Chronological
The Lord Is the Only God
44 The Lord says, “·People of Jacob, you are my servants [L Jacob, my servant]. Listen to me!
·People of Israel, I chose you [L Israel, my chosen; 41:8].”
2 This is what the Lord says, who made you,
who formed you in ·your mother’s body [L the womb],
who will help you:
“·People of Jacob, my servants [L Jacob, my servant], don’t be afraid.
·Israel [L Jeshurun; C the location of the Temple; Deut. 32:15; 33:5, 26], I chose you.
3 I will pour out water for the thirsty land
and make streams flow on dry land.
I will pour out my Spirit ·into your children [on your descendants/offspring/seed]
and my blessing on your ·descendants [offspring].
4 ·Your children [L They] will ·grow [sprout up] like a tree in the grass,
like ·poplar trees [or willows] growing beside streams of water.
5 One person will say, ‘I belong to the Lord,’
and another will use the name Jacob.
Another will ·sign his name [or write on his hand] ‘I am the Lord’s,’
and another will ·use [call himself by] the name Israel.”
6 The Lord, the king of Israel,
is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], who saves Israel.
This is what he says: “I am the ·beginning and the end [L first and the last].
·I am the only God [There is no god but me].
7 Who is like me?
Let him ·come and prove [proclaim; claim] it.
Let him tell and explain all that has happened since I ·set up [established] my ancient people.
He should also tell what will happen in the future.
8 Don’t be afraid! Don’t ·worry [fear]!
·I have always told you what will happen [Have I not proclaimed it long ago?].
You are my witnesses.
·There is no other [L Is there another…?] God but me.
I know of no other Rock; I am the only One.”
Idols Are Useless
9 Some people make idols, but they are ·worth nothing [nothing; void].
People treasure them, but they are ·useless [worthless].
Those people are witnesses for the statues, but those people cannot see.
They know nothing, so they will be ·ashamed [put to shame; C idolmakers are as ignorant as their idols].
10 Who makes a god or ·shapes [casts; molds] an idol
that can do nothing for him?
11 [L Look; T Behold] ·The workmen who made them [L All his compansions] will be ·ashamed [put to shame],
because ·they [L the craftsmen] are only human.
If they all would come together to stand against me,
they would all be ·afraid [terrified] and ·ashamed [put to shame].
12 One ·workman [blacksmith] uses tools to heat iron,
and he works over hot coals.
With his hammer he beats the metal and makes a statue,
using his powerful arms.
But when he becomes hungry, he loses his ·power [strength].
If he does not drink water, he becomes tired.
13 ·Another workman [A carpenter/craftsman] ·uses a line and a compass [L stretches a line]
to draw on the wood.
Then he uses his chisels to cut a statue
and his ·calipers [compass] to measure the statue.
In this way, the workman makes the wood ·look exactly like a person [like the pattern of a man],
and this statue of a person ·sits [or dwells] in ·the house [or a shrine].
14 He cuts down cedars
or cypress or oak trees.
·Those trees grew by their own power in [or He secures it for himself from] the forest.
Or he plants a pine tree, and the rain makes it grow.
15 Then he burns the tree.
He uses some of the wood for a fire to keep himself warm.
He also starts a fire to bake his bread.
But he uses part of the wood to make a god, and then he worships it!
He makes the idol and bows down to it [C showing the absurdity of worshiping an idol made from the same material he burns]!
16 The man burns half of the wood in the fire.
He uses the fire to cook his meat,
and he eats the meat until he is full.
He also burns the wood to keep himself warm. He says,
“Good! Now I am warm. ·I can see because of the fire’s light [or …as I watch the fire; L I have seen the fire].”
17 But he makes a statue from the wood that is left and calls it his god.
He bows down to it and worships it.
He prays to it and says,
“You are my god. ·Save [Rescue] me!”
18 Those people ·don’t know what they are doing [or know nothing]. They ·don’t understand [are ignorant]!
·It is as if their eyes are covered [or They shut their eyes] so they can’t see.
Their minds don’t understand.
19 ·They have not thought about these things [No one considers];
they don’t understand.
