Isaiah 44

1Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

3For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

4And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

5One shall say, I am the LORD’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.footnote a

9They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.footnote b

10Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

12The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.footnote c

13The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.footnote d

15Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

17And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.footnote e

19And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?footnote ffootnote g

20He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

23Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

24Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

25That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

26That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:footnote h

27That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

The LORD Has Chosen Israel

1But now listen, O Jacob My servant,Israel, whom I have chosen. 2This is the word of the LORD, your Maker,who formed you from the womb and who will help you:“Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant,Jeshurun,footnote awhom I have chosen. 3For I will pour water on the thirsty land,and currents on the dry ground.I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants,and My blessing on your offspring. 4They will sprout among the grasslike willowsfootnote bby flowing streams. 5One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’another will call himself by the name of Jacob,and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’and will take the name of Israel.”

6Thus says the LORD,the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts:“I am the first and I am the last,and there is no God but Me. 7Who then is like Me?Let him say so!Let him declare his case before Me,since I established an ancient people.Let him foretell the things to come,and what is to take place. 8Do not tremble or fear.Have I not told you and declared it long ago?You are My witnesses!Is there any God but Me?There is no other Rock;I know not one.”

9All makers of idols are nothing,and the things they treasure are worthless.Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend,so they are put to shame. 10Who fashions a god or casts an idolwhich profits him nothing? 11Behold, all his companions will be put to shame,for the craftsmen themselves are only human.Let them all assemble and take their stand;they will all be brought to terror and shame.

12The blacksmith takes a tooland labors over the coals;he fashions an idol with hammersand forges it with his strong arms.Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength;he fails to drink water and grows faint. 13The woodworker extends a measuring line;he marks it out with a stylus;he shapes it with chiselsand outlines it with a compass.He fashions it in the likeness of man,like man in all his glory,that it may dwell in a shrine. 14He cuts down cedarsor retrieves a cypressfootnote cor oak.He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow. 15It serves as fuel for man.He takes some of it to warm himself,and he kindles a fireand bakes his bread.He also fashions it into a god and worships it;he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16He burns half of it in the fire,and he roasts meat on that half.He eats the roast and is satisfied.Indeed, he warms himself and says,“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” 17From the rest he makes a god, his graven image.He bows down to it and worships;he prays to it and says,“Save me, for you are my god.”

18They do not comprehend or discern,for He has shut their eyes so they cannot seeand closed their minds so they cannot understand. 19And no one considers in his heart,no one has the knowledge or insight to say,“I burned half of it in the fire,and I baked bread on its coals;I roasted meat and I ate.Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it?Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” 20He feeds on ashes.His deluded heart has led him astray,and he cannot deliver himself or say,“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

Jerusalem to Be Restored

21Remember these things, O Jacob,for you are My servant, O Israel.I have made you, and you are My servant;O Israel, I will never forget you. 22I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud,and your sins like a mist.Return to Me, for I have redeemed you. 23Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this;shout aloud, O depths of the earth.Break forth in song, O mountains,you forests and all your trees.For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,and revealed His glory in Israel.

24Thus says the LORD,your Redeemer who formed you from the womb:“I am the LORD,who has made all things,who alone stretched out the heavens,who by Myself spread out the earth, 25who foils the signs of false prophetsand makes fools of diviners,who confounds the wiseand turns their knowledge into nonsense, 26who confirms the message of His servantand fulfills the counsel of His messengers,who says of Jerusalem,‘She will be inhabited,’and of the cities of Judah,‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’ 27who says to the depths of the sea,‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’ 28who says of Cyrus,‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’who says of Jerusalem,‘She will be rebuilt,’and of the temple,‘Let its foundation be laid.’”