8 But you, Israel, my servant,o

Jacob, whom I have chosen,p

descendant of Abraham, my friendq—

9 I broughtC you from the ends of the earth

and called you from its farthest corners.

I said to you: You are my servant;

I have chosen you; I haven’t rejected you.r

10 Do not fear, for I am with you;s

do not be afraid, for I am your God.t

I will strengthen you; I will help you;

I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.u

11 Be sure that all who are enraged against you

will be ashamed and disgraced;v

those who contend with you

will become as nothing and will perish.

12 You will look for those who contend with you,

but you will not find them.

Those who war against you

will become absolutely nothing.

13 For I am the Lord your God,w

who holds your right hand,

who says to you, “Do not fear,

I will help you.

14 Do not fear, you worm Jacob,x

you menD of Israel.

I will help you”—

this is the Lord’s declaration.

Your Redeemery is the Holy One of Israel.z

15 See, I will make you into a sharp threshing board,

new, with many teeth.

You will thresh mountains and pulverize them

and make hills into chaff.aa

16 You will winnow themab

and a wind will carry them away,

a whirlwind will scatter them.

But you will rejoice in the Lord;

you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

17 The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

I will answer them.a

I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I will not abandon them.

18 I will open rivers on the barren heights,b

and springs in the middle of the plains.

I will turn the desert into a pool

and dry land into springs.c

19 I will plant cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees

in the wilderness.d

I will put juniper, elm, and cypress trees together

in the desert,

20 so that all may see and know,

consider and understand,

that the hand of the Lord has done this,e

the Holy One of Israel has createdf it.