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“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen:
    to release the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
    to let the oppressed go free,
    and that you break every yoke?
Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry,
    and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house?
When you see the naked,
    that you cover him;
    and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light will break out as the morning,
    and your healing will appear quickly;
then your righteousness shall go before you,
    and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer.
    You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

“If you take away from among you the yoke,
    finger pointing,
    and speaking wickedly;
10 and if you pour out your soul to the hungry,
    and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light will rise in darkness,
    and your obscurity will be as the noonday;
11 and Yahweh will guide you continually,
    satisfy your soul in dry places,
    and make your bones strong.
You will be like a watered garden,
    and like a spring of water
    whose waters don’t fail.
12 Those who will be of you will build the old waste places.
    You will raise up the foundations of many generations.
You will be called Repairer of the Breach,
    Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.

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Isn’t this the[a] fast that[b] I have been choosing:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
and[c] to untie the cords of the yoke,
    and[d] to let the oppressed go free,
        and to break every yoke?
Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry,
    and to bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked,
    to cover him with clothing,[e]
        and not to raise yourself up[f] from your own flesh and blood?”

God’s Reward

“Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will spring up quickly;
and your vindication will go before you,
    and[g] the glory of the Lord will guard your back.
Then you’ll call,
    and the Lord will answer;
you’ll cry for help,
    and he’ll respond, ‘Here I am.’

“If you do away with the yoke among you,
    and[h] pointing fingers and malicious talk;
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of afflicted souls,
then your light will rise in darkness,
    and your night will be like noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually,
    and satisfy your soul in parched places,[i]
        and they[j] will strengthen your bones;
and you’ll be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
        whose waters never fail.
12 And your people will rebuild the ancient ruins;
    You’ll raise up the age-old foundations,[k]
and people will call you[l] ‘Repairer of Broken Walls,’
    ‘Restorer of Streets to Live In.’

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack the
  2. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack that
  3. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack and
  4. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa MT; 1QIsab 4QIsad LXX lack and
  5. Isaiah 58:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack with clothing
  6. Isaiah 58:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read to hide yourself; LXX reads to disregard
  7. Isaiah 58:8 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab LXX; MT lacks and
  8. Isaiah 58:9 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab MT lack and
  9. Isaiah 58:11 1QIsaa spells the word places incorrectly
  10. Isaiah 58:11 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT reads he; LXX reads and your bones will be strengthened
  11. Isaiah 58:12 Lit. the foundations of many generations
  12. Isaiah 58:12 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read you will be called