21 How did the faithful city become a prostitute?

She who was full of justice—

with righteousness embedded in her,

but now ended up as murderers.

22 Your city’s silver has turned into junk metal.

You wine is now mixed with water.

23 Your leaders are rebels and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves bribes and kick-backs.

They don’t defend the fatherless,

and don’t even think about standing up for the widow.

24 Here’s the declaration of the Yisrael’s powerful master, army commander Yahweh:

“Oh well, I’ll get relief from my oppoents,

≈and avenge myself on my enemies;

25 I’ll turn my actions against you,

and refine your junk metal with chemicals

to remove all your impurity.

26 Then I’ll restore your judges like they were before,

and your counsellors like they were at the start.

Afterwards you’ll be a faithful city called ‘The city of integrity’.”

27 Tsiyyon (Zion) will be set free by justice,

and those who repent, set free by doing what is right.

28 But those who rebel or disobey will be shattered,

and those who abandon Yahweh will come to their end,

29 because they’ll be ashamed of the shrines that you liked at the sacred oak trees,

and you’ll all be disgraced by the gardens that you chose to worship idols in.

30 You’ll all be like an oak tree with withered leaves,

≈and like a garden that has no access to water.

31 The strong man will be like kindling and his work like a spark,

and both of them will burn together in a fire that no one can put out.

2 This is the message the Amots’s son Yeshayah (Isaiah) saw concerning Yehudah (Judah) and Yerushalem (Jerusalem):

2 Near the end of time, the mountain where Yahweh’s house is

will be established as the most important mountain.

It will become more famous than any other hill,

and all the nations will flow to visit it.

3 Many different peoples will come and say,

“Come on, let’s go up to Yahweh’s mountain—

to the temple of Yakov’s (Jacob’s) God,

so he can teach us his ways and we can walk in his paths.”

Because God’s instructions will emanate from Tsiyyon (Zion),

≈and Yahweh’s message will spread out starting from Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

4 He’ll judge between the nations,

≈and will settle cases for many different peoples.

They’ll hammer their swords into plough blades,

≈and their spears into pruning hooks.

The nations will stop attacking each other,

and they won’t go to war again.[ref]

5 You descendants of Yakov,

come and walk in Yahweh’s light.

6 Yes, you’ve abandoned your people, Yakov’s descendants,

because they’re too influenced by eastern ideas

and they practice divination like the Philistines,

and they make deals with sons of foreigners.

7 Their land is full of silver and gold,

≈and there’s no limit to its wealth.

The land also is full of horses,

≈and there’s no limit to its chariots,

8 Their land is full of idols.

They worship the craftsmanship of their own hands—

≈what their fingers have made.

9 Then a person will be bowed down,

≈and a man will be humbled,

but not forgiven.

10 Go into a cave in the rocks,

or hide in a hole in the ground

from the terror from Yahweh

and from the blinding light of his majesty.[ref]

11 Proud people will be humbled,

≈and the arrogant will be take a lesson,

and Yahweh alone will be honoured on that day.

12 because army commander Yahweh has chosen a day

for judgement against those who’re proud and aloof,

and against every arrogant person—they’ll all be humbled.

13 It’s also against all the high and mighty cedars in Lebanon,

and all the oak trees in Bashan,

14 against all the massive mountains

and all the high hills,

15 against every high tower

and fortified wall,

16 against all the ships from Tarshish

and all those beautiful sailing ships.

17 Humankind’s pride will be humbled

and the arrogance of people will be cut off,

and only Yahweh will be honoured at that time.

18 All the idols will be completely eliminated.

19 Yes, men will go into the caves in the rocks

and into holes in the ground,

to escape from the terror of Yahweh,

and from the blinding light of his majesty,

when he takes action to terrify the earth.

20 On that day, people will throw away

their gold and silver idols which they made to worship.

They’ll throw them into rabbit holes and bat caves.

