Study Desk

"But now listen, Jacob, my servant,^(a) Israel, whom I have chosen.^(b)

This is what the Lord says— he who made^(c) you, who formed you in the womb,^(d) and who will help^(e) you: Do not be afraid,^(f) Jacob, my servant,^(g) Jeshurun,^[a](h) whom I have chosen.

For I will pour water⁽ⁱ⁾ on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;^(j) I will pour out my Spirit^(k) on your offspring, and my blessing^(l) on your descendants.^(m)

They will spring up like grass⁽ⁿ⁾ in a meadow, like poplar trees^(o) by flowing streams.^(p)

Some will say, ‘I belong^(q) to the Lord '; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand,^(r) ‘The Lord 's,'^(s) and will take the name Israel.

"This is what the Lord says— Israel's King^(t) and Redeemer,^(u) the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last;^(v) apart from me there is no God.^(w)

Who then is like me?^(x) Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let them foretell^(y) what will come.

Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim^(z) this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God^(aa) besides me? No, there is no other Rock;^(ab) I know not one."

All who make idols^(ac) are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless.^(ad) Those who would speak up for them are blind;^(ae) they are ignorant, to their own shame.^(af)

Who shapes a god and casts an idol,^(ag) which can profit nothing?^(ah)

People who do that will be put to shame;^(ai) such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame.^(aj)

The blacksmith^(ak) takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm.^(al) He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.^(am)

The carpenter^(an) measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form,^(ao) human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.^(ap)

He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine,^(aq) and the rain made it grow.

It is used as fuel^(ar) for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships^(as) it; he makes an idol and bows^(at) down to it.

Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.^(au)"

From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships.^(av) He prays^(aw) to it and says, "Save^(ax) me! You are my god!"

They know nothing, they understand^(ay) nothing; their eyes^(az) are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding^(ba) to say, "Half of it I used for fuel;^(bb) I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable^(bc) thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"^(bd)

Such a person feeds on ashes;^(be) a deluded^(bf) heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?^(bg)"

"Remember^(bh) these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant.^(bi) I have made you, you are my servant;^(bj) Israel, I will not forget you.^(bk)

I have swept away^(bl) your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return^(bm) to me, for I have redeemed^(bn) you."

Sing for joy,^(bo) you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth^(bp) beneath. Burst into song, you mountains,^(bq) you forests and all your trees,^(br) for the Lord has redeemed^(bs) Jacob, he displays his glory^(bt) in Israel.

"This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer,^(bu) who formed^(bv) you in the womb:^(bw) I am the Lord , the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens,^(bx) who spreads out the earth^(by) by myself,

who foils^(bz) the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners,^(ca) who overthrows the learning of the wise^(cb) and turns it into nonsense,^(cc)

who carries out the words^(cd) of his servants and fulfills^(ce) the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem,^(cf) ‘It shall be inhabited,' of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,' and of their ruins,^(cg) ‘I will restore them,'^(ch)

who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up^(ci) your streams,'

who says of Cyrus,^(cj) ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem,^(ck) "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple,^(cl) "Let its foundations^(cm) be laid."'

"This is what the Lord says to his anointed,^(a) to Cyrus,^(b) whose right hand I take hold^(c) of to subdue nations^(d) before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

I will go before you^(e) and will level^(f) the mountains^[a]; I will break down gates^(g) of bronze and cut through bars of iron.^(h)

I will give you hidden treasures,⁽ⁱ⁾ riches stored in secret places,^(j) so that you may know^(k) that I am the Lord , the God of Israel, who summons you by name.^(l)

For the sake of Jacob my servant,^(m) of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge⁽ⁿ⁾ me.

I am the Lord , and there is no other;^(o) apart from me there is no God.^(p) I will strengthen you,^(q) though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting^(r) people may know^(s) there is none besides me.^(t) I am the Lord , and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness,^(u) I bring prosperity and create disaster;^(v) I, the Lord , do all these things.

"You heavens above, rain^(w) down my righteousness;^(x) let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation^(y) spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord , have created it.

