OET-RV ISA Chapter 41

41 Stay silent in front of me, you islands,

and let the peoples renew their strength.

Let them approach then let them speak.

Let’s gather together for judgement.

2 Who has stirred up punishment from the east?

It meets with his feet.

He destroys nations in front of him.

He causes kings to rule.

He makes them like dust with his sword—

like chaff driven by his bow.

3 He chases after them—going forward in peace.

He comes on a path without using his feet.

4 Who has done it and has accomplished it—

calling the generations out from the beginning?

I Yahweh, am the first and the last. I am he.

5 The islands have seen and are afraid.

≈ The whole world trembles.

They approach and come.

6 Everyone helps out their neighbours,

and tells each other to be strong.

7 The craftsman encourages the goldsmith who smooths with a hammer.

The one who strikes the anvil says that the welding is good

and the strengthen it with nails so it won’t topple over.

8 But you, my servant Yisrael,

Yakob (Jacob) who I’ve chosen,

the offspring of my friend Avraham,

9 I pulled you back from the ends of the earth,

≈ calling you from its most distant corners,

and I told you, ‘You’re my servant.’

I’ve chosen you and won’t reject you.

10 Don’t be afraid, because I’m with you.

≈ Don’t be anxious, because I’m your God.

I’ll strengthen you, indeed, I’ll help you.

Yes, I’ll support you with my strength—always doing what’s right.

11 Listen, all those who are angry with you will be ashamed and disgraced.

Those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.

12 You’ll search for those who contended against you, but you won’t be able to find them.

Those who battled against you will be useless and irrelevant,

13 because I, your god Yahweh, will hold up your right hand—

the one who tells you not to be afraid because I’ll help you.

14 Don’t be afraid, Yakov, you worm—you Israeli people.

I will help you declares Yahweh—the one who rescues you—

Yisrael’s holy one.

15 Listen, I’m making you into a threshing sledge—sharp and doubled-edged.

You’ll thresh mountains and crush them,

≈ and make the hills like chaff.

16 You’ll toss them into the air and the wind will carry them away,

and a whirlwind will scatter them.

Then you’ll be happy about Yahweh—

you’ll boast about Yisrael’s holy one.

17 The poor and needy people look for water, but there’s none.

≈ Their tongues are dry from thirst.

I, Yahweh, will respond to them.

≈ I, Yisrael’s god won’t abandon them.

18 I’ll make streams flow down from barren hills,

≈ and will cause springs to appear in the middle of the valleys.

I’ll make the wilderness into a pool of water,

≈ and fill the dry land with springs.

19 I’ll grow cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees in the wilderness.

≈ I’ll plant cypress, elm, and boxwood trees on the desert plain,

20 so that people will be able to see, to realise, and to have determination and insight together

→ because Yahweh has personally done this—Yisrael’s holy one has created it.

21 “Bring your case to me,” says Yahweh.

≈ “Present your arguments,” says Yakov’s king.

22 Let them bring them out and tell us what will happen.

What happened before that?

Tell us so we can ponder them and so we can know what’s been done

and then tell us what’s still coming.

23 Tell the signs of the future so that we can know if you’re all gods.

Yes, do something good or bad so that we can be amazed or afraid together.

24 Look, you’re all nothing and your actions are worthless.

Anyone who chooses you all to worship is disgusting.

25 I have stirred up a ruler from the north,

≈ and he’s coming from the east.

He’ll put his trust in me

and he’ll step on officials like mud

≈ and like a potter who works the clay with his feet.

26 Who told us that from the beginning so that we’d know?

≈ Who predicted it so that we can now say that they were correct?

Actually, no one said or announced it—

≈ no, no one heard your messages.

27 Firstly to Tsiyyon (Zion), look they’re here!

Then I sent a runner to Yerushalem to give them the news.

28 Then I looked at those idols but there was no life there.

There wasn’t any advisor among them.

29 No, all of them are a delusion—they accomplish nothing.

Their cast metal images are as empty as the wind.