Bible in 90 Days
19 I will put the cedar in the wilderness,
The acacia and the (A)myrtle and the [a]olive tree;
I will place the (B)juniper in the desert
Together with the box tree and the cypress,
20 That (C)they may see and know,
And establish and gain insight as well,
That the (D)hand of Yahweh has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 “Bring near your case,” Yahweh says.
“Bring forward your mighty arguments,”
The (E)King of Jacob says.
22 (F)Let them bring it forth and declare to us what is going to take place;
As for the (G)former events, declare what they were,
That we may establish our heart on them and know their outcome.
Or cause us to hear of what is coming;
23 (H)Declare the things that are to come afterward,
That we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, (I)do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.
24 Behold, (J)you are nothing,
And (K)your work is non-existent;
He who chooses you is an (L)abomination.
25 “I have awakened (M)one from the north, and he has come;
From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;
And he will come upon officials as upon (N)mortar,
Even as the potter treads clay.”
26 Who has (O)declared this from the beginning, that we might know?
Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”?
Surely there was (P)no one who declared;
Surely there was no one who caused those words to be heard;
Surely there was no one who heard your words.
27 “(Q)Formerly I said to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are.’
And to Jerusalem, ‘I will give a (R)messenger of good news.’
28 But (S)I look, and there is no one,
And there is no (T)counselor [b]among them
Who, if I ask, can (U)respond with a word.
29 Behold, all of them are [c]false;
Their (V)works are (W)non-existent;
Their molten images are (X)wind and utter formlessness.
Yahweh’s Chosen Servant
42 “(Y)Behold, My (Z)Servant, whom I [d]uphold;
My (AA)chosen one in whom My (AB)soul is well-pleased.
I have put My (AC)Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth (AD)justice to the [e]nations.
2 He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 A crushed reed He will not break
And a faintly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will bring forth (AE)justice in truth.
4 He will not be (AF)faint or crushed
Until He has established justice in the earth;
And the (AG)coastlands will wait expectantly for His [f]law.”
5 Thus says the God, Yahweh,
Who (AH)created the heavens and (AI)stretched them out,
Who spread out the (AJ)earth and its [g]offspring,
Who (AK)gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it,
6 “I am Yahweh, I have (AL)called You in righteousness;
I will also (AM)take hold of You by the hand and (AN)guard You,
And I will give You as a (AO)covenant to the people,
As a (AP)light to the nations,
7 To (AQ)open blind eyes,
To (AR)bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who inhabit darkness from the prison.
8 (AS)I am Yahweh, that is (AT)My name;
I will not give My (AU)glory to another,
Nor My praise to [h]graven images.
9 Behold, the (AV)former things have come to pass;
Now I declare (AW)new things;
Before they spring forth I cause you to hear them.”
10 Sing to Yahweh a (AX)new song,
Sing His praise from the (AY)end of the earth!
(AZ)You who go down to the sea, (BA)as well as its fullness.
You (BB)coastlands, and those who inhabit them.
11 Let the (BC)wilderness and its cities lift up their voices,
The villages where (BD)Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of (BE)Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the (BF)mountains.
12 Let them (BG)give glory to Yahweh
And declare His praise in the (BH)coastlands.
13 (BI)Yahweh will go forth like a warrior;
He will awaken His (BJ)zeal like a man of war.
He will make a loud shout, indeed, He will raise a war cry.
He will (BK)prevail against His enemies.
Israel’s Blindness and Deafness
14 “(BL)I have kept silent for a long time;
I have kept still and restrained Myself.
Now like a woman in labor I will groan;
I will both gasp and pant.
15 I will (BM)lay waste the mountains and hills
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will (BN)make the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the pools of waters.
16 I will (BO)lead the blind by a way they do not know,
In paths they do not know I will guide them.
I will (BP)make darkness into light before them
And (BQ)rugged places into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will (BR)not forsake them.”
17 They will be turned back and be (BS)utterly put to shame,
Who trust in graven images,
Who say to molten images,
“You are our gods.”
18 (BT)Hear, you deaf!
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (BU)servant,
Or so deaf as My (BV)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as he that is [i](BW)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of Yahweh?
20 (BX)You have seen many things, but you do not keep them;
Your ears are open, but none hears.
21 Yahweh was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
That He make the law (BY)great and majestic.
22 But this is a people plundered and pillaged as spoil;
All of them are (BZ)trapped in [j]caves,
Or are (CA)hidden away in prisons;
They have become a plunder with none to deliver them,
And a spoil, with none to say, “Have them return!”