They have never thought to themselves,
“I burned half of the wood in the fire
and used the hot coals to bake my bread.
I cooked and ate my meat.
·And I used the wood that [or Should I use what…?] was left to make this ·hateful [abominable; detestable] thing.
·I am worshiping [or Should I bow down to…?] a block of wood!”
20 He ·doesn’t know what he is doing [L feeds on ashes; or eats on a pile of ashes];
his ·confused mind [deluded/deceived heart] leads him ·the wrong way [astray].
He cannot ·save [rescue; T deliver] himself
or say, “·This statue I am holding is a false god [L Is there not a lie in my right hand?].”
The Lord Is the True God
21 “·People of Jacob [L Jacob], remember these things!
·People of Israel [L Israel], remember you are my servants.
I ·made [shaped; formed] you, and you are my servants.
So Israel, I will not forget you.
22 I have ·swept away [removed; or blotted out] your ·sins [offenses; transgressions] like a big cloud;
I have removed your sins like a ·cloud that disappears into the air [mist].
Come back to me because I ·saved [redeemed] you.”
23 ·Skies [or Heavens], sing for joy because the Lord ·did great things [or acts; intervenes; L has done this]!
Earth, shout for joy, even in your deepest parts!
·Sing [Break into song], you mountains, with thanks to God.
Sing, too, you forests and all your trees!
The Lord ·saved [redeemed] ·the people of Jacob [L Jacob]!
He ·showed his glory when he saved [L is glorified in] Israel.
24 This is what the Lord ·who saved you [your redeemer] says,
the one who formed you in ·your mother’s body [L the womb]:
“I, the Lord, made everything,
stretching out the skies by myself
and spreading out the earth all alone.
25 I ·show that the signs of the lying prophets are false [L frustrate the signs of babblers/or empty talkers];
I make fools of ·those who do magic [diviners].
I ·confuse even [reverse what is said by] the wise;
they think they know much, but I make ·them look foolish [their knowledge into foolishness].
26 I ·make the messages of my servants come true [confirm my servants’ words];
I make the ·advice [or prophecies] of my messengers come true.
I say to Jerusalem,
‘·People will live in you again [L It will be inhabited]!’
I say to the towns of Judah,
‘You will be built again!’
I say to Jerusalem’s ruins,
‘I will ·repair you [raise you up].’
27 I tell the deep waters, ‘Become dry!
I will make your streams become dry!’
28 I say of Cyrus [C the Persian king (ruled 550–530 bc) who allowed Israel to return from exile; 41:2; 44:28—45:6; 46:11; 48:14–16], ‘He is my shepherd
and will ·do [fulfill] all that I want him to do.
He will say to Jerusalem, “You will be built again!”
He will tell the Temple, “Your foundations will be rebuilt.”’”
God Chooses Cyrus to Free Israel
45 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus [44:28], his ·appointed king [anointed one; messiah]:
“I hold your right hand
and will help you ·defeat [subdue] nations
and ·take away other kings’ power [or remove kings’ armor; L open the loins of kings].
I will open doors for you
so city gates will not ·stop you [be shut].
2 I will go before you
and ·make the mountains flat [level mountains; 40:4].
I will ·break down [shatter; smash] the bronze gates of the cities
and cut through their iron bars.
3 I will give you the ·wealth that is stored away [L treasures of darkness]
and the ·hidden riches [hoards in secret places]
so you will know I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 I do these things for ·my servants, the people of Jacob [L the sake of Jacob my servant],
and for ·my chosen people, the Israelites [Israel, my chosen].
·Cyrus, I call [L I call] you by name,
and I give you a title of honor even though you don’t know me.
5 I am the Lord. There is no other God;
I am the only God.
I will ·make you strong [or arm you for battle; L gird you],
even though you don’t know me,
6 so that everyone will know
there is ·no other God [none besides me].
From the ·east [rising of the sun] to ·the west [its setting] they will know
I alone am the Lord.
7 I make the light
and create the darkness.
I bring ·peace [prosperity; wholeness; C Hebrew shalom], and I ·cause [create] ·troubles [disaster; calamity].
