Study Desk

"^(C1)Comfort, comfort My people," says your God.

"^(C1)Speak ^(F1)kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her ^(F2)(C2)warfare has ended, That her ^(F3)(C3)guilt has been removed, That she has received of the LORD'S hand ^(C4)Double for all her sins."

^(C1)The voice of one calling out, "^(C2)Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make ^(F1)straight in the desert a highway for our God.

-"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the uneven ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

^(F1)Then the ^(C1)glory of the LORD will be revealed, And ^(C2)all flesh will see it together; For the ^(C3)mouth of the LORD has spoken."

A voice says, "Call out." Then ^(F1)he answered, "What shall I call out?" ^(C1)All flesh is grass, and all its ^(F2)loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The ^(C1)grass withers, the flower fades, ^(F1)When the ^(C2)breath of the LORD blows upon it; The people are indeed grass!

The grass withers, the flower fades, But ^(C1)the word of our God stands forever.

Go up on a ^(C1)high mountain, Zion, messenger of ^(C2)good news, Raise your voice forcefully, Jerusalem, messenger of good news; Raise it up, do not fear. Say to the ^(C3)cities of Judah, "^(C4)Here is your God!"

Behold, the Lord ^(F1)GOD will come ^(C1)with might, With His ^(C2)arm ruling for Him. Behold, His ^(C3)compensation is with Him, And His reward before Him.

Like a shepherd He will ^(C1)tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Who has ^(C1)measured the ^(F1)waters in the hollow of His hand, And measured the heavens with a ^(F2)span, And ^(F3)calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

^(C1)Who has ^(F1)directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His ^(C2)counselor has informed Him?

^(C1)With whom did He consult and who ^(C2)gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?

Behold, the ^(C1)nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of ^(C2)dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the ^(F1)islands like fine dust.

Even Lebanon is not enough to ^(F1)burn, Nor its ^(C1)animals enough for a burnt offering.

^(C1)All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and ^(F1)meaningless.

^(C1)To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

As for the ^(F1)(C1)idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith ^(C2)plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.

He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a ^(C1)tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To ^(F1)prepare ^(F2)an idol that ^(C2)will not totter.

^(C1)Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood ^(C2)from the foundations of the earth?

It is He who ^(F1)sits above the ^(F2)(C1)circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like ^(C2)grasshoppers, Who ^(C3)stretches out the heavens like a ^(C4)curtain And spreads them out like a ^(C5)tent to live in.

It is He who reduces ^(C1)rulers to nothing, Who ^(C2)makes the judges of the earth ^(F1)meaningless.

^(F1)Scarcely have they been planted, ^(F1)Scarcely have they been sown, ^(F1)Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the ^(C1)storm carries them away like stubble.

"^(C1)To whom then will you compare Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One.

^(C1)Raise your eyes on high And see ^(C2)who has created these stars, The ^(C3)One who brings out their ^(F1)multitude by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the ^(C4)greatness of His might and the ^(F2)strength of His power, ^(C5)Not one of them is missing.

^(C1)Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel, "My way is ^(C2)hidden from the LORD, And the ^(C3)justice due me ^(F1)escapes the notice of ^(C4)my God"?

^(C1)Do you not know? Have you not heard? The ^(C2)Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is ^(C3)unsearchable.

He gives strength to the ^(C1)weary, And to the one who lacks might He ^(C2)increases power.

Though ^(C1)youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous ^(C2)young men stumble badly,

Yet those who ^(F1)wait for the LORD Will ^(C1)gain new strength; They will ^(F2)(C2)mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

"^(C1)Listen to Me ^(C2)in silence, you coastlands, And let the peoples ^(C3)gain new strength; ^(C4)Let them come forward, then let them speak; ^(C5)Let's come together for judgment.

-"^(C1)Who has stirred one from the east Whom He ^(C2)calls in righteousness to His ^(F1)feet? He ^(C3)turns nations over to him And subdues kings. He makes them like ^(C4)dust with his sword, Like the wind-driven ^(C5)chaff with his bow.

-"He pursues them, passing on in safety, By a way he had not been ^(F1)traversing with his feet.