23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will give heed and hear hereafter?
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not Yahweh, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they (CB)were not willing to walk,
And whose law they did not (CC)obey?
25 So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the (CD)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not know it;
And it burned him, but he did not (CE)set it upon his heart.
The Redemption of Israel
43 But now, thus says Yahweh, your (CF)Creator, O Jacob,
And He who (CG)formed you, O Israel,
“Do not (CH)fear, for I have (CI)redeemed you;
I have (CJ)called you by name; you are (CK)Mine!
2 When you (CL)pass through the waters, (CM)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you (CN)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For (CO)I am Yahweh your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your (CP)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
[k](CQ)Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you are (CR)precious in My sight,
Since you are (CS)honored and I (CT)love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for (CU)I am with you;
I will bring (CV)your seed from the east,
And (CW)gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the (CX)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My (CY)sons from afar
And My daughters from the (CZ)ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is (DA)called by My name,
And whom I have (DB)created for My (DC)glory,
(DD)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Israel Is Yahweh’s Witness
8 Bring out the people who are (DE)blind, even though they have eyes,
And the deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have (DF)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (DG)declare this
And make us hear the former things?
Let them present (DH)their witnesses (DI)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (DJ)My witnesses,” declares Yahweh,
“And (DK)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (DL)I am He.
(DM)Before Me there was no god formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, even I, am Yahweh,
And there is no (DN)savior (DO)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and caused it to be heard,
And there was no (DP)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares Yahweh,
“And I am God.
13 Even [l](DQ)from eternity (DR)I am He,
And there is (DS)none who can deliver out of My hand;
(DT)I act and who can reverse it?”
Rivers in the Wasteland
14 Thus says Yahweh your (DU)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
And will bring down those who fled—all of them,
[m]Even the (DV)Chaldeans—into the (DW)ships [n]in which they shouted for joy.
15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One,
(DX)The Creator of Israel, your (DY)King.”
16 Thus says Yahweh,
Who (DZ)makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the (EA)chariot and the horse,
The military force and the mighty man;
They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been (EB)extinguished and quenched like a wick:
18 “(EC)Do not remember the former things,
Nor carefully consider things of the past.
19 Behold, I will do something (ED)new;
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not know it?
I will even (EE)make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the wasteland.
20 The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The (EF)jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have (EG)given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the wasteland,
To give drink to My chosen people.
21 The people whom (EH)I formed for Myself
(EI)Will recount My praise.
22 “Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob;
But you have become (EJ)weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have (EK)not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,
Nor have you (EL)glorified Me with your sacrifices.
I have not (EM)burdened you with [o]offerings,
Nor wearied you with (EN)frankincense.
24 You have not bought Me [p](EO)sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
Rather you have burdened Me with your sins;
You have (EP)wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 “I, even I, am the one who (EQ)wipes out your transgressions (ER)for My own sake,
And I will (ES)not remember your sins.
26 [q]Bring Me to remembrance, (ET)let us enter into judgment together;
Recount your cause, (EU)that you may be proved right.
27 Your (EV)first father sinned,
And your [r](EW)spokesmen have [s]transgressed against Me.
28 So I will [t]profane the [u]princes of the sanctuary,
And I will give Jacob to be (EX)devoted to destruction and Israel to (EY)revilement.
No God Besides Yahweh
44 “But now hear, O Jacob, My (EZ)servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus says Yahweh who made you
And (FA)formed you from the womb, who (FB)will help you,
‘(FC)Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,
And you (FD)Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
3 For (FE)I will pour out water on [v]the thirsty ground
And streams on the dry land;
I will (FF)pour out My Spirit on your (FG)seed
And My blessing on your offspring;
4 And they will spring up [w]among the grass
Like (FH)poplars by streams of water.’
5 This one will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s’;
And this one [x]will call on the name of Jacob;
And this one will (FI)write [y]on his hand, ‘Belonging to Yahweh,’
And will name Israel’s name with honor.
6 “Thus says Yahweh, the (FJ)King of Israel and his (FK)Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts:
‘I am the (FL)first, and I am the last,
And there is no God (FM)besides Me.
7 Who is like Me? (FN)Let him call out and declare it;
And let him tell it to Me in order,
[z]From the time that I established the ancient [aa]people.
And let them declare to them the things that are to come
And the events that are going to take place.
