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Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New International Version
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New International Version
17 “The poor and needy search for water,(A)
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.(B)
But I the Lord will answer(C) them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake(D) them.
18 I will make rivers flow(E) on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert(F) into pools of water,(G)
and the parched ground into springs.(H)
19 I will put in the desert(I)
the cedar and the acacia,(J) the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers(K) in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress(L) together,(M)
20 so that people may see and know,(N)
may consider and understand,(O)
that the hand(P) of the Lord has done this,
that the Holy One(Q) of Israel has created(R) it.
21 “Present your case,(S)” says the Lord.
“Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.(T)
22 “Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.(U)
Tell us what the former things(V) were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,(W)
23 tell us what the future holds,
so we may know(X) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,(Y)
so that we will be dismayed(Z) and filled with fear.
24 But you are less than nothing(AA)
and your works are utterly worthless;(AB)
whoever chooses you is detestable.(AC)
25 “I have stirred(AD) up one from the north,(AE) and he comes—
one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads(AF) on rulers as if they were mortar,
as if he were a potter treading the clay.
26 Who told of this from the beginning,(AG) so we could know,
or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
no one foretold(AH) it,
no one heard any words(AI) from you.
27 I was the first to tell(AJ) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.(AK)
28 I look but there is no one(AL)—
no one among the gods to give counsel,(AM)
no one to give answer(AN) when I ask them.
29 See, they are all false!
Their deeds amount to nothing;(AO)
their images(AP) are but wind(AQ) and confusion.
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Here is my servant,(AR) whom I uphold,
my chosen one(AS) in whom I delight;(AT)
I will put my Spirit(AU) on him,
and he will bring justice(AV) to the nations.(AW)
2 He will not shout or cry out,(AX)
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed(AY) he will not break,(AZ)
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(BA)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(BB)
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(BC) on earth.
In his teaching(BD) the islands(BE) will put their hope.”(BF)
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(BG) who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth(BH) with all that springs from it,(BI)
who gives breath(BJ) to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called(BK) you in righteousness;(BL)
I will take hold of your hand.(BM)
I will keep(BN) you and will make you
to be a covenant(BO) for the people
and a light(BP) for the Gentiles,(BQ)
7 to open eyes that are blind,(BR)
to free(BS) captives from prison(BT)
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.(BU)
8 “I am the Lord;(BV) that is my name!(BW)
I will not yield my glory to another(BX)
or my praise to idols.(BY)
9 See, the former things(BZ) have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce(CA) them to you.”
Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing(CB) to the Lord a new song,(CC)
his praise(CD) from the ends of the earth,(CE)
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,(CF)
you islands,(CG) and all who live in them.
11 Let the wilderness(CH) and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar(CI) lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela(CJ) sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.(CK)
12 Let them give glory(CL) to the Lord
and proclaim his praise(CM) in the islands.(CN)
13 The Lord will march out like a champion,(CO)
like a warrior(CP) he will stir up his zeal;(CQ)
with a shout(CR) he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.(CS)
14 “For a long time I have kept silent,(CT)
I have been quiet and held myself back.(CU)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.(CV)
15 I will lay waste(CW) the mountains(CX) and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up(CY) the pools.
16 I will lead(CZ) the blind(DA) by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light(DB) before them
and make the rough places smooth.(DC)
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake(DD) them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’(DE)
will be turned back in utter shame.(DF)
Israel Blind and Deaf
18 “Hear, you deaf;(DG)
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind(DH) but my servant,(DI)
and deaf like the messenger(DJ) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant(DK) with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen.”(DL)
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake(DM) of his righteousness
to make his law(DN) great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered(DO) and looted,
all of them trapped in pits(DP)
or hidden away in prisons.(DQ)
They have become plunder,
with no one to rescue them;(DR)
they have been made loot,
with no one to say, “Send them back.”
23 Which of you will listen to this
or pay close attention(DS) in time to come?