"Woe to those who quarrel^(z) with their Maker,^(aa) those who are nothing but potsherds^(ab) among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter,^(ac) ‘What are you making?'^(ad) Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands'?^(ae)

Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?' or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?'

"This is what the Lord says— the Holy One^(af) of Israel, and its Maker:^(ag) Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?^(ah)

It is I who made the earth^(ai) and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens;^(aj) I marshaled their starry hosts.^(ak)

I will raise up Cyrus^[b](al) in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight.^(am) He will rebuild my city^(an) and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward,^(ao) says the Lord Almighty."

This is what the Lord says: "The products^(ap) of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,^[c] and those tall Sabeans^(aq)— they will come over to you^(ar) and will be yours; they will trudge behind you,^(as) coming over to you in chains.^(at) They will bow down before you and plead^(au) with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you,^(av) and there is no other; there is no other god.^(aw)'"

Truly you are a God who has been hiding^(ax) himself, the God and Savior^(ay) of Israel.

All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;^(az) they will go off into disgrace together.

But Israel will be saved^(ba) by the Lord with an everlasting salvation;^(bb) you will never be put to shame or disgraced,^(bc) to ages everlasting.

For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth,^(bd) he founded it; he did not create it to be empty,^(be) but formed it to be inhabited^(bf)— he says: "I am the Lord , and there is no other.^(bg)

I have not spoken in secret,^(bh) from somewhere in a land of darkness;^(bi) I have not said to Jacob's descendants,^(bj) ‘Seek^(bk) me in vain.' I, the Lord , speak the truth; I declare what is right.^(bl)

"Gather together^(bm) and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant^(bn) are those who carry^(bo) about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.^(bp)

Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold^(bq) this long ago, who declared it from the distant past?^(br) Was it not I, the Lord ? And there is no God apart from me,^(bs) a righteous God^(bt) and a Savior;^(bu) there is none but me.

"Turn^(bv) to me and be saved,^(bw) all you ends of the earth;^(bx) for I am God, and there is no other.^(by)

By myself I have sworn,^(bz) my mouth has uttered in all integrity^(ca) a word that will not be revoked:^(cb) Before me every knee will bow;^(cc) by me every tongue will swear.^(cd)

They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance^(ce) and strength.^(cf)'" All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.^(cg)

But all the descendants^(ch) of Israel will find deliverance^(ci) in the Lord and will make their boast in him.^(cj)

Bel^(a) bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols^(b) are borne by beasts of burden.^[a] The images that are carried^(c) about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.

They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.^(d)

"Listen^(e) to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant^(f) of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth,^(g) and have carried^(h) since you were born.⁽ⁱ⁾

Even to your old age and gray hairs^(j) I am he,^(k) I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain^(l) you and I will rescue you.

"With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?^(m)

Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith⁽ⁿ⁾ to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.^(o)

They lift it to their shoulders and carry^(p) it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move.^(q) Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;^(r) it cannot save^(s) them from their troubles.

"Remember^(t) this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.^(u)

Remember the former things,^(v) those of long ago;^(w) I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.^(x)

I make known the end from the beginning,^(y) from ancient times,^(z) what is still to come.^(aa) I say, ‘My purpose will stand,^(ab) and I will do all that I please.'

From the east I summon^(ac) a bird of prey;^(ad) from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned,^(ae) that I will do.^(af)

Listen^(ag) to me, you stubborn-hearted,^(ah) you who are now far from my righteousness.^(ai)

I am bringing my righteousness^(aj) near, it is not far away; and my salvation^(ak) will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion,^(al) my splendor^(am) to Israel.

"Go down, sit in the dust,^(a) Virgin Daughter^(b) Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, queen city of the Babylonians.^[a](c) No more will you be called tender or delicate.^(d)

Take millstones^(e) and grind^(f) flour; take off your veil.^(g) Lift up your skirts,^(h) bare your legs, and wade through the streams.