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 “·Sky [Heavens] above, make ·victory [or righteousness] fall like rain;
clouds, pour down ·victory [or righteousness].
Let the earth ·receive it [open up],
and let salvation grow,
and let ·victory [or righteousness] grow with it.
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 “·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] those who argue with ·the God who made them [their Maker].
·They are like a piece of broken pottery [L A potsherd] among ·many pieces [L potsherds of the earth].
·The clay does not [L Does the clay…?] ask the potter [64:8; Rom. 9:20],
‘What are you doing?’
The thing that is made doesn’t say to its maker,
‘You have no ·hands [or skill].’
10 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the child who says to his father,
‘·Why are you giving me life [or What have you fathered]?’
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the child who says to his mother,
‘·Why are you giving birth to me [or What have you given birth to]?’”
11 This is what the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel [1:4], and its Maker, says:
“You ask me about what will happen.
·You [or Do you…?; or How dare you…!] question me about my children.
·You [or Do you…?; or How dare you…!] give me orders about ·what I have made [the work of my hands].
12 I made the earth
and all the people living on it.
With my own hands I stretched out the ·skies [heavens],
and I commanded all ·the armies in the sky [or the stars in the sky; T their host].
13 I will ·bring [raise/stir up] ·Cyrus [L him; 44:28] ·to do good things [or for my righteous purpose; in my righteousness],
and I will make his ·work easy [ways/paths straight].
He will rebuild my city
and set my ·people [L exiles] free
without any payment or ·reward [gift; or bribe].
The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this.”
14 The Lord says,
“The ·goods made in [L labor of] Egypt and the ·products [merchandise; or revenue] of ·Cush [Ethiopia]
and the tall people of Seba [43:3]
will ·come to [or be brought to] you
and will become yours.
·The Sabeans [L They] will walk behind you,
coming along in chains [C Israel is depicted as a great empire, receiving tribute from other nations].
They will bow down before you
and pray to you [C because they recognize Israel as God’s representative], saying,
‘God is with you,
and there is no other God.’”
15 God and Savior of Israel,
·you are [or how, then, can you be…?] a God ·that people cannot see [L who hides himself].
16 All the people who make idols will be put to great shame;
they will go off together in ·disgrace [humiliation; or confusion].
17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord,
and that salvation will continue forever.
Never again will Israel be ·put to shame [shamed; disgraced].
18 The Lord created the heavens.
He is the God who formed the earth and made it.
He did not ·want [create] it to be ·empty [or formless; chaotic; Gen. 1:2],
but he ·wanted life on the earth [L formed it to be inhabited].
This is what the Lord says:
“I am the Lord. There is no other God.
19 I did not speak in secret
or hide my words in some dark place.
I did not tell the ·family [descendants; offspring; seed] of Jacob
to ·look for me in empty places [or seek me in vain].
I am the Lord, and I speak the truth;
I say what is right.
20 “You ·people who have escaped [fugitives; refugees] from other nations,
gather together and come before me;
come near together.
People who carry idols of wood ·don’t know what they are doing [know nothing; or are fools].
They pray to a god who cannot save them.
21 ·Tell these people to come to me [or Declare and bring your case].
Let them ·talk about these things [take counsel] together.
Who told you long ago that this would happen?
Who told about it long ago?
I, the Lord, said these things.
There is no other God besides me.
I am the only good God. I am the Savior.
There is no other God.
22 “All ·people everywhere [the ends of the earth],
·follow [turn] and be saved.
I am God. There is no other God.
23 I ·will make a promise by my own power [L have sworn by myself],
and ·my promise is true [L a righteous/right/true word goes out of my mouth];
what I say will not ·be changed [be revoked; L return].
·I promise that everyone will bow before me [L For to me every knee will bow]
and ·will promise to follow me [L every tongue will swear; C allegiance; Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:10].
24 People will say about me, ‘·Goodness [Righteousness; or Deliverance] and ·power [strength]
come only from the Lord.’”
Everyone who has been angry with him
will come to him and be ashamed.
