1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have
chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the
womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and
thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods
upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and
my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the
water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself
by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his
hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the
LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside
me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in
order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the
things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto
them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that
time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there
a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and
their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their
own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be
ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is
profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen,
they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them
stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed
together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and
fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength
of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he
drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with
a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with
the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man,
according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the
house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak,
which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the
forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof,
and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea,
he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven
image, and falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he
eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he
warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the
fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven
image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and
prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their
eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot
understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge
nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the
fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I
have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue
thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a
tree?
20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside,
that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie
in my right hand?
21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I
have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt
not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and,
as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed
thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower
parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O
forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed
Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee
from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that
stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the
earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners
mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their
knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the
counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt
be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built,
and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all
my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built;
and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
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