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The Lord Shouts

14 I have been silent for a long time.
I have kept still. I have restrained myself.
But now, like a woman giving birth, I will scream.
I will gasp and pant.
15 I will dry up mountains and hills.
I will make all their grass wither.
I will turn rivers into islands.
I will dry up pools.
16 I will lead the blind on a way they do not know.
Along paths they do not know I will direct them.
Ahead of them I will turn darkness into light
and rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will accomplish for them.
I will not abandon them.

17 They will be turned back and completely disgraced—
those who trust in an idol,
those who say to molten images, “You are our gods.”

But Israel Does Not Notice

18 You deaf ones, listen!
You blind ones, watch carefully so that you can see!
19 Who is as blind as my servant?
Who is as deaf as my messenger whom I sent?
Who is as blind as my associate,[a]
as blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 You, Israel, see many things, but you do not observe.
Israel opens his ears, but he does not hear.
21 Because of his own righteousness,
the Lord was pleased to make his law[b] great and glorious.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:19 Or my dedicated one or the one at peace with me. The meaning of this word is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 42:21 Or teaching

14 “For a long time I have kept silent,(A)
    I have been quiet and held myself back.(B)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
    I cry out, I gasp and pant.(C)
15 I will lay waste(D) the mountains(E) and hills
    and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
    and dry up(F) the pools.
16 I will lead(G) the blind(H) by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light(I) before them
    and make the rough places smooth.(J)
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake(K) them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
    who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’(L)
    will be turned back in utter shame.(M)

Israel Blind and Deaf

18 “Hear, you deaf;(N)
    look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind(O) but my servant,(P)
    and deaf like the messenger(Q) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant(R) 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.”(S)
21 It pleased the Lord
    for the sake(T) of his righteousness
    to make his law(U) great and glorious.

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