Isaiah 44

VIN(i) 1 But now hear, Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen. 2 "'This is what the LORD says, the one who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: 'Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water upon the thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants: 4 "'They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. 5 "'"One person will say: "I belong to the LORD." Another person will call himself by the name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand: "the LORD's." And he will take the name Israel.' 6 the LORD says thus, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God. 7 "'Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come yes, let him foretell what will come. 8 "'Do not tremble. Do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses! Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock. There is not one!'" 9 All who make idols are nothing. The things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They are shamefully ignorant. 10 Who shapes a god and casts a useless and good for nothing idol. 11 He and his kind will be put to shame. Craftsmen are merely men. Let them all come together and take their stand for they will be brought down to terror and infamy. 12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals. He shapes an idol with hammers; he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He drinks no water and grows faint. 13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a red chalk marker. He roughs it out with chisels and marks it with a compass. He shapes it in the form of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. 14 He cut down cedars, or cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. 15 It is man's fuel for burning so he takes some to warm himself. He kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it. Yes he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire. 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image; he falls down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, Deliver me! for you are my god. 18 They know not, they understand not; for their eyes are daubed over, that they cannot see; their hearts, that they cannot understand. 19 No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say: "I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood." 20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived mind misleads him. And he cannot save himself, and he cannot say, "Is this not an illusion in my right hand?" 21 Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. 22 I have wiped your transgressions out like a cloud and your sins like 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 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself; 25 who foils the omens of the empty talkers, and makes fools of diviners; who turns sages back, and makes their knowledge foolish; 26 That fulfilleth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem, It shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and their ruins will I raise up. 27 who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and 'I will dry up your rivers;' 28 "'I say of Cyrus: 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please. He will say of Jerusalem, 'Let it be rebuilt,' and of the Temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'"