18 For this is what the Lord says—

he who created the heavens,

he is God;

he who fashioned and made the earth,

he founded it;

he did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited—

he says:

“I am the Lord,

and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret,

from somewhere in a land of darkness;

I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,

‘Seek me in vain.’

I, the Lord, speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

18 For thus says the Lord,

who created the heavens

(he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he did not create it empty,

he formed it to be inhabited!):

“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19 I did not speak in secret,

in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,

‘Seek me in vain.’

I the Lord speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. 19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

18 For the Lord is God,

and he created the heavens and earth

and put everything in place.

He made the world to be lived in,

not to be a place of empty chaos.

“I am the Lord,” he says,

“and there is no other.

19 I publicly proclaim bold promises.

I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner.

I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me

if I could not be found.

I, the Lord, speak only what is true

and declare only what is right.

18 For thus says the Lord,

Who created the heavens,

Who is God,

Who formed the earth and made it,

Who has established it,

Who did not create it in vain,

Who formed it to be inhabited:

“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret,

In a dark place of the earth;

I did not say to the seed of Jacob,

‘Seek Me in vain’;

I, the Lord, speak righteousness,

I declare things that are right.

18 The Lord created the heavens.

He is the God who formed the earth and made it.

He did not want it to be empty,

but he wanted life on the earth.

This is what the Lord says:

“I am the Lord. There is no other God.

19 I did not speak in secret

or hide my words in some dark place.

I did not tell the family of Jacob

to look for me in empty places.

I am the Lord, and I speak the truth;

I say what is right.

18 For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else. 19 I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

18 For thus saith Jehovah who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth and made it, he who established it, —not as waste did he create it: he formed it to be inhabited: —I am Jehovah, and there is none else. 19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek me in vain: I am Jehovah, speaking righteousness, declaring things which are right.

18 The Lord created the heavens. 

God formed the earth and made it. 

He set it up. 

He did not create it to be empty 

but formed it to be inhabited. 

This is what the Lord says: 

I am the Lord, and there is no other. 

19 I haven’t spoken privately or in some dark corner of the world. 

I didn’t say to Jacob’s descendants, 

“Search for me in vain!” 

I, the Lord, speak what is fair and say what is right. 

18 For this is what the Lord says—

God is the Creator of the heavens.

He formed the earth and made it.

He established it;

He did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited —

“I am Yahweh,

and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret,

somewhere in a land of darkness.

I did not say to the descendants of Jacob:

Seek Me in a wasteland.

I, Yahweh, speak truthfully;

I say what is right.

18 For thus says the Lord,

who created the heavens

(he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he did not create it a chaos,

he formed it to be inhabited!):

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19 I did not speak in secret,

in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,

“Seek me in chaos.”

I the Lord speak the truth,

I declare what is right.

18 For thus says Yahweh, who created the heavens,

he is God, who formed the earth

and who made it.

He himself established it;

he did not create it as emptiness—

he formed it for inhabiting.

“I am Yahweh and there is none besides me.

19 I have spoken not in secrecy, in a place, a land, of darkness,

I have not said to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain!’

I, Yahweh, am speaking righteousness,

declaring uprightness.

18 The Lord created the heavens.

He is God.

He formed the earth and made it.

He set it firmly in place.

He didn’t create it to be empty.

Instead, he formed it for people to live on.

He says, “I am the Lord.

There is no other Lord.

19 I have not spoken in secret.

I have not spoken from a dark place.

I have not said to Jacob’s people,

‘It is useless to look for me.’

I am the Lord. I always speak the truth.

I always say what is right.