The Book of Isaiah
51: 1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Jehovah: look
unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hold of the pit whence ye were
digged. 51:2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you; for when
he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many. 51:3For
Jehovah hath comforted Zion; he hath comforted all her waste places, and hath
made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and
gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. 51:4Attend
unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go
forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples. 51:5My
righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the
peoples; the isles shall wait for me, and on mine arm shall they trust. 51:6Lift up
your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall
vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that
dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my
righteousness shall not be abolished. 51:7Hearken unto me, ye that know
righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of
men, neither be ye dismayed at their revilings. 51:8For the moth shall eat them up
like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall
be for ever, and my salvation unto all generations. 51:9Awake, awake, put on
strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of
ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the
monster? 51:10Is it not thou that driedst up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that
madest the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? 51:11And the
ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and
sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 51:12I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who
art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall
be made as grass; 51:13and hast forgotten Jehovah thy Maker, that stretched forth the
heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fearest continually all the day
because of the fury of the oppressor, when he maketh ready to destroy? and where
is the fury of the oppressor? 51:14The captive exile shall speedily be loosed; and he
shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail. 51:15For I am
Jehovah thy God, who stirreth up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar: Jehovah
of hosts is his name. 51:16And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered
thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the
foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. 51:17Awake,
awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, that hast drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of
his wrath; thou hast drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.
51:18There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth;
neither is there any that taketh her by the hand among all the sons that she hath
brought up. 51:19These two things are befallen thee, who shall bemoan thee?
desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how shall I comfort
thee? 51:20Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope
in a net; they are full of the wrath of Jehovah, the rebuke of thy God. 51:21Therefore
hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but now with wine: 51:22Thus saith thy
Lord Jehovah, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have
taken out of thy hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my
wrath; thou shalt no more drink it again: 51:23and I will put it into the hand of them
that afflict thee, that have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and
thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over.