Chapter 44

Yet now hear,³ O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:¹

Thus saith¹ the LORD that made⁶ thee, and formed⁶ thee from the womb, [which] will help⁴ thee; Fear⁴ not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.¹

For I will pour⁴ water upon him that is thirsty, and floods⁶ upon the dry ground: I will pour⁴ my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

And they shall spring up¹ [as] among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

One shall say,⁴ I [am] the LORD'S; and another shall call⁴ [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe⁴ [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname¹⁷ [himself] by the name of Israel.

Thus saith¹ the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer⁶ the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.

And who, as I, shall call,⁴ and shall declare⁵⁵ it, and set it in order⁴ for me, since I appointed² the ancient people? and the things that are coming,⁶ and shall come,⁴ let them shew⁵⁵ unto them.

Fear⁴ ye not, neither be afraid:^{4 7297 1} have not I told⁵² thee from that time, and have declared⁵² [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know¹ not [any].

They that make⁶ a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things⁷ shall not profit;⁵⁵ and they [are] their own witnesses; they see⁴ not, nor know;⁴ that they may be ashamed.⁴

Who hath formed¹ a god, or molten¹ a graven image [that] is profitable⁵³ for nothing?

Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed:⁴ and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together,¹⁰¹ let them stand up;⁴ [yet] they shall fear,⁴ [and] they shall be ashamed⁴ together.

The smith ²⁷⁹⁶ with the tongs both worketh¹ in the coals, and fashioneth⁴ it with hammers, and worketh⁴ it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh¹ no water, and is faint.⁴

The carpenter ⁶⁰⁸⁶ stretcheth out¹ [his] rule; he marketh it out¹⁷ with a line; he fitteth⁴ it with planes, and he marketh it out¹⁷ with the compass, and maketh⁴ it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain² in the house.

He heweth him down² cedars, and taketh⁴ the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth¹⁷ for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth¹ an ash, and the rain doth nourish¹⁷ [it].

Then shall it be for a man to burn:¹⁵ for he will take⁴ thereof, and warm⁴ himself; yea, he kindleth⁵⁵ [it], and baketh¹ bread; yea, he maketh⁴ a god, and worshippeth¹⁰¹ [it]; he maketh¹ it a graven image, and falleth down⁴ thereto.

He burneth¹ part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth⁴ flesh; he roasteth⁴ roast, and is satisfied:⁴ yea, he warmeth⁴ [himself], and saith,⁴ Aha, I am warm,¹ I have seen¹ the fire:

And the residue thereof he maketh¹ a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down⁴ unto it, and worshippeth¹⁰¹ [it], and prayeth¹⁰¹ unto it, and saith,⁴ Deliver⁵⁴ me; for thou [art] my god.

They have not known¹ nor understood:⁴ for he hath shut¹ their eyes, that they cannot see;² [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.⁵³

And none considereth⁵⁵ in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say,² I have burned¹ part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked¹ bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted⁴ flesh, and eaten⁴ [it]: and shall I make⁴ the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down⁴ to the stock of a tree?

He feedeth⁶ on ashes: a deceived²⁷ heart hath turned him aside,⁵² that he cannot deliver⁵⁵ his soul, nor say,⁴ [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?

Remember³ these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou [art] my servant: I have formed¹ thee; thou [art] my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten¹¹ of me.

I have blotted out,¹ as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return³ unto me; for I have redeemed¹ thee.

Sing,³ O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done¹ [it]: shout,⁵⁴ ye lower parts of the earth: break forth³ into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed¹ Jacob, and glorified¹⁰¹ himself in Israel.

Thus saith¹ the LORD, thy redeemer,⁶ and he that formed⁶ thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh⁶ all [things]; that stretcheth forth⁶ the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad⁶ the earth by myself;

That frustrateth⁵⁶ the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners⁶ mad;²⁵ that turneth⁵⁶ wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;¹⁷

That confirmeth⁵⁶ the word of his servant, and performeth⁵⁵ the counsel of his messengers; that saith⁶ to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited;⁹³ and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built,¹¹ and I will raise up³⁴ the decayed places thereof:

That saith⁶ to the deep, Be dry,³ and I will dry up⁵⁵ thy rivers:

That saith⁶ of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd,⁶ and shall perform⁵⁵ all my pleasure: even saying² to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built;¹¹ and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.¹¹