21 Then they’ll crawl into the crevices in the rocks

and into the openings in the ragged cliffs,

to escape from the terror of Yahweh,

and from the blinding light of his majesty,

when he takes action to terrify the earth.

22 Don’t put your faith in humankind who need air to breathe,

because what can they do about anything?

3 Yes, listen, the master, army commander Yahweh will take supply and support

away from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and from Yehudah (Judah)—

all the supply of bread and of water,

2 the top warriors and regular soldiers,

the judges and prophets,

the diviners and elders,

3 the unit captains and respected officials,

the counsellors and expert craftsman,

and any skillful enchanters.

4 “Then I’ll put young people in place as their leaders,

≈and children will rule over them.

5 After that, the people will be oppressed—

one person fighting another,

and a man being taken advantage of by his neighbour.

The lad will insult the elderly,

and the dishonourable insult the honourable.

6 Indeed, a man will seize his brother in his own father’s house:

‘You have a coat so be our ruler,

and this ruin will be under your control.’

7 That will cause him to shout out,

‘I have no intention of helping. I don’t even have enough food and clothes for my own household.

and in my house there is no bread and there is no clothing.

Don’t try to make me the ruler of the people.’ ”

8 Yes, Yerushalem has stumbled,

and Yehudah has fallen,

because their words and actions are against Yahweh,

defying his royal authority.

9 You can tell their intentions by the look on their faces,

and they talk about their disobedience like the people in Sodom did.

They don’t try to hide it.

Their lives won’t end well because they’ve brought suffering on themselves.

10 Tell those who do what’s right

that they’ll be rewarded for their good deeds.

11 But the wicked won’t end well.

They’ll be repaid appropriately for their actions.

12 Even children will oppress my people,

≈and women rule over them.

Those who guide you lead my people astray

≈and confuse your progress to make you follow the wrong path.

13 Yahweh is getting ready to make his case

and is standing ready to judge the peoples.

14 He will come to pronounce judgement on the elders of his people and their leaders:

“Yes, all of you, you’ve taken all the fruit from the vineyard—

the plunder from the poor is in your houses.

15 Why do you crush my people

and rub the poor people’s faces into the ground?”

That’s the declaration of my master, army commander Yahweh.

16 Then Yahweh said:

“Because Tsiyyon’s (Zion’s) daughters are proud,

and they walk with their chins stuck out and with flirting eyes—

walking and mincing their steps and tinkling their feet,

17 Then my master will shave the heads of Tsiyyon’s daughters,

≈and Yahweh will make their foreheads bald.”

18 At that time my master will remove their fancy ankle bracelets and headbands, crescent necklaces

19 and earrings, bracelets and veils,

20 scarves, armlets, and sashes, perfume bottles and charms,

21 rings on their fingers and in their noses,

22 festive robes and capes, veils and purses,

23 fine clothes and underwear, and their turbans and shawls.

24 When that happens, there’ll be a stink instead of fragrance,

a rope instead of a nice sash,

baldness instead of a styled hairdo,

sackcloth instead of fancy clothes,

brands on the skin instead of beauty,

25 Your men will die from the sword

and your warriors in the battle.

26 The city gates will mourn and wail,

and she’ll end up just sitting their on the ground, alone.

4 When that happens, seven women will take hold of one man, saying,

‘We’ll eat our food and wear our clothes.

Just let us marry you so we can take your name

to remove our shame.’

2 At that time, Yahweh’s branch will become beautiful and glorious,

and the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight for what remains of the Israelis. 3 All who remain in Tsiyyon, i.e., the remnant in Yerushalem, will then be his people who’re destined to continue to live. 4 Surely my master will wash away the filth of Tsiyyon’s daughters, and clea up the blood stains from the middle of Yerushalem using the spirit of judgement and the spirit of fire. 5 Then over all of Mt. Zion and her assemblies there, Yahweh will place a canopy over all the splendour—creating cloud during the day, and smoke and the brightness of a flaming fire during the night.[ref] 6 During the day, it’ll be a shelter that gives shade from the heat, as well as being a cover and place to get out of the storm and rain.

