1“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! (赛41:8)2Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. (申32:15; 诗71:6; 赛43:5; 赛44:24; 赛49:15; 耶1:5; 加1:15)3For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (赛35:6; 珥2:28; 约7:38; 徒2:18)4They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. (诗1:3)5This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” (赛14:1)
Besides Me There Is No God
6Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. (赛41:4; 赛43:14; 赛48:12; 启1:8)7Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.[1] Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. (赛41:26)8Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” (申4:35; 申4:39; 申32:39; 撒上2:2; 赛30:29; 赛43:10; 赛45:5; 珥2:27)
The Folly of Idolatry
9All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. (赛41:24; 赛41:29)10Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? (赛40:19; 赛41:6; 赛46:6; 耶10:3; 哈2:18)11Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. (诗115:8; 赛42:17; 赛45:16)12The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. (赛44:10)13The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.[2] He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. (诗115:5)14He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. (赛40:20)15Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.16Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!”17And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” (赛45:20)18They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.19No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” (申27:15)20He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (伯13:12; 诗144:8; 何12:1; 羅1:25)
The Lord Redeems Israel
21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. (赛42:1; 赛42:19; 赛49:15)22I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (赛43:25)23Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified[3] in Israel. (诗63:9; 诗69:34; 赛49:3; 赛49:13; 赛55:5; 赛55:12; 赛60:9; 耶51:48; 何2:21)24Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, (赛42:5; 赛43:14; 赛44:2; 赛45:12)25who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, (赛19:3; 赛19:14)26who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; (代下36:22; 耶32:15; 耶32:44)27who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; (赛11:15; 赛51:10)28who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” (撒下5:2; 代下36:22; 拉1:1; 诗78:72; 赛45:1; 赛45:13)