The Book of Isaiah
44: 1Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel, who I have chosen: 44:2Thus
saith Jehovah that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help
thee: Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
44:3For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 44:4and
they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. 44:5One shall
say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and
another shall subscribe with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the
name of Israel. 44:6Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer,
Jehovah of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
44:7And 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
come to pass, let them declare. 44:8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not
declared unto thee of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God
besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any. 44:9They that fashion a graven
image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit;
and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame. 44:10Who
hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing? 44:11Behold,
all his fellows shall be put to shame; 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. 44:12The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and
fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry,
and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint. 44:13The carpenter
stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with a pencil; he shapeth it with planes,
and he marketh it out with the compasses, and shapeth it after the figure of a man,
according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 44:14He heweth him down
cedars, and taketh the holm-tree and the oak, and strengtheneth for himself one
among the trees of the forest: he planteth a fir-tree, and the rain doth nourish it.
44:15Then shall it be for a man to burn; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself;
yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread: yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he
maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 44:16He burneth part thereof in
the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea,
he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire. 44:17And the
residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it
and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
44:18They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they
cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. 44:19And none calleth to
mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of
it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted
flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall
down to the stock of a tree? 44:20He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned
him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right
hand? 44:21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for thou art my servant: I
have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
44:22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins:
return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 44:23Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath
done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains,
O forest, and every tree therein: for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and will
glorify himself in Israel. 44:24Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed
thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the
heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth (who is with me?); 44:25that
frustrateth the signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men
backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 44:26that confirmeth the word of his
servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem,
She shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and I will
raise up the waste places thereof; 44:27that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry
up thy rivers; 44:28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my
pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy
foundation shall be laid.