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Isaiah 44
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 44
New American Standard Bible
The Blessings of Israel
44 “But now listen, Jacob, My (A)servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 This is what the Lord says, He who made you
And (B)formed you from the womb, who (C)will help you:
‘(D)Do not fear, Jacob My servant,
And [a](E)Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For (F)I will pour water on [b]the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will (G)pour out My Spirit on your (H)offspring,
And My blessing on your descendants;
4 And they will spring up [c]among the grass
Like (I)poplars by streams of water.’
5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
And that one [d]will call on the name of Jacob;
And another will (J)write [e]on his hand, ‘Belonging to the Lord,’
And will give himself Israel’s name with honor.
6 “This is what the Lord says, He who is the (K)King of Israel and his (L)Redeemer, the Lord of armies:
‘I am the (M)first and I am the last,
And there is no God (N)besides Me.
7 Who is like Me? (O)Let him proclaim and declare it;
And, let him confront Me
[f]Beginning with My establishing of the ancient [g]nation.
Then let them declare to them the things that are coming
And the events that are going to take place.
8 Do not tremble and do not be afraid;
(P)Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?
And (Q)you are My witnesses.
Is there any God (R)besides Me,
Or is there any other (S)Rock?
I know of none.’”
The Foolishness of Idolatry
9 Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be (T)put to shame. 10 Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to (U)no benefit? 11 Behold, all his companions will be (V)put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them be put to shame together.
12 The (W)craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, [h]fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and [i]his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. 13 (X)The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of (Y)mankind, so that it may sit in a (Z)house. 14 He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow. 15 Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also (AA)makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and (AB)bows down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17 Yet the rest of it he (AC)makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also (AD)prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18 They do not (AE)know, nor do they understand, for He has (AF)smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. 19 No one [j]remembers, nor is there (AG)knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then [k]I make the rest of it into an (AH)abomination, [l]I bow down before a block of wood!” 20 He [m](AI)feeds on ashes; a (AJ)deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save [n]himself, nor say, “(AK)Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
God Forgives and Redeems
21 “(AL)Remember these things, Jacob,
And Israel, for you are (AM)My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant,
Israel, you will (AN)not be forgotten by Me.
22 I have (AO)wiped out your wrongdoings like a thick cloud
And your sins like a [o]heavy mist.
(AP)Return to Me, for I have (AQ)redeemed you.”
23 (AR)Shout for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;
(AS)Break into a shout of jubilation, you mountains,
Forest, and every tree in it;
For (AT)the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And in Israel He (AU)shows His glory.
24 This is what the Lord says, He who is your (AV)Redeemer, and the one who (AW)formed you from the womb:
“I, the Lord, am the maker of all things,
(AX)Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth [p]alone,
25 (AY)Causing the [q]omens of diviners to fail,
[r]Making fools of fortune-tellers;
(AZ)Causing wise men to turn back
And [s]making their knowledge ridiculous,
26 (BA)Confirming the word of His servant
And [t]carrying out the purpose of His messengers.
It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’
And of the (BB)cities of Judah, ‘(BC)They shall be built.’
And I will raise her ruins again.
27 I am the One who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Dry up!’
And I will make your rivers (BD)dry up.
28 It is I who says of (BE)Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he will carry out all My desire.’
And [u]he says of Jerusalem, ‘(BF)She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘[v]Your foundation will be laid.’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:2 I.e., Israel
- Isaiah 44:3 Or him who is thirsty
- Isaiah 44:4 Another reading is like grass among the waters
- Isaiah 44:5 Another reading is will be called by the name of Jacob
- Isaiah 44:5 Or with
- Isaiah 44:7 Lit From My establishing of
- Isaiah 44:7 Or people
- Isaiah 44:12 Lit and fashions
- Isaiah 44:12 Lit there is no strength
- Isaiah 44:19 Lit returns to his heart
- Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I make?
- Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I bow...?
