1People of Jacob, listen to me. You are called by the name of Israel. You come from the family line of Judah. You make promises in the name of the LORD. You pray to Israel’s God. But you aren’t honest. You don’t mean what you say.2You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem. You say you depend on Israel’s God. His name is the LORD Who Rules Over All. He says,3‘Long ago I told you in advance what would happen. I announced it and made it known. Then all of a sudden I acted. And those things took place.4I knew how stubborn you were. Your neck muscles were as unbending as iron. Your forehead was as hard as bronze.5So I told you those things long ago. Before they happened I announced them to you. I did it so you would not be able to say, “My statues of gods did them. My wooden and metal gods made them happen.”6You have heard me tell you these things. Think about all of them. Won’t you admit they have taken place? ‘From now on I will tell you about new things that will happen. I have not made them known to you before.7These things are taking place at this very moment. They did not happen long ago. You have not heard of them before today. So you can’t say, “Oh, yes. I already knew about them.”8You have not heard or understood what I said. Your ears have been plugged up for a long time. I knew very well that you would turn against me. From the day you were born, you have refused to obey me.9For the honour of my own name I wait to show my anger. I hold it back from you so people will continue to praise me. I do not want to destroy you completely.10I have tested you in the furnace of suffering. I have tried to make you pure. But I did not use as much heat as it takes to make silver pure.11I tried to purify you for my own honour. I did it for the honour of my name. How can I let myself be dishonoured? I will not give up my glory to any other god.
Israel is set free
12‘Family of Jacob, listen to me. People of Israel, pay attention. I have chosen you. I am the first and the last. I am the LORD.13With my own hand I laid the foundations of the earth. With my right hand I spread out the heavens. When I send for them, they come and stand ready to obey me.14‘People of Israel, come together and listen to me. What other god has said in advance that certain things would happen? I have chosen Cyrus. He will carry out my plans against Babylon. He will use his power against the Babylonians.15I myself have spoken. I have chosen him to carry out my purpose. I will bring him to Babylon. He will succeed in what I tell him to do.16‘Come close and listen to me. ‘From the first time I said Cyrus was coming, I did not do it in secret. When he comes, I will be there.’ The LORD and King has filled me with his Spirit. People of Israel, he has sent me to you.17The LORD is the Holy One of Israel. He sets his people free. He says to them, ‘I am the LORD your God. I teach you what is best for you. I direct you in the way you should go.18I wish you would pay attention to my commands. If you did, peace would flow over you like a river. Godliness would sweep over you like the waves of the ocean.19Your family would be like the sand. Your children after you would be as many as the grains of sand by the sea. It would be impossible to count them. I would always accept the members of your family line. They would never disappear or be destroyed.’20People of Israel, leave Babylon! Hurry up and get away from the Babylonians! Here is what I want you to announce. Make it known with shouts of joy. Send the news out from one end of the earth to the other. Say, ‘The LORD has set free his servant Jacob.’21They didn’t get thirsty when he led them through the deserts. He made water flow out of the rock for them. He broke the rock open, and water came out of it.22‘There is no peace for those who are evil,’ says the LORD.
