Isaiah 44:1-20 ▼

1 “And now, hear, O Jacob, My servant, || And Israel, whom I have fixed on—

2 Thus said YHWH, your Maker, and your Former, || From the womb He helps you: Do not fear, My servant Jacob, || And Yeshurun, whom I have fixed on.

3 For I pour waters on a thirsty one, || And floods on a dry land, || I pour My Spirit on your seed, || And My blessing on your offspring.

4 And they have sprung up as among grass, || As willows by conduits of water.

5 This [one] says, For I [am] YHWH’s, || And this calls [himself] by the name of Jacob, || And this [one] writes [with] his hand, For YHWH, || And surnames himself by the name of Israel.”

6 Thus said YHWH, King of Israel, || And his Redeemer, YHWH of Hosts: “I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, || And besides Me there is no God.

7 And who [is] as I, call and declare it, || And arrange it for Me, || Since My placing the people of antiquity, || And things that are coming, || And those that come, they declare to them.

8 Do not fear, nor be afraid, || Have I not caused you to hear from that time, and declared? And you [are] My witnesses, || Is there a God besides Me? Indeed, there is none, || I have not known another Rock.”

9 Framers of a carved image, all of them [are] emptiness, || And their desirable things do not profit, || And they [are] their own witnesses, || They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.

10 Who has formed a god, || And poured out a molten image—not profitable?

11 Behold, all his companions are ashamed, || As for artisans—they [are] of men, || All of them gather together, they stand up, || They fear, they are ashamed together.

12 He has worked iron [with] an axe, || And has worked with coals, || And forms it with hammers, || And works it by his powerful arm, || Indeed, he is hungry, and there is no power, || He does not drink water, and he is wearied.

13 He has worked [with] wood, || He has stretched out a rule, || He marks it out with a line, || He makes it with carving tools, || And he marks it out with a compass, || And makes it according to the form of a man, || According to the beauty of a man, || To remain in the house.

14 Cutting down cedars for himself, || He also takes a cypress, and an oak, || And he strengthens [it] for himself || Among the trees of a forest, || He has planted an ash, and the shower nourishes [it].

15 And it has been for man to burn, || And he takes of them, and becomes warm, || Indeed, he kindles [it], and has baked bread, || Indeed, he makes a god, and bows himself, || He has made it a carved image, || And he falls down to it.

16 Half of it he has burned in the fire, || By [this] half of it he eats flesh, || He roasts a roasting and is satisfied, || Indeed, he is warm and says: “Aha, I have become warm, I have enjoyed the light.”

17 And he has made its remnant for a god—For his carved image, || He falls down to it, and worships, || And prays to it, and he says, “Deliver me, for you [are] my god.”

18 They have not known, nor do they understand, || For He has coated their eyes from seeing, || Their heart from acting wisely.

19 And none turn [it] back to his heart, || Nor has knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, || Indeed, I have also baked bread over its coals, || I roast flesh and I eat, || And I make its remnant for an abomination, || I fall down to the stock of a tree.”

20 Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, || It has turned him aside, || And he does not deliver his soul, nor says: “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”