The Lord has Chosen Israel
1 Yet listen now, Jacob my servant,
and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 This is what the Lord who made you
and formed you from the womb,
who will help you says:
“Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,
and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the land that is thirsty,
and streams on the dry ground.
I will pour my Spirit on your descendants
and my blessing on your offspring,
4 and they will spring up among the grass,
like willows by the watercourses.
5 One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’
and another will be called by the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand ‘to the Lord,’
and name himself by the name of Israel.”
Only One is God
6 This is what the Lord, the King of Israel,
and his Redeemer, the Lord of Armies, says:
“I am the first, and I am the last,
and besides me there is no God.
7 Who is like me?
Who will call,
and will declare it,
and set it in order for me,
since I established the ancient people?
Let them declare the things that are coming
and what will take place.
8 Do not tremble or be afraid.
Have I not declared it and shown it to you long ago?
You are my witnesses.
Is there a God besides me?
Indeed, there is not.
I do not know any other Rock.”
The Folly of Idolatry
9 Everyone who makes a carved image is nothing.
The things that they treasure are worthless.
Those who worship idols are blind and ignorant,
so they will be put to shame.
10 Who has fashioned a god
or molds an image that is profitable for nothing?
11 All the idol-worshipers will be put to shame,
the craftsmen are mere men.
Let them all be gathered together.
Let them stand up.
They will be terrified.
Together, they will be put to shame.
12 The blacksmith takes an ax,
works in the coals,
fashions it with hammers,
and works it with his strong arm.
He is hungry,
and his strength fails,
he drinks no water,
and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretches out a line.
He marks it out with a pencil.
He shapes it with planes.
He marks it out with compasses,
and shapes it into the figure of a human,
with all its the beauty,
placing it in a shrine.
14 He cuts down cedars for himself
and takes the cypress and the oak
and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest.
He plants a cypress tree,
and the rain nourishes it.
15 Then it will be fuel,
and he takes it and warms himself.
Yes, he burns it and bakes bread on it.
Then, he makes a god with it and worships it.
He makes it a carved image and falls down to it.
16 He burns part of it in the fire.
With part of it, he eats meat.
He cooks a roast and is satisfied.
Yes, he warms himself
and says, “Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”
17 The rest of it he makes into a god,
his own engraved image.
He bows down to it and worships
and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 They do not understand, nor do they think about it;
for they have shut their eyes, so they cannot see,
and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to consider it,
or has the knowledge or discernment to say,
“Part of it I used to burn fire.
Yes, I have baked bread on its coals.
I have roasted meat and eaten it.
Should I use the rest of it to make an abomination?
Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”
20 He feeds on ashes.
A deceived heart has turned him astray,
and he cannot deliver himself,
nor can he say, “Is this not a lie in my own right hand?”
Jerusalem to be Restored
21 Remember these things, Jacob and Israel,
for you are my servant.
I have formed you.
You are my servant.
Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins, like a mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 Sing, you heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout, you lower parts of the earth!
Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
and will glorify himself in Israel.
24 The Lord, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb says:
“I am the Lord, the maker of all things,
who alone stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,
25 who foils the signs of the false prophets,
and makes fools of diviners,
who confounds wise men,
and makes their knowledge foolishness,
26 who confirms the word of his servant,
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem,
‘She will be inhabited,’
and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’
and ‘I will raise up its wastelands,’
27 who says to the deep sea,
‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’
28 who says of Cyrus,
‘He is my shepherd who will fulfill all I desire,’
speaking of Jerusalem,
‘She will be built,’
and of the temple,
‘Your foundation will be laid.’ ”