5 Let me sing, please, to my dearest one,

a song for my darling about his vineyard.

My dearest had a vineyard on very fertile hillside.[ref]

2 He dug it over and cleared it

and planted it with choice vines.

He built a watchtower in the middle of it

and also hewed a winepress in a rocky portion.

Then he waited for it to produce grapes,

but it produced sour, wild grapes.

3 So now, you who lives in Yerushalem

≈and man from Yehudah,

judge, please, between me and between my vineyard.

4 What more could have been done for my vineyard,

that I haven’t already done for it?

I waited for it to produce grapes,

but why did it produce wild grapes?

5 So now, listen please,

because I’ll tell you what I’m going to do to my vineyard:

I’ll remove the hedge around it and burn it in a fire.

I’ll tear its wall down so people can trample over it.

6 Then I’ll allow it to become overgrown.

It won’t be pruned or hoed, and thistles and thorns will grow through it.

Then I’ll command the clouds not to rain on it any more.

7 Yes, army commander Yahweh’s vineyard is Yisrael,

and the people from Yehudah are his nice plants.

Then he waited for justice, but look, slaughter came.

He waited for people to do what’s right, but listen, screaming came.

8 Those who acquire houses won’t end well,

≈or those who add to their fields until there’s no room left.

→Then the poor are made to remain alone in the middle of the country.

9 I heard army commander Yahweh say:

‘Surely many houses will end up empty—

≈even large and nice ones won’t have anyone living in them.

10 A large vineyard will produce a measly amount of juice,

≈and ten baskets of seed will only give a harvest of one basket of grain.

11 Those who get up early in the morning to get a strong drink won’t end well,

≈yes, those who loiter into the night as wine inflames them.

12 They celebrate with harp and lyre,

tambourine and flute and wine,

but they don’t care about anything that Yahweh does,

≈in fact, they don’t even know what he’s done for them.

13 Therefore, my people will be exiled because of their for lack of understanding,

and its honourable people are hungry,

≈and the parched crowds are thirsty.

14 Therefore, the grave has enlarged its appetite

≈and opened its mouth without limit.

and its elite and its crowd will descend into it,

along with its noisy crowd and those celebrating.

15 Everyone will be brought into submission and humbled.

≈All the proud people will be humiliated,

16 and army commander Yahweh will be honoured for his justice.

≈God will demonstrate his holiness by doing what is right.

17 Then the lambs will feed in their pastures,

≈and fattened calves will graze around the houses.

18 Those who pull in wickedness with cords of lies won’t end well,

≈and nor will those who drag disobedience along behind them with cart ropes.

19 They say, ‘Let him hurry,

≈let him speed up his work so we can see what he’s doing,

and let the counsel of the holy one of Yisrael approach,

≈and let it come and let us know.’

20 Yhose who call evil good and good evil won’t end well.

≈Nor will those who make darkness for light and and light for darkness,

≈or who set bitter as sweet and sweet as bitter!

21 Those who’re wise in their own eyes won’t end well,

≈nor those who think they’re clever.

22 Those who’re experts at drinking wine won’t end well,

≈nor those whose strength is mixing strong drinks,

23 or those who take a bribe then say a wicked person is innocent,

≈or those that deny justice to innocent people.

24 Therefore, the roots of their families will rot,

≈and their flowers will flower away like dust

just like how a tongue of fire devours stubble in a field

≈and the dry grass goes up in flame,

because they’ve rejected army commander Yahweh’s instructions,

≈and they’ve despised the message from the holy one of Yisrael.

25 That’s why Yahweh got very angry at his people,

and he’s taken action against them and has struck them.

The mountains tremble and their corpses become like garbage in the streets.

In all these things, his anger doesn’t subside,

≈and he doesn’t withdraw the actions he’s started.