24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
and Israel to the plunderers?(DT)
Was it not the Lord,(DU)
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow(DV) his ways;
they did not obey his law.(DW)
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,(DX)
the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,(DY) yet they did not understand;(DZ)
it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.(EA)
Israel’s Only Savior
43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created(EB) you, Jacob,
he who formed(EC) you, Israel:(ED)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(EE) you;
I have summoned you by name;(EF) you are mine.(EG)
2 When you pass through the waters,(EH)
I will be with you;(EI)
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,(EJ)
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.(EK)
3 For I am the Lord your God,(EL)
the Holy One(EM) of Israel, your Savior;(EN)
I give Egypt(EO) for your ransom,
Cush[a](EP) and Seba(EQ) in your stead.(ER)
4 Since you are precious and honored(ES) in my sight,
and because I love(ET) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid,(EU) for I am with you;(EV)
I will bring your children(EW) from the east
and gather(EX) you from the west.(EY)
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south,(EZ) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters(FA) from the ends of the earth(FB)—
7 everyone who is called by my name,(FC)
whom I created(FD) for my glory,(FE)
whom I formed and made.(FF)”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(FG)
who have ears but are deaf.(FH)
9 All the nations gather together(FI)
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(FJ) this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(FK)” declares the Lord,
“and my servant(FL) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(FM) and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(FN) was formed,
nor will there be one after me.(FO)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(FP)
and apart from me there is no savior.(FQ)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god(FR) among you.
You are my witnesses,(FS)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days(FT) I am he.(FU)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”(FV)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New King James Version
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New King James Version
17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none,
Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the Lord, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not (A)forsake them.
18 I will open (B)rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the (C)wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree,
The myrtle and the oil tree;
I will set in the (D)desert the cypress tree and the pine
And the box tree together,
20 (E)That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The Futility of Idols
21 “Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the (F)King of Jacob.
22 “Let(G) them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the (H)former things, what they were,
That we may [a]consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
23 (I)Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, (J)do good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed (K)you are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 “I have raised up one from the north,
And he shall come;
From the [b]rising of the sun (L)he shall call on My name;
(M)And he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
26 (N)Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
27 (O)The first time (P)I said to Zion,
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 (Q)For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 (R)Indeed they are all [c]worthless;
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Behold! (S)My Servant whom I uphold,
My [d]Elect One in whom My soul (T)delights!
(U)I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed He will not break,
And [e]smoking flax He will not [f]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
4 He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(V)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”
5 Thus says God the Lord,
(W)Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
(X)Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 “I,(Y) the Lord, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You (Z)and give You as a covenant to the people,
As (AA)a light to the Gentiles,
7 (AB)To open blind eyes,
To (AC)bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in (AD)darkness from the prison house.
8 I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My (AE)glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Praise to the Lord
10 (AF)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
(AG)You who go down to the sea, and [g]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, (AH)yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.
Promise of the Lord’s Help
14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in [h]labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be (AI)turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.’
18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (AJ)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (AK)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”
Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience
21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [i]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”
23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(AL)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(AM)It has set him on fire all around,
(AN)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (AO)heart.
The Redeemer of Israel
43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, (AP)for I have redeemed you;
(AQ)I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 (AR)When you pass through the waters, (AS)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you (AT)walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
(AU)I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have (AV)loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 (AW)Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And (AX)gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the (AY)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is (AZ)called by My name,
Whom (BA)I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
8 (BB)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (BC)deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(BD)Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You(BE) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(BF)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (BG)believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, (BH)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (BI)foreign god among you;
(BJ)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (BK)Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will (BL)reverse it?”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:22 Lit. set our heart on them
- Isaiah 41:25 East
- Isaiah 41:29 So with MT, Vg.; DSS, Syr., Tg. nothing; LXX omits first line
- Isaiah 42:1 Chosen
- Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
- Isaiah 42:3 extinguish
- Isaiah 42:10 Lit. its fullness
- Isaiah 42:14 childbirth
- Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New American Standard Bible
17 “The poor and needy are seeking (A)water, but there is none,
And their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the Lord, (B)will answer them Myself;
As the God of Israel I (C)will not abandon them.
