The (A)coastlands have seen and are afraid;
The (B)ends of the earth tremble;
They have approached and have come.
Each one helps his neighbor
And says to his brother, “Be strong!”
So the (C)craftsman encourages the (D)smelter,
And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil,
Saying of the soldering, “It is good”;
And he fastens it with nails,
(E)So that it will not totter.
“But you, Israel, (F)My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of (G)Abraham My (H)friend,
You whom I have [a](I)taken from the ends of the earth
And called from its (J)remotest parts,
And said to you, ‘You are (K)My servant,
I have (L)chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 Do not (M)fear, for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, (N)I will also help you,
I will also uphold you with My righteous (O)right hand.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 41:9 Lit seized

Idolaters Encourage Each Other

“The coastlands have looked and are afraid;
    the ends of the earth have drawn near together[a]
        and come forward.
Each helps his neighbor,
    saying[b] to each other, ‘Be strong!’
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith,
    and the hammersmith[c] encourages the one who strikes the anvil.
He says[d] about the welding, ‘It’s good!’
    and he reinforces it with nails so that it won’t topple.”

The Lord Encourages Israel

“But as for you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I’ve chosen,
        the offspring of my friend Abraham—
you whom I encouraged from the ends of the earth
    and called from its farthest corners,
and told you, ‘You’re my servant,
    I’ve chosen you
        and haven’t cast you aside.’
10 Don’t be afraid,
    because I’m with you;
don’t be anxious,
    because I am your God.
I keep on strengthening you;
    I’m truly helping you.
I’m surely upholding you
    with my victorious right hand.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 41:5 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads earth tremble
  2. Isaiah 41:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read and saying; cf. LXX
  3. Isaiah 41:7 Lit. he who smoothes with the hammer
  4. Isaiah 41:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads saying