Israel's Only Savior
1But now thus saiththe LORDthat createdthee, O Jacob,and he that formedthee, O Israel,Fearnot: for I have redeemedthee, I have called[thee] by thy name;thou [art] mine.
2When thou passest throughthe waters,I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers,they shall not overflowthee: when thou walkestthroughthe fire,thou shalt not be burned;neither shall the flamekindleupon thee.
3For I [am] the LORDthy God,the Holy Oneof Israel,thy Saviour:I gaveEgypt[for] thy ransom,Ethiopiaand Sebafor thee.
4Since thou wast preciousin my sight,thou hast been honourable,and I have lovedthee: therefore will I givemenfor thee, and peoplefor thy life.
5Fearnot: for I [am] with thee: I will bringthy seedfrom the east,and gatherthee from the west;
6I will sayto the north,Give up;and to the south,Keep not back:bringmy sonsfrom far,and my daughtersfrom the endsof the earth;
7[Even] every onethat is calledby my name:for I have createdhim for my glory,I have formedhim; yea, I have madehim.
8Bring forththe blindpeoplethat haveeyes,and the deafthat have ears.
9Let all the nationsbe gatheredtogether,and let the peoplebe assembled:who among them can declarethis, and shewus former things?let them bring forththeir witnesses,that they may be justified:or let them hear,and say,[It is] truth.
10Ye [are] my witnesses,saiththe LORD,and my servantwhom I have chosen:that ye may knowand believeme, and understandthat I [am] he: beforeme there was no Godformed,neither shall there be afterme.
11I, [even] I, [am] the LORD;and besideme [there is] no saviour.
12I have declared,and have saved,and I have shewed,when [there was] no strange[god] among you: therefore ye [are] my witnesses,saiththe LORD,that I [am] God.
13Yea, before the day[was] I [am] he; and [there is] none that can deliverout of my hand:I will work,and who shall letit?
The Destruction of Babylon Foretold
14Thus saiththe LORD,your redeemer,the Holy Oneof Israel;For your sake I have sentto Babylon,and have brought downall their nobles,and the Chaldeans,whose cry[is] in the ships.
15I [am] the LORD,your Holy One,the creatorof Israel,your King.
16Thus saiththe LORD,which maketha wayin the sea,and a pathin the mightywaters;
17Which bringeth forththe chariotand horse,the armyand the power;they shall lie downtogether,they shall not rise:they are extinct,they are quenchedas tow.
Deliverance for God's People
18Rememberye not the former things,neither considerthe things of old.
19Behold, I will doa new thing;now it shall spring forth;shall ye not knowit? I will even makea wayin the wilderness,[and] riversin the desert.
20The beastof the fieldshall honourme, the dragonsand the owls:because I givewatersin the wilderness,[and] riversin the desert,to give drinkto my people,my chosen.
21Thispeoplehave I formedfor myself; they shall shew forthmy praise.
Israel's Unfaithfulness
(Judges 2:11-15;Jeremiah 2:23-37)
22But thou hast not calledupon me, O Jacob;but thou hast been wearyof me, O Israel.
23Thou hast not broughtme the small cattleof thy burnt offerings;neither hast thou honouredme with thy sacrifices.I have not caused thee to servewith an offering,nor weariedthee with incense.
24Thou hast boughtme no sweet canewith money,neither hast thou filledme with the fatof thy sacrifices:but thou hast made me to servewith thy sins,thou hast weariedme with thine iniquities.
25I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth outthy transgressionsfor mine own sake, and will not rememberthy sins.
26Put me in remembrance:let us pleadtogether:declarethou, that thou mayest be justified.
27Thy firstfatherhath sinned,and thy teachershave transgressedagainst me.
28Therefore I have profanedthe princesof the sanctuary,and have givenJacobto the curse,and Israelto reproaches.
