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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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.