Isaiah 44

Spiritual Blessing

44“And now listen, Jacob My servant,

Israel whom I have chosen. ^w

²This is the word of the Lord

your Maker who formed you from the womb;

He ^xwill help you:

Do not fear; Jacob is My servant;

I have chosen Jeshurun. ^yz

³For I will pour water on the thirsty land

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out My Spirit ^aon your descendants

and My blessing on your offspring.

⁴They will sprout among ^bthe 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, ^cthe Lord of Hosts, says:

I am the first and I am the last. ^d

There is no God but Me. ^e

⁷Who, like Me, can announce the future?

Let him say so and make a case before Me, ^f

since I have established an ancient people.

Let these gods declare ^gthe 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! ^h

Is there any God but Me? ⁱ

There is no other Rock; ^jI 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. ^k

¹⁰Who makes a god or casts a metal image

for no profit? ^l

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, ^m

like a beautiful person,

to dwell in a temple.

¹⁴He cuts down ⁿcedars 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, ^o“Save me, for you are my god.”

¹⁸Such people ^pdo not comprehend

and cannot understand,

for He has shut their eyes ^qso 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 ^rwith the rest of it,

and I will bow down to a block of wood.”

²⁰He feeds on ^sashes.

His deceived mind has led him astray,

and he cannot deliver himself,

or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?” ^t

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. ^uv

²²I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, ^w

and your sins like a mist.

Return to Me, ^x

for I have redeemed you. ^y

²³Rejoice, heavens, ^zfor 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. ^a

Restoration of Israel through Cyrus

²⁴This is what the Lord, your Redeemer ^bwho formed you from the womb, ^csays:

I am Yahweh, who made everything;

who stretched out the heavens by Myself; ^d

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; ^e

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, ^f“My shepherd,

he will fulfill all My pleasure” ^g

and says to Jerusalem, “She will be rebuilt,” ^h

and of the temple, “Its foundation will be laid.”