Isaiah 44

Revised Geneva Translation

44 “But hear now, O Jacob, My servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.

² “Thus says the LORD, Who made you and formed you from the womb, Who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob, My servant, and you righteous whom I have chosen.

³ ‘For I will pour water upon the thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit upon your seed, and My blessing upon your buds.

⁴ ‘And they shall grow, as among the grass, as the willows by the rivers of waters.’

⁵ “One shall say, ‘I am the LORD’s.’ Another shall be called by the name of Jacob. And another shall write to the LORD with his hand, and name himself by the name of Israel.

⁶ “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts: ‘I Am the First and I Am the Last. And without Me there is no God.

⁷ ‘And who is like Me? Who shall call and shall declare it, and set it in order before Me, since I appointed the ancient people? And what is at hand and what things are to come, let them show to them.

⁸ ‘Do not fear or be afraid. Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? There is no God, none to know.’”

⁹ All those who make an image are useless. And their delectable things shall nothing profit. And they are their own witnesses, that they do not see or know. Therefore, they shall be confounded.

¹⁰ Who makes a god, or casts an image, that is profitable for nothing?

¹¹ Behold, all who are of its fellowship shall be confounded. For the workmen themselves are men. Let them all be gathered together and stand up. They shall fear and be confounded together.

¹² The blacksmith works in the coals with an instrument and fashions it with hammers. He works it with the strength of his arms. Indeed, he is hungry and his strength fails. He drinks no water, and is faint.

¹³ The carpenter stretches forth a line. He fashions it with a red cord. He planes it and he marks it out with the compass, and makes it in the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, so that it may remain in a house.

¹⁴ He will hew down cedars for himself and take the pine tree and the oak. He strengthens himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it.

¹⁵ And it shall be for man to burn. For he will take from it, and warm himself. He also kindles it and bakes bread. Also, he makes a god and worships it. He makes it an idol and bows to it.

¹⁶ He burns half of it in the fire, of that half he eats flesh. He roasts the roast and is satisfied. Also, he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm. I have been at the fire.”

¹⁷ And with the remains he makes a god, his idol. He bows to it, and worships and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me. For you are my god.”

¹⁸ They have not known or understood. For God has shut their eyes so that they cannot see, their heart so that they cannot understand.

¹⁹ And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burnt half of it in the fire and have also baked bread upon its coals. I have roasted its flesh and eaten it. And shall I make its remains an abomination? Shall I bow to the stock of a tree?”

²⁰ He feeds on ashes. A seduced heart has deceived him, so that he cannot deliver his soul or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

²¹ “Remember these (O Jacob and Israel), for you are My servant. I have formed you. You are My servant. O Israel, do not forget Me.

²² “I have put away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins as a mist. Turn to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

²³ Rejoice, you heavens! For the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the Earth! Burst forth into praises, you mountains, O forest and every tree therein! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel!

²⁴ Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He Who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD Who made all things, Who spread out the heavens alone, and stretched out the Earth by Myself.

²⁵ “I destroy the signs of the soothsayers, and make fools of those who boast, and turn the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishness.”

²⁶ He confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited!” And to the cities of Judah, “You shall be built up! And I will repair its decayed places.”

²⁷ He says to the deep, “Be dry!” and, “I will dry up your rivers!”

²⁸ He says to Cyrus, “You are My shepherd,” and, “He shall perform all My desire,” saying also to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundation shall surely be laid.”