26 He’ll signal to faraway nations

≈and will whistle to those at the ends of the earth.

Then wow, how quickly they’ll show up.

27 Those enemy armies won’t get tired or stumble.

≈They won’t stop for a rest or to sleep.

They never take their weapons off,

≈or loosen the straps on their sandals.

28 Their arrows are sharp,

≈and all their bows are strung.

Their horses have hooves as hard as flint,

≈and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.

29 Their roar sounds like a lion,

≈and they growl like young lions.

They seize their prey and carry it off,

→and there’s no rescuer in sight.

30 They will roar above their prey on that day,

≈like the roaring of the ocean.

If someone looks across the land they’d only see darkness and distress.

≈The light has been darkened by the clouds.

6 In the year that King Uzziyah died, I saw my master sitting on a tall, elevated throne, and his long robe covered the temple floor.[ref] 2 There were ‘serafs’ standing above him. They each had six wings—they used two to cover their faces, two to cover their feet, and two to fly with. 3 They were calling out to each other,

“Army commander Yahweh is holy, yes, fully holy.

The whole earth is filled with his splendour.”[ref]

4 Whenever one of them spoke, the sound of their voices make the doorways shake, and the temple was filled with smoke,[ref] 5 and I said,

“This isn’t going to end well for me. Yes, I’m doomed because I am a man with unclean lips,

and I live among a people with unclean lips,

and yet my eyes have seen the king: army commander Yahweh.”

6 Then one of the ‘serafs’ flew to me. He was holding a hot coal that he’d taken off the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with that coal and said,

“Look, this has touched your lips,

and your guilt has been taken away

≈and the price has been paid for your sin.”

8 Then I heard my master ask, “Who will I send? Who will go on our behalf?”

“I’m here,” I answered. “Send me.”

9 Then he said,

“Go and tell that nation:

‘Listen closely, but don’t understand,

and see clearly, but don’t perceive.’[ref]

10 Fatten the heart of this people,

≈and dull its ears and dim its eyes.

Otherwise it might see with its eyes

≈and hear with its ears

and understand with its heart,

→and turn and be healed.”

11 So I asked, “Until when, master?”

And he replied:

“Until cities are desolate—without inhabitants,

≈and the houses are without people,

→and the land is a ruined wasteland,

12 and Yahweh has driven the people far away,

→and the middle of the country is almost totally deserted.

13 If there’s still a tenth of the people in it,

→then disaster will turn back and burn everything.

Like an elm or an oak tree that’s been cut down but still has a stump—

→so too the sacred remnant is the nation’s stump.”

7 During the reign of King Ahaz (son of Yotam, son of Uzziyah) in Yehudah (Judah), King Retsin from Aram and King Pekah (son of Remaliah) from Yisrael, went up to Yerushalem attack it, but they weren’t able to conquer it.[ref] 2 Tt was reported to David’s descendants that Aram (Syria) stands by with Efrayim, and the king and the people trembled just like the trees in the forest shaking in the wind.

3 Then Yahweh told Yeshayah, “Please go out with your son Shear-Yashuv to meet Ahaz at the end of the channel from the upper pool, near the road to the field where they wash clothes, 4 and tell him, ‘Be careful and calm and don’t be afraid. Don’t let your courage melt away because of these two tails of smoldering firebrands, i.e., by the anger of Retsin and Aram and Remalyah’s son. 5 Yes, they’ve plotted together against you, saying, 6 “Let’s go up against Yehudah together and terrify her. Let’s break into her and crown Taveal’s son as king right there in the middle of her.” ’

7 However, my master Yahweh says:

‘That’s not going to happen.

≈They won’t succeed

8 because Aram’s capital is Damascus

and Damascus’ leader is Retsin.

Nevertheless, with sixty-five years Efrayim (Yisrael) will no longer exist as a nation.