-"^(C1)Who has performed and accomplished it, Summoning the generations from the beginning? '^(C2)I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. ^(C3)I am He.'"

The ^(C1)coastlands have seen and are afraid; The ^(C2)ends of the earth tremble; They have approached and have come.

Each one helps his neighbor And says to his brother, "Be strong!"

So the ^(C1)craftsman encourages the ^(C2)smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering, "It is good"; And he fastens it with nails, ^(C3)So that it will not totter.

"But you, Israel, ^(C1)My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of ^(C2)Abraham My ^(C3)friend,

You whom I have ^(F1)(C1)taken from the ends of the earth And called from its ^(C2)remotest parts, And said to you, 'You are ^(C3)My servant, I have ^(C4)chosen you and have not rejected you.

-'Do not ^(C1)fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, ^(C2)I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous ^(C3)right hand.'

-"Behold, ^(C1)all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; ^(C2)Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.

-"^(C1)You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.

-"For I am the LORD your God ^(C1)who takes hold of your right hand, Who says to you, '^(C2)Do not fear, I will help you.'

-"Do not fear, you ^(C1)worm Jacob, you people of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and ^(C2)your ^(F1)Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

-"Behold, I turned you into a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; ^(C1)You will thresh the ^(C2)mountains and pulverize them, And make the hills like chaff.

-"You will ^(C1)winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, And the storm will scatter them; But you will ^(C2)rejoice in the LORD, You will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

"The poor and needy are seeking ^(C1)water, but there is none, And their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, ^(C2)will answer them Myself; As the God of Israel I ^(C3)will not abandon them.

-"I will open ^(C1)rivers on the bare heights, And springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make ^(C2)the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land fountains of water.

-"I will put the cedar in the wilderness, The acacia, the ^(C1)myrtle, and the olive tree; I will place the ^(C1)juniper in the desert, Together with the elm tree and the cypress,

So that ^(C1)they may see and recognize, And consider and gain insight as well, That the ^(C2)hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.

"^(F1)Present your case," the LORD says. "Bring forward your evidence," The ^(C1)King of Jacob says.

^(C1)Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the ^(C2)former events, declare what they were, So that we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;

^(C1)Declare the things that are going to come afterward, So that we may know that you are gods; Indeed, ^(C2)do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.

Behold, ^(C1)you are less than nothing, And ^(C2)your work is less than nothing! He who chooses you is an ^(C3)abomination.

"I have put ^(C1)one from the north into motion, and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My name; And he will come upon rulers as upon ^(F1)(C2)mortar, As the potter treads on clay."

Who has ^(C1)declared this from the beginning, that we might know? Or from former times, that we may say, "He is right!"? There was ^(C2)no one at all who declared, There was no one at all who proclaimed, There was no one at all who heard your words.

"^(C1)Previously I said to Zion, 'Behold, here they are.' And to Jerusalem, 'I will give a ^(C2)messenger of good news.'

-"But ^(C1)when I look, there is no one, And there is no ^(C2)counselor ^(F1)among them Who, if I ask, can ^(C3)give an answer.

-"Behold, all of them are ^(F1)false; Their ^(C1)works are ^(C2)nothing, Their cast metal images are ^(C3)wind and emptiness.

"^(C1)Behold, My ^(C2)Servant, whom I ^(F1)uphold; My ^(C3)chosen one in whom My ^(C4)soul delights. I have put My ^(C5)Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth ^(C6)justice to the ^(F2)nations.

-"He will not cry out nor raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street.

-"A bent reed He will not break off And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth ^(C1)justice.

-"He will not be ^(C1)disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice on the earth; And the ^(C2)coastlands will wait expectantly for His ^(F1)law."

This is what God the LORD says, Who ^(C1)created the heavens and ^(C2)stretched them out, Who spread out the ^(C3)earth and its ^(F1)offspring, Who ^(C4)gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it:

"I am the LORD, I have ^(C1)called You in righteousness, I will also ^(C2)hold You by the hand and ^(C3)watch over You, And I will appoint You as a ^(C4)covenant to the people, As a ^(C5)light to the nations,

To ^(C1)open blind eyes, To ^(C2)bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

-"^(C1)I am the LORD, that is ^(C2)My name; I will not give My ^(C3)glory to another, Nor My praise to idols.