- Isaiah 44:20 Or is a companion of ashes
- Isaiah 44:20 Lit his soul
- Isaiah 44:22 Or cloud
- Isaiah 44:24 Or who was with Me?
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit signs
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit He makes
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit He turns
- Isaiah 44:26 Lit He performs
- Isaiah 44:28 Lit to say
- Isaiah 44:28 Lit You will be founded
Isaiah 44
Names of God Bible
Isaiah 44
Names of God Bible
44 But now listen, my servant Jacob,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 Yahweh made you, formed you in the womb, and will help you.
This is what Yahweh says:
Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,
Jeshurun,[a] whom I have chosen.
3 I will pour water on thirsty ground and rain on dry land.
I will pour my Ruach on your offspring
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up with the grass
as poplars spring up by streams.
5 One person will say, “I belong to Yahweh.”
Another will call on the name of Jacob.
Another will write on his hand, “Yahweh’s,”
and he will adopt the name of Israel.
The Nations Form Idols, But the Lord Formed Israel
6 Yahweh is Israel’s Melek and Go’el.
He is Yahweh Tsebaoth.
This is what Yahweh says:
I am the first and the last,
and there is no Elohim except me.
7 If there is anyone like me, let him say so.
Let him tell me what happened
when I established my people long ago.
Then let him predict what will happen to them.
8 Don’t be terrified or afraid.
Didn’t I make this known to you long ago?
You are my witnesses.
Is there any Elohim except me?
There is no other rock; I know of none.
9 All who make idols are nothing. Their precious treasures are worthless. Their own witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame. 10 Nothing comes from making gods or casting metal idols. 11 Everyone associated with the gods will be put to shame. The craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all get together and take their stand. They will be frightened and ashamed together.
12 Blacksmiths shape iron into tools. They work them over the coals and shape them with hammers, working them with their strong arms. They get hungry, and their strength fails. If they don’t drink water, they will faint.
13 Carpenters measure blocks of wood with chalk lines. They mark them with pens. They carve them with chisels and mark them with compasses. They carve them into forms of people, beautiful people, so the idols can live in shrines.
14 They cut down cedars for themselves. Then they choose fir trees or oaks. They let them grow strong among the trees in the forest. Then they plant cedars, and the rain makes them grow. 15 These trees become fuel for people to burn. So they take some of them and warm themselves with them. They start fires and bake bread. They also make gods from these trees and worship them. They make them into carved statues and bow in front of them. 16 Half of the wood they burn in the fire. Over this half they roast meat that they can eat until they are full. They also warm themselves and say, “Ah! We are warm. We can see the fire!” 17 But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them, saying, “Rescue us, because you are our gods.”
18 They don’t know or understand anything. Their eyes are plastered shut, so they can’t see. And their minds are closed, so they can’t understand. 19 No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say, “I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.” 20 They eat ashes because they are deceived. Their own misguided minds lead them astray. They can’t rescue themselves or ask themselves, “Isn’t what I hold in my right hand a false god?”
21 Remember these things, Jacob:
You are my servant, Israel.
I formed you; you are my servant.
Israel, I will not forget you.
22 I made your rebellious acts disappear like a thick cloud
and your sins like the morning mist.
Come back to me, because I have reclaimed you.
23 Sing with joy, you heavens, because Yahweh has done this.
Rejoice, you deep places of the earth.
Break into shouts of joy, you mountains,
you forests and every tree in them.
Yahweh has reclaimed Jacob.
He will display his glory in Israel.
Through Cyrus the Lord Will Set Israel Free
24 Yahweh reclaimed you.
He formed you in the womb.
This is what Yahweh says:
I, Yahweh, made everything.
I stretched out the heavens by myself.
I spread out the earth all alone.
25 I cause the signs of false prophets to fail
and make fools of fortunetellers.
I make wise men retreat
and turn their knowledge into foolishness.
26 He confirms the word of his servant
and fulfills the plan of his messengers.
He says about Jerusalem, “It will be inhabited.”
He says about the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt.”
