CHAPTER 44

1 Yet now hear, O Jacob, my servant, And Israel whom I have chosen.

2 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Maker, And thy Former from the womb; He will help thee. Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, O beloved, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour waters on that which is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on thy seed, And my blessing on thy productions.

4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, As willows near the streams of waters.

5 One shall say, I belong to Jehovah; And another shall be called by the name of Jacob; Another shall write with his hand, (I belong) to Jehovah, And shall be surnamed by the name of Israel.

6 Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts; I am the first, And I am also the last; And besides me there is no God.

7 And who as I shall call, Shall declare this, And set it in order before me, Since I appointed the people of the age? And let them tell them the things that are coming, And the things that shall come.

8 Fear ye not, And be not terrified. Have I not since then made thee to hear? And have I not declared it? Therefore ye are my witnesses, That there is no God besides me, And there is no strong God whom I know not.

9 The formers of a graven image are all vanity; And their desirable things do no; profit; And they are their own witnesses That they do not see, nor know; And therefore they shall be confounded.

10 Who is the maker of God? And who is it that hath molten a graven image, Which is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his companions shall be ashamed; And the workmen themselves are of men; Though they all assemble, And stand up, They shall tremble, And be ashamed together.

12 The worker in iron shall take the file; ²⁷³²⁷³     Or, The tongs. He shall work in the coals; He shall form it with hammers; He shall work in it with the arm of his strength; He shall even be hungry, so that his strength shall fail; He shall not drink water, so that he shall faint.

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; He marketh it with a dyed thread; He adjusteth it with planes; He shapeth it with a compass; He maketh it according to the shape of a man, According to the image of a man, That it may remain in the house.

14 He shall cut down for himself cedars; He shall take the pine And the oak; He shall supply himself with trees of the forest; He shall plant a pine which the rain shall nourish.

15 Then shall a man have them for burning; For he shall take of them, And shall warm himself; Yea, he shall heat an oven, And shall bake bread; He shall also make a god, And worship it; He shall make an idol, And shall bow down before it.

16 Part of it he shall burn in the fire; Of a part he shall make ready flesh, And shall cat it; He shall roast roast. And shall be satisfied. Next, he shall warm himself, And shall say, Ah! I am warmed, And have seen the fire.

17 The remainder of it he turneth into a god, Into his graven image; He boweth down before it; He worshippeth And prayeth to it, Saying, Deliver me; for thou art my God.

18 They have not known, nor understood; For he hath smeared their eyes, that they may not see, And their heart, that they may not understand.

19 It cloth not return into their heart; They have not knowledge, nor understanding, to say, Part of it I have burned in the fire; Yea, on the coals of it have I baked bread; I have roasted flesh, And have eaten it; Shall I turn the remainder of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down before the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes: A deceived heart turneth him aside, So that he cannot deliver his soul, nor sly, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these things, O Jacob; And Israel, for thou art my servant; I have formed thee; thou art my servant; O Israel, do not thou forget me.

22 I have blotted out, as a cloud, thy iniquities; As a vapor, thy sins. Return thou to me; For I have redeemed thee.

23 Praise, O ye heavens; For Jehovah hath done it; Shout, ye lower parts of the earth; Burst forth into praise, ye mountains; O forest. And every tree that is in it; For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And will be glorified ill Israel.

24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, And thy Maker from the womb: I am Jehovah, who maketh all things, Who stretcheth out the heavens above, Who spreadeth out the earth by my power; ²⁷⁴²⁷⁴     Or, By myself.

25 Who frustrateth the tokens of the diviners; Who maketh the soothsayers mad; Who turneth wise men backward; And who maketh their knowledge foolishness;

26 Who upholdeth the word of his servant, And performeth the counsel of his messengers; Saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; And to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built; And I will raise up her ruins.

27 Who saith to the deep, Be thou dried up; And I will make dry thy rivers;

28 Who saith to Cyrus, Thou art my shepherd; And he shall fulfil all my will; Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; And to the Temple, Thou shalt be founded.