-"Behold, the ^(C1)former things have come to pass, Now I declare ^(C2)new things; Before they sprout I proclaim them to you."

Sing to the LORD a ^(C1)new song, Sing His praise from the ^(C2)end of the earth! ^(C3)You who go down to the sea, and ^(C4)all that is in it; You ^(C5)islands, and those who live on them.

Let the ^(C1)wilderness and its cities raise their voices, The settlements which ^(C2)Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of ^(C3)Sela sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops of the ^(C4)mountains.

Let them ^(C1)give glory to the LORD And declare His praise in the ^(C2)coastlands.

^(C1)The LORD will go out like a warrior, He will stir His ^(C2)zeal like a man of war. He will shout, indeed, He will raise a war cry. He will ^(C3)prevail against His enemies.

"^(C1)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.

-"I will ^(C1)lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will ^(C2)turn the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds.

-"I will ^(C1)lead those who are blind by a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I will guide them. I will ^(C2)turn darkness into light before them And ^(C3)uneven land into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will ^(C4)not leave them undone."

They will be turned back and be ^(C1)utterly put to shame, Who trust in ^(F1)idols, Who say to cast metal images, "You are our gods."

^(C1)Hear, you who are deaf! And look, you who are blind, so that you may see.

Who is blind but My ^(C1)servant, Or so deaf as My ^(C2)messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as one who is ^(F1)(C3)at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the LORD?

^(C1)You have seen many things, but you do not retain them; Your ears are open, but no one hears.

The LORD was pleased for His righteousness' sake To make the Law ^(C1)great and glorious.

But this is a people plundered and pillaged; All of them are ^(C1)trapped in ^(F1)caves, Or are ^(C2)hidden away in prisons; They have become plunder, with no one to save them, And spoils with no one to say, "Give them back!"

Who among you will listen to this? Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?

Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they ^(C1)were not willing to walk, And whose Law they did not ^(C2)obey?

So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the ^(C1)fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he ^(F1)(C2)paid no attention.

But now, this is what the LORD says, He who is your ^(C1)Creator, Jacob, And He who ^(C2)formed you, Israel: "Do not ^(C3)fear, for I have ^(C4)redeemed you; I have ^(C5)called you by name; you are ^(C6)Mine!

-"When you ^(C1)pass through the waters, ^(C2)I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you ^(C3)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

-"For ^(C1)I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your ^(C2)Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, ^(F1)(C3)Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

-"Since you are ^(C1)precious in My sight, Since you are ^(C2)honored and I ^(C3)love you, I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.

-"Do not fear, for ^(C1)I am with you; I will bring ^(C2)your offspring from the east, And ^(C3)gather you from the west.

-"I will say to the ^(C1)north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My ^(C2)sons from afar And My daughters from the ^(C3)ends of the earth,

Everyone who is ^(C1)called by My name, And whom I have ^(C2)created for My ^(C3)glory, ^(C4)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made."

Bring out the people who are ^(C1)blind, even though they have eyes, And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.

All the nations have ^(C1)gathered together So that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can ^(C2)declare this And proclaim to us the former things? Let them present ^(C3)their witnesses so ^(C4)that they may be justified, Or let them hear and say, "It is true."

"You are ^(C1)My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And ^(C2)My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that ^(C3)I am He. ^(C4)Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.

-"I, only I, am the LORD, And there is no ^(C1)savior ^(C2)besides Me.

-"It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no ^(C1)strange god among you; So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God.

-"Even ^(F1)(C1)from eternity ^(C2)I am He, And there is ^(C3)no one who can rescue from My hand; ^(C4)I act, and who can reverse it?"

This is what the LORD your ^(C1)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: "For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And will bring them all down as fugitives, ^(F1)Even the ^(C2)Chaldeans, into the ^(C3)ships ^(F2)over which they rejoice.

-"I am the LORD, your Holy One, ^(C1)The Creator of Israel, your ^(C2)King."

This is what the LORD says, He who ^(C1)makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

Who brings out the ^(C1)chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty man (They will lie down together and not rise again; They have been ^(C2)extinguished, and have gone out like a wick):

"^(C1)Do not call to mind the former things, Or consider things of the past.