25 But with the Lord’s help, the ·people [descendants; offspring; seed] of Israel
will be ·found to be good [justified; vindicated; or victorious],
and they will ·praise [boast/glory in] him.
False Gods Are Useless
46 Bel bows down and Nebo bends low [C important gods of Babylon].
Their ·idols [images] ·are carried by animals [L belong to beasts and cattle].
The statues are only heavy loads
carried by tired animals.
2 ·These gods will all ·bow [stoop and bow] down.
They cannot save themselves
but will all be carried away ·like prisoners [into captivity].
3 “·Family [L House] of Jacob, listen to me!
All ·you people from Israel who are still alive [the remnant of the house of Israel], listen!
I have carried you since you were born;
I have taken care of you from ·your birth [L the womb].
4 Even when you are old, I ·will be the same [L am he].
Even when your hair has turned gray, I will ·take care of [sustain; carry] you.
I made you and will carry you.
I will ·take care of [sustain; carry] and ·save [rescue] you.
5 “To whom can you compare me?
·No one [Who…?] is equal to me or ·like [comparable to] me.
6 Some people ·are rich with gold [L pour out gold from their bags]
and weigh their silver on the scales.
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god.
Then they bow down and worship it.
7 They put it on their shoulders and carry it.
They set it in its place, and there it stands;
it cannot move from its place.
People may ·yell at [or cry out to] it, but it cannot answer.
It cannot save them from their troubles.
8 “Remember this, and ·do not forget it [be firm/steadfast]!
Think about these things, you ·who turn against God [rebels; transgressors].
9 Remember ·what happened long ago [L the former things of antiquity].
Remember that I am God, and there is no other God.
I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 From the beginning I told you what would happen in the end.
·A long time ago [From ancient times] I told you things that have not yet happened.
·When I plan something, it happens [L …saying, “My counsel will stand”].
What I want to do, I will do.
11 I am calling a man from the east to carry out my plan;
he will come like a ·hawk [bird of prey; eagle] from a country far away.
I will make what I have said come true;
I will do what I have planned.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn ·people [hearted],
who are far from ·what is right [righteousness].
13 I ·will soon do the things that are right [L am bringing my righteousness near].
·I will bring salvation soon[L It is not far away].
I will save ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
·and bring glory to Israel [L Israel, my splendor/glory].”
God Will Destroy Babylon
47 The Lord says, “·City of [L Virgin daughter] Babylon, go down and sit in the ·dirt [dust].
·People of Babylon [L Daughter of the Chaldeans], sit on the ground.
·You are no longer the ruler [L …without a throne].
You will no longer be called
tender or ·beautiful [delicate; pampered].
2 Take millstones and grind grain into flour.
Remove your veil and ·take [strip] off your nice skirts.
Uncover your legs and cross the rivers [C actions of a servant, not a queen].
3 People will see your nakedness;
they will see your shame [C probably a euphemism for sexual organs].
I will ·punish you [take vengeance];
I will ·punish every one of you [spare no one].”
4 Our ·Savior [Redeemer] is named the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts];
he is the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
5 “·Babylon [L Daughter of the Chaldeans], sit in ·darkness and say nothing [L silence and go into darkness].
You will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people,
so I ·rejected [defiled; desecrated; profaned] ·those who belonged to me [my inheritance/possession].
I gave them ·to you [L into your hand],
but you showed them no mercy.
You even ·made the old people
work very hard [L laid a very heavy yoke on the aged].
7 You said, ‘I will ·live [reign; be] forever as the queen.’
But you did not think about these things
or consider ·what would happen [the outcome/end].
8 “Now, listen, you lover of pleasure.
You ·think you are safe [who dwell in security].
You tell yourself,
‘·I am the only one [L I am], and there is no other [Zeph. 2:15].
I will never be a widow
or ·lose [L know the loss of] my children.’
9 Two things will happen to you suddenly, in a single day.
You will lose your children and ·your husband [L become a widow].
These things will ·truly happen to [or overwhelm; L come in abundance upon] you,
in spite of all your ·magic [sorceries],
in spite of your powerful ·tricks [spells; enchantments].
