Study Desk

"You are my witnesses," says Adonai , "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you can know and trust me and understand that I am he — no god was produced before me, nor will any be after me.

the people I formed for myself, so that they would proclaim my praise.

So half of it he burns in the fire; with that half he roasts meat and eats his fill; he warms himself; says, "It feels so good, getting warm while watching the flames!"

Such people know nothing, understand nothing. Their eyes are sealed shut, so that they can't see; their hearts too, so they can't understand.

He is relying on ashes! A deceived heart has led him astray; so that now he won't save himself, just won't say, "This thing in my hand is a fraud!"

Thus says Adonai to Koresh, his anointed, whose right hand he has grasped, so that he subdues nations before him and strips kings of their robes, so that doors open in front of him, and no gates are barred:

I will give you treasures hoarded in the dark, secret riches hidden away, so that you will know that I, Adonai , calling you by your name, am the God of Isra'el.

so that those from the east and those from the west will know that there is none besides me — I am Adonai ; there is no other.

"Heavens above, rain down justice; let the clouds pour it down. Let the earth open, so that salvation springs up, and justice sprouts with it. I, Adonai , have created it."

Listen to me, you stubborn people, so far from righteousness:

You said, ‘I will be mistress forever.' so you didn't consider these things or think about the consequences.

So for now, keep on with your powerful spells and your many occult practices; from childhood you have been working at them; maybe they will do you some good, maybe you will inspire terror!

You are worn out with all your consultations — so let the astrologers and stargazers, the monthly horoscope-makers, come forward now and save you from the things that will come upon you!

So much for your [wizards], with whom you have worked all your life! Each will wander off in his own direction, and nobody will save you.

I announced it to you long ago; before it occurred, I proclaimed it to you; so that you could not say, ‘My idol did it; my carved image, my statue, gave the order for it.'

You have heard and seen all this, so why won't you admit it? "Now I am announcing new things to you, secret things you have not known,

created now, not long ago; before today, you did not hear them: so you can't say, ‘I already know about them.'

Yet for the sake of my own reputation I am deferring my anger; for the sake of my praise I am patient with you, so as not to cut you off.

So now Adonai says — he formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Ya‘akov back to him, to have Isra'el gathered to him, so that I will be honored in the sight of Adonai , my God having become my strength —

he has said, "It is not enough that you are merely my servant to raise up the tribes of Ya‘akov and restore the offspring of Isra'el. I will also make you a light to the nations, so my salvation can spread to the ends of the earth."