1‘Family of Jacob, listen to me. You are my servant. People of Israel, I have chosen you.2I made you. I formed you when you were born as a nation. I will help you. So listen to what I am saying. Family of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant. People of Israel, I have chosen you.3I will pour out water on the thirsty land. I will make streams flow on the dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your children. I will pour out my blessing on their children after them.4They will spring up like grass in a meadow. They will grow like poplar trees near flowing streams.5Some will say, “We belong to the LORD.” Others will call themselves by Jacob’s name. Still others will write on their hands, “We belong to the LORD.” And they will be called by the name of Israel.
Worship the Lord, not false gods
6‘I am Israel’s King. I set them free. I am the LORD who rules over all. So listen to what I am saying. I am the first and the last. I am the one and only God.7Who is like me? Let him come forward and speak boldly. Let him tell me everything that has happened since I created my people long ago. And let him tell me what has not happened yet. Let him announce in advance what is going to take place.8Do not tremble with fear. Do not be afraid. Didn’t I announce everything that has happened? Didn’t I tell you about it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any other God but me? No! There is no other Rock. I do not know even one.’9Those who make statues of gods don’t amount to anything. And the statues they think so much of are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They don’t know anything. So they will be put to shame.10People make statues of gods. But those gods can’t do any good.11People who do that will be put to shame. Those who make statues of gods are mere human beings. Let all of them come together and state their case. They will be terrified and put to shame.12A blacksmith gets his tool. He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals. He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god. He forms it with his powerful arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He doesn’t drink any water. He gets weaker and weaker.13A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line. He draws a pattern on it with a marker. He cuts out a statue with sharp tools. He marks it with compasses. He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being. He does this so he can put it in a temple.14He cuts down a cedar tree. Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree. It might be a tree that grew in the forest. Or it might be a pine tree he planted. And the rain made it grow.15A man gets wood from trees to burn. He uses some of it to warm himself. He starts a fire and bakes bread. But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it. He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.16He burns half of the wood in the fire. He prepares a meal over it. He cooks meat over it. He eats until he is full. He also warms himself. He says, ‘Good! I’m getting warm. The fire is nice and hot.’17From the rest of the wood he makes a statue. It becomes his god. He bows down and worships it. He prays to it. He says, ‘Save me! You are my god!’18People like that don’t even know what they are doing. Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth. Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.19No one even stops to think about this. No one has any sense or understanding. If anyone did, they would say, ‘I used half of the wood for fuel. I even baked bread over the fire. I cooked meat. Then I ate it. Should I now make a statue of a god out of the wood that’s left over? Should I bow down to a block of wood? The LORD would hate that.’20That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say, ‘This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.’21The LORD says, ‘Family of Jacob, remember these things. People of Israel, you are my servant. I have made you. You are my servant. Israel, I will not forget you.22I will sweep your sins away as if they were a cloud. I will blow them away as if they were the morning mist. Return to me. Then I will set you free.’23Sing for joy, you heavens! The LORD does wonderful things. Shout out loud, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! Sing, you forests and all your trees! The LORD sets the family of Jacob free. He shows his glory in Israel.
People will live in Jerusalem again
24The LORD says, ‘People of Israel, I set you free. I formed you when you were born as a nation. ‘I am the LORD. I am the Maker of everything. I alone stretch out the heavens. I spread out the earth by myself.25‘Some prophets are not really prophets at all. I show that their signs are fake. I make those who practise evil magic look foolish. I destroy the learning of those who think they are wise. Their knowledge does not make any sense at all.26I make the words of my servants the prophets come true. I carry out what my messengers say will happen. ‘I say about Jerusalem, “My people will live there again.” I say about the towns of Judah, “They will be rebuilt.” I say about their broken-down buildings, “I will make them like new again.”27I say to the deep waters, “Dry up. Let your streams become dry.”28I say about Cyrus, “He is my shepherd. He will accomplish everything I want him to. He will say about Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt.’ And he will say about the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’ ”
Isaiah 44
English Standard Version
Israel the Lord’s Chosen
1“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! (Isa 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. (De 32:15; Ps 71:6; Isa 43:5; Isa 44:24; Isa 49:15; Jer 1:5; Ga 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. (Isa 35:6; Joe 2:28; Joh 7:38; Ac 2:18)4They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. (Ps 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.” (Isa 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. (Isa 41:4; Isa 43:14; Isa 48:12; Re 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. (Isa 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.” (De 4:35; De 4:39; De 32:39; 1Sa 2:2; Isa 30:29; Isa 43:10; Isa 45:5; Joe 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. (Isa 41:24; Isa 41:29)10Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? (Isa 40:19; Isa 41:6; Isa 46:6; Jer 10:3; Hab 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. (Ps 115:8; Isa 42:17; Isa 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. (Isa 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. (Ps 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. (Isa 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!” (Isa 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?” (De 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?” (Job 13:12; Ps 144:8; Ho 12:1; Ro 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. (Isa 42:1; Isa 42:19; Isa 49:15)22I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isa 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. (Ps 63:9; Ps 69:34; Isa 49:3; Isa 49:13; Isa 55:5; Isa 55:12; Isa 60:9; Jer 51:48; Ho 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, (Isa 42:5; Isa 43:14; Isa 44:2; Isa 45:12)25who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, (Isa 19:3; Isa 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’; (2Ch 36:22; Jer 32:15; Jer 32:44)27who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; (Isa 11:15; Isa 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.’” (2Sa 5:2; 2Ch 36:22; Ezr 1:1; Ps 78:72; Isa 45:1; Isa 45:13)