He says about their ruins, “I will restore them.”
27 He says to the deep water, “Dry up.”
So I will dry up your rivers.
28 He says about Cyrus, “He is my shepherd.
He will do everything I want him to do.”
He says about Jerusalem, “It will be rebuilt.”
He says about the temple, “Your foundation will be laid.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:2 “Jeshurun” is another name for Israel.
Yeshayah 44
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Yeshayah 44
Orthodox Jewish Bible
44 Yet now hear, O Ya’akov Avdi; and Yisroel, whom I have chosen;
2 Thus saith Hashem that made thee, and formed thee from the beten (womb), Who will help thee; Fear not, O Ya’akov, Avdi; and thou, Yeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour mayim upon him that is thirsty, and flowing streams upon the yabashah [Gn 1:9]; I will pour out My Ruach [Hakodesh] upon thy zera, and My brocha upon thine offspring;
4 V’tzamechu (and they shall spring up; Tzemach) as among khatzir, as willows by the streams of mayim.
5 One shall say, I belong to Hashem; and another shall call himself by the shem of Ya’akov; and another shall write [in witness] with his yad, Hashem’s, and surname himself by the shem Yisroel.
6 Thus saith Hashem Melech Yisroel, and His Go’el, Hashem Tzva’os; I am the Rishon, and I am the Acharon; and apart from Me there is no Elohim.
7 And who is like Me, who can preach as I do? Let him make it known and set it out in order before Me, since I appointed the Am Olam and the otiyyot (things to come, future things) and what is approaching, let them expound and make known in support of themselves.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have not I proclaimed to thee long ago, and have made it known? Ye are even My edim. Is there Eloah apart from Me? And there is no Tzur. I know of none.
9 They that make a pesel are all of them tohu; and their chamudim (favorite [idols]) are worthless; and they [the idols] are their own edim; they [the idols] see not, nor know; so that they [the idol people] are put to shame.
10 Who hath formed el (g-d), or molded a pesel to no profit?
11 Behold, all its chaverim shall be ashamed; and the charashim (craftsmen), they are only adam; let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The charash barzel (ironsmith) with his ma’atzad (chizel) both worketh in the red-hot coals, and formeth it with hammers, and forgeth it with his zero’a ko’ach and also, he is hungry, and his ko’ach faileth; he drinketh no mayim, and grows faint.
13 The charash etzim (carpenter) stretcheth out his [measuring line]; he marketh it out with sered (red chalk); he worketh it with planes, and he marketh it out with a compass, and maketh it after the tavnit ish (pattern of a man), according to the tiferet adam; that it may stay inside the bais (idolatrous cult shrine).
14 He heweth down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he secureth for himself among the atzei ya’ar (trees of the forest); he planteth a pine, and geshem doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for an adam to burn; for he will take thereof, and warm himself; and also, he kindleth it, and baketh lechem; and also he maketh el (g-d), and boweth down in worship to it; he maketh it a pesel, and falleth down unto it.
16 He burneth half thereof in the eish; with the other half thereof he eateth basar; he roasteth roast meat, and is satisfied; and also, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I perceive ur (flame)!
17 And the shererit thereof he maketh el, even his pesel; he falleth down unto it, and boweth down in worship to it, and davens unto it, and saith, Save me; for thou art Eli!
18 They have no da’as nor binah; for their eyes [the eyes of the idol people] are smeared over, that they cannot see; and their levavot, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his lev, neither is there da’as nor tevunah (understanding, intelligence) to say, I have burned half of it in the eish; and, also I have baked lechem upon the hot coals thereof; I have roasted basar, and eaten it; and shall I make the rest thereof to’evah? Shall I bow down to the bul etz (product of a tree, i.e., a block of wood)?
20 He feedeth on efer (ash); a lev hutal (a heart deceived, a deluded mind) hath led him astray, that he cannot save his nefesh, nor say, Is there not sheker (a lie, a fraud) in my yamin (right hand)?
