Isaiah 44
44
CHAPTER 44
1And now, Jacob, my servant, hear thou, and Israel, whom I chose.
2The Lord making and forgiving thee, thine helper from the womb, saith these things, My servant, Jacob, do not thou dread, and thou most rightful [or most right], whom I chose.
3For I shall shed [or pour] out waters on the thirsty, and floods on the dry land; I shall shed [or pour] out my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thy generation.
4And they shall burgeon among herbs, as sallows beside running waters.
5This man shall say, I am of the Lord, and he shall call in the name of Jacob; and this man shall write with his hand to the Lord, and shall be likened in the name of Israel.
6The Lord, King of Israel, and again-buyer thereof, the Lord of hosts saith these things, I am the first, and I am the last, and without me is no God.
7Who is like me? call he, and tell, and declare order to me, since I made eld people [or I ordained the old people]; tell he to them things to coming [or to come], and that shall be.
8Do not ye dread, neither be ye troubled; from that time I made thee for to hear, and I told; ye be my witnesses. Whether a God is without me [or Whether is God without me], and a former, whom I knew not?
9All the formers of an idol be nothing, and the most loved things of them shall not profit; they be witnesses of them, that they see not, neither understand, that they be shamed.
10Who formed a god, and melted out an image, not profitable to anything?
11Lo! all the partners thereof shall be shamed; for the smiths be of men. When all shall come, they shall stand, and shall dread, and shall be shamed together.
12A smith wrought with a file; he formed it in coals, and in hammers, and he wrought with the arm of his strength. He shall be hungry, and he shall fail; he shall not drink water, and he shall be faint.
13A carpenter stretched forth a rule, he formed it with an adze or an awl, either a joiner’s hook; he made it in the corner places, and he turned it in compass; and he made the image of a man, as a fair man, dwelling in the house.
14He cutted down cedars, he took an hawthorn, and an oak, that stood among the trees of the forest; he planted a pine apple tree [or the pine tree], which he nourished with rain,
15and it was made into fire to men. He took of those [or them], and was warmed, and he burnt, and baked loaves; but of the residue he wrought a god, and worshipped it, and he made a graven image, and he was bowed before that.
16He burnt the half thereof with fire, and of the half thereof he seethed fleshes, and ate; he seethed pottage, and was filled; and he was warmed, and he said, Well! I am warmed; I saw [the] fire.
17Forsooth the residue thereof he made a god, and a graven image to himself; he is bowed before that, and worshippeth that, and beseecheth, and saith, Deliver thou me, for thou art my god.
18They knew not, neither under-stood, for they have forgotten, that their eyes see not, and that they understand not with their heart.
19They bethink not in their soul, neither they know, neither they feel, that they say, I burnt the half thereof in fire, and I baked loaves on the coals thereof, and I seethed fleshes, and ate; and of the residue thereof shall I make an idol? shall I fall down before the stock of a tree?
20A part thereof is ashes; an unwise heart shall worship it, and he shall not deliver his soul, neither he shall say, A strong leasing is in my right hand.
21Thou, Jacob, and Israel, have mind of these things, for thou art my servant; I formed thee, Israel, thou art my servant; thou shalt not forget me.
22I did away thy wickednesses as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist; turn thou again to me, for I again-bought thee.
23Ye heavens, praise, for the Lord hath done mercy; the last parts of [the] earth, sing ye heartily song; hills, sound ye praising; the forest, and each tree thereof, praise God; for the Lord again-bought Jacob, and Israel shall have glory.
24The Lord, thine again-buyer, and thy former from the womb, saith these things, I am the Lord, making all things, and I alone stretch forth heavens, and stablish the earth, and none is with me;
25and I make void the signs of false diviners, and I turn into madness diviners that divine by sacrifices offered to fiends; and I turn wise men back-ward, and I make their science fond [or folly].
26And the Lord raiseth the word of his servant, and [ful] filleth the counsel of his messengers; and I say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be builded, and I shall raise the deserts thereof;
27and I say to the depth, Be thou desolate, and I shall make dry thy floods;
28and I say to Cyrus, Thou art my shepherd, and thou shalt fill all my will; and I say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be builded; and to the temple, Thou shalt be founded.
