12 “I, even I, am he who comforts(A) you.
    Who are you that you fear(B) mere mortals,(C)
    human beings who are but grass,(D)
13 that you forget(E) the Lord your Maker,(F)
    who stretches out the heavens(G)
    and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror(H) every day
    because of the wrath of the oppressor,
    who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?(I)
14     The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;(J)
they will not die in their dungeon,
    nor will they lack bread.(K)
15 For I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea(L) so that its waves roar(M)
    the Lord Almighty(N) is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth(O)
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand(P)
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth,(Q)
    and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.(R)’”

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12 “I—yes, I—am the one who comforts you.
    Who are you, that you are so afraid of humans who will die,
        descendants of mere[a] men, who have been made[b] like grass?
13 As a result, you have forgotten the Lord who made you,
    who stretched out the heavens
and laid the earth’s foundations,
    and you live in constant fear every day
because of the oppressor’s fury,
    since he’s ready to destroy.
        Now where is the[c] oppressor’s fury?
14 Distress[d] will quickly be set free.
    He won’t die in the Pit,[e]
        nor will he lack food.”

A Promise of Restoration

15 “For I am the Lord your God,
    who churns up the sea, so that its waves roar,
        ‘The Lord of the Heavenly Armies is his name.’
16 I have put my words in your mouth
    and have covered you with the shadow of my hand,
so that I could plant the heavens
    and lay the earth’s foundations,
        to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 51:12 1QIsaa MT LXX lack mere
  2. Isaiah 51:12 So 1QIsaa; MT reads are made; LXX reads will be dried up
  3. Isaiah 51:13 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsaa omitted oppressor’s…the then inserted the missing lines at the top of column 43
  4. Isaiah 51:14 So 1QIsaa; MT reads The cowering one; LXX lacks Distress
  5. Isaiah 51:14 I.e. the realm of punishment in the afterlife