-"Behold, I am going to do something ^(C1)new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even ^(C2)make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.

-"The animals of the field will glorify Me, The ^(C1)jackals and the ostriches, Because I have ^(C2)given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people.

-"The people whom ^(C1)I formed for Myself ^(C2)Will declare My praise.

"Yet you have not called on Me, Jacob; But you have become ^(C1)weary of Me, Israel.

-"You have ^(C1)not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings, Nor have you ^(C2)honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not ^(C3)burdened you with ^(F1)offerings, Nor wearied you with ^(C4)incense.

-"You have not bought Me ^(F1)(C1)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 ^(C2)wearied Me with your wrongdoings.

"I, I alone, am the one who ^(C1)wipes out your wrongdoings ^(C2)for My own sake, And I will ^(C3)not remember your sins.

-"^(F1)Meet Me in court, ^(C1)let's argue our case together; State your cause, ^(C2)so that you may be proved right.

-"Your ^(C1)first ^(F1)forefather sinned, And your ^(F2)(C2)spokesmen have rebelled against Me.

-"So I will profane the ^(F1)officials of the sanctuary, And I will turn Jacob over to ^(C1)destruction and Israel to ^(C2)abuse.

"But now listen, Jacob, My ^(C1)servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:

This is what the LORD says, He who made you And ^(C1)formed you from the womb, who ^(C2)will help you: '^(C3)Do not fear, Jacob My servant, And ^(F1)(C4)Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

-'For ^(C1)I will pour water on ^(F1)the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will ^(C2)pour out My Spirit on your ^(C3)offspring, And My blessing on your descendants;

And they will spring up ^(F1)among the grass Like ^(C1)poplars by streams of water.'

-"This one will say, 'I am the LORD'S'; And that one ^(F1)will call on the name of Jacob; And another will ^(C1)write ^(F2)on his hand, 'Belonging to the LORD,' And will give himself Israel's name with honor.

"This is what the LORD says, He who is the ^(C1)King of Israel and his ^(C2)Redeemer, the LORD of armies: 'I am the ^(C3)first and I am the last, And there is no God ^(C4)besides Me.

-'Who is like Me? ^(C1)Let him proclaim and declare it; And, let him confront Me ^(F1)Beginning with My establishing of the ancient ^(F2)nation. Then let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place.

-'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; ^(C1)Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And ^(C2)you are My witnesses. Is there any God ^(C3)besides Me, Or is there any other ^(C4)Rock? I know of none.'"

Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be ^(C1)put to shame.

Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to ^(C1)no benefit?

Behold, all his companions will be ^(C1)put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them be put to shame together.

The ^(C1)craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, ^(F1)fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and ^(F2)his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

^(C1)The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of ^(C2)mankind, so that it may sit in a ^(C3)house.

He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow.

Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also ^(C1)makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and ^(C2)bows down before it.

Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire."

Yet the rest of it he ^(C1)makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also ^(C2)prays to it and says, "Save me, for you are my god."

They do not ^(C1)know, nor do they understand, for He has ^(C2)smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

No one ^(F1)remembers, nor is there ^(C1)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 ^(F2)I make the rest of it into an ^(C2)abomination, ^(F3)I bow down before a block of wood!"

He ^(F1)(C1)feeds on ashes; a ^(C2)deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save ^(F2)himself, nor say, "^(C3)Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

"^(C1)Remember these things, Jacob, And Israel, for you are ^(C2)My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, Israel, you will ^(C3)not be forgotten by Me.

-"I have ^(C1)wiped out your wrongdoings like a thick cloud And your sins like a ^(F1)heavy mist. ^(C2)Return to Me, for I have ^(C3)redeemed you."

^(C1)Shout for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; ^(C2)Break into a shout of jubilation, you mountains, Forest, and every tree in it; For ^(C3)the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And in Israel He ^(C4)shows His glory.

This is what the LORD says, He who is your ^(C1)Redeemer, and the One who ^(C2)formed you from the womb: "I, the LORD, am the Maker of all things, ^(C3)Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth ^(F1)alone,

^(C1)Causing the ^(F1)omens of diviners to fail, ^(F2)Making fools of fortune-tellers; ^(C2)Causing wise men to turn back And ^(F3)making their knowledge ridiculous,

^(C1)Confirming the word of His servant And ^(F1)carrying out the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited!' And of the ^(C2)cities of Judah, '^(C3)They shall be built.' And I will raise her ruins again.