8 Do not be in dread and do not be afraid;
(FO)Have I not long since caused it to be heard to you and declared it?
And (FP)you are My witnesses.
Is there any God (FQ)besides Me,
Or is there any other (FR)Rock?
I know of none.’”
The Futility of Idolatry
9 Those who form [ab]a graven image are all of them [ac]futile, and their desirable things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be (FS)put to shame. 10 Who has formed a god or cast a graven image to (FT)no profit? 11 Behold, all his companions will be (FU)put to shame. The craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them be in dread, let them together be put to shame.
12 The (FV)man crafts iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, [ad]forming it with hammers and working it with his powerful arm. He also gets hungry and has no power; he drinks no water and becomes weary. 13 (FW)Another crafts wood, he extends a measuring line; he outlines it with [ae]a stylus. He makes it with planes and outlines it with a compass and makes it like the form of a man, like the glory of (FX)man, so that it may sit in a (FY)house. 14 In order to cut cedars for himself, he takes a [af]cypress or an oak and [ag]raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. 15 Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also kindles a fire to bake bread. He also (FZ)works to produce a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and (GA)falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm; I have seen the fire.” 17 But the rest of it he (GB)makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also (GC)prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god.”
18 They do not (GD)know, nor do they understand, for He has (GE)smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they will have no insight. 19 No one causes this to return to his heart, nor is there (GF)knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then [ah]I make the rest of it into an (GG)abomination; [ai]I fall down before a block of wood!” 20 He [aj](GH)feeds on ashes; a (GI)deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver his soul, and he cannot say, “(GJ)Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
Yahweh Forgives and Redeems
21 “(GK)Remember these things, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are (GL)My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant;
O Israel, you will (GM)not be forgotten by Me.
22 I have (GN)wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a cloud.
(GO)Return to Me, for I have (GP)redeemed you.”
23 (GQ)Shout for joy, O heavens, for Yahweh has done it!
Make a loud shout, you lower parts of the earth;
(GR)Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it;
For (GS)Yahweh has redeemed Jacob
And in Israel He (GT)shows forth His beautiful glory.
24 Thus says Yahweh, your (GU)Redeemer, and the one who (GV)formed you from the womb,
“I, Yahweh, am the maker of all things,
(GW)Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth [ak]all alone,
25 (GX)Causing the [al]omens of boasters to be annulled,
And [am]making fools out of diviners,
(GY)Causing wise men to turn back,
And [an]making foolishness out of their knowledge,
26 (GZ)Confirming the word of His servant—
And the counsel of His messengers He will complete—
And being the One who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’
And of the (HA)cities of Judah, ‘(HB)They shall be built.’
And I will raise up her waste places again.
27 It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’
And I will make your rivers (HC)dry.
28 It is I who says of (HD)Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!
And all My good pleasure he will complete.’
And saying of Jerusalem, ‘(HE)She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘[ao]Your foundation will be laid.’”
Cyrus, Yahweh’s Anointed
45 Thus says Yahweh to (HF)Cyrus His anointed,
Whom I have taken hold of by his right (HG)hand,
To (HH)subdue nations before him
And [ap]to (HI)loose the loins of kings,
To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
2 “I will go before you and (HJ)make the [aq]rough places smooth;
I will (HK)shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron (HL)bars.
3 I will give you the [ar](HM)treasures of darkness
And hidden wealth of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
Yahweh, the God of Israel, who (HN)calls you by your name.
4 For the sake of (HO)Jacob My servant,
And Israel My chosen one,
I have also (HP)called you by your name;
I have given you a title of honor
Though you have (HQ)not known Me.
5 I am Yahweh, and (HR)there is no other;
(HS)Besides Me there is no God.
I will [as](HT)gird you, though you have not known Me,
6 That (HU)they may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
That there is (HV)no one besides Me.
I am Yahweh, and there is no other,
7 The One (HW)forming light and (HX)creating darkness,
Producing peace and (HY)creating calamity;
I am Yahweh who does all these.
Yahweh the Maker
8 “(HZ)Drip down, O heavens, from above,
And let the skies pour down righteousness;
Let the (IA)earth open up and salvation bear fruit,
(IB)And righteousness [at]spring up with it.
I, Yahweh, have created it.
9 “Woe to the one who (IC)contends with his [au]Maker—
An earthenware vessel [av]among the vessels of earth!
Will the (ID)clay say to the [aw]potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
Or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor pains?’”