Your nakedness⁽ⁱ⁾ will be exposed and your shame^(j) uncovered. I will take vengeance;^(k) I will spare no one.^(l)"

Our Redeemer^(m)—the Lord Almighty⁽ⁿ⁾ is his name^(o)— is the Holy One^(p) of Israel.

"Sit in silence,^(q) go into darkness,^(r) queen city of the Babylonians;^(s) no more will you be called queen^(t) of kingdoms.^(u)

I was angry^(v) with my people and desecrated my inheritance;^(w) I gave them into your hand,^(x) and you showed them no mercy.^(y) Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke.

You said, ‘I am forever^(z)— the eternal queen!'^(aa) But you did not consider these things or reflect^(ab) on what might happen.^(ac)

"Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security^(ad) and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.^(ae) I will never be a widow^(af) or suffer the loss of children.'

Both of these will overtake you in a moment,^(ag) on a single day: loss of children^(ah) and widowhood.^(ai) They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries^(aj) and all your potent spells.^(ak)

You have trusted^(al) in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.'^(am) Your wisdom^(an) and knowledge mislead^(ao) you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.'

Disaster^(ap) will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly^(aq) come upon you.

"Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries,^(ar) which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.

All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!^(as) Let your astrologers^(at) come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save^(au) you from what is coming upon you.

Surely they are like stubble;^(av) the fire^(aw) will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame.^(ax) These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by.

That is all they are to you— these you have dealt with and labored^(ay) with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save^(az) you.

"Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel^(a) and come from the line of Judah,^(b) you who take oaths^(c) in the name of the Lord ^(d) and invoke^(e) the God of Israel— but not in truth^(f) or righteousness—

you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city^(g) and claim to rely^(h) on the God of Israel— the Lord Almighty is his name:⁽ⁱ⁾

I foretold the former things^(j) long ago, my mouth announced^(k) them and I made them known; then suddenly^(l) I acted, and they came to pass.

For I knew how stubborn^(m) you were; your neck muscles⁽ⁿ⁾ were iron, your forehead^(o) was bronze.

Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced^(p) them to you so that you could not say, ‘My images brought them about;^(q) my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'

You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? "From now on I will tell you of new things,^(r) of hidden things unknown to you.

They are created^(s) now, and not long ago;^(t) you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew^(u) of them.'

You have neither heard nor understood;^(v) from of old your ears^(w) have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous^(x) you are; you were called a rebel^(y) from birth.

For my own name's sake^(z) I delay my wrath;^(aa) for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.^(ab)

See, I have refined^(ac) you, though not as silver; I have tested^(ad) you in the furnace^(ae) of affliction.

For my own sake,^(af) for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed?^(ag) I will not yield my glory to another.^(ah)

"Listen^(ai) to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called:^(aj) I am he;^(ak) I am the first and I am the last.^(al)

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,^(am) and my right hand spread out the heavens;^(an) when I summon them, they all stand up together.^(ao)

"Come together,^(ap) all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold^(aq) these things? The Lord 's chosen ally^(ar) will carry out his purpose^(as) against Babylon;^(at) his arm will be against the Babylonians.^[a]

I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called^(au) him. I will bring him, and he will succeed^(av) in his mission.

"Come near^(aw) me and listen^(ax) to this: "From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;^(ay) at the time it happens, I am there." And now the Sovereign Lord ^(az) has sent^(ba) me, endowed with his Spirit.^(bb)

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer,^(bc) the Holy One^(bd) of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches^(be) you what is best for you, who directs^(bf) you in the way^(bg) you should go.

If only you had paid attention^(bh) to my commands, your peace^(bi) would have been like a river,^(bj) your well-being^(bk) like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants^(bl) would have been like the sand,^(bm) your children like its numberless grains;^(bn) their name would never be blotted out^(bo) nor destroyed from before me."

Leave Babylon, flee^(bp) from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy^(bq) and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth;^(br) say, "The Lord has redeemed^(bs) his servant Jacob."

They did not thirst^(bt) when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow^(bu) for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.^(bv)

"There is no peace,"^(bw) says the Lord , "for the wicked."^(bx)