21 Remember these things, O Ya’akov and Yisroel; for thou art avdi; I have formed thee; thou art an eved to Me; O Yisroel, do not forget Me!
22 I have swept away thy peysha’im like a cloud, and like an anan, thy chattot; Shuva elai ki gealticha (return, turn back to Me, for I have redeemed thee).
23 Sing for joy, O ye Shomayim; for Hashem hath done it; shout, ye depths of the earth; break forth into singing, ye harim, O ya’ar (forest), and kol etz therein; for Hashem hath redeemed Ya’akov, and He will glorify Himself in Yisroel.
24 Thus saith Hashem, thy Go’el, and He that formed thee from the beten (womb), I am Hashem Oseh kol (the Maker of All); that stretcheth out Shomayim alone; that spreadeth out ha’aretz (the earth) by Myself;
25 That annuls the otot of the baddim (liars, false prophets), and maketh kosemim (diviners, soothsayers) into madmen; that turneth back chachamim, and maketh their da’as (knowledge, science) foolishness;
26 That confirmeth the davar of His eved, and fulfilleth the etza (prediction) of His malachim; that saith to Yerushalayim, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the towns of Yehudah, Ye shall be rebuilt, and I will raise up the ruins thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy naharot;
28 That saith of Koresh (Cyrus), He is Ro’i (My Shepherd), and shall accomplish all My pleasure; even saying to Yerushalayim, Thou shalt be rebuilt; and to the Heikhal, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Isaiah 44
New International Version
Isaiah 44
New International Version
Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(A)
Israel, whom I have chosen.(B)
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made(C) you, who formed you in the womb,(D)
and who will help(E) you:
Do not be afraid,(F) Jacob, my servant,(G)
Jeshurun,[a](H) whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water(I) on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;(J)
I will pour out my Spirit(K) on your offspring,
and my blessing(L) on your descendants.(M)
4 They will spring up like grass(N) in a meadow,
like poplar trees(O) by flowing streams.(P)
5 Some will say, ‘I belong(Q) to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(R) ‘The Lord’s,’(S)
and will take the name Israel.
The Lord, Not Idols
6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King(T) and Redeemer,(U) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(V)
apart from me there is no God.(W)
7 Who then is like me?(X) Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell(Y) what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim(Z) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(AA) besides me?
No, there is no other Rock;(AB) I know not one.”
9 All who make idols(AC) are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.(AD)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(AE)
they are ignorant, to their own shame.(AF)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(AG)
which can profit nothing?(AH)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(AI)
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame.(AJ)
12 The blacksmith(AK) takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.(AL)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.(AM)
13 The carpenter(AN) measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(AO)
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.(AP)
14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine,(AQ) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(AR) for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(AS) it;
he makes an idol and bows(AT) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(AU)”
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.(AV)
He prays(AW) to it and says,
“Save(AX) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(AY) nothing;
their eyes(AZ) are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding(BA) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(BB)
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(BC) thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(BD)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(BE) a deluded(BF) heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(BG)”
21 “Remember(BH) these things, Jacob,
for you, Israel, are my servant.(BI)
I have made you, you are my servant;(BJ)
Israel, I will not forget you.(BK)
22 I have swept away(BL) your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return(BM) to me,
for I have redeemed(BN) you.”
23 Sing for joy,(BO) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth(BP) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(BQ)
you forests and all your trees,(BR)
for the Lord has redeemed(BS) Jacob,
he displays his glory(BT) in Israel.
Jerusalem to Be Inhabited
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,(BX)
who spreads out the earth(BY) by myself,
25 who foils(BZ) the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,(CA)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(CB)
and turns it into nonsense,(CC)
26 who carries out the words(CD) of his servants
and fulfills(CE) the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem,(CF) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
and of their ruins,(CG) ‘I will restore them,’(CH)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
and I will dry up(CI) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(CJ) ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(CK) “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple,(CL) “Let its foundations(CM) be laid.”’
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Names of God Bible (NOG)
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.