11 Thus says (IE)Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, and his [ax](IF)Maker:
“[ay](IG)Ask Me about the things that are to come [az]concerning My (IH)sons,
And you shall [ba]commit to Me (II)the work of My hands.
12 It is I who (IJ)made the earth and created man upon it.
I (IK)stretched out the heavens with My hands,
And I commanded (IL)all their host.
13 I have awakened him in (IM)righteousness,
And I will (IN)make all his ways smooth;
He will (IO)build My city and will (IP)let My exiles go,
Without any payment or reward,” says Yahweh of hosts.
14 Thus says Yahweh,
“The fruit of the labor of (IQ)Egypt and the profit of [bb](IR)Ethiopia
And the Sabeans, men of stature,
Will (IS)come over to you and will be yours;
They will walk behind you; they will come over in (IT)chains
And will (IU)bow down to you;
They will make supplication to you:
‘[bc]Surely, (IV)God is [bd]with you, and (IW)there is none else,
No other God.’”
15 Truly, You are a God who (IX)hides Himself,
O God of Israel, (IY)Savior!
16 They will be (IZ)put to shame and even dishonored, all of them;
The (JA)craftsmen of idols will go away together in dishonor.
17 Israel has been saved by Yahweh
With an (JB)everlasting salvation;
You (JC)will not be put to shame or dishonored
To all eternity.
18 For thus says Yahweh, who (JD)created the heavens (He is the God who (JE)formed the earth and made it; He established it and did not create it [be]a (JF)formless place, but formed it to be (JG)inhabited),
“I am Yahweh, and (JH)there is none else.
19 (JI)I have not spoken in secret,
In [bf]some dark land;
I did not say to the (JJ)seed of Jacob,
‘(JK)Seek Me in [bg]a formless place’;
I, Yahweh, (JL)speak righteousness,
(JM)Declaring things that are upright.
20 “(JN)Gather yourselves and come;
Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations;
(JO)They do not know,
Who (JP)carry about their graven image of wood
And (JQ)pray to a god who cannot save.
21 (JR)Declare and draw near with your case;
Indeed, let them consult together.
(JS)Who has made this heard from of old?
Who has long since declared it?
Is it not I, Yahweh?
And there is (JT)no other God besides Me,
A righteous God and a (JU)Savior;
There is none except Me.
22 (JV)Turn to Me and (JW)be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 (JX)I have sworn by Myself,
The (JY)word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
And will not turn back,
That to Me (JZ)every knee will bow, every tongue will (KA)swear allegiance.
24 They will say of Me, ‘Only (KB)in Yahweh are righteousness and strength.’
Men will come to Him,
And (KC)all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
25 In Yahweh all the seed of Israel
Will be (KD)justified and will (KE)boast.”
Babylon’s Idols and the True God
46 (KF)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over;
Their images are on the beasts and the cattle.
The things [bh]that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary beast.
2 They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the load,
But [bi]have themselves (KG)gone into captivity.
3 “(KH)Hear Me, O house of Jacob,
And all (KI)the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been (KJ)burdening Me from [bj]birth
And have been carried from the womb;
4 Even to your old age [bk](KK)I will be the same,
And even to your [bl](KL)graying years I will bear you!
I have [bm]done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you, and I will rescue you.
5 “(KM)To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal and compare Me,
That we would be alike?
6 Those who (KN)lavish gold from the purse
And weigh silver on the scale,
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
They (KO)fall down, indeed they worship it.
7 They (KP)carry it upon the shoulder and bear it;
They set it in its place, and it stands there.
(KQ)It does not move from its place.
Though one may cry to it, it (KR)cannot answer;
It (KS)cannot save him from his distress.
8 “(KT)Remember this, and be [bn]assured;
(KU)Cause it to return to your heart, you (KV)transgressors.
9 Remember the (KW)former things long past,
For I am God, and there is (KX)no other;
I am God, and there is (KY)no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘(KZ)My counsel will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’,
11 Calling a (LA)bird of prey from the (LB)east,
The man of [bo]My counsel from a far country.
Truly I have (LC)spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have formed it, surely I will do it.
12 “(LD)Hear Me, you (LE)stubborn of heart,
Who are (LF)far from righteousness.
13 I (LG)bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant (LH)salvation in Zion,
And My (LI)glory for Israel.
