The Lord Reasons with His People

18 “Listen, you deaf ones!

Take notice, you blind ones!

19 My servant is truly blind,

my messenger is truly deaf.

My covenant partner, the servant of the Lord, is truly blind.

20 You see many things, but don’t comprehend;

their ears are open, but do not hear.”

21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice

by magnifying his law and displaying it.

22 But these people are looted and plundered;

all of them are trapped in pits

and held captive in prisons.

They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them;

they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!”

23 Who among you will pay attention to this?

Who will listen attentively in the future?

24 Who handed Jacob over to the robber?

Who handed Israel over to the looters?

Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned?

They refused to follow his commands;

they disobeyed his law.

25 So he poured out his fierce anger on them,

along with the devastation of war.

Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it;

it burned against them, but they did notice.

43 Now, this is what the Lord says,

the one who created you, O Jacob,

and formed you, O Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you.

I call you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;

when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;

the flames will not harm you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer.

I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,

Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.

4 Since you are precious and special in my sight,

and I love you,

I will hand over people in place of you,

nations in place of your life.

5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

From the east I will bring your descendants;

from the west I will gather you.

6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’

and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’

Bring my sons from distant lands,

and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

7 everyone who belongs to me,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed – yes, whom I made!