1 Yet now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel, who I have chosen:
2 Thus says Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will
help you: Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have
chosen. 3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the
dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your
offspring: 4 and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the
watercourses. 5 One shall say, I am Yahweh’s; and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his
hand to Yahweh, and surname himself by the name of Israel. 6 Thus
says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Hosts: I am the
first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. 7 Who, as I,
shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I
established the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and that
shall happen, let them declare. 8 Don’t fear, neither be afraid:
haven’t I declared to you of old, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is
there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don’t know any Rock.
9 Those who fashion an engraved image are all of them vanity; and the
things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses don’t
see, nor know: that they may be disappointed. 10 Who has fashioned a god,
or molten an image that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his
fellows shall be disappointed; and the workmen, they are of men: let them all
be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be put
to shame together. 12 The smith makes an axe, and works in the
coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm: yes,
he is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretches out a line; he marks it out with a pencil; he
shapes it with planes, and he marks it out with the compasses, and shapes it
after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in a
house. 14 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the
oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest: he plants
a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then shall it be for a man to
burn; and he takes of it, and warms himself; yes, he kindles it, and bakes
bread: yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it an engraved image,
and falls down to it. 16 He burns part of it in the fire; with part of it
he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied; yes, he warms himself, and
says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire. 17 The residue of it he makes
a god, even his engraved image; he falls down to it and worships, and prays
to it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god. 18 They don’t know,
neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see;
and their hearts, that they can’t understand. 19 None calls to mind,
neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it
in the fire; yes, also I have baked bread on the coals of it; I have roasted
flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue of it an abomination? shall
I fall down to the stock of a tree? 20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart
has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a
lie in my right hand? 21 Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel; for you
are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: Israel, you shall not
be forgotten by me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your
transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed
you. 23 Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it; shout, you
lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, O
forest, and every tree therein: for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will
glorify himself in Israel. 24 Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who
formed you from the womb: I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who stretches
forth the heavens alone; who spreads abroad the earth (who is with me?);
25 who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who
turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish; 26 who
confirms the word of his servant, and performs 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 the waste places of it; 27 who
says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers; 28 Who says of
Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even
saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Your foundation
shall be laid.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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