THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH
Isaiah 44 ©
A further promise concerning spiritual benefits, v. 1, etc. The Lord proves that He is a true God, 6, etc. But that idols are vain, and of no value, as also their makers, 9. And those who worship them, 17. Therefore God exhorts the Jews to cleave unto Him only, 21. Turning unto Him, 22. And the other creatures are exhorted to praise the Lord, 23. The Lord speaks further of His power and works, 24. Confirming His promises concerning their bodily and spiritual deliverance, 26.
YET now hear, O 1Jacob mya servant; and 2Israel, whom I have chosen:
Thus saith the LORD that 3made thee, and 4formed thee 5from the womb, 6which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, 7Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
For I willb pour 8water upon him 9that is thirsty, and 10floods 11upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit 12upon thy seed, and my blessing 13upon thine offspring:
And they shall spring up as 14among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
15One shall say, I am the LORD’S; and 16another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself 17by the name of Israel.
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and 18his redeemer the LORD of hosts; 19Icam the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
And 20who, as I, shall 21call, and shall declare it, and set it 22in order for me, since I appointed 23the ancient people? 24and the 25things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto 26them.
27Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have 28not I told thee 29from that time, and have declared it? ye are even 30my witnesses. Isd there a God beside me? yea, there is 31no God; I know not any.
¶They that make a 32graven image are all of them vanity; and 33their delectable things shall not profit; and they are 34their 35own 36witnesses; they see not, nor know; 37that 38they may be ashamed.
39Who hath formed 40a god, or molten a 41graven image 42that is profitable for nothing?
Behold, all 43his fellows shalle be ashamed: and the workmen, they are 44of men: let them 45all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they 46shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
Thef smith 47with the tongs both worketh 48in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, 49and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, 50he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is 51faint.
52The carpenter 53stretcheth out his rule; he marketh 54it out 55with a line; 56he 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; 57that it may remain in the house.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which 58he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an 59ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
60Then 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 61maketh 62a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
He burneth 63part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he 64eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, 65Aha, I am warm, 66I have seen the fire:
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.
67They have not known nor understood: for 68he hath 69shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
70And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, 71I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread 72upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof 73an abomination? shall I fall down 74to the stock of a tree?
75He 76feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him 77aside, that he cannot 78deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a 79lie 80in my right hand?
¶Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for 81thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, 82thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
83I have blotted out, 84as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Sing, O 85ye heavens; 86for 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.
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee 87from the womb, I am the LORD that 88maketh all things; thatg stretcheth forth the heavens alone; thath spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
That frustrateth the tokens 89of the liars, and maketh 90diviners mad; that turneth 91wise men 92backward, and 93maketh their knowledge foolish;
That confirmeth 94the word of his servant, and performeth 95the counsel 96of his messengers; 97that saith to Jerusalem, 98Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places 99thereof:
100That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
That saith of 101Cyrus, He 102is my shepherd, and shall perform 103all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.