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The lands beyond the sea watch in fear.
    Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.
The idol makers encourage one another,
    saying to each other, “Be strong!”
The carver encourages the goldsmith,
    and the molder helps at the anvil.
    “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.”
Carefully they join the parts together,
    then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

“But as for you, Israel my servant,
    Jacob my chosen one,
    descended from Abraham my friend,
I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
    saying, ‘You are my servant.’
For I have chosen you
    and will not throw you away.
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

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Idolaters Encourage Each Other

“The coastlands have looked and are afraid;
    the ends of the earth have drawn near together[a]
        and come forward.
Each helps his neighbor,
    saying[b] to each other, ‘Be strong!’
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith,
    and the hammersmith[c] encourages the one who strikes the anvil.
He says[d] about the welding, ‘It’s good!’
    and he reinforces it with nails so that it won’t topple.”

The Lord Encourages Israel

“But as for you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I’ve chosen,
        the offspring of my friend Abraham—
you whom I encouraged from the ends of the earth
    and called from its farthest corners,
and told you, ‘You’re my servant,
    I’ve chosen you
        and haven’t cast you aside.’
10 Don’t be afraid,
    because I’m with you;
don’t be anxious,
    because I am your God.
I keep on strengthening you;
    I’m truly helping you.
I’m surely upholding you
    with my victorious right hand.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 41:5 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads earth tremble
  2. Isaiah 41:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read and saying; cf. LXX
  3. Isaiah 41:7 Lit. he who smoothes with the hammer
  4. Isaiah 41:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads saying