18 I will open (D)rivers on the bare heights,
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make (E)the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land fountains of water.
19 I will put the cedar in the wilderness,
The acacia, the (F)myrtle, and the olive tree;
I will place the (G)juniper in the desert,
Together with the elm tree and the cypress,
20 So that (H)they may see and recognize,
And consider and gain insight as well,
That the (I)hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 “[a]Present your case,” the Lord says.
“Bring forward your evidence,”
The (J)King of Jacob says.
22 (K)Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place;
As for the (L)former events, declare what they were,
So that we may consider them and know their outcome.
Or announce to us what is coming;
23 (M)Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
So that we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, (N)do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.
24 Behold, (O)you are less than nothing,
And (P)your work is less than nothing!
He who chooses you is an (Q)abomination.
25 “I have put (R)one from the north into motion, and he has come;
From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;
And he will come upon rulers as upon [b](S)mortar,
As the potter treads on clay.”
26 Who has (T)declared this from the beginning, that we might know?
Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”?
There was (U)no one at all who declared,
There was no one at all who proclaimed,
There was no one at all who heard your words.
27 “(V)Previously I said to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are.’
And to Jerusalem, ‘I will give a (W)messenger of good news.’
28 But (X)when I look, there is no one,
And there is no (Y)counselor [c]among them
Who, if I ask, can (Z)give an answer.
29 Behold, all of them are [d]false;
Their (AA)works are (AB)nothing,
Their cast metal images are (AC)wind and emptiness.
God’s Promise concerning His Servant
42 “(AD)Behold, My (AE)Servant, whom I [e]uphold;
My (AF)chosen one in whom My (AG)soul delights.
I have put My (AH)Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth (AI)justice to the [f]nations.
2 He will not cry out nor raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 A bent reed He will not break off
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth (AJ)justice.
4 He will not be (AK)disheartened or crushed
Until He has established justice on the earth;
And the (AL)coastlands will wait expectantly for His [g]law.”
5 This is what God the Lord says,
Who (AM)created the heavens and (AN)stretched them out,
Who spread out the (AO)earth and its [h]offspring,
Who (AP)gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it:
6 “I am the Lord, I have (AQ)called You in righteousness,
I will also (AR)hold You by the hand and (AS)watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a (AT)covenant to the people,
As a (AU)light to the nations,
7 To (AV)open blind eyes,
To (AW)bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
8 (AX)I am the Lord, that is (AY)My name;
I will not give My (AZ)glory to another,
Nor My praise to idols.
9 Behold, the (BA)former things have come to pass,
Now I declare (BB)new things;
Before they sprout I proclaim them to you.”
10 Sing to the Lord a (BC)new song,
Sing His praise from the (BD)end of the earth!
(BE)You who go down to the sea, and (BF)all that is in it;
You (BG)islands, and those who live on them.
11 Let the (BH)wilderness and its cities raise their voices,
The settlements which (BI)Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of (BJ)Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the (BK)mountains.
12 Let them (BL)give glory to the Lord
And declare His praise in the (BM)coastlands.
13 (BN)The Lord will go out like a warrior,
He will stir His (BO)zeal like a man of war.
He will shout, indeed, He will raise a war cry.
He will (BP)prevail against His enemies.
The Blindness of the People
14 “(BQ)I have kept silent for a long time,
I have kept still and restrained Myself.
Now like a woman in labor I will groan,
I will both gasp and pant.
15 I will (BR)lay waste the mountains and hills
And wither all their vegetation;
I will (BS)turn the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the ponds.
16 I will (BT)lead those who are blind by a way they have not known,
In paths they have not known I will guide them.
I will (BU)turn darkness into light before them
And (BV)uneven land into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will (BW)not leave them undone.”
17 They will be turned back and be (BX)utterly put to shame,
Who trust in [i]idols,
Who say to cast metal images,
“You are our gods.”