Lament for Babylon
47 “(LJ)Come down and sit in the dust,
O (LK)virgin (LL)daughter of Babylon;
Sit on the ground without a throne,
O daughter of the Chaldeans!
For you shall no longer be called (LM)tender and delicate.
2 Take the (LN)millstones and (LO)grind flour.
Uncover your (LP)veil, (LQ)strip off the skirt,
Uncover the leg, cross the rivers.
3 Your (LR)nakedness will be uncovered;
Your reproach also will be seen;
I will (LS)take vengeance and will not [bp]spare a man.”
4 Our (LT)Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts is His name,
The Holy One of Israel.
5 “(LU)Sit silently, and go into (LV)darkness,
O daughter of the Chaldeans,
For you will no longer be called
The (LW)queen of (LX)kingdoms.
6 I was furious with My people;
I profaned My inheritance
And gave them into your hand.
You did not show compassion to them,
On the (LY)aged you made your yoke very heavy.
7 Yet you said, ‘I will be a (LZ)queen forever.’
These things you did not (MA)put on your heart
Nor remember the (MB)outcome of [bq]them.
8 “So now, hear this, you (MC)sensual one,
Who (MD)sits securely,
Who says in [br]your heart,
‘(ME)I am, and there is no one besides me.
I will (MF)not sit as a widow,
Nor know loss of children.’
9 But these (MG)two things will come on you (MH)suddenly in one day:
Loss of children and widowhood.
They will come on you in full measure
In spite of your many (MI)sorceries,
In spite of the great might of your spells.
10 You felt (MJ)secure in your evil and said,
‘(MK)No one sees me,’
Your (ML)wisdom and your knowledge [bs]have turned you astray;
So you have said in your heart,
‘(MM)I am, and there is no one besides me.’
11 But (MN)evil will come on you
Which you will not know how to charm away;
And disaster will fall on you
For which you cannot atone;
And (MO)destruction about which you do not know
Will come on you (MP)suddenly.
12 “Stand fast now in your (MQ)spells
And in your many sorceries
With which you have labored from your youth;
Perhaps you will be able to profit;
Perhaps you may cause trembling.
13 You are (MR)wearied with your many counsels;
Let now the (MS)astrologers,
Those who behold visions by the stars,
Those who predict by the new moons,
Stand up and (MT)save you from what will come upon you.
14 Behold, they have become (MU)like stubble,
(MV)Fire burns them;
They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame;
There will be (MW)no coal to warm by
Nor a fire to sit before!
15 Thus they have become for you, those among whom you have labored,
Who have (MX)traded with you from your youth;
Each has wandered in his own [bt]way;
There is (MY)none to save you.
My Glory I Will Not Give to Another
48 “(MZ)Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name Israel
And who came forth from the [bu](NA)loins of Judah,
Who (NB)swear by the name of Yahweh
And bring to remembrance the God of Israel,
But not in truth or in (NC)righteousness.
2 For they call themselves after the (ND)holy city
And (NE)are supported by the God of Israel;
Yahweh of hosts is His name.
3 I (NF)declared the former things long ago,
And they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to be heard.
(NG)Suddenly I acted, and they (NH)came to pass.
4 Because I know that you are [bv](NI)stiff,
And your (NJ)neck is an iron sinew
And your (NK)forehead bronze,
5 Therefore I declared them to you long ago,
Before [bw]they happened I caused them to be heard by you,
Lest you say, ‘My (NL)idol has done them,
And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’
6 You have heard; look at all this.
And you, will you not declare it?
I caused you to hear (NM)new things from this time,
Even hidden things which you have not known.
7 They are created now and not long ago;
And before today you have not heard them,
Lest you say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
8 Indeed, you have not (NN)heard; indeed, you have not known.
Indeed, even from long ago your ear has not been open
Because I knew that you would deal very treacherously;
And you have been called a [bx](NO)transgressor from the [by]womb.
9 (NP)For the sake of My name I (NQ)delay My anger,
And for My praise I restrain it for you,
In order not to cut you off.
10 Behold, I have refined you, but (NR)not as silver;
I have tested you in the (NS)furnace of affliction.
11 (NT)For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act;
For how can My name be profaned?
And My (NU)glory I will not give to another.
Yahweh Redeems Jacob
12 “Hear Me, O Jacob, even Israel [bz]whom I called;
(NV)I am He, (NW)I am the first, I am also the last.
13 Also, My hand (NX)founded the earth,
And My right hand spread out the heavens;
When I (NY)call to them, they stand together.