9 Efrayim’s capital is Shomron (Samaria).

and Shomron’s leader is Remalyah’s son.

If you don’t keep believing,

then you’ll end up not standing.’ ”

10 Later, Yahweh spoke again to Ahaz, 11 “Ask your god Yahweh for a sign of confirmation for yourself. Request an incredible miracle.”

12 “No, I won’t ask,” Ahaz replied. “I refuse to test Yahweh.”

13 Then Yeshayah said, “You descendants of David need to listen. It’s bad enough that you’re wearing out the people, but why are you also annoying my god? 14 Because of that, my master will take the initiative himself to choose a sign: listen, a young, virgin woman[fn] will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and will name him ‘Immanuel’ (which means ‘God is with us’.).[ref] 15 He’ll know how to refuse evil and do good by the time that he can eat yoghurt and honey. 16 However, before the child is old enough to do that, the countries of the two kings that you’re afraid of, will become deserted.

17 But instead, Yahweh will bring the Assyrian king to attack you and your people, and David’s dynasty will be under it’s greatest stress since Efrayim (Yisrael) broke away from Yehudah (Judah).”

18 When that happens, Yahweh will whistle for a fly that’s in Egypts distant streams, and for a bee that’s in Assyria. 19 They’ll all come and settle down in deserted valleys and cracks in the rocks, and in all the thornbushes and watering holes.

20 At that time, my master will use a hired razor from beyond the Euphrates to shave the head and legs of the Assyrian king, and to remove his beard.

21 In those days, a farmer will preserve a single, young cow alive, and a couple of sheep. 22 However, because they’ll produce so much milk, they’ll produce yoghurt, because everyone left in the country will eat yoghurt and honey.

23 During that period, every block of land with a thousand grapevines that would have been worth a thousand silver coins, will just be full of thistles and thorns. 24 Because it’ll be so overgrown with briers, men will hunt there with their bows and arrows. 25 All the hills that had been cultivated, will now be off limits because of all the thistle and thorns, and sheep and cattle will be left there to tread it down.

8 Then Yahweh told me, “Get yourself a large, stone tablet and inscribe the name ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz’ (which means ‘Quickly plunder and grab the loot’) on it, 2 and I’ll get my reliable witnesses to attest for me: the priest Uriyah, and Yeverekyah’s son Zekaryah.

3 Then I slept with my wife, the prophetess, and she got pregnant and in due course, gave birth to a son. Yahweh told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, 4 because before he’s old enough to call out ‘papa’ or ‘mama’, the riches from Damascus and the plunder from Shomron (Samaria) will all be taken to be presented to the Assyrian king.

5 Then Yahweh continued to speak to me again, saying, 6 “Yehudah has refused the gentle waters of Shiloah and instead requests help from King Retsin and Remalyah’s son King Pekah, 7 so therefore my master will send the waters of a large, powerful river onto them: the Assyrian king and all his majestic power. It’ll come like a flood filling all the channels then overflowing all its banks. 8 It will sweep across Yehudah, flooding yet moving on until it reaches your neck. It’s edges will cover your entire country, Immanuel.”

9 Raise the war cry, peoples, and be terrified,

and listen, all you distant places in the world.

Prepare yourselves for war and to be shattered.

Prepare yourselves for war and to be shattered.

10 Make whatever plans you want, but they’ll come to nothing.

Give a presentation but it won’t stand, because God is with us.

11 Yes, Yahweh spoke strongly to me, and warned me not to behave like other people, saying, 12 “Don’t say ‘conspiracy’ everyone time that other people do, and don’t be afraid when they’re afraid, and don’t live in dread.[ref] 13 Only honour army commander Yahweh, and be concerned about him and fear him. 14 He’ll be like your safe retreat. He’ll be both the stone that strikes and the rock that makes both Yisrael and Yehudah stumble, and like a trap for the inhabitants of Yerushalem.[ref] 15 Many people will stumble over that stone and that rock and fall and be broken, or be snared and captured.”

