12 Listen to me Yakov (Jacob),

≈ and Yisrael (Israel) who I called.

I am he, the first, and also the last.[ref]

13 Yes, my hand founded the earth,

and my right hand stretched out the skies.

I call to them, then they stand together.

14 Gather together all of you and listen.

Which of those idols has announced these things?

Yahweh’s dearest ally will implement Yahweh’s desire on Babylon

and apply his power to those Chaldeans.

15 I’ve spoken. I’ve summoned him.

I’ve brought him, and he will succeed in his mission.

16 Come close to me and listen to this:

From the beginning, I haven’t spoken in secrecy.

I was there when those things happened.

My master Yahweh has sent me and his spirit.

17 Yahweh, Yisrael’s holy one and the one who paid the price for your freedom, says this:

I am your god, Yahweh, who teaches you to prosper—

who leads you in the path that you should follow.

18 If you had paid attention to my instructions

then you would have had peace like a river

and your righteousness like waves in the ocean.

19 Your descendants would have been as numerous as the sand,

≈ and the offspring from your womb like its grains.

It wouldn’t have been destroyed

≈ and had its name removed from my presence.

20 Go away from Babylon.[ref]

≈ Flee from those Chaldeans.

Proclaim this with a happy song.

Send it out to the ends of the earth to say:

Yahweh has paid the price to free his servant Yakov.

21 They weren’t thirsty when he led them through the wildernesses.

He made water flow out of a rock for them—

≈ he split open the rock and the water gushed out.

22 There’s no peace for the wicked says Yahweh.[ref]