-"I am the One who says to the depth of the sea, 'Dry up!' And I will make your rivers ^(C1)dry up.

-"It is I who says of ^(C1)Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he will carry out all My desire.' And ^(F1)he says of Jerusalem, '^(C2)She will be built,' And of the temple, '^(F2)Your foundation will be laid.'"

This is what the LORD says to ^(C1)Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right ^(C2)hand, To ^(C3)subdue nations before him And ^(F1)to ^(C4)undo the weapons belt on the waist of kings; To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

"I will go before you and ^(C1)make the ^(F1)rough places smooth; I will ^(C2)shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron ^(C3)bars.

-"I will give you the ^(F1)(C1)treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who ^(C2)calls you by your name.

-"For the sake of ^(C1)Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also ^(C2)called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have ^(C3)not known Me.

-"I am the LORD, and ^(C1)there is no one else; ^(C2)There is no God except Me. I will ^(F1)(C3)arm you, though you have not known Me,

So that ^(C1)people may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is ^(C2)no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else,

The One ^(C1)forming light and ^(C2)creating darkness, Causing ^(F1)well-being and ^(C3)creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.

"^(C1)Drip down, heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the ^(C2)earth open up and salvation bear fruit, ^(C3)And righteousness sprout with it. I, the LORD, have created it.

"Woe to the one who ^(C1)quarrels with ^(F1)his Maker— A piece of pottery ^(F2)among the other earthenware pottery pieces! Will the ^(C2)clay say to the ^(F3)potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands'?

-"Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you fathering?' Or to a woman, 'To what are you ^(F1)giving birth?'"

This is what the ^(C1)LORD says, the Holy One of Israel and ^(F1)his ^(C2)Maker: "^(F2)(C3)Ask Me about the things to come ^(F3)concerning My ^(C4)sons, And you shall commit to Me ^(C5)the work of My hands.

-"It is I who ^(C1)made the earth, and created mankind upon it. I ^(C2)stretched out the heavens with My hands, And I ^(F1)ordained ^(C3)all their ^(F2)lights.

-"I have stirred him in ^(C1)righteousness, And I will ^(C2)make all his ways smooth. He will ^(C3)build My city and let My exiles go ^(C4)free, Without any payment or reward," says the LORD of armies.

This is what the LORD says: "The ^(F1)products of ^(C1)Egypt and the merchandise of ^(F2)(C2)Cush And the Sabeans, men of stature, Will ^(C3)come over to you and will be yours; They will walk behind you, they will come over in ^(C4)chains And will ^(C5)bow down to you; They will plead with you: '^(F3)(C6)God certainly is ^(F4)with you, and ^(C7)there is no one else, No other God.'"

Truly, You are a God who ^(C1)hides Himself, God of Israel, ^(C2)Savior!

They will be ^(C1)put to shame and even humiliated, all of them; The ^(C2)manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.

Israel has been saved by the LORD With an ^(C1)everlasting salvation; You ^(C2)will not be put to shame or humiliated To all eternity.

For this is what the LORD says, He who ^(C1)created the heavens (He is the God who ^(C2)formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it ^(F1)as a ^(C3)waste place, but formed it to be ^(C4)inhabited): "I am the LORD, and ^(C5)there is no one else.

-"^(C1)I have not spoken in secret, In ^(F1)some dark land; I did not say to the ^(F2)(C2)offspring of Jacob, '^(C3)Seek Me in ^(F3)a wasteland'; I, the LORD, ^(C4)speak righteousness, ^(C5)Declaring things that are right.

"^(C1)Gather yourselves and come; Come together, you survivors of the nations! ^(C2)They have no knowledge, Who ^(C3)carry around ^(F1)their wooden idol And ^(C4)pray to a god who cannot save.

-"^(C1)Declare and present your case; Indeed, let them consult together. ^(C2)Who has announced this long ago? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is ^(C3)no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a ^(C4)Savior; There is none except Me.

