Isaiah Chapter 44

1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen;
2 Thus says the Lord who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you, Do not be afraid Jacob my servant, and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground. I will pour my spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your 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 write with his hand, For the Lord, and be named by the name of Israel.
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and His redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last. And besides me there is no God.
7 Who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it and set it in order for me, since I placed the people of old? And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them declare to them.
8 Do not be afraid. Have I not told you and made you hear since then? So you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Yes, there is none. I have not known a rock.
9 Those who make graven images are all vanity. The things in which they delight will not help. They are their own witnesses. They do not see nor know, that they may be ashamed.
10 Who has formed a god, or melted a graven image that is good for nothing?
11 Behold, all his companions shall be ashamed. And the craftsmen. They are from men. They shall assemble. All of them shall stand. They shall dread. They shall be ashamed together.
12 He engraves iron with a tool. He works in the coals, and forms it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms. Then, he is hungry, and his strength fails. He drinks no water, and is weak.
13 He fashions wood and stretches a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with carving tools and marks it out with the compass and makes it after the figure of a man according to the beauty of a man to sit in the house.
14 He cuts down cedars and takes cypress and oak to make the trees of the forest strong for him. He plants a tree and the rain makes it grow.
15 It will be for a man to burn. For he will take some of it and warm himself. Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships. He makes it a graven image and falls down to it.
16 He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it he eats flesh. He roasts 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, 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 have not known nor understood. For He has shut their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot understand.
19 No one thinks within their heart nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, also I have baked bread on the coals of it. I have roasted flesh and eaten. So shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside so 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 you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a thick cloud. Your sins like a cloud. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 Sing O heavens. For the Lord has done it. Shout, lower parts of the earth. Break out into singing O mountains, O forest and every tree in it. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and glorified 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 stretches out the heavens alone? Who spreads out the earth? Who was with me?
25 Who brings to nothing the signs of the liars and makes diviners mad? Who turns the wise backward and makes their knowledge foolish?
26 Who makes the word of His servant sure and makes good the counsel of His messengers? Who says to Jerusalem, She shall have people and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, I will raise up the waste places of it?
27 Who says to the deep, Be dry and I will dry up your rivers?
28 Who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd and shall do all my pleasure. Even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built. And to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.