Isaiah 44
44
Spiritual Blessing
1“And now listen, Jacob My servant,
Israel whom I have chosen. # Is 41:8-9; 42:1; 43:10,20; 45:4; 49:7; 65:9,15,22
2This is the word of the Lord
your Maker who formed you from the womb;
He # Lit from the womb, and He will help you:
Do not fear; Jacob is My servant;
I have chosen Jeshurun. # = Upright One, referring to Israel # Dt 32:15; 33:5,26
3For I will pour water on the thirsty land
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit # Is 32:15; Jl 2:28 on your descendants
and My blessing on your offspring.
4They will sprout among # Some Hb mss, DSS, LXX read as among the grass
like poplars by flowing streams.
5This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and name himself by the name of Israel.”
No God Other Than Yahweh
6This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, # Is 41:14; 43:14 the Lord of Hosts, says:
I am the first and I am the last. # Is 41:4; 43:10; 48:12; Rv 1:8,17; 22:13
There is no God but Me. # Is 43:11; 44:8; 45:5-6
7Who, like Me, can announce the future?
Let him say so and make a case before Me, # Is 41:22,26
since I have established an ancient people.
Let these gods declare # Lit declare them — the coming things,
and what will take place.
8Do not be startled or afraid.
Have I not told you and declared it long ago?
You are my witnesses! # Is 43:10
Is there any God but Me? # Dt 4:35,39; 1Sm 2:2; Is 45:5; Jl 2:27
There is no other Rock; # Is 17:10; 26:4; 30:29 I do not know any.
9All who make idols are nothing,
and what they treasure does not profit.
Their witnesses do not see or know anything,
so they will be put to shame. # Ps 97:7; Is 42:17; 44:11; 45:16
10Who makes a god or casts a metal image
for no profit? # Is 41:29; Jr 10:5; Hab 2:18; Ac 19:26
11Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame,
and the craftsmen are humans.
They all will assemble and stand;
they all will be startled and put to shame.
12The ironworker labors over the coals,
shapes the idol with hammers,
and works it with his strong arm.
Also he grows hungry and his strength fails;
he doesn’t drink water and is faint.
13The woodworker stretches out a measuring line,
he outlines it with a stylus;
he shapes it with chisels
and outlines it with a compass.
He makes it according to a human likeness, # Ps 115:5-7
like a beautiful person,
to dwell in a temple.
14He cuts down # Lit To cut down for himself cedars for his use,
or he takes a cypress or an oak.
He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15It serves as fuel for man.
He takes some of it and warms himself;
also he kindles a fire and bakes bread;
he even makes it into a god and worships it;
he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.
16He burns half of it in a fire,
and he roasts meat on that half.
He eats the roast and is satisfied.
He warms himself and says, “Ah!
I am warm, I see the blaze.”
17He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.
He bows down to it and worships;
He prays to it, # 1Kg 18:26,28; Is 45:20 “Save me, for you are my god.”
18Such people # Lit They do not comprehend
and cannot understand,
for He has shut their eyes # Or for their eyes are shut so they cannot see,
and their minds so they cannot understand.
19No one reflects,
no one has the perception or insight to say,
“I burned half of it in the fire,
I also baked bread on its coals,
I roasted meat and ate.
I will make something detestable # Dt 27:15; 1Kg 11:5,7; 2Kg 23:13-14 with the rest of it,
and I will bow down to a block of wood.”
20He feeds on # Or He shepherds ashes.
His deceived mind has led him astray,
and he cannot deliver himself,
or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand? ” # Is 57:11; 59:3-4,13; Rm 1:25
21Remember these things, Jacob,
and Israel, for you are My servant;
I formed you, you are My servant;
Israel, you will never be forgotten by Me. # DSS, LXX, Tg read Israel, do not forget Me # Is 49:15
22I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, # Ps 51:1,9; Is 43:25; Ac 3:19
and your sins like a mist.
Return to Me, # Is 31:6; 55:7
for I have redeemed you. # Is 43:1; 48:20; 1Co 6:20; 1Pt 1:18-19
23Rejoice, heavens, # Ps 69:34; 96:11-12; Is 42:10; 49:13 for the Lord has acted;
shout, depths of the earth.
Break out into singing, mountains,
forest, and every tree in it.