-"^(C1)Turn to Me and ^(C2)be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.

-"^(C1)I have sworn by Myself; The ^(C2)word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me ^(C3)every knee will bow, every tongue will ^(C4)swear allegiance.

-"They will say of Me, 'Only ^(C1)in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' People will come to Him, And ^(C2)all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.

-"In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be ^(C1)justified and will ^(C2)boast."

^(C1)Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over; Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle. The things ^(F1)that you carry are burdensome, A load for the weary animal.

They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden, But ^(F1)have themselves ^(C1)gone into captivity.

"^(C1)Listen to Me, house of Jacob, And all ^(C2)the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been ^(C3)carried by Me from ^(F1)birth And have been carried from the womb;

Even to your old age ^(C1)I ^(F1)will be the same, And even to your ^(F2)(C2)graying years I will ^(F3)carry you! I have ^(F4)done it, and I will bear you; And I will ^(F3)carry you and I will save you.

"^(C1)To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal, and compare Me, That we would be alike?

-"Those who ^(C1)lavish gold from the bag And weigh silver on the scale, Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They ^(C2)bow down, indeed they worship it.

-"They ^(C1)lift it on the shoulder, carry it, And set it in its place, and it stands there. ^(C2)It does not move from its place. Though one may shout to it, it ^(C3)cannot answer; It ^(C4)cannot save him from his distress.

"^(C1)Remember this, and be ^(F1)assured; ^(C2)Recall it to ^(F2)mind, you ^(C3)wrongdoers.

-"Remember the ^(C1)former things long past, For I am God, and there is ^(C2)no other; I am God, and there is ^(C3)no one like Me,

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, '^(C1)My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';

Calling a ^(C1)bird of prey from the ^(C2)east, The man of ^(F1)My purpose from a distant country. Truly I have ^(C3)spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will certainly do it.

"^(C1)Listen to Me, you ^(C2)stubborn-minded, Who are ^(C3)far from righteousness.

-"I ^(C1)bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. And I will grant ^(C2)salvation in Zion, And My ^(C3)glory for Israel.

"^(C1)Come down and sit in the dust, ^(C2)Virgin ^(C3)daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called ^(C4)tender and delicate.

-"Take the ^(C1)millstones and ^(C2)grind flour. Remove your ^(C3)veil, ^(C4)strip off the skirt, Uncover the leg, cross the rivers.

-"Your ^(C1)nakedness will be uncovered, Your shame will also be exposed; I will ^(C2)take vengeance and will not spare anyone."

Our ^(C1)Redeemer, the LORD of armies is His name, The Holy One of Israel.

"^(C1)Sit silently, and go into ^(C2)darkness, Daughter of the Chaldeans; For you will no longer be called The ^(C3)queen of ^(C4)kingdoms.

-"I was angry with My people, I profaned My heritage And handed them over to you. You did not show mercy to them, On the ^(C1)aged you made your yoke very heavy.

-"Yet you said, 'I will be a ^(C1)queen forever.' These things you did not ^(C2)consider Nor remember the ^(C3)outcome of ^(F1)them.

"Now, then, hear this, you ^(C1)luxuriant one, Who ^(C2)lives securely, Who says in her heart, '^(C3)I am, and there is no one besides me. I will ^(C4)not sit as a widow, Nor know the loss of children.'

-"But these ^(C1)two things will come on you ^(C2)suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in full measure In spite of your many ^(C3)sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells.

-"You felt ^(C1)secure in your wickedness and said, '^(C2)No one sees me,' Your ^(C3)wisdom and your knowledge, ^(F1)they have led you astray; For you have said in your heart, '^(C4)I am, and there is no one besides me.'

-"But ^(C1)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 ^(C2)destruction about which you do not know Will come on you ^(C3)suddenly.

"Persist now in your ^(C1)spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to benefit, Perhaps you may cause trembling.

-"You are ^(C1)wearied with your many counsels; Let now the ^(C2)astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and ^(C3)save you from what will come upon you.

-"Behold, they have become ^(C1)like stubble, ^(C2)Fire burns them; They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame; There will be ^(C3)no coal to warm by Nor a fire to sit before!

