Isaiah 44 LSV
1. “And now, hear, O Jacob, My servant, and Israel, whom I have fixed on—
2. Thus said YHWH, your Maker, and your Former, from the womb He helps you: Do not fear, My servant Jacob, and Yeshurun, whom I have fixed on.
3. For I pour waters on a thirsty one, and floods on a dry land, i pour My Spirit on your seed, and My blessing on your offspring.
4. And they have sprung up as among grass, as willows by conduits of water.
5. This one says, For I am YHWH’s, and this calls himself by the name of Jacob, and this one writes with his hand, For YHWH, and surnames himself by the name of Israel.”
6. Thus said YHWH, King of Israel, and his Redeemer, YHWH of Hosts: “I am the first, and I am the last, and besides Me there is no God.
7. And who is as I, call and declare it, and arrange it for Me, since My placing the people of antiquity, and things that are coming, and those that come, they declare to them.
8. Do not fear, nor be afraid, have I not caused you to hear from that time, and declared? And you are My witnesses, is there a God besides Me? Indeed, there is none, i have not known another Rock.”
9. Framers of a carved image, all of them are emptiness, and their desirable things do not profit, and they are their own witnesses, they do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.
10. Who has formed a god, and poured out a molten image—not profitable?
11. Behold, all his companions are ashamed, as for artisans—they are of men, all of them gather together, they stand up, they fear, they are ashamed together.
12. He has worked iron with an axe, and has worked with coals, and forms it with hammers, and works it by his powerful arm, indeed, he is hungry, and there is no power, he does not drink water, and he is wearied.
13. He has worked with wood, he has stretched out a rule, he marks it out with a line, he makes it with carving tools, and he marks it out with a compass, and makes it according to the form of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to remain in the house.
14. Cutting down cedars for himself, he also takes a cypress, and an oak, and he strengthens it for himself among the trees of a forest, he has planted an ash, and the shower nourishes it.
15. And it has been for man to burn, and he takes of them, and becomes warm, indeed, he kindles it, and has baked bread, indeed, he makes a god, and bows himself, he has made it a carved image, and he falls down to it.
16. Half of it he has burned in the fire, by this half of it he eats flesh, he roasts a roasting and is satisfied, indeed, he is warm and says: “Aha, I have become warm, I have enjoyed the light.”
17. And he has made its remnant for a god—For his carved image, he falls down to it, and worships, and prays to it, and he says, “Deliver me, for you are my god.”
18. They have not known, nor do they understand, for He has coated their eyes from seeing, their heart from acting wisely.
19. And none turn it back to his heart, nor has knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, indeed, I have also baked bread over its coals, i roast flesh and I eat, and I make its remnant for an abomination, i fall down to the stock of a tree.”
20. Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, it has turned him aside, and he does not deliver his soul, nor says: “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
21. “Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are My servant, i formed you, you are a servant to Me, o Israel, you do not forget Me.
22. I have blotted out, as by a thick cloud, your transgressions, and as by a cloud, your sins, return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
23. Sing, O heavens, for YHWH has worked, shout, O lower parts of earth, break forth, O mountains, with singing, forest, and every tree in it, for YHWH has redeemed Jacob, and He beautifies Himself in Israel.
24. Thus said YHWH, your Redeemer, and your Framer from the womb: “I am YHWH, doing all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, spreading out the earth—who is with Me?
25. Making void the tokens of devisers, and makes diviners mad, turning the wise backward, and makes their knowledge foolish.
26. Confirming the word of His servant, he perfects the counsel of His messengers, who is saying of Jerusalem, she is inhabited, and of cities of Judah, they will be built, and her ruins I raise up,
27. Who is saying to the deep, be dry, and your rivers I cause to dry up,
28. Who is saying of Cyrus, My shepherd, and he perfects all My delight, so as to say of Jerusalem, You are built, and of the temple, You are founded.”