Isaiah 44:16-28 ▼

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, |Aha. I am warm. I have seen the fire.|

17 The rest of it he makes into a god, even his 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 know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.

19 No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, |I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?|

20 He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, |Isn't there a lie in my right hand?|

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, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. 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 who confirms the word of his servant, and performs 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 waste places;'

27 who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and 'I will dry up your rivers;'

28 Who says of Kurush, 'He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,' even saying of Jerusalem, 'She will be built;' and of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'|