CHAPTER 44
1And now, listen, Jacob, My servant,
and Israel whom I have chosen.
2Thus said the LORD your Maker,
your Fashioner in the womb, Who helps you:
Do not fear, My servant Jacob
and Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
3As I pour water on thirsty land
and rivulets on dry ground,
I will pour My spirit on your seed
and My blessing on your offspring.
4And they shall sprout among the grass
like willows by brooks of water.
5This one shall say, “I am for the LORD,”
and another shall call upon Jacob’s name,
and another shall write with his hand for the LORD
and Israel’s name he shall invoke.
6Thus said the LORD King of Israel
and its Redeemer, the LORD of Armies.
I am the first and I am the last—
and besides Me there is no god.
7Who is like Me? Let him call out,
let him tell it and lay it out to Me.
Who has made known from of old the signs
and what is to come has told?
8Do not be afraid and do not tremble.
Have I not informed you and told?—
And you are My witnesses.
Is there any god besides Me?
Is there any Rock? None have I known.
9Fashioners of idols, they are all mere wind,
and their cherished things cannot avail,
and their witnesses cannot see
nor know, and hence they are shamed.
10Who fashioned a god and cast an idol
to no avail?
11Look, all his fellow workers shall be shamed,
and the craftsmen, they are but men.
Let them all gather and stand,
they shall fear and all be shamed.
12The ironsmith with an adze
works it with coals
and with hammers fashions it
and works it with his strong arm.
Should he hunger, his strength will fail,
should he not drink, he will grow faint.
13The carpenter stretches a line,
marks the outline with a stylus,
he makes it with a plane,
marks the outline with a compass,
and makes it in the form of a man,
human splendor to set in a temple,
14cutting down cedars for it,
taking plane trees and oak,
he picks from the trees of the forest,
plants cedar, and the rain makes it grow.
15And it turns into fuel for man,
and he takes it and warms himself.
He lights it and bakes bread and is sated.
He also makes a god and bows down,
makes it an idol and worships it.
16Half of it he burns in fire,
on half he eats meat, he roasts it,
also warms himself, saying, “Hurrah!
I have warmed myself, seen the fire.”
17And the rest he makes as a god, as his idol.
He worships it and bows down
and prays to it and says,
“Save me, for you are my god.”
18They do not know and do not discern,
for their eyes are plastered over from seeing
and their hearts from understanding.
19None takes to heart,
with no knowledge or discernment to say:
“Half of it I burned in fire
and also baked bread on its coals,
I roasted meat and ate it.
And the rest as an abhorrence I made,
a block of wood I worshipped.”
20He herds ashes, a mocked heart has led him astray,
and he shall not save his life,
and he shall not say, “This is a sham in my right hand.”
21Recall these, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are My servant.
I fashioned you, you are My servant,
Israel, do not forget Me.
22I have wiped away your crimes like a cloud,
and like the sky’s mist your offenses.
Turn back to Me, for I have redeemed you.
23Sing gladly, O heavens, for the LORD has done it,
shout out, you deeps of the earth.
Burst forth in glad song, you mountains,
the forest and all trees within it,
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
and shall glory in Israel.
24Thus said the LORD your Redeemer,
Who fashioned you in the womb:
I am the LORD, Maker of all,
stretching out the heavens, I alone,
laying down earth—who is with Me?
25Overturning the omens of lies,
making fools of soothsayers,
setting sages back on their heels
and thwarting their devisings.
26Confirming the word of His servant
and fulfilling His messengers’ counsel.
He says to Jerusalem, “You shall be settled,”
and to Judah’s towns, “You shall be rebuilt,
and I will raise up her ruins.”
27He says to the Deep, “Dry up,
and your streams I will make dry.”
28He says to Cyrus, “My shepherd!
And all I desire he shall fulfill.”
He says of Jerusalem, “It shall be rebuilt,”
and to the Temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”