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
1“But now hear, O Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!
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.
3For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants,
and my blessing on your offspring.
4They shall spring up like grass amid waters,#44.4 Gk Compare Tg: Heb They shall spring up in among grass
like willows by flowing streams.
5This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’
another will call himself by the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’
and surname himself by the name of Israel.”
6 #
Is 48.12; Rev 1.17; 2.8; 22.13. Thus 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.
7Who is like me? Let him proclaim it,
let him declare and set it forth before me.
Who has announced from of old the things to come?#44.7 Cn: Heb from my placing an eternal people and things to come
Let them tell us#44.7 Tg: Heb them what is yet to be.
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.”
9All who make 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. 10Who fashions a god or casts an image, that is profitable for nothing? 11Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are but men; let them all assemble, let them stand forth, they shall be terrified, they shall be put to shame together.
12The ironsmith fashions it#44.12 Cn: Heb an axe and works it over the coals; he shapes it with hammers, and forges it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint. 13The carpenter stretches a line, he marks it out with a pencil; he fashions 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. 14He cuts down cedars; or he chooses a holm tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest; he plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 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 a graven image and falls down before it. 16Half of it he burns in the fire; over the half he eats flesh, he roasts meat 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 thou art my god!”
18They know not, nor do they discern; for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their minds, 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 flesh and have eaten; and shall I make the residue of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
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.
22I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 #
Jer 51.48; Rev 12.12; 18.20. Sing, 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 in Israel.
24Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
who stretched out the heavens alone,
who spread out the earth—Who was with me?#44.24 Another reading is who spread out the earth by myself —
25 #
1 Cor 1.20. who frustrates the omens of liars,
and makes fools of diviners;
who turns wise men back,
and makes their knowledge foolish;
26who confirms the word of his servant,
and performs 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’;
27who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,
I will dry up your rivers’;
28who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
and he shall fulfil all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ”
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