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50 Thus says the Lord:
Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
    with which I dismissed her?
Or which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
No, because of your sins you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was dismissed.(A)
Why was no one there when I came?
    Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my arm powerless to redeem?
    Or have I no strength to deliver?
By my rebuke I dry up the sea;
    I make the rivers a desert,
so that their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.[a](B)
I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.(C)

The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

The Lord God has given me
    a trained tongue,[b]
that I may know how to sustain
    the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens,
    wakens my ear
    to listen as those who are taught.(D)
The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious;
    I did not turn backward.(E)
I gave my back to those who struck me
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
    from insult and spitting.(F)

The Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame;(G)
    he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand in court together.
Who are my adversaries?
    Let them confront me.(H)
It is the Lord God who helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.(I)

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys the voice of his servant,
who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
yet trusts in the name of the Lord
    and relies upon his God?(J)
11 But all of you are kindlers of fire,
    lighters of firebrands.[c]
Walk in the flame of your fire
    and among the brands that you have kindled!
This is what you shall have from my hand:
    you shall lie down in torment.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 50.2 Or die on the thirsty ground
  2. 50.4 Cn: Heb of those who are taught
  3. 50.11 Syr: Heb you gird yourselves with firebrands

God Helps His Servant

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is the (A)certificate of divorce
By which I have (B)sent your mother away?
Or to whom of My creditors did I (C)sell you?
Behold, you were sold for your (D)wrongdoings,
And for your (E)wrongful acts your mother (F)was sent away.
Why was there (G)no one when I came?
When I called, why was there no one to answer?
Is My (H)hand so short that it cannot redeem?
Or do I have no power to rescue?
Behold, I (I)dry up the sea with My rebuke,
I (J)turn rivers into a wilderness;
Their fish stink for lack of water,
And die of thirst.
I (K)clothe the heavens with blackness,
And make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord [a]God has given Me the tongue of (L)disciples,
So that I may know how to (M)sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me (N)morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
The Lord God has (O)opened My ear,
And I was (P)not disobedient,
Nor did I turn back.
I (Q)gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard;
I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.
For the Lord God (R)helps Me,
Therefore, I am (S)not disgraced;
Therefore, I have made My face like (T)flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
He who (U)vindicates Me is near;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us (V)stand up to each other.
Who has a case against Me?
Let him approach Me.
Behold, (W)the Lord God helps Me;
(X)Who is he who condemns Me?
Behold, (Y)they will all wear out like a garment;
A moth will eat them.
10 Who is among you who fears the Lord,
Who obeys the voice of His (Z)servant,
Who (AA)walks in darkness and has no light?
Let him (AB)trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who (AC)kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with flaming arrows,
Walk in the light of your fire
And among the flaming arrows you have set ablaze.
This you will have from My hand:
You will (AD)lie down in torment.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:4 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch