The Servant, Israel’s Hope

50 Thus says the Lord:

“Where is (A)the certificate of your mother’s divorce,
Whom I have put away?
Or which of My (B)creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
For your iniquities (C)you have sold yourselves,
And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
Why, when I came, was there no man?
Why, when I called, was there none to answer?
Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
Indeed with My (D)rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a wilderness;
Their fish stink because there is no water,
And die of thirst.
(E)I clothe the heavens with blackness,
(F)And I make sackcloth their covering.”

“The(G) Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is (H)weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.
The Lord God (I)has opened My ear;
And I was not (J)rebellious,
Nor did I turn away.
(K)I gave My back to those who struck Me,
And (L)My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;
I did not hide My face from shame and (M)spitting.

“For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore (N)I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
(O)He is near who justifies Me;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand together.
Who is [a]My adversary?
Let him come near Me.
Surely the Lord God will help Me;
Who is he who will condemn Me?
(P)Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;
(Q)The moth will eat them up.

10 “Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who (R)walks in darkness
And has no light?
(S)Let him trust in the name of the Lord
And rely upon his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with sparks:
Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—
(T)This you shall have from My hand:
You shall lie down (U)in torment.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:8 Lit. master of My judgment

Israel Was Punished for Its Sin

50 This is what the Lord says:

“People of Israel, you say I divorced your mother.
    Then where is the paper that proves it?
Or do you think I sold you
    to pay a debt?
Because of the evil things you did, I sold you.
    Because of the times she turned against me, your mother was sent away.
I came home and found no one there;
    I called, but no one answered.
Do you think I am not able to save you?
    Do I not have the power to save you?
Look, I need only to shout and the sea becomes dry.
    I change rivers into a desert,
and their fish rot because there is no water;
    they die of thirst.
I can make the skies dark;
    I can make them black like clothes of sadness.”

God’s Servant Obeys

The Lord God gave me the ability to teach
    so that I know what to say to make the weak strong.
Every morning he wakes me.
    He teaches me to listen like a student.
The Lord God helps me learn,
    and I have not turned against him
    nor stopped following him.
I offered my back to those who beat me.
    I offered my cheeks to those who pulled my beard.
I won’t hide my face from them
    when they make fun of me and spit at me.
The Lord God helps me,
    so I will not be ashamed.
I will be determined,
    and I know I will not be disgraced.
He shows that I am innocent, and he is close to me.
    So who can accuse me?
    If there is someone, let us go to court together.
If someone wants to prove I have done wrong,
    he should come and tell me.
Look! It is the Lord God who helps me.
    So who can prove me guilty?
Look! All those who try will become useless like old clothes;
    moths will eat them.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys his servant?
That person may walk in the dark
    and have no light.
Then let him trust in the Lord
    and yet depend on his God.
11 But instead, some of you want to light your own fires
    and make your own light.
So, go, walk in the light of your fires,
    and trust your own light to guide you.
But this is what you will receive from me:
    You will lie down in a place of pain.