 1 Listen to me coastlands. Listen people from far away. The Lord has called me from the womb. He has made mention of my name from my mother's bowels. 2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. In the shadow of His hand He has hidden me, and made me a polished shaft. He has hidden me in His quiver, 3 and said to me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God. 5 Now, says the Lord who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel is not gathered, yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6 He said, It is but a little thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved ones of Israel. I will also give you for a light to the nations, to be my salvation to the end of the earth. 7 Thus says the Lord, the redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation hates, the servant of rulers: Kings will see and arise. Rulers will worship because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, and He will choose you. 8 Thus says the Lord, in a favorable time I replied to you. In a day of salvation I have helped you. I will preserve you and give you a covenant for the people to establish the earth, to cause them to inherit the wasted inheritances. 9 Thus you may say to the prisoners, Go out. To those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They will feed in their way and their pastures will be in all high places. 10 They will not hunger or thirst. Nor will heat or sun strike them. For He who has mercy on them will lead them. Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make all my mountains a way. And my highways will be set on high. 12 Behold, these will come from far. And, these from the north and from the west. And these from the land of Sinim. 13 Sing, O heavens and be joyful, O earth. Break out into singing, O mountains. For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted. 14 But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget. Yet I will not forget you. 16 Behold, I have carved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are forever before me. 17 Your children will hurry+. Those destroying you and ruining you will go out from you. 18 Lift up your eyes all around and see. They all gather and come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you will surely wear them as an ornament and bind them on as a bride. 19 For your wastes and your deserted places, and your land of ruins, shall even now be too narrow to live there, and they who swallowed you up shall be far away. 20 The children of your anguish+ will yet say in your ears, The place is too narrow for me. Come near to me so that I may live. 21 Then you shall say in your heart, Who has borne me these, since I am anguished+ and desolate, turned aside and an exile. Who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone. These, where were they? 22 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations and set up my banner to the people. They will bring your sons in their bosom and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. 23 Kings will be your nursing fathers and their queens your nurses. They will bow to you faces to the earth and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who wait for me will not be ashamed. 24 Will the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away and the prey of the fearful ones will escape. For I will contend with those who contend with you and I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh. They will be drunk with their own blood like with sweet wine. All flesh will know that I the Lord am your Savior and your redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob.
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