)
They will bow down before you
and plead(EH) with you, saying,
‘Surely God is with you,(EI) and there is no other;
there is no other god.(EJ)’”
15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding(EK) himself,
the God and Savior(EL) of Israel.
16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;(EM)
they will go off into disgrace together.
17 But Israel will be saved(EN) by the Lord
with an everlasting salvation;(EO)
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,(EP)
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,(EQ)
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,(ER)
but formed it to be inhabited(ES)—
he says:
“I am the Lord,
and there is no other.(ET)
19 I have not spoken in secret,(EU)
from somewhere in a land of darkness;(EV)
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,(EW)
‘Seek(EX) me in vain.’
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.(EY)
20 “Gather together(EZ) and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant(FA) are those who carry(FB) about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.(FC)
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold(FD) this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?(FE)
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no God apart from me,(FF)
a righteous God(FG) and a Savior;(FH)
there is none but me.
22 “Turn(FI) to me and be saved,(FJ)
all you ends of the earth;(FK)
for I am God, and there is no other.(FL)
23 By myself I have sworn,(FM)
my mouth has uttered in all integrity(FN)
a word that will not be revoked:(FO)
Before me every knee will bow;(FP)
by me every tongue will swear.(FQ)
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
are deliverance(FR) and strength.(FS)’”
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.(FT)
25 But all the descendants(FU) of Israel
will find deliverance(FV) in the Lord
and will make their boast in him.(FW)
Gods of Babylon
46 Bel(FX) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols(FY) are borne by beasts of burden.[e]
The images that are carried(FZ) 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.(GA)
3 “Listen(GB) to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant(GC) of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,(GD)
and have carried(GE) since you were born.(GF)
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs(GG)
I am he,(GH) I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain(GI) 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?(GJ)
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(GK) to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.(GL)
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry(GM) it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.(GN)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(GO)
it cannot save(GP) them from their troubles.
8 “Remember(GQ) this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.(GR)
9 Remember the former things,(GS) those of long ago;(GT)
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.(GU)
10 I make known the end from the beginning,(GV)
from ancient times,(GW) what is still to come.(GX)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,(GY)
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon(GZ) a bird of prey;(HA)
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned,(HB) that I will do.(HC)
12 Listen(HD) to me, you stubborn-hearted,(HE)
you who are now far from my righteousness.(HF)
13 I am bringing my righteousness(HG) near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation(HH) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,(HI)
my splendor(HJ) to Israel.
The Fall of Babylon
47 “Go down, sit in the dust,(HK)
Virgin Daughter(HL) Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.[f](HM)
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.(HN)
2 Take millstones(HO) and grind(HP) flour;
take off your veil.(HQ)
Lift up your skirts,(HR) bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness(HS) will be exposed
and your shame(HT) uncovered.
I will take vengeance;(HU)
I will spare no one.(HV)”
5 “Sit in silence,(IA) go into darkness,(IB)
queen city of the Babylonians;(IC)
no more will you be called
queen(ID) of kingdoms.(IE)
6 I was angry(IF) with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;(IG)
I gave them into your hand,(IH)
and you showed them no mercy.(II)
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, ‘I am forever(IJ)—
the eternal queen!’(IK)
But you did not consider these things
or reflect(IL) on what might happen.(IM)
8 “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
lounging in your security(IN)
and saying to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.(IO)
I will never be a widow(IP)
or suffer the loss of children.’
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment,(IQ) on a single day:
loss of children(IR) and widowhood.(IS)
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries(IT)
and all your potent spells.(IU)
10 You have trusted(IV) in your wickedness
and have said, ‘No one sees me.’(IW)
Your wisdom(IX) and knowledge mislead(IY) you
when you say to yourself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
11 Disaster(IZ) will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly(JA) come upon you.
12 “Keep on, then, with your magic spells
and with your many sorceries,(JB)
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!(JC)
Let your astrologers(JD) come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save(JE) you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;(JF)
the fire(JG) will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.(JH)
These are not coals for warmth;
this is not a fire to sit by.
15 That is all they are to you—
these you have dealt with
and labored(JI) with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save(JJ) you.
Stubborn Israel
48 “Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel(JK)
and come from the line of Judah,(JL)
you who take oaths(JM) in the name of the Lord(JN)
and invoke(JO) the God of Israel—
but not in truth(JP) or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city(JQ)
and claim to rely(JR) on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:(JS)
3 I foretold the former things(JT) long ago,
my mouth announced(JU) them and I made them known;
then suddenly(JV) I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn(JW) you were;
your neck muscles(JX) were iron,
your forehead(JY) was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced(JZ) them to you
so that you could not say,
‘My images brought them about;(KA)
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
6 You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things,(KB)
of hidden things unknown to you.
7 They are created(KC) now, and not long ago;(KD)
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
‘Yes, I knew(KE) of them.’
8 You have neither heard nor understood;(KF)
from of old your ears(KG) have not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous(KH) you are;
you were called a rebel(KI) from birth.
9 For my own name’s sake(KJ) I delay my wrath;(KK)
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to destroy you completely.(KL)
10 See, I have refined(KM) you, though not as silver;
I have tested(KN) you in the furnace(KO) of affliction.
11 For my own sake,(KP) for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?(KQ)
I will not yield my glory to another.(KR)
Israel Freed
12 “Listen(KS) to me, Jacob,
Israel, whom I have called:(KT)
I am he;(KU)
I am the first and I am the last.(KV)
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,(KW)
and my right hand spread out the heavens;(KX)
when I summon them,
they all stand up together.(KY)
14 “Come together,(KZ) all of you, and listen:
Which of the idols has foretold(LA) these things?
The Lord’s chosen ally(LB)
will carry out his purpose(LC) against Babylon;(LD)
his arm will be against the Babylonians.[g]
15 I, even I, have spoken;
yes, I have called(LE) him.
I will bring him,
and he will succeed(LF) in his mission.
16 “Come near(LG) me and listen(LH) to this:
“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;(LI)
at the time it happens, I am there.”
17 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer,(LM) the Holy One(LN) of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches(LO) you what is best for you,
who directs(LP) you in the way(LQ) you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention(LR) to my commands,
your peace(LS) would have been like a river,(LT)
your well-being(LU) like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants(LV) would have been like the sand,(LW)
your children like its numberless grains;(LX)
their name would never be blotted out(LY)
nor destroyed from before me.”
20 Leave Babylon,
flee(LZ) from the Babylonians!
Announce this with shouts of joy(MA)
and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth;(MB)
say, “The Lord has redeemed(MC) his servant Jacob.”
21 They did not thirst(MD) when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow(ME) for them from the rock;
he split the rock
and water gushed out.(MF)
Footnotes
- 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
- Isaiah 47:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 5
- Isaiah 48:14 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 20
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