Isaiah 44
King James Version
44 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Jesaja 44
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Den ende Guden
44 Lyssna nu, min tjänare Jakob,
Israel, som jag har utvalt:
2 Så säger Herren,
som skapade dig
och formade dig i moderlivet,
han som hjälper dig:
Var inte rädd, min tjänare Jakob,
Jeshurun[a], som jag har utvalt.
3 Jag ska utgjuta vatten över törstande mark,
floder över uttorkat land.
Jag ska utgjuta min Ande
över dina barn
och mina välsignelser
över dina ättlingar.
4 De ska växa upp bland gräset,
som pilträd på en flodstrand.
5 En ska säga: ’Jag tillhör Herren’,
en annan bära Jakobs namn,
en tredje ska skriva
att han är Herrens
och hedras med namnet Israel.”
6 Så säger Herren, Israels kung och befriare,
härskarornas Herre:
”Jag är den förste och jag är den siste.
Det finns ingen annan Gud än jag.
7 Vem är som jag?
Låt honom tala om det,
förklara, lägga fram för mig
vad som hänt sedan jag formade mitt folk i urtiden,
och vad som ska komma.[b]
Låt dem berätta vad som ska komma att ske.
8 Var inte förskräckta, var inte rädda!
Har jag inte förkunnat
och förutsagt detta för länge sedan?
Ni är mina vittnen.
Finns det någon annan Gud än jag?
Nej, ingen annan klippa finns, jag vet ingen.”
Avgudarnas meningslöshet
9 De som bygger avgudar åt sig är ingenting.
Deras älskade beläten har ingen hjälp att ge.
Deras vittnen ser inget och vet inget,
de får stå där med skam.
10 Vem gör sig en gud, gjuter en gudabild
som inte är till någon nytta för honom?
11 Alla hans anhängare ska stå med skam,
för hantverkarna som gjort dem är själva bara människor.
Låt dem alla samlas och ställa sig där.
Alla ska de stå där med skam och i skräck.
12 Smeden bearbetar järn vid sitt städ, i glöden,
och formar det med hammare med all sin kraft.
Han blir hungrig och trött,
dricker inget vatten och blir matt.[c]
13 Snickaren tar mått med band,
sätter ut märken med krita
och hugger ut den med stämjärn.
Han märker ut formen med passare,
formar den som en människa i all hennes glans,
som sedan kan bo i ett tempel.
14 Man hugger ner cedrar åt sig,
tar cypress och ek
och låter dem växa bland skogens träd,
eller planterar ett cederträd som regnet får att växa.[d]
15 Av trädet får man sedan ved
att värma sig med
och för att tända en eld för att baka bröd.
Men man gör också en gud som man tillber
och faller ner inför.
16 Hälften av träet använder man till en brasa
där man lagar mat och steker kött att mätta sig med,
värmer sig och säger:
”Så, nu är jag varm, nu kan jag sitta och se på elden.”
17 Av resten gör man en gud, en avgud,
som man faller ner för, dyrkar
och ber till och säger:
”Rädda mig! Du är min gud!”
18 Dessa vet ingenting, förstår ingenting,
deras ögon är tillslutna så att de inte kan se,
liksom deras sinnen så att de inte kan fatta.
19 Ingen tänker efter,
ingen har vett och förstånd att säga:
”Jag har eldat upp hälften av det
för att baka bröd på kolen, steka kött och äta.
Skulle jag då av resten göra en avskyvärd avgud?
Skulle jag falla ner för ett stycke trä?”
20 Den som sätter sin lit till aska lurar sig själv.
Han kan inte rädda sig själv
eller säga: ”Det som jag har här i min hand är en lögn.”
Guds skaparmakt
21 ”Tänk på detta, Jakob,
Israel, för du är min tjänare!
Jag har format dig, du är min tjänare, Israel,
och jag ska inte glömma bort dig.
22 Jag har utplånat dina synder som ett moln,
dina brott som morgondimman.
Vänd om till mig,
för jag har friköpt dig.”
23 Sjung av glädje, ni himlar,
om vad Herren har gjort!
Ropa högt, jordens djup!
Stäm upp en sång, ni berg,
du skog med alla dina träd,
för Herren har friköpt Jakob
och visar sig härlig i Israel!
Jerusalem ska bli bebott
24 Så säger Herren, din befriare,
han som formade dig i moderlivet:
”Jag är Herren
som har skapat allt,
som ensam spänt upp himlarna
och ensam brett ut jorden.
25 Jag är den som tillintetgör de falska profeterna
och gör spåmännen till dårar,
som förkastar de visas lärdom
och gör den till dårskap.
26 Men jag verkställer mina tjänares ord
och fullföljer vad mina sändebud sagt.
Jag säger om Jerusalem:
’Det ska bli bebott,’
och om Juda städer:
’De ska bli uppbyggda.’
Jag ska resa upp deras ruiner igen.
27 Jag säger till havsdjupet:
’Torka ut!’
Och jag torkar ut dina floder.
28 Jag säger om Kyros: ’Han är min herde,
han ska förverkliga allt jag vill.’
Han ska säga om Jerusalem:
’Det ska bli uppbyggt,’
och om templet:
’Dess grund ska läggas.’
Isaiah 44
English Standard Version
Israel the Lord's Chosen
44 “But now hear, (A)O Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!
2 Thus says the Lord who made you,
(B)who formed you from the womb and will help you:
(C)Fear not, O Jacob my servant,
(D)Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
3 (E)For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They shall spring up among the grass
(F)like willows by flowing streams.
5 (G)This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’
another will call on the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’
and name himself by the name of Israel.”
Besides Me There Is No God
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
and (H)his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
(I)“I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
7 (J)Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.[a]
Let him declare and set it before me,
since I appointed an ancient people.
Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
8 Fear not, nor be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
(K)And you are my witnesses!
(L)Is there a God besides me?
There is no (M)Rock; I know not any.”
The Folly of Idolatry
9 (N)All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 (O)Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 (P)Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.
12 (Q)The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.[b] He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. (R)He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 (S)He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. (T)He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an (U)abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 (V)He feeds on (W)ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not (X)a lie in my right hand?”
The Lord Redeems Israel
21 Remember these things, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are (Y)my servant;
I formed you; you are my servant;
(Z)O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 (AA)I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 (AB)Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;
shout, O (AC)depths of the earth;
break forth into singing, O mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
(AD)and will be glorified[c] in Israel.
24 Thus says the Lord, (AE)your Redeemer,
(AF)who formed you from the womb:
(AG)“I am the Lord, who made all things,
(AH)who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,
25 who frustrates the signs of liars
and makes fools of diviners,
(AI)who turns wise men back
and makes their knowledge foolish,
26 (AJ)who confirms the word of his servant
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
(AK)and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
and I will raise up their ruins’;
27 (AL)who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
I will dry up your rivers’;
28 who says of (AM)Cyrus, ‘He is (AN)my shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
(AO)and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:7 Or Who like me can proclaim it?
- Isaiah 44:13 Hebrew stylus
- Isaiah 44:23 Or will display his beauty
Swedish Contemporary Bible (nuBibeln) Copyright © 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