16 Tie up this report and seal up these instructions for my apprentices. 17 I’ll wait for Yahweh to act. He’s distanced himself from Yakov’s descendants, but I’ll continue to expect his help.[ref]

18 Both I myself, and the children that Yahweh has given me, are like directions and warning signs for Yisrael, that come from army commander Yahweh who lives on Mt. Tsiyyon (Zion).[ref]

19 When they tell you all to consult mediums and fortunetellers who chirp and mutter, shouldn’t the people consult their god rather than the dead guiding the living?

20 Shouldn’t it be the written instructions that they talk about? If they’re not following this message, dawn will never arrive for them, 21 and they’ll be distressed and hungry as they pass it by. Then because they’re hungry and angry, they’ll curse their king and their god as they look upwards. 22 They’ll look back to the ground, and wow, only see trouble and darkness—gloom, distress, and thick darkness thrusting out at them.

9 However, it won’t not cover over those who are distressed. Previously he humiliated the Zevulun and Naftali regions, but later, he’ll honour the way of the sea—beyond the Yarden river—Galilee of the nations.[ref]

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a powerful light.

≈The light has shone on those who’ve lived in a land of darkness.[ref]

3 You have multiplied the nation itself.

You’ve increased its happiness.

≈They celebrate in front of you

like the happiness at harvest time.

≈Like their excitement when dividing the plunder,

4 because you’ve shattered the chains on its neck,

and the stick whacking its shoulders.

You’ve broken the rod of his oppressor

like when you defeated Midyan.

5 Yes, every warrior’s boot treading loudly will be burnt,

along with every piece of clothing with blood on it,

6 because a child is born for us.

A son is given to us

≈and the government will be on his shoulder.

He’ll be called ‘Amazing adviser’,

‘Greatest God’, ‘Forever father’, ‘Prince of peace’.

7 His government will be without borders—

with peace that’s never broken.

He’ll rule on David’s throne, and over his kingdom,

to establish it and sustain it with justice and with fairness from now onwards.

The zeal of army commander Yahweh will do that.[ref]

8 My master sent a message against Yakov,

≈and it dealt with Yisrael,

9 and all the people will know it—

Efrayim and those who live in Samarya.

With a proud and arrogant heart they’ll say,

10 “The bricks have fallen, but we’ll rebuild with beautiful chiselled stone.

≈The sycamores are felled, but we’ll replace them with expensive cedar.”

11 But Yahweh will send King Retsin against them as an adversary,

and will stir up their enemies—

12 the Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west,

and they’ll be a big mouth that’ll gobble Yisrael up.

Even then, Yahweh’s anger won’t subside.

≈He’ll still be taking action against them.

13 The people still won’t return to the one who struck them,

≈and they won’t strive to know army commander Yahweh

14 so he’ll cut off Yisrael’s head and tail—

high palm branches and low reeds, all on the same day.

15 Yisrael’s leaders are that head,

and the lying prophets are that tail.

16 These people’s guides have led them the wrong way,

so the ones being guided were destroyed.

17 Therefore, my master won’t be happy about their young men,

nor will he have compassion for their fatherless and their widows,

because everyone one of them is godless and does evil things,

and every mouth speaks out foolish things.

With all that going on, his anger never goes away,

and he continues to take action against them

18 because wickedness burns like fire.

It burns up the thistles and thorns,

and it spreads to the trees in the forest

as smoke swirls up into the air.

19 Army commander Yahweh’s anger causes the entire land to be scorched,

and then the people become the fuel for the fire

as each man doesn’t even spare his own brother.

20 They devoured on the right but were still hungry.

They ate on the left, but it didn’t fill them up,

so everyone ate the flesh on their own arms.

21 Menashsheh fought Efrayim, then Efrayim found Menashsheh,

then they fought together against Yehudah.

Even through all that, his anger didn’t subside,

and he continues to take action against them.