18 (BY)Hear, you who are deaf!
And look, you who are blind, so that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (BZ)servant,
Or so deaf as My (CA)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as one who is [j](CB)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (CC)You have seen many things, but you do not retain them;
Your ears are open, but no one hears.
21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the Law (CD)great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and pillaged;
All of them are (CE)trapped in [k]caves,
Or are (CF)hidden away in prisons;
They have become plunder, with no one to save them,
And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”
23 Who among you will listen to this?
Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they (CG)were not willing to walk,
And whose Law they did not (CH)obey?
25 So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the (CI)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he [l](CJ)paid no attention.
Israel Redeemed
43 But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your (CK)Creator, Jacob,
And He who (CL)formed you, Israel:
“Do not (CM)fear, for I have (CN)redeemed you;
I have (CO)called you by name; you are (CP)Mine!
2 When you (CQ)pass through the waters, (CR)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you (CS)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For (CT)I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your (CU)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
[m](CV)Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Since you are (CW)precious in My sight,
Since you are (CX)honored and I (CY)love you,
I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for (CZ)I am with you;
I will bring (DA)your offspring from the east,
And (DB)gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the (DC)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My (DD)sons from afar
And My daughters from the (DE)ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is (DF)called by My name,
And whom I have (DG)created for My (DH)glory,
(DI)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Israel Is God’s Witness
8 Bring out the people who are (DJ)blind, even though they have eyes,
And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have (DK)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (DL)declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present (DM)their witnesses so (DN)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (DO)My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And (DP)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (DQ)I am He.
(DR)Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, only I, am the Lord,
And there is no (DS)savior (DT)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no (DU)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And I am God.
13 Even [n](DV)from eternity (DW)I am He,
And there is (DX)no one who can rescue from My hand;
(DY)I act, and who can reverse it?”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:21 Lit Bring near
- Isaiah 41:25 I.e., the building material
- Isaiah 41:28 Lit out of those
- Isaiah 41:29 Another reading is nothing
- Isaiah 42:1 Or hold fast
- Isaiah 42:1 Or Gentiles
- Isaiah 42:4 Or instruction
- Isaiah 42:5 Or vegetation
- Isaiah 42:17 Or carved images
- Isaiah 42:19 Or the devoted one
- Isaiah 42:22 Or holes
- Isaiah 42:25 Lit did not lay it to heart
- Isaiah 43:3 Or Ethiopia
- Isaiah 43:13 As in LXX; MT from the day
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New Living Translation
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
New Living Translation
17 “When the poor and needy search for water and there is none,
and their tongues are parched from thirst,
then I, the Lord, will answer them.
I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
18 I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus.
I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.
I will fill the desert with pools of water.
Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
19 I will plant trees in the barren desert—
cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
20 I am doing this so all who see this miracle
will understand what it means—
that it is the Lord who has done this,
the Holy One of Israel who created it.
21 “Present the case for your idols,”
says the Lord.
“Let them show what they can do,”
says the King of Israel.[a]
22 “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago
so that we may consider the evidence.
Or let them tell us what the future holds,
so we can know what’s going to happen.
23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead.
Then we will know you are gods.
In fact, do anything—good or bad!
Do something that will amaze and frighten us.
24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all.
Those who choose you pollute themselves.
25 “But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north.
From the east he will call on my name.
I will give him victory over kings and princes.
He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.
26 “Who told you from the beginning
that this would happen?
Who predicted this,
making you admit that he was right?
No one said a word!
27 I was the first to tell Zion,
‘Look! Help is on the way!’[b]
I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news.
28 Not one of your idols told you this.
Not one gave any answer when I asked.
29 See, they are all foolish, worthless things.
All your idols are as empty as the wind.
The Lord’s Chosen Servant
42 “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout
or raise his voice in public.
3 He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
4 He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.
Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.[c]”
5 God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.
He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone,
life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is he who says,
6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
7 You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
8 “I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to anyone else,
nor share my praise with carved idols.
