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50 Thus says Yahweh:

“Where is this divorce document of your mother’s divorce, with which I dismissed her?
    or to whom of my creditors did I sell you?
Look! you were sold because of your sin,
    and your mother was dismissed because of your transgressions.
Why was there no man when I came,
    no one who answered when I called?
Do I lack the strength to save?[a]
    Or is there no power in me to deliver?
Look! by my rebuke I dry up the sea;
    I make[b] the rivers a desert;
their fish stink because there is no water,
    and they[c] die because of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness,
    and I make[d] their covering sackcloth.”

The Servant’s Vindication

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,
    to know how to help the weary with a word.
He awakens morning by morning,[e]
    awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.
The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me,
    and I, I was not rebellious.
I did not turn backwards;
    I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;[f]
    I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.

And the Lord Yahweh helps me,

therefore I have not been put to shame;
    therefore I have set my face like flint.
And I know that I shall not be ashamed;
    he who obtains rights for me is near.
Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.
    Who is the master of my judgment? Let him approach me.
Look! The Lord Yahweh helps me.
    Who is the one who will declare me guilty?
Look! All of them will be worn out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them.
10 Who among you is in fear of Yahweh,
    obeys[g] the voice of his servant?
Who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
trusts in the name of Yahweh
    and depends on his God?
11 Look! All of you are kindlers of fire,
    who gird yourselves with flaming arrows.
Walk in the light of your fire,
    and among the flaming arrows you have kindled!
You shall have this from my hand:
    you shall lie down in[h] a place of torment.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:2 Literally “short is short my hand from redemption”
  2. Isaiah 50:2 Literally “put”
  3. Isaiah 50:2 Hebrew “she”
  4. Isaiah 50:3 Literally “put”
  5. Isaiah 50:4 Literally “in the morning in the morning”
  6. Isaiah 50:6 Literally “face”
  7. Isaiah 50:10 Or “listens”
  8. Isaiah 50:11 Or “to”

50 The Lord says:
Where’s your mother’s divorce decree,
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which lender did I sell you?
    On account of your sins you were sold;
    on account of your transgressions
    your mother was sent away.
Why did I come and find no one?
    Why did I call when no one answered?
Is my hand too small to redeem you?[a]
    Don’t I have enough power to save?
With my rebuke I dry up the sea
    and make the rivers into wilderness.
Their fish stink from lack of water;
    they die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness
    and cover them with funeral clothing.

God’s faithful servant

The Lord God gave me an educated tongue
    to know how to respond to the weary
    with a word that will awaken them in the morning.[b]
    God awakens my ear in the morning to listen,
    as educated people do.
The Lord God opened my ear;
    I didn’t rebel; I didn’t turn my back.
Instead, I gave my body to attackers,
    and my cheeks to beard pluckers.
I didn’t hide my face
    from insults and spitting.
The Lord God will help me;
    therefore, I haven’t been insulted.
Therefore, I set my face like flint,
    and knew I wouldn’t be ashamed.
The one who will declare me innocent is near.
    Who will argue with me?
Let’s stand up together.
    Who will bring judgment against me?
    Let him approach me.
Look! The Lord God will help me.
    Who will condemn me?
Look, they will wear out like clothing;
    the moth will eat them.

10 Who among you fears the Lord?
    Who listens to the voice of his servant,
    who walks in darkness
    and has no light?
They will trust in the Lord’s name,
    and rely upon their God.
11 Look! All of you are kindling fire,
    igniting torches.
    Walk by the light of your fire,
    by the torches you have ignited.
    This is what will happen to you by my hand:
    you will lie down in grief.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:2 Heb lacks you.
  2. Isaiah 50:4 Heb uncertain