14 (NZ)Assemble, all of you, and hear!
(OA)Who among them has declared these things?
Yahweh loves him; he will (OB)carry out His good pleasure on (OC)Babylon,
And His arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 I, even I, have spoken; indeed I have (OD)called him,
I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful.
16 (OE)Draw near to Me, hear this:
From the first I have (OF)not spoken in secret,
(OG)From the time it took place, I was there.
So now (OH)Lord Yahweh has sent Me, and His Spirit.”
17 Thus says Yahweh, your (OI)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
“I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you to profit,
Who (OJ)leads you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had (OK)paid attention to My commandments!
Then your (OL)peace would have been like a river,
And your (OM)righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 Your (ON)seed would have been like the sand,
And the offspring from your loins like its grains;
(OO)Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”
20 (OP)Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans!
Declare with the sound of (OQ)joyful shouting, cause this to be heard,
(OR)Bring it forth to the end of the earth;
Say, “(OS)Yahweh has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
21 And they did not (OT)thirst when He led them through the waste places.
He (OU)made the water flow out of the rock for them;
He split the rock, and (OV)the water gushed forth.
22 “(OW)There is no peace for the wicked,” says Yahweh.
I Will Give You as a Light of the Nations
49 Listen to Me, O (OX)coastlands,
And pay attention, you peoples from afar.
(OY)Yahweh called Me from the womb;
From the [ca]body of My mother He made My name to be remembered.
2 He has set My (OZ)mouth like a sharp sword;
In the (PA)shadow of His hand He has concealed Me;
And He has also set Me as a [cb]select (PB)arrow;
He has hidden Me in His quiver.
3 He said to Me, “(PC)You are My Servant, Israel,
(PD)In Whom I will [cc]show forth My beautiful glory.”
4 But I said, “I have (PE)toiled in vain;
I have spent My might for [cd]nothing and vanity;
Yet surely the justice due to Me is with Yahweh,
And My (PF)reward with My God.”
5 So now says (PG)Yahweh, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To return Jacob back to Him, so that (PH)Israel might be gathered to Him
(For I am (PI)glorified in the sight of Yahweh,
And My God is My (PJ)strength),
6 He says, “It is too [ce]small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to cause the (PK)preserved ones of Israel to return;
I will also give You as a (PL)light [cf]of the nations
So that My salvation may [cg]reach to the (PM)end of the earth.”
7 Thus says Yahweh, the (PN)Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One,
To the (PO)despised One,
To the One abhorred by the nation,
To the Servant of rulers,
“(PP)Kings will see and arise,
Princes will also (PQ)bow down,
Because of Yahweh who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”
8 Thus says Yahweh,
“In an (PR)acceptable time I have answered You,
And in a day of salvation I have helped You;
And I will (PS)guard You and (PT)give You for a covenant of the people,
To (PU)establish the land, to make them inherit the desolate [ch]inheritance;
9 Saying to those who are (PV)bound, ‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness, ‘[ci]Show yourselves.’
Along the roads they will [cj]feed,
And their pasture will be on all (PW)bare heights.
10 They will (PX)not hunger or thirst,
Nor will the scorching (PY)heat or sun strike them down;
For (PZ)He who has compassion on them will (QA)guide them
And will lead them to (QB)springs of water.
11 I will set all (QC)My mountains as a road,
And My (QD)highways will be raised up.
12 Behold, these will come (QE)from afar;
And behold, these will come from the (QF)north and from the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.”
13 (QG)Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!
Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!
For (QH)Yahweh has comforted His people
And will (QI)have compassion on His afflicted.
Promise to Zion
14 But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me,
And the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her infant
And have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, but (QJ)I will not forget you.
16 Behold, I have (QK)inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your (QL)walls are continually before Me.
17 Your [ck]builders hurry;
Your (QM)destroyers and devastators
Will depart from you.
18 (QN)Lift up your eyes and look around;
(QO)All of them gather together; (QP)they come to you.
(QQ)As I live,” declares Yahweh,
“You will surely (QR)put on all of them as [cl]jewels and bind them on as a bride.
19 For (QS)your [cm]devastated and desolate places and your destroyed land—
Surely now you will be (QT)too cramped for the inhabitants,
And those who (QU)swallowed you will be far away.
20 The (QV)children of [cn]whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,
‘The place is too cramped for me;
Make room for me that I may live here.’
21 Then you will (QW)say in your heart,
‘Who has borne these for me?
