Isaiah 44

¹ Yet now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.

² Thus says Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

³ For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;

⁴ and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.

⁵ One will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s;’ and another will call himself by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand to Yahweh, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

⁶ Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.

⁷ Who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that shall happen.

⁸ Don’t fear, neither be afraid. Haven’t I declared to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don’t know any other Rock.”

⁹ All who fashion idols are nothing; and the things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.

¹⁰ Who has fashioned a god, or cast an image that is profitable for nothing?

¹¹ Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are only men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be ashamed together.

¹² The blacksmith takes an axe, and works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails. He drinks no water, and is faint.

¹³ The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house.

¹⁴ He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one tree among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it.

¹⁵ Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he kindles it, and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god, and worships it. He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.

¹⁶ He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it he eats flesh. He roasts roast, and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself, and says, “Ah! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”

¹⁷ The residue of it he makes into a god, even his carved image. He falls down to it, and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me; for you are my god!”

¹⁸ They don’t know, neither do they consider; for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see, and their hearts, that they can’t understand.

¹⁹ No one considers in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, also I have baked bread on its coals. I have roasted flesh and eaten it. Shall I make the residue of it an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?”

²⁰ He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside, that he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

²¹ Remember these things, Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

²² I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me; for I have redeemed you.

²³ Sing, heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, mountains, forest, and every tree therein! For Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.

²⁴ Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: “I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who stretches out the heavens alone; who spreads abroad the earth by myself;

²⁵ who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

²⁶ who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited;’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and I will raise up its waste places;

²⁷ who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and I will dry up your rivers;

²⁸ who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”