9 Everything I prophesied has come true,
and now I will prophesy again.
I will tell you the future before it happens.”
A Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing a new song to the Lord!
Sing his praises from the ends of the earth!
Sing, all you who sail the seas,
all you who live in distant coastlands.
11 Join in the chorus, you desert towns;
let the villages of Kedar rejoice!
Let the people of Sela sing for joy;
shout praises from the mountaintops!
12 Let the whole world glorify the Lord;
let it sing his praise.
13 The Lord will march forth like a mighty hero;
he will come out like a warrior, full of fury.
He will shout his battle cry
and crush all his enemies.
14 He will say, “I have long been silent;
yes, I have restrained myself.
But now, like a woman in labor,
I will cry and groan and pant.
15 I will level the mountains and hills
and blight all their greenery.
I will turn the rivers into dry land
and will dry up all the pools.
16 I will lead blind Israel down a new path,
guiding them along an unfamiliar way.
I will brighten the darkness before them
and smooth out the road ahead of them.
Yes, I will indeed do these things;
I will not forsake them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say, ‘You are our gods,’
will be turned away in shame.
Israel’s Failure to Listen and See
18 “Listen, you who are deaf!
Look and see, you blind!
19 Who is as blind as my own people, my servant?
Who is as deaf as my messenger?
Who is as blind as my chosen people,
the servant of the Lord?
20 You see and recognize what is right
but refuse to act on it.
You hear with your ears,
but you don’t really listen.”
21 Because he is righteous,
the Lord has exalted his glorious law.
22 But his own people have been robbed and plundered,
enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped.
They are fair game for anyone
and have no one to protect them,
no one to take them back home.
23 Who will hear these lessons from the past
and see the ruin that awaits you in the future?
24 Who allowed Israel to be robbed and hurt?
It was the Lord, against whom we sinned,
for the people would not walk in his path,
nor would they obey his law.
25 Therefore, he poured out his fury on them
and destroyed them in battle.
They were enveloped in flames,
but they still refused to understand.
They were consumed by fire,
but they did not learn their lesson.
The Savior of Israel
43 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;
I gave Ethiopia[d] and Seba in your place.
4 Others were given in exchange for you.
I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
You are honored, and I love you.
5 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
I will gather you and your children from east and west.
6 I will say to the north and south,
‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel
from the distant corners of the earth.
7 Bring all who claim me as their God,
for I have made them for my glory.
It was I who created them.’”
8 Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
9 Gather the nations together!
Assemble the peoples of the world!
Which of their idols has ever foretold such things?
Which can predict what will happen tomorrow?
Where are the witnesses of such predictions?
Who can verify that they spoke the truth?
10 “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord.
“You are my servant.
You have been chosen to know me, believe in me,
and understand that I alone am God.
There is no other God—
there never has been, and there never will be.
11 I, yes I, am the Lord,
and there is no other Savior.
12 First I predicted your rescue,
then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.
No foreign god has ever done this.
You are witnesses that I am the only God,”
says the Lord.
13 “From eternity to eternity I am God.
No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
No one can undo what I have done.”
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
The Message
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
The Message
17-20 “The poor and homeless are desperate for water,
their tongues parched and no water to be found.
But I’m there to be found, I’m there for them,
and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty.
I’ll open up rivers for them on the barren hills,
spout fountains in the valleys.
I’ll turn the baked-clay badlands into a cool pond,
the waterless waste into splashing creeks.
I’ll plant the red cedar in that treeless wasteland,
also acacia, myrtle, and olive.
I’ll place the cypress in the desert,
with plenty of oaks and pines.
Everyone will see this. No one can miss it—
unavoidable, indisputable evidence
That I, God, personally did this.
It’s created and signed by The Holy of Israel.
21-24 “Set out your case for your gods,” says God.
“Bring your evidence,” says the King of Jacob.
“Take the stand on behalf of your idols, offer arguments,
assemble reasons.
Spread out the facts before us
so that we can assess them ourselves.