10 Those who make wicked laws won’t end well,

≈nor will administrators who write troublesome edicts,

2 suppressing the rights of the needy,

≈and robbing the poor among my people of justice,

making widows become plunder,

≈and preying on the fatherless.

3 Then what will you all do for the judgement day,

≈and for the destruction coming from far away?

Who will you all flee to for help then,

and where will you leave your wealth?

4 All they can do is to crouch among the prisoners,

or fall among the killed.

In all these things, Yahweh’s anger doesn’t subside,

and he continues to take action against them.

5 Assyria won’t end well.

The rod of my anger and the staff of my rage is in their hands,[ref]

6 I’ve sent their king against an arrogant nation

≈and against the people that I’m angry with.

I order him to plunder the plunder and to prey on the prey,

and to trample them—trodden down like the mud in the streets.

7 However, that’s not what’s in his mind,

and he doesn’t even think about those things,

because he’s bent on destruction

and the elimination of not just a few nations.

8 In fact, he says,

“Aren’t all my commanders like kings?

9 We destroyed Kalno liked we did at Karkemish,

Hamat like Arpad, and Shomron (Samaria) like Damascus.

10 I’ve already punished idolatrous kingdoms,

and their idols and images were more impressive that those in Yerushalem and Shomron,

11 so just like I did to Shomron and its idols,

I’ll will also do to Yerushalem and its idols.”

12 In due course, when my master has finished all his work against Mt. Tsiyyon (Zion) and against Yerushalem, I’ll deal with the result of the Assyrian king’s proud plans and the arrogant attitude that he displays, 13 because he says,

“It was my own strength and initiatives that got me this far,

and by using my wisdom, because I was discerning.

Now I’ve removed the boundaries of the peoples,

and I’ve stolen their treasures,

and like a powerful animal, I’ve brought down the inhabitants.

14 My hand has seized the wealth of the nations

just like someone taking the eggs out of a nest.

I gathered it from all over the world

but no one fluttered a wing, or opened a mouth and chirped.

15 Will the axe say its greater than the person who swings it?

≈Will the saw praise itself more than the one who uses it?

As if a rod could move those who’re lifting it up,

≈or a staff could lift up what’s not made from wood.

16 Therefore, my master, army commander Yahweh

will make his muscular warriors waste away,

and instead of the Assyrian king getting glory,

he’ll get his fingers burnt like with a burning flame.

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26 Look up and see the stars.

Who created them?

Yahweh knows their number as he brings them out.

≈He calls them all by name.

Because of his great strength and mighty power

not a single one is missing.

27 Why do you talk, Yakob?

≈And why do you speak, Yisrael?

Saying, ‘My path is hidden from Yahweh,

and my rights disappear.’

28 Don’t you know?

≈Haven’t you heard?

The eternal God Yahweh is the creator of one end of the earth to the other.

He doesn’t get tired

≈and he won’t become weary.

You won’t find a limit to his understanding.

29 He gives energy to those who are weary,

≈and increases the strength of those who are weak.

30 Even young people get tired and weary,

≈and young men can stumble clumsily,

31 but those who trust Yahweh will renew their strength.

They will rise up with wings like eagles.

They will run and not get tired.

≈They will walk and not become weary.

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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.

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5 I am Yahweh and there’s no one else.

≈Apart from me, there’s no other God.

Even though you don’t know me,

I will strengthen you

6 so that from the east to the west they’ll know

that there’s nothing apart from me.

I’m Yahweh and there’s no other God.

7 I formed the light and created the darkness.

I bring peace and prosperity, and I cause disasters.

It’s me, Yahweh, who does all those things.

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9 Think about what happened long ago

because I’m God and there’s no other,

≈I’m God and there’s no one like me.

10 From the beginning, I declare the end.

≈From ancient times, I announce what’s still to come.

I declare that my plan will come to be,

≈and all my intentions will be accomplished.

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