1‘But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.2This is what the Lord says – he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun,[1] whom I have chosen.3For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.4They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.5Some will say, “I belong to the Lord”; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, “The Lord’s,” and will take the name Israel.
The Lord, not idols
6‘This is what the Lord says – Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.7Who then is like me? 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 what will come.8Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.’9All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.10Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing?11People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame.12The blacksmith 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. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.13The carpenter 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, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.14He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.15It is used as fuel 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 it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.16Half 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.’17From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, ‘Save me! You are my god!’18They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so that they cannot see, and their minds closed so that they cannot understand.19No-one stops to think, no-one has the knowledge or understanding to say, ‘Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?’20Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, ‘Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?’21‘Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.22I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.’23Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
Jerusalem to be inhabited
24‘This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,26who carries out the words of his servants and fulfils the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,” of the towns of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt,” and of their ruins, “I will restore them,”27who says to the watery deep, “Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,”28who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’ ”
Isaiah 44
English Standard Version
Israel the Lord’s Chosen
1“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! (Isa 41:8)2Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. (De 32:15; Ps 71:6; Isa 43:5; Isa 44:24; Isa 49:15; Jer 1:5; Ga 1:15)3For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isa 35:6; Joe 2:28; Joh 7:38; Ac 2:18)4They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. (Ps 1:3)5This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” (Isa 14:1)
Besides Me There Is No God
6Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. (Isa 41:4; Isa 43:14; Isa 48:12; Re 1:8)7Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.[1] Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. (Isa 41:26)8Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” (De 4:35; De 4:39; De 32:39; 1Sa 2:2; Isa 30:29; Isa 43:10; Isa 45:5; Joe 2:27)
The Folly of Idolatry
9All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. (Isa 41:24; Isa 41:29)10Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? (Isa 40:19; Isa 41:6; Isa 46:6; Jer 10:3; Hab 2:18)11Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. (Ps 115:8; Isa 42:17; Isa 45:16)12The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. (Isa 44:10)13The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.[2] He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. (Ps 115:5)14He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. (Isa 40:20)15Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.16Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!”17And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” (Isa 45:20)18They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.19No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” (De 27:15)20He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Job 13:12; Ps 144:8; Ho 12:1; Ro 1:25)
The Lord Redeems Israel
21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. (Isa 42:1; Isa 42:19; Isa 49:15)22I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isa 43:25)23Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified[3] in Israel. (Ps 63:9; Ps 69:34; Isa 49:3; Isa 49:13; Isa 55:5; Isa 55:12; Isa 60:9; Jer 51:48; Ho 2:21)24Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, (Isa 42:5; Isa 43:14; Isa 44:2; Isa 45:12)25who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, (Isa 19:3; Isa 19:14)26who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; (2Ch 36:22; Jer 32:15; Jer 32:44)27who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; (Isa 11:15; Isa 51:10)28who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” (2Sa 5:2; 2Ch 36:22; Ezr 1:1; Ps 78:72; Isa 45:1; Isa 45:13)