Ask them, ‘If you are gods, explain what the past means—
or, failing that, tell us what will happen in the future.
Can’t do that?
How about doing something—anything!
Good or bad—whatever.
Can you hurt us or help us? Do we need to be afraid?’
They say nothing, because they are nothing—
sham gods, no-gods, fool-making gods.
25-29 “I, God, started someone out from the north and he’s come.
He was called out of the east by name.
He’ll stomp the rulers into the mud
the way a potter works the clay.
Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen?
Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it
with ‘Yes, he’s right!’?
No one mentioned it, no one announced it,
no one heard a peep out of you.
But I told Zion all about this beforehand.
I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news.
But around here there’s no one—
no one who knows what’s going on.
I ask, but no one can tell me the score.
Nothing here. It’s all smoke and hot air—
sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods.”
God’s Servant Will Set Everything Right
42 1-4 “Take a good look at my servant.
I’m backing him to the hilt.
He’s the one I chose,
and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
I’ve bathed him with my Spirit, my life.
He’ll set everything right among the nations.
He won’t call attention to what he does
with loud speeches or gaudy parades.
He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt
and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right.
He won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped
until he’s finished his work—to set things right on earth.
Far-flung ocean islands
wait expectantly for his teaching.”
The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life
5-9 God’s Message,
the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
opening blind eyes,
releasing prisoners from dungeons,
emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name.
I don’t franchise my glory,
don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
I’m telling you all about it.”
10-16 Sing to God a brand-new song,
sing his praises all over the world!
Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
with all the far-flung islands joining in.
Let the desert and its camps raise a tune,
calling the Kedar nomads to join in.
Let the villagers in Sela round up a choir
and perform from the tops of the mountains.
Make God’s glory resound;
echo his praises from coast to coast.
God steps out like he means business.
You can see he’s primed for action.
He shouts, announcing his arrival;
he takes charge and his enemies fall into line:
“I’ve been quiet long enough.
I’ve held back, biting my tongue.
But now I’m letting loose, letting go,
like a woman who’s having a baby—
Stripping the hills bare,
withering the wildflowers,
Drying up the rivers,
turning lakes into mudflats.
But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”
17 But those who invested in the no-gods
are bankrupt—dead broke.
You’ve Seen a Lot, but Looked at Nothing
18-25 Pay attention! Are you deaf?
Open your eyes! Are you blind?
You’re my servant, and you’re not looking!
You’re my messenger, and you’re not listening!
The very people I depended upon, servants of God,
blind as a bat—willfully blind!
You’ve seen a lot, but looked at nothing.
You’ve heard everything, but listened to nothing.
God intended, out of the goodness of his heart,
to be lavish in his revelation.
But this is a people battered and cowed,
shut up in attics and closets,
Victims licking their wounds,
feeling ignored, abandoned.
But is anyone out there listening?
Is anyone paying attention to what’s coming?
Who do you think turned Jacob over to the thugs,
let loose the robbers on Israel?
Wasn’t it God himself, this God against whom we’ve sinned—
not doing what he commanded,
not listening to what he said?
Isn’t it God’s anger that’s behind all this,
God’s punishing power?
Their whole world collapsed but they still didn’t get it;
their life is in ruins but they don’t take it to heart.
When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place
43 1-4 But now, God’s Message,
the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
5-7 “So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
* * *
8-13 Get the blind and deaf out here and ready—
the blind (though there’s nothing wrong with their eyes)
and the deaf (though there’s nothing wrong with their ears).
Then get the other nations out here and ready.
Let’s see what they have to say about this,
how they account for what’s happened.
Let them present their expert witnesses
and make their case;
let them try to convince us what they say is true.
“But you are my witnesses.” God’s Decree.
“You’re my handpicked servant
So that you’ll come to know and trust me,
understand both that I am and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
I’m the only Savior there is.
I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed
long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.
And you know it, you’re my witnesses,
you’re the evidence.” God’s Decree.
“Yes, I am God.
I’ve always been God
and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake it?”
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson