Is 44:1But now hear, O Jacob, My servant, / And Israel, whom I have chosen.
Is 44:2Thus says Jehovah your Maker / And the One who formed you from the womb, who will help you, / Do not fear, O Jacob, My servant, / And Jeshurun whom I have chosen,
Is 44:3For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, / And streams upon the dry ground; / I will pour out My Spirit upon your seed, / And My blessing upon your offspring.
Is 44:4They will spring up among the grass, / Like poplars beside the flowing streams of water.
Is 44:5One will say, I am Jehovah’s; / Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; / Another will write with his hand, I am Jehovah’s; / He will name himself with the name Israel.
Is 44:6Thus says Jehovah the King of Israel, / And his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts, / I am the First and I am the Last, / And apart from Me there is no God.
Is 44:7And who can proclaim as I can? / Then let him declare it and recount it in order for Me, / Since I set forth the people of ancient times. / Let them declare to them both the coming things / And the things which will take place.
Is 44:8Do not tremble and do not be afraid. / Have I not related to you from that time and declared it? / And you are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? / Or is there any other Rock? I do not know of any.
Is 44:9All those who make idols are a waste. / And the things they delight in will not profit them. / And those who are witnesses for them do not see, / And they do not know, that they may be put to shame.
Is 44:10Who has formed a god or cast an idol / That is of no profit?
Is 44:11Indeed, all those joined to him will be put to shame, / For the craftsmen are only men. / Let all of them be gathered together, let them stand up; / Let them be afraid and be put to shame together.
Is 44:12The ironsmith sharpens a cutting tool, / And works over the coals, / And forms the idol with hammers, / And he works it with the strength of his arm. / Yet he becomes hungry and has no strength; / If he does not drink water, he faints.
Is 44:13The carpenter stretches out a line; / He marks it out with a marking tool; / He works it with planes, / And marks it with a compass. / He makes it according to the likeness of a man, / Like the beautiful appearance of man, to dwell in a house.
Is 44:14Someone prepares to cut down cedars for himself, / Or he takes a cypress or an oak; / He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest; / He plants an ash, and the rain nourishes it.
Is 44:15It is also something for a man to burn; / He takes one of them and warms himself; / He even kindles a fire and bakes bread. / With the same he also makes a god and worships it; / He makes it into a graven image and bows down before it.
Is 44:16Half of it he burns in a fire; / Over this half he eats flesh, / And he roasts a roast and is satisfied. / He also warms himself and says, Ha! / I am warm, I have seen fire.
Is 44:17The rest of it he makes into a god, into his idol; / He bows down to it and worships it / And prays to it and says, / Deliver me, for you are my god.
Is 44:18They do not know, and they do not understand, / For He has covered their eyes so that they cannot see, / And their minds so that they cannot understand.
Is 44:19And no one considers in his heart, / And there is no knowledge or understanding to say, / I have burned half of it in the fire, / And I have even baked bread over its coals; / I have roasted flesh and eaten it. / Then shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? / Shall I fall down before a block of wood?
Is 44:20He feeds on ashes; / A deceived heart has led him astray; / And he cannot deliver his soul; / Nor does he say, Is this not a lie in my right hand?
Is 44:21Remember these things, O Jacob, / And Israel, for you are My servant. / I have formed you; you are My servant; / O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.
Is 44:22I have wiped away, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, / And like a cloud, your sins. / Return unto Me, for I have redeemed you.
Is 44:23Sing for joy, O heavens, for Jehovah has accomplished it. / Shout, O lower parts of the earth; / Break forth with singing, O mountains, / The forest and every tree in it; / For Jehovah has redeemed Jacob / And is glorified in Israel.
Is 44:24Thus says Jehovah who redeemed you / And formed you from the womb, / I am Jehovah who makes all things, / Who alone stretches out the heavens, / Who spreads out the earth (Who was with Me?);
Is 44:25Who frustrates the signs of liars, / And makes fools of the diviners; / Who turns back the wise men, / And makes their knowledge foolish;
Is 44:26Who confirms the word of His servant, / And fulfills the counsel of His messengers; / Who says to Jerusalem, She will be inhabited, / And to the cities of Judah, They will be built, / And I will raise up their ruins;
Is 44:27Who says to the depths, Be dried up, / And I will dry up your rivers;
Is 44:28Who says to Cyrus, He is My shepherd, / And he will fulfill all My desire, / Even by saying of Jerusalem, She will be built, / And of the temple, Her foundations will be laid.
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