Isaiah
44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which
will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I
have chosen.
44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry
ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine
offspring:
44:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water
courses.
44:5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the
name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD,
and surname himself by the name of Israel.
44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of
hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for
me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are
coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and
have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me?
yea, there is no God; I know not any.
44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their
delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses;
they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for
nothing?
44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of
men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they
shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
44:12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it
with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is
hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he
fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and
maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man;
that it may remain in the house.
44:14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he
strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an
ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
44:15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm
himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god,
and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down
thereto.
44:16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh;
he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith,
Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he
falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and
saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that
they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor
understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I
have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten
it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall
down to the stock of a tree?
44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he
cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have
formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten
of me.
44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a
cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of
the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every
tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in
Israel.
44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the
womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the
heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that
turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of
his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to
the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed
places thereof:
44:27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my
pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the
temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
