Isaiah 49:1-17

Common English Bible

The servant speaks up

49 Listen to me, coastlands;
    pay attention, peoples far away.
The Lord called me before my birth,
    called my name when I was in my mother’s womb.
²He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
    and hid me in the shadow of God’s own hand.
He made me a sharpened arrow,
        and concealed me in God’s quiver,
³    saying to me, “You are my servant,
        Israel, in whom I show my glory.”
⁴But I said, “I have wearied myself in vain.
    I have used up my strength for nothing.”
Nevertheless, the Lord will grant me justice;
    my reward is with my God.
⁵And now the Lord has decided—
    the one who formed me from the womb as his servant—
    to restore Jacob to God,
    so that Israel might return to him.
    Moreover, I’m honored in the Lord’s eyes;
    my God has become my strength.
⁶He said: It is not enough, since you are my servant,
    to raise up the tribes of Jacob
    and to bring back the survivors of Israel.
    Hence, I will also appoint you as light to the nations
    so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

⁷The Lord, redeemer of Israel and its holy one,
    says to one despised,
    rejected by nations,
    to the slave of rulers:
    Kings will see and stand up;
    commanders will bow down
    on account of the Lord, who is faithful,
    the holy one of Israel,
    who has chosen you.
⁸The Lord said:
At the right time, I answered you;
    on a day of salvation, I helped you.
    I have guarded you,
    and given you as a covenant to the people, to restore the land,
    and to reassign deserted properties,
⁹    saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”
    and to those in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
Along the roads animals^[a] will graze;
    their pasture will be on every treeless hilltop.
¹⁰They won’t hunger or thirst;
    the burning heat and sun won’t strike them,
    because one who has compassion for them will lead them
    and will guide them by springs of water.
¹¹I will turn all my mountains into roads;
    my highways will be built up.
¹²Look! These will come from far away.
    Look! These from the north and west,
    and these from the southland.^[b]

¹³Sing, heavens! Rejoice, earth!
Break out, mountains, with a song.
The Lord has comforted his people,
and taken pity on those who suffer.

Compassion for Zion

¹⁴But Zion says, “The Lord has abandoned me;
    my Lord has forgotten me.”
¹⁵Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    fail to pity the child of her womb?
        Even these may forget,
        but I won’t forget you.
¹⁶Look, on my palms I’ve inscribed you;
    your walls are before me continually.
¹⁷Your builders^[c] come quickly;
    those who destroy and demolish you will depart from you.