Israel Freed

12 “Listen(A) to me, Jacob,
    Israel, whom I have called:(B)
I am he;(C)
    I am the first and I am the last.(D)
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,(E)
    and my right hand spread out the heavens;(F)
when I summon them,
    they all stand up together.(G)

14 “Come together,(H) all of you, and listen:
    Which of the idols has foretold(I) these things?
The Lord’s chosen ally(J)
    will carry out his purpose(K) against Babylon;(L)
    his arm will be against the Babylonians.[a]
15 I, even I, have spoken;
    yes, I have called(M) him.
I will bring him,
    and he will succeed(N) in his mission.

16 “Come near(O) me and listen(P) to this:

“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;(Q)
    at the time it happens, I am there.”

And now the Sovereign Lord(R) has sent(S) me,
    endowed with his Spirit.(T)

17 This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(U) the Holy One(V) of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
    who teaches(W) you what is best for you,
    who directs(X) you in the way(Y) you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention(Z) to my commands,
    your peace(AA) would have been like a river,(AB)
    your well-being(AC) like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants(AD) would have been like the sand,(AE)
    your children like its numberless grains;(AF)
their name would never be blotted out(AG)
    nor destroyed from before me.”

20 Leave Babylon,
    flee(AH) from the Babylonians!
Announce this with shouts of joy(AI)
    and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth;(AJ)
    say, “The Lord has redeemed(AK) his servant Jacob.”
21 They did not thirst(AL) when he led them through the deserts;
    he made water flow(AM) for them from the rock;
he split the rock
    and water gushed out.(AN)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 48:14 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 20

Bible Gateway Recommends