Indeed, I have been bereaved of my children
And am (QX)barren, an (QY)exile and a wanderer.
And who has reared these?
Behold, I (QZ)remained alone;
[co](RA)From where did these come?’”
22 Thus says Lord Yahweh,
“Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations
And make high My (RB)standard to the peoples;
And they will (RC)bring your sons in their bosom,
And your daughters will be lifted up on their shoulders.
23 (RD)Kings will be your guardians,
And their princesses your nurses.
They will (RE)bow down to you with their [cp]faces to the earth
And (RF)lick the dust of your feet;
And you will (RG)know that I am Yahweh;
Those who (RH)hope in Me will (RI)not be put to shame.
24 “(RJ)Can the prey be taken from the mighty man,
Or the captives of the [cq]righteous be granted escape?”
25 Surely, thus says Yahweh,
“Even the (RK)captives of the mighty man will be taken away,
And the prey of the tyrant will be granted escape;
For I will contend with the one who contends with you,
And I will (RL)save your sons.
26 I will feed (RM)those who mistreat you with their (RN)own flesh,
And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine;
And (RO)all flesh will know that I, Yahweh, am your (RP)Savior
And your (RQ)Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Yahweh Helps His Servant
50 Thus says Yahweh,
“Where is the (RR)certificate of divorce
By which I have (RS)sent your mother away?
Or to which of My creditors did I (RT)sell you?
Behold, you were sold for your (RU)iniquities,
And for your (RV)transgressions your mother (RW)was sent away.
2 Why was there (RX)no man when I came?
When I called, why was there none to answer?
Is My (RY)hand so short that it cannot ransom?
Or have I no power to deliver?
Behold, I (RZ)dry up the sea with My rebuke;
I (SA)make the rivers a wilderness;
Their fish stink for lack of water
And die of thirst.
3 I (SB)clothe the heavens with blackness
And make sackcloth their covering.”
4 Lord Yahweh has given Me the tongue of (SC)disciples,
That I may know how to (SD)sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me (SE)morning by morning;
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
5 Lord Yahweh has (SF)opened My ear;
And I did (SG)not rebel
Nor did I turn back.
6 I (SH)gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;
I did not hide My face from dishonor and spitting.
7 Even now Lord Yahweh (SI)helps Me,
Therefore, I am (SJ)not dishonored;
Therefore, I have set My face like (SK)flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
8 He who [cr](SL)vindicates Me is near;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us (SM)stand up to each other;
Who has a judgment against Me?
Let him approach Me.
9 Behold, (SN)Lord Yahweh helps Me;
(SO)Who is he who condemns Me?
Behold, (SP)they will all wear out like a garment;
The moth will eat them.
10 Who is among you that fears Yahweh,
That listens to the voice of His (SQ)Servant,
That (SR)walks in darkness and has no light?
Let him (SS)trust in the name of Yahweh and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who (ST)kindle a fire,
Who gird yourselves with firebrands,
Walk in the light of your fire
And among the brands you have set ablaze.
This you will have from My hand:
You will (SU)lie down in torment.
Yahweh’s Righteousness Is Forever
51 “(SV)Listen to Me, you who (SW)pursue righteousness,
Who seek Yahweh:
Look to the (SX)rock from which you were hewn
And to the [cs]quarry from which you were dug.
2 Look to (SY)Abraham your father
And to Sarah who brought you forth through labor pains;
When he (SZ)was but one I called him,
Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”
3 Indeed, (TA)Yahweh will comfort Zion;
He will comfort all her (TB)waste places.
And her (TC)wilderness He will make like (TD)Eden,
And her desert like the (TE)garden of Yahweh;
(TF)Joy and gladness will be found in her,
Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.
4 “(TG)Pay attention to Me, O My people,
And give ear to Me, O My [ct]nation;
For a (TH)law will go forth from Me,
And I will [cu]set My (TI)justice for a (TJ)light of the peoples.
5 My (TK)righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth,
And My (TL)arms will judge the peoples;
The (TM)coastlands will hope in Me,
And for My (TN)arm they will wait expectantly.
6 (TO)Lift up your eyes to the sky,
Then look to the earth beneath;
For the (TP)sky will vanish like smoke,
And the (TQ)earth will wear out like a garment,
And its inhabitants will die [cv]in like manner;
But My (TR)salvation will be forever,
And My righteousness will not be dismayed.