Наказание и възвръщане на Израил в Обетованата земя
1Чуйте това, доме Яковов, които сте се нарекли с Израилевото име, които излязохте от Юдейския източник, които се кълнете в името ГОСПОДНЕ и си спомняте за Бога Израилев, но не с истина, нито с правда (De 6:13; Ps 68:26; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2; Jer 5:2; Zep 1:5)2(защото се наричат граждани на святия град и се облягат на Израилевия Бог, чието име е ЙЕХОВА на Силите): (Isa 52:1; Mic 3:11; Ro 2:17)3От древността обявих предишните дела. Да! Излязоха от устата Ми и Аз ги прогласих; внезапно ги извърших и те се сбъднаха. (Jos 21:45; Isa 41:22; Isa 42:9; Isa 43:9; Isa 44:7; Isa 44:8; Isa 45:21; Isa 46:9; Isa 46:10)4Понеже познавах, че си упорит, че вратът ти е желязна жила и челото ти – медно, (Ex 32:9; De 31:27)5затова от древността ти обявих тези неща, преди да станат ти ги прогласих, да не би да кажеш: Идолът ми ги извърши, да! Изваяното ми и излятото ми ги заповяда. (Isa 48:3)6Това ти си чул; виж всичко това; и вие, няма ли вие да го прогласите? Отсега ти изявявам нови неща, дори скрити, които ти не си знаел.7Те сега станаха, а не отдавна, и преди този ден дори не си слушал за тях, да не би да кажеш: Ето, аз знаех това.8Нито си слушал, нито даже си знаел, нито дори ушите ти са били отворени от древността; защото знаех, че ти постъпваше много коварно и още от утробата си бил наречен престъпник. (Ps 58:3)9Заради Своето име ще отложа изливането на гнева Си и заради славата Си ще се въздържа от тебе, да не те изтребя. (Ps 78:38; Ps 79:9; Ps 106:8; Isa 43:25; Isa 48:11; Eze 20:9; Eze 20:14; Eze 20:22; Eze 20:44)10Ето, очистих те, но не като сребро; изпитах те в пещта на скръбта. (Ps 66:10; Eze 22:21; Eze 22:22)11Заради Себе Си ще сторя това; защото как да се оскверни името Ми? Да! Не искам да дам славата Си на друг. (De 32:26; De 32:27; Isa 42:8; Isa 48:9; Eze 20:9)12Чуй Ме, Якове, и ти, Израилю, когото Аз призовах: Аз съм същият – Аз съм първият и Аз съм последният. (De 32:39; Isa 41:4; Isa 44:6; Re 1:17; Re 22:13)13Да! Моята ръка основа земята и десницата Ми разпростря небето; когато ги извикам, те всички се представят. (Ps 102:25; Isa 40:26)14Съберете се, всички вие, и чуйте: Кой от тях е възвестил това? Онзи, когото ГОСПОД възлюби, ще извърши волята Му над Вавилон и мишцата му ще бъде над халдейците. (Isa 41:22; Isa 43:9; Isa 44:7; Isa 44:28; Isa 45:1; Isa 45:20; Isa 45:21)15Аз, Аз говорих, да! Призовах го; доведох го; и пътят му ще благоуспее. (Isa 45:1)16Приближете се към Мене, чуйте това; отначало не съм говорил скришно; откакто стана това, Аз бях там; и сега ме прати Господ ЙЕХОВА и Духът Му. (Isa 45:19; Isa 61:1; Zec 2:8; Zec 2:9)17Така казва ГОСПОД, Изкупителят ти, Святият Израилев: Аз съм ГОСПОД, твоят Бог, Който те учи за ползата ти, Който те води в пътя, по който трябва да ходиш. (Ps 32:8; Isa 43:14; Isa 44:6; Isa 44:24; Isa 48:20)18Дано би послушал ти заповедите Ми! Тогава мирът ти щеше да бъде като река и правдата ти – като морските вълни; (De 32:29; Ps 81:13; Ps 119:165)19потомството ти щеше да бъде като пясъка и рожбите на чреслата ти – като зърната му; името му не би се унищожило, нито би се изтребило отпред Мен. (Ge 22:17; Ho 1:10)20Излезте от Вавилон, бягайте от халдейците; с възклицателен глас прогласете, проповядвайте това, разгласете го до края на земята; кажете: ГОСПОД изкупи слугата Си Яков. (Ex 19:4; Isa 44:22; Isa 44:23; Isa 52:11; Jer 50:8; Jer 51:6; Jer 51:45; Zec 2:6; Zec 2:7; Re 18:4)21И те не жадуваха, когато ги водеше през пустините; Той направи да изтекат за тях води от скалата, още разцепи канарата и потекоха води. (Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11; Ps 105:41; Isa 41:17; Isa 41:18)22Мир няма за нечестивите, казва ГОСПОД. Божият Слуга и възстановяването на Израил. (Isa 57:21)