-"So have those become to you with whom you have labored, Those who have ^(C1)done business with you from your youth; Each has wandered in his own ^(F1)way; There is ^(C2)no one to save you.

"^(C1)Hear this, house of Jacob, who are named Israel And who came from the ^(C2)waters of Judah, Who ^(C3)swear by the name of the LORD And invoke the God of Israel, But not in truth nor in ^(C4)righteousness.

-"For they name themselves after the ^(C1)holy city, And ^(C2)lean on the God of Israel; The LORD of armies is His name.

-"I ^(C1)declared the former things long ago, And they went out of My mouth, and I proclaimed them. ^(C2)Suddenly I acted, and they ^(C3)came to pass.

-"Because I know that you are ^(F1)(C1)obstinate, And your ^(C2)neck is an iron tendon And your ^(C3)forehead bronze,

Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before ^(F1)they took place I proclaimed them to you, So that you would not say, 'My ^(C1)idol has done them, And my carved image and my cast metal image have commanded them.'

-"You have heard; look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you ^(C1)new things from this time, Hidden things which you have not known.

-"They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them, So that you will not say, 'Behold, I knew them.'

-"You have not ^(C1)heard, you have not known. 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 ^(F1)(C2)rebel from ^(F2)birth.

-"^(C1)For the sake of My name I ^(C2)delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off.

-"Behold, I have refined you, but ^(C1)not as silver; I have tested you in the ^(C2)furnace of affliction.

-"^(C1)For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And I will not give My ^(C2)glory to another.

"Listen to Me, Jacob, Israel ^(F1)whom I called; ^(C1)I am He, ^(C2)I am the first, I am also the last.

-"Assuredly My hand ^(C1)founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I ^(C2)call to them, they stand together.

-"^(C1)Assemble, all of you, and listen! ^(C2)Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he will ^(C3)carry out His good pleasure against ^(C4)Babylon, And His arm will be against the Chaldeans.

-"I, yes I, have spoken; indeed I have ^(C1)called him, I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful.

-"^(C1)Come near to Me, listen to this: From the beginning I have ^(C2)not spoken in secret, ^(C3)From the time it took place, I was there. And now ^(C4)the Lord ^(F1)GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit."

This is what the LORD says, He who is your ^(C1)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to benefit, Who ^(C2)leads you in the way you should go.

-"If only you had ^(C1)paid attention to My commandments! Then your ^(F1)(C2)well-being would have been like a river, And your ^(C3)righteousness like the waves of the sea.

-"Your ^(F1)(C1)descendants would have been like the sand, And ^(F2)your offspring like its grains; ^(C2)Their name would never be eliminated or destroyed from My presence."

^(C1)Go out from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare with the sound of ^(C2)joyful shouting, proclaim this, ^(C3)Send it out to the end of the earth; Say, "^(C4)The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob."

They did not ^(C1)thirst when He led them through the deserts. He ^(C2)made the water flow out of the rock for them; He split the rock and ^(C3)the water gushed out.

"^(C1)There is no peace for the wicked," says the LORD.

Listen to Me, you ^(C1)islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. ^(C2)The LORD called Me from the womb; From the ^(F1)body of My mother He named Me.

He has made My ^(C1)mouth like a sharp sword, In the ^(C2)shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a sharpened ^(C3)arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.

He said to Me, "^(C1)You are My Servant, Israel, ^(C2)In whom I will show My glory."

But I said, "I have ^(C1)labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and futility; Nevertheless, the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My ^(C2)reward is with My God."

And now says ^(C1)the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that ^(C2)Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am ^(C3)honored in the sight of the LORD, And My God is My ^(C4)strength),

He says, "It is too ^(F1)small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ^(C1)protected ones of Israel; I will also make You a ^(C2)light ^(F2)of the nations So that My salvation may ^(F3)reach to the ^(C3)end of the earth."

This is what the LORD, the ^(C1)Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, Says to the ^(F1)(C2)despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers: "^(C3)Kings will see and arise, Princes will also ^(C4)bow down, Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You."

