Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience

50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
    with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
(E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
    (I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
(K)I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.”

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A Call to Return to God

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors did I sell you?
    Look! It’s because of your sins that you were sold,
        and because of your transgressions that your mother was sent away.
Why is it that when I came, no one was there?
    Why was there no answer when I called?
Was my arm[a] too short to redeem you?
    Do[b] I lack the strength to rescue you?
Look! By my mere rebuke I dry up the sea,
    I turn rivers into a desert.
Their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
I clothe the skies with darkness
    and make sackcloth their covering.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:2 Lit. my hand
  2. Isaiah 50:2 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read Or do