SPIRITUAL BLESSING

44 “And now listen, Jacob my servant,

Israel whom I have chosen.n

2 This is the word of the Lord

your Maker, the one who formed you from the womb:

He will help you.

Do not fear, Jacob my servant,

JeshurunB whom I have chosen.o

3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out my Spiritp on your descendants

and my blessing on your offspring.

4 They will sprout amongC the grass

like poplars by flowing streams.

5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;

another will use the name of Jacob;

still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’

and take on the name of Israel.”

NO GOD OTHER THAN THE LORD

6 This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer,q the Lord of Armies, says:

I am the first and I am the last.r

There is no God but me.s

7 Who, like me, can announce the future?

Let him say so and make a case before me,t

since I have established an ancient people.

Let these gods declareD the coming things,

and what will take place.

8 Do not be startled or afraid.

Have I not told you and declared it long ago?

You are my witnesses!u

Is there any God but me?v

There is no other Rock;w I do not know any.

9 All who make idols are nothing,

and what they treasure benefits no one.

Their witnesses do not see or know anything,

so they will be put to shame.x

10 Who makes a god or casts a metal image

that benefits no one?y

11 Look, 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.

12 The 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.

13 The 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 form,a

like a beautiful person,

to dwell in a temple.

14 He cuts downA 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.

15 A person can use it for fuel.

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.

16 He 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.”

17 He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.

He bows down to it and worships;

he prays to it,b “Save me, for you are my god.”

18 Such peopleB do not comprehend

and cannot understand,

for he has shut their eyesC so they cannot see,

and their minds so they cannot understand.

19 No one comes to his senses;D

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.

Should I make something detestablec with the rest of it?

Should I bow down to a block of wood?”

20 He feeds onE ashes.

His deceived mind has led him astray,

and he cannot rescue himself,

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

21 Remember 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.F,e

22 I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,f

and your sins like a mist.

Return to me,g

for I have redeemed you.h

23 Rejoice, heavens,i 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.j

RESTORATION OF ISRAEL THROUGH CYRUS

24 This is what the Lord, your Redeemerk who formed you from the womb,l says:

I am the Lord, who made everything;

who stretched out the heavens by myself;m

who alone spread out the earth;

25 who destroys the omens of the false prophets

and makes fools of diviners;

who confounds the wise

and makes their knowledge foolishness;n

26 who 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;

27 who says to the depths of the sea, “Be dry,”

and I will dry up your rivers;

28 who says to Cyrus,o “My shepherd,

he will fulfill all my pleasure”p

and says to Jerusalem, “She will be rebuilt,”q

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