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
and glorifies Himself through Israel. # Is 49:3; 61:3
Restoration of Israel through Cyrus
24This is what the Lord, your Redeemer # Is 41:14; 43:14 who formed you from the womb, # Is 44:2 says:
I am Yahweh, who made everything;
who stretched out the heavens by Myself; # Is 40:22; 42:5; 45:12,18; 51:13
who alone spread out the earth;
25who destroys the omens of the false prophets
and makes fools of diviners;
who confounds the wise
and makes their knowledge foolishness; # 2Sm 15:31; Jb 5:12-14; Ps 33:10; Is 29:14; Jr 51:57; 1Co 1:20,27
26who confirms the message of His servant
and fulfills the counsel of His messengers;
who says to Jerusalem, “She will be inhabited,”
and to the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt,”
and I will restore her ruins;
27who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,”
and I will dry up your rivers;
28who says to Cyrus, # Is 45:1 “My shepherd,
he will fulfill all My pleasure” # Eph 1:9
and says to Jerusalem, “She will be rebuilt,” # 2Ch 36:22-23; Ezr 1:1; Is 14:32; 45:13; 54:11
and of the temple, “Its foundation will be laid.”
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Isaiah 44: HCSB
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Isaiah 44
44
The Blessings of Israel
1“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2This is what the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you says,
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And Jeshurun (Israel, the upright one) whom I have chosen.
3For I will pour out water on him who is thirsty,
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
And My blessing on your descendants;
4And they will spring up among the grass
Like willows by the streams of water.’
5One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
And another will name himself after Jacob;
And another will write on his hand, ‘I am the Lord’s,’
And be called by the [honorable] name of Israel.
6“For the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts says this,
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
And there is no God besides Me.
7Who is like Me? Let him proclaim it and declare it;
Yes, let him confront Me,
Since I established the people of antiquity.
And let them [those supposed gods] tell those people [who foolishly follow them] the things to come
And the events that are going to take place.
8Do not tremble nor be afraid [of the violent upheavals to come];
Have I not long ago proclaimed it to you and declared it?
And you are My witnesses.
Is there a God besides Me?
There is no other Rock;
I know of none.’ ”
The Folly of Idolatry
9All who make carved idols are nothing. Their precious objects are worthless [to them], and their own witnesses (worshipers) fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame. 10Who has made a god or cast an idol which is profitable for nothing? 11In fact, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble, let them stand up, let them be terrified, let them together be put to shame.
12The ironsmith shapes iron and uses a chisel and works it over the coals. He forms the [idol’s] core with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He also becomes hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and grows tired. 13The carpenter stretches out a measuring line, he marks out the shape [of the idol] with red chalk; he works it with planes and outlines it with the compass; and he makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, that it may sit in a house. 14He cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain nourishes it. 15Then it becomes fuel for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also kindles a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god [from the same wood] and worships it. He makes it into a carved idol [with his own hands] and falls down and worships it! 16He burns half of the wood in the fire; over this half he [cooks and] eats meat, he roasts meat and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17But from what is left of the wood he makes a god, his carved idol. He falls down before it, he worships it and prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18They do not know, nor do they understand, for God has muddied their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts (minds) as well so that they cannot understand. 19No one remembers, nor has knowledge and understanding [enough] to say [to himself], “I have burned half of this log in the fire, and also baked bread on its coals and have roasted meat and eaten it. Then I make the rest of it into an repulsive thing [to God]; I bow down [to worship] before a block of wood!” 20That kind of man (the idolater) feeds on ashes [and is satisfied with ashes]! A deceived mind has led him astray, so that he cannot save himself, or ask, “Is this thing [that I am holding] in my right hand not a lie?”
God Forgives and Redeems
21“Remember [the foolishness of] 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.
22I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a heavy mist.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
23Shout for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout in triumph, you depths of the earth;
Break forth into jubilant rejoicing, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And He shows His glory in Israel.
24For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says this,
“I am the Lord, Maker of all things,
Who alone stretches out the heavens,
Who spreads out the earth #Lit who was with Me?by Myself,
25Frustrating the signs and confounding the omens of boasters (false prophets),
Making fools out of #The Hebrew is a synonym of diviner, referring to people who claimed to tell the future by such methods as casting lots and examining the livers of certain animals.fortune-tellers,
Counteracting the wise
And making their knowledge ridiculous,
26Confirming the word of His servant
And carrying out the plan of His messengers.
It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall [again] be inhabited!’
And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall [again] be built.’
And I will raise up and restore her ruins.
27 It is I who says to the deep, ‘Be dried up!’
And I will make your rivers dry.
28 It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd (ruler),
And he will carry out all that I desire—’
Saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall [again] be built,’
And of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall [again] be laid.’ ”
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