This is what the LORD says: "At a ^(C1)favorable time I answered You, And on a day of salvation I helped You; And I will ^(C2)watch over You and ^(C3)make You a covenant of the people, To ^(F1)(C4)restore the land, to give as inheritances the deserted hereditary lands;

Saying to those who are ^(C1)bound, '^(F1)Go free,' To those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' They will feed along the roads, And their pasture will be on all ^(C2)bare heights.

-"They will ^(C1)not hunger or thirst, Nor will the scorching ^(C2)heat or sun strike them down; For ^(C3)He who has compassion on them will ^(C4)lead them, And He will guide them to ^(C5)springs of water.

-"I will make all ^(C1)My mountains a road, And My ^(C2)highways will be raised up.

-"Behold, these will come ^(C1)from afar; And behold, these will come from the ^(C2)north and from the west, And these from the land of Aswan."

^(C1)Shout for joy, you heavens! And rejoice, you earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, mountains! For the ^(C2)LORD has comforted His people And will ^(C3)have compassion on His afflicted.

But Zion said, "The LORD has abandoned me, And the Lord has forgotten me."

"Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but ^(C1)I will not forget you.

-"Behold, I have ^(C1)inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your ^(C2)walls are continually before Me.

-"Your ^(F1)builders hurry; Your ^(C1)destroyers and devastators Will leave you.

-"^(C1)Raise your eyes and look around; ^(C2)All of them gather together, ^(C3)they come to you. ^(C4)As I live," declares the LORD, "You will certainly ^(C5)put them all on as ^(F1)jewelry and bind them on as a bride.

-"For ^(C1)your ruins and deserted places and your destroyed land— Now you will certainly be ^(C2)too cramped for the inhabitants, And those who ^(C3)swallowed you will be far away.

-"The ^(C1)children ^(F1)you lost will yet say in your ears, 'The place is too cramped for me; Make room for me that I may live here.'

-"Then you will ^(C1)say in your heart, 'Who has fathered these for me, Since I have been bereaved of my children And ^(C2)cannot conceive, and I am an ^(C3)exile, and a wanderer? And who has raised these? Behold, I was ^(C4)left alone; ^(F1)(C5)Where are these from?'"

This is what the Lord ^(F1)GOD says: "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations And set up My ^(C1)flag to the peoples; And they will ^(C2)bring your sons ^(F2)in their arms, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.

-"^(C1)Kings will be your guardians, And their princesses your nurses. They will ^(C2)bow down to you with their faces to the ground And ^(C3)lick the dust from your feet; And you will ^(C4)know that I am the LORD; Those who hopefully ^(C5)wait for Me will ^(C6)not be put to shame.

"^(C1)Can the prey be taken from a mighty man, Or the captives of ^(F1)a tyrant be rescued?"

Indeed, this is what the LORD says: "Even the ^(C1)captives of the mighty man will be taken away, And the prey of a tyrant will be rescued; For I will contend with the one who contends with you, And I will ^(C2)save your sons.

-"I will feed your ^(C1)oppressors with their ^(C2)own flesh, And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine; And ^(F1)(C3)humanity will know that I, the LORD, am your ^(C4)Savior And your ^(C5)Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

This is what the LORD says: "Where is the ^(C1)certificate of divorce By which I have ^(C2)sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I ^(C3)sell you? Behold, you were sold for your ^(C4)wrongdoings, And for your ^(C5)wrongful acts your mother ^(C6)was sent away.

-"Why was there ^(C1)no one when I came? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Is My ^(C2)hand so short that it cannot redeem? Or do I have no power to rescue? Behold, I ^(C3)dry up the sea with My rebuke, I ^(C4)turn rivers into a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water, And die of thirst.

-"I ^(C1)clothe the heavens with blackness, And make sackcloth their covering."

The Lord ^(F1)GOD has given Me the tongue of ^(C1)disciples, So that I may know how to ^(C2)sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me ^(C3)morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.

The Lord GOD has ^(C1)opened My ear, And I was ^(C2)not disobedient, Nor did I turn back.

I ^(C1)gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard; I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.

For the Lord GOD ^(C1)helps Me, Therefore, I am ^(C2)not disgraced; Therefore, I have made My face like ^(C3)flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

He who ^(C1)vindicates Me is near; Who will contend with Me? Let us ^(C2)stand up to each other. Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me.