LEB ISA Chapter 44

Yahweh Blesses Chosen Israel

• 44 “But now hear, Jacob my servant,
  • and Israel, whom I have chosen.
• 2 Thus says Yahweh, who made you,
  • and who formed you in[fn] the womb and will help you:
• you must not fear, my servant Jacob,
  • and Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
• 3 For I will pour out water on a thirsty land
  • and streams on dry ground.
• I will pour my spirit out on your descendants[fn]
  • and my blessing on your offspring.
• 4 And they shall sprout among[fn] the grass
  • like willows by a watercourse of water.
• 5 This one will say, ‘I belong to Yahweh!’
  • And that one will be called by the name of Jacob,
• and another will write on his hand ‘Yahweh’s’
  • and take the name[fn] of Israel.”

Yahweh the Only God

• 6 Thus says Yahweh, the king of Israel,
  • and its redeemer, Yahweh of hosts:
• “I am the first, and I am the last,
  • and there is no god besides me.
• 7 And who is like me? Let him proclaim[fn] it!
  • And let him declare it and set it in order for me
• since I established an eternal people[fn] and things that are to come,
  • and let them tell them the things that are coming.
• 8 You must not tremble,[fn]
  • and you must not be paralyzed with fear.
• Have I not made you hear from of old[fn]
  • and declared it, and you are my witnesses?
• Is there a god besides me?
  • And there is no rock! I know none!”

Idolatry Is Ridiculous

• 9 All those who form an idol are nothing,
  • and their delightful things do not profit.
• And their witnesses do not see or know,
  • so they will be ashamed.
  • 10 Who would form a god
  • and cast an image of which he cannot profit?
• 11 Look! all his companions shall be ashamed,
  • and the artisans are human!
• Let all of them assemble;
  • let them stand up.
• They shall tremble;[fn]
  • they shall be ashamed together.
• 12 The ironsmith[fn] works in the coals with his tool
  • and forms it with hammers.
• And he makes it with his strong arm ;[fn]
  • indeed, he becomes hungry, and he lacks[fn] strength;
  • he does not drink water, and he is faint.
• 13 The woodworker[fn] stretches out a line;
  • he makes an outline of it with a marker.
• He makes it with a knife
  • and makes an outline of it with a compass.
• He makes it like the image of a man,
  • like the beauty of a human, to dwell in a temple.[fn]
• 14 Cutting down cedars for himself,
  • he chooses[fn] a holm tree and an oak,
• and he lets it grow strong for him among the trees of the forest.
  • He plants a cedar, and the rain makes it grow.
• 15 And it becomes fuel for a human ,[fn]
  • and he takes some of it and grows warm;
  • also, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
• Also, he makes a god and bows in worship;
  • he makes himself an image and bows down to it!
• 16 He burns half of it in the fire;
  • he eats meat over half of it;
  • he roasts a roast and is satisfied.
• Also he grows warm and says, “Ah!
  • I am warm! I see the fire!”
• 17 And he makes the remainder of it into a god!
  • He bows down to his idol,
• and he bows in worship and prays to him,
  • and he says, “Save me, for you are my god!”
• 18 They do not know,
  • and they do not understand,
• for their eyes are besmeared so that they cannot see ,[fn]
  • their minds[fn] so that they have no insight .[fn]
• 19 And no one takes it to heart ,[fn] and there is no knowledge
  • and no understanding to say, “I burned half of it in the fire
• and also I baked bread on its coals;
  • I roasted meat, and I have eaten.
• And I shall make the rest of it into an abomination!
  • I shall bow down to a block of wood!”
• 20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived mind[fn] misleads him.
  • And he cannot save himself ,[fn] and he cannot say,
    • “Is this not an illusion in my right hand?”

Yahweh Remembers Israel

• 21 “Remember these things, Jacob,
  • and Israel, for you are my servant:
• I formed you; you are my servant;
  • Israel, you will not be forgotten by me!
• 22 I have wiped your transgressions out like a cloud
  • and your sins like mist.
• Return to me,
  • for I have redeemed you!”
• 23 Sing for joy, heavens, for Yahweh has done it!
  • Shout, depths of the earth!
• Break forth, mountains, in rejoicing,
  • forest and every tree in it,
• for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob,
  • and he will show his glory in Israel!

Jerusalem Restored through Cyrus

• 24 Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer,
  • and he who formed you in[fn] the womb:
• “I am Yahweh, who made everything,
  • who stretched out the heavens alone,
  • who spread out the earth—who was with me?—
• 25 who frustrates[fn] the signs of oracle priests
  • and makes a fool of diviners,
• who drives the wise men back
  • and makes their knowledge foolish,
• 26 who keeps[fn] the word of his servant
  • and carries out the plan of his messengers,
• who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’
  • and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,
  • and I will restore its ruins’;
• 27 who says to the deep, ‘Dry up!
  • And I will cause your rivers to dry up’;
• 28 who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd,’
  • and he shall carry out all my wishes[fn];
• and saying of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be rebuilt,’
  • and the temple, ‘It shall be founded.’ ”