7 (TS)Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
A people in whose (TT)heart is My law;
Do not fear the (TU)reproach of man,
Nor be dismayed at their revilings.
8 For the (TV)moth will eat them like a garment,
And the (TW)grub will eat them like wool.
But My (TX)righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation to all generations.”
9 (TY)Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Yahweh;
Awake as in the (TZ)days of old, the generations of long ago.
(UA)Was it not You who chopped Rahab in pieces,
Who pierced the (UB)dragon?
10 Was it not You who (UC)dried up the sea,
The waters of the great deep,
Who made the depths of the sea a pathway
For the (UD)redeemed to cross over?
11 So the (UE)ransomed of Yahweh will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
And (UF)everlasting gladness will be on their heads.
They will obtain joy and gladness,
And (UG)sorrow and sighing will flee away.
12 “I, even I, am He who (UH)comforts you.
Who are you that you are afraid of (UI)man who dies
And of the son of man who is made (UJ)like grass,
13 That you have (UK)forgotten Yahweh your Maker,
Who (UL)stretched out the heavens
And laid the foundations of the earth,
That you (UM)tremble in dread continually all day long because of the wrath of the one who brings distress,
As he makes ready to bring ruin?
But where is the wrath of the (UN)one who brings distress?
14 The (UO)one in chains will soon be set free and will not die in the pit, (UP)nor will his bread be lacking. 15 For I am Yahweh your God, who (UQ)stirs up the sea, and its waves roar—Yahweh of hosts is His name. 16 I have (UR)put My words in your mouth and have (US)covered you with the shadow of My hand, to [cw](UT)establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
17 (UU)Awaken yourself! Awaken yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem,
You who have (UV)drunk from the hand of Yahweh the cup of His wrath;
The [cx]chalice of reeling you have [cy]drained to the dregs.
18 There is (UW)none to guide her among all the sons she has borne,
Nor is there one to take hold of her by the hand among all the sons she has reared.
19 These two things have befallen you;
Who will console you?
The (UX)devastation and destruction, famine and sword;
How shall I comfort you?
20 Your sons have fainted;
They (UY)lie helpless at the head of every street,
Like an (UZ)antelope in a net,
Full of the wrath of Yahweh,
The (VA)rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore, now, listen to this, you (VB)afflicted,
Who are (VC)drunk, but not with wine:
22 Thus says your Lord, Yahweh, even your God
Who (VD)contends for His people,
“Behold, I have taken out of your hand the (VE)cup of reeling,
The [cz]chalice of My wrath;
You will never drink it again.
23 I will (VF)set it into the hand of those who cause you grief,
Who have said to [da]you, ‘(VG)Lie down that we may walk over you.’
You have even set your back down like the ground
And like the street for those who walk over it.”
Hope for Captive Zion
52 (VH)Awake, awake,
Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion;
Clothe yourself in your (VI)glorious garments,
O Jerusalem, the (VJ)holy city;
For the uncircumcised and the (VK)unclean
Will no longer come into you.
2 Shake yourself (VL)from the dust, (VM)rise up,
O captive Jerusalem;
(VN)Loose yourself from the chains around your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says Yahweh, “You were (VO)sold for nothing, and you will be (VP)redeemed (VQ)without money.” 4 For thus says Lord Yahweh, “My people (VR)went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 So now, what do I have here,” declares Yahweh, “since My people have been taken away for nothing?” Yahweh declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My (VS)name is continually blasphemed all day long. 6 Therefore My people shall (VT)know My name; therefore in that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’”
7 How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who proclaims (VU)good news,
Who [db]announces [dc]peace
And proclaims good news of good things,
Who [dd]announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your (VV)God [de]reigns!”
8 The voice of Your watchmen! They lift up their (VW)voices;
They shout joyfully together;
For they will see [df]with their own eyes
When Yahweh returns to Zion.
9 (VX)Break forth, shout joyfully together,
You (VY)waste places of Jerusalem;
For Yahweh has comforted His people;
He has (VZ)redeemed Jerusalem.
10 Yahweh has bared His holy (WA)arm
In the sight of all the nations,
[dg]That (WB)all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God.
11 (WC)Depart, depart, go out from there,
(WD)Touch nothing unclean;
Go out of the midst of her, (WE)purify yourselves,
You who carry the vessels of Yahweh.
12 But you will not go out in (WF)haste,
Nor will you go as those who flee;
For (WG)Yahweh will go before you,
And (WH)the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
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