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Isaiah 44: WBMS
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Wycliffe’s Bible with Modern Spelling ©2017
Wycliffe’s Apocrypha ©2013, 2015
Wycliffe’s Bible © 2012, 2015
Wycliffe’s New Testament ©2001, 2011
Wycliffe’s Old Testament ©2001, 2010
Isaiah 44
44
The Lord's Promise to Israel
1People of Israel,
I have chosen you
as my servant.
2I am your Creator.
You were in my care
even before you were born.
Israel, don't be terrified!
You are my chosen servant,
my very favorite.#44.2 my very favorite: Or “Jeshurun.”
3I will bless the thirsty land
by sending streams of water;
I will bless your descendants
by giving them my Spirit.
4They will spring up like grass#44.4 like grass: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
or like willow trees
near flowing streams.
5They will worship me
and become my people.
They will write my name
on the back of their hands.#44.5 write … hands: To show that they belong to the Lord and to Israel.
6 #
Is 48.12; Rev 1.17; 2.8; 22.13. I am the Lord All-Powerful,
the first and the last,
the one and only God.
Israel, I have rescued you!
I am your King.
7Can anyone compare with me?
If so, let them speak up
and tell me now.
Let them say what has happened
since I made my nation
long ago,
and let them tell
what is going to happen.#44.7 Let them say … happen: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8Don't tremble with fear!
Didn't I tell you long ago?
Didn't you hear me?
I alone am God—
no one else is a mighty rock.#44.8 mighty rock: See the note at 17.10.
Idols Can't Do a Thing
The Lord said:
9Those people who make idols
are nothing themselves,
and the idols they treasure
are just as worthless.
Worshipers of idols are blind,
stupid, and foolish.
10Why make an idol or an image
that can't do a thing?
11Everyone who makes idols
and all who worship them
are mere humans,
who will end up
sadly disappointed.
Let them face me in court
and be terrified.
Idols and Firewood
12A metalworker shapes an idol
by using a hammer#44.12 by using a hammer: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and heat from the fire.
In his powerful hand
he holds a hammer,
as he pounds the metal
into the proper shape.
But he gets hungry and thirsty
and loses his strength.
13Some woodcarver measures
a piece of wood,
then draws an outline.
The idol is carefully carved
with each detail exact.
At last it looks like a person
and is placed in a temple.
14Either cedar, cypress, oak,
or any tree from the forest
may be chosen.
Or even a pine tree planted
by the woodcarver
and watered by the rain.
15 #
Ws 13.11-19. Some of the wood is used
to make a fire for heating
or for cooking.
One piece is made into an idol,
then the woodcarver bows down
and worships it.
16He enjoys the warm fire
and the meat that was roasted
over the burning coals.
17Afterwards, he bows down
to worship the wooden idol.
“Protect me!” he says.
“You are my god.”
18Those who worship idols are stupid and blind! 19They don't have enough sense to say to themselves, “I made a fire with half of the wood and cooked my bread and meat on it. Then I made something worthless with the other half. Why worship a block of wood?”
20How can anyone be stupid enough to trust something that can be burned to ashes?#44.20 How … ashes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. No one can save themselves like that. Don't they realize that the idols they hold in their hands are not really gods?
The Lord Won't Forget His People
21People of Israel,
you are my servant,
so remember all of this.
Israel, I created you,
and you are my servant.
I won't forget you.#44.21 I won't forget you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
22Turn back to me!
I have rescued you
and swept away your sins
as though they were clouds.
Sing Praises to the Lord
23Tell the heavens and the earth
to start singing!
Tell the mountains
and every tree in the forest
to join in the song!
The Lord has rescued his people;
now they will worship him.
The Lord Created Everything
24Israel, I am your Lord,
the source of your life,
and I have rescued you.
I created everything
from the sky above
to the earth below.
25 #
1 Co 1.20. I make liars of false prophets
and fools of fortunetellers.
I take human wisdom
and turn it into nonsense.
26I will make the message
of my prophets come true.
They are saying, “Jerusalem
will be filled with people,
and the Lord will rebuild
the towns of Judah.”
27I am the one who commands
the sea and its streams
to run dry.
28 #
2 Ch 36.23; Ezra 1.2,3. I am also the one who says,
“Cyrus will lead my people
and obey my orders.
Jerusalem and the temple
will be rebuilt.”
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