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50 Yahweh says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away?
    Or to which of my creditors have I sold you?
Behold, you were sold for your iniquities,
    and your mother was put away for your transgressions.
Why, when I came, was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?
Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea.
    I make the rivers a wilderness.
    Their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with blackness.
    I make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught,
    that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary.
He awakens morning by morning,
    he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear.
    I was not rebellious.
    I have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
    and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair.
    I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord Yahweh will help me.
    Therefore I have not been confounded.
Therefore I have set my face like a flint,
    and I know that I won’t be disappointed.
He who justifies me is near.
    Who will bring charges against me?
Let us stand up together.
    Who is my adversary?
    Let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord Yahweh will help me!
    Who is he who will condemn me?
Behold, they will all grow old like a garment.
    The moths will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears Yahweh
    and obeys the voice of his servant?
He who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
let him trust in Yahweh’s name,
    and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
    who adorn yourselves with torches around yourselves,
walk in the flame of your fire,
    and among the torches that you have kindled.
You will have this from my hand:
    you will lie down in sorrow.

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