Isaiah 49:1-21 ▼

1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: the LORD has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother has he made mention of my name:

2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me; and he has made me a polished arrow, in his quiver has he kept me close:

3 and he said to me, |You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.|

4 But I said, |I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with the LORD, and my reward with my God.|

5 Now says the LORD who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him; for I am honorable in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength.

6 And he says, |Is it too insignificant a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the remnant of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may bring salvation to the farthest part of the earth.|

7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to the one who is despised, to the abhorred of the nation, the servant of rulers: |Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of the LORD who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.|

8 Thus says the LORD, |In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you as a covenant to the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:

9 saying to those who are bound, 'Come out.'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' |They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them.

11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

12 Look, these shall come from far; and look, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Syene.|

13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

14 But Zion said, |The LORD has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.|

15 |Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

17 Your builders hurry; your destroyers and those who devastated you shall depart from you.

18 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live,| says the LORD, |you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride.

19 |For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.

20 The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

21 Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Look, I was left alone; these, where were they?'|