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God’s Blessing on Israel

1“But now listen, Jacob my servant

and Israel whom I have chosen:

2This what the LORD says, the one who made you,

formed you from the womb,

and who will helpa you:

“Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant,

and Jeshurun,b whom I have chosen.

3For I’ll pour water upon thirsty ground

and streams on parched land.

Soc will I pour my Spirit upon your offspring,

and my blessing upon your descendants.

4They’lld spring up as amonge the green grass,

like willows by flowing streams.

5One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’

and another will call himself by the name of Jacob;

still another will have written on his hand, ‘the LORD’s,’

and will adopt the name of Israel.”

I am the First and the Last

6This is what the LORD says, the King of Israel

and its Redeemer—

the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name—f

“I am the first and I am the last,

and apart from me there is no God.

7Who is like me? Let him proclaim

and declare it, and lay it out for himself—g

since he madeh an ancient people.

And let him speaki future events;

let them tell him whatj will happen.

8Don’t tremble, and don’t be afraid.k

Didn’t I tell you and announce it long ago?

You are my witnesses.

Is there any God besides me?

There is no other Rock—

I don’t know of any.”

A Rebuke to Idol Worship

9Now,l all the forming ofm images means nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their own witnesses cannot see, and theyn know nothing. So they will be put to shame.

10Who would shape a god or cast an image that profits nothing?11To be sure, all who associate with it will be put to shame; and as for the craftsmen, they are only human. Let them all gather together ando take their stand. Thenp let them be terrified—they will be humiliated together.

12The blacksmith prepares a tool and works in the coals, thenq fashions an idol with hammers, working by the strength of his arm. He even becomes hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

13The carpenter measures itr with a line; he traces its shape with a stylus, then fashions it with planes and shapes it with a compass. He makes the idol like a human figure, with human beauty, to be at homes in a shrine.14He cuts down cedars, or chooses a cypress tree or an oak, and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. Or he plants a cedar, and the rain makes it grow.15He divides it upt for people to burn. Taking part of it, he warms himself, makes a fire, and bakes bread. Or perhapsu he constructs a god and worships it. He makes it an idol and bows down to it.16Half the wood he burns in the fire, andv overw that half he placesx meat so he can eat. He sits by its coals, warms himself,y and says, “Ah! I am warm in front ofz the fire.”17And the rest of it he makes into a god. To blocksaa of wood he bows down, worships, prays, and says, “Save me, since you are my god.”

18They don’t realize; they don’t understand, because their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds, too, so they cannot understand.19No one stops to think. No one has the knowledge or understanding to think—yes to think!—bb“Half of it I burned in the fire. I even baked bread on its coals, andcc I roasted meat and ate it. Anddd am I about to make detestable thingsee from what is left? Am I about to bow down to blocksff of wood?”20He tends ashes. A deceived mind has lead him astray. It cannot be his life,gg nor can he say, “There’s a lie in my right hand.”hh

A Call to Remembrance and Joy

21“Remember these things, Jacob,

Israel,ii for you are my servant.

I have formed you;

you are a servant to me.

Israel,jj you must not mislead me.kk

22I’ve wiped away your transgressions like a cloud

and your sins like mist.

Return to me;

because I’ve redeemed you.

23“Shout for joy, you heavens,

for the LORD has done it!

Shout aloud, you depths of the earth!

Burst out with singing, you mountains,

you forest, and all your trees!

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob

and will display his glory in Israel.

24“This is what the LORD says, your Redeemer

and the one who formed you in the womb:

‘I am the LORD, who has made everything,

who alone stretched out the heavens,

who spread out the earth—

Who was with me at that time?—ll

25who frustrates the omens of idle talkers,

and drives diviners mad,

who turns back the wise,

and makes their knowledge foolish;mm

26who carries out the words of his servants,

and fulfills the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem, “It will be inhabited,”

and of Judah’s cities, “They will be rebuilt,”

and of her ruins, “I’ll raise them up”;

27who says to the watery deep, “Be dry—

I will dry up your rivers;”

28who says about Cyrus, “He’s my shepherd,

and he’ll carry out everything that I please:

He’ll say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’

and of mynn Temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid again.’”’”