10 You ·do evil things, but you feel safe [L trusted/felt secure in your evil/wickedness]
and say, ‘No one sees ·what I do [L me].’
Your wisdom and knowledge
have ·fooled [mislead] you.
You say to yourself,
‘·I am the only one [L I am], and there is no other [v. 8].’
11 But ·troubles [disaster; evil] will come ·to [upon] you,
and you will not know how to ·stop them [conjure/charm it away].
·Disaster [Calamity; Destruction] will fall on you,
and you will not be able to ·keep it away [appease it; make atonement/pay ransom for it].
A catastrophe will strike ·quickly [suddenly];
you will not even ·see it coming [L know].
12 “Keep on using your ·tricks [magic spells; enchantments]
and doing all your ·magic [sorceries]
that you have ·used [practiced; labored at] since you were young.
Maybe ·they will help you [you will succeed/profit];
maybe you will be able to ·scare someone [provoke terror].
13 You are tired of the ·advice [counsel] you have received.
So let ·those who study the sky [the astrologers; L those who divide the heavens]—
those who ·tell the future by looking at the stars and the new moons [L gaze at the stars to know the months]—
let them save you from what is about to happen to you.
14 But they are like straw;
fire will quickly burn them up.
They cannot save themselves
from the power of the fire.
They are not like coals that give warmth
nor like a fire that you may sit beside.
15 You have ·worked [labored] with these people,
and they have ·been [or done business] with you since you were young,
but they will not be able to help you.
Everyone will ·go [or wander off] his own way,
and there will be no one left to save you.”
God Controls the Future
48 The Lord says, “·Family [L House] of Jacob, listen to me.
You are called [L by the name of] Israel,
and you come from the ·family [L waters; wellsprings] of Judah.
You ·swear [take oaths] by the Lord’s name
and ·praise [confess; call on] the God of Israel,
but ·you are not honest or sincere [L not in truth or in righteousness].
2 You call yourselves ·people of [or by the name of; L from] the holy city,
and you ·depend on [trust in] the God of Israel,
who is named the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
3 Long ago I told you ·what would happen [L the former things].
·I said these things and [L They went out from my mouth and I] made them known;
suddenly I acted, and these things happened.
4 I knew you were stubborn;
your neck was like an iron muscle,
and your ·head [forehead; brow] was like bronze.
5 So a long time ago I told you about these things;
I told you about them before they happened
so you couldn’t say, ‘My idols did this,
and my ·wooden [carved images] and metal statues ·made these things happen [decreed/ordained/commanded them].’
6 “You heard and saw everything that happened,
·so you should [L will you not…?] tell this news to others.
·Now [From this time on] I will tell you about new things,
hidden things that you don’t know yet.
7 ·These things are happening [L They are created] now, not long ago;
you have not heard about them before today.
So you cannot say, ‘[L Look; or Yes; T Behold] We already knew about that.’
8 But you have not heard; you have not understood.
Even long ago ·you did not listen [L your ear has not been opened].
I knew you would surely ·turn [act treacherously] against me;
you ·have fought against me [L were called a rebel] ·since you were born [L from the womb].
9 But for my ·own [L name’s] sake I will ·be patient [L hold back my anger].
·People will praise me because [L For the sake of my praise] I did not become angry
and ·destroy you [cut you off].
10 I have ·made you pure [refined you], but not by fire, as silver is made pure.
I have purified you ·by giving you troubles [L in the furnace of affliction/suffering].
11 I do this for myself, for my own sake.
·I will not [L How could I…?] let ·people speak evil against me [L my name be defiled/profaned],
and I will not ·let some god take my glory [L give/share my glory with another].
Israel Will Be Free
12 “·People of Jacob [L Jacob], listen to me.
·People of Israel [L Israel], ·I have called you to be my people [L whom I called].
I am ·God [L he; the one];
I am the ·beginning and the end [L first and I am the last; 41:4; 44:5].
13 I ·made [L laid the foundation of] the earth with my own hands.
With my right hand I spread out the skies.
When I call them,
they ·come [stand] together before me.”
14 All of you, come together and listen.
·None of the gods [L Who among them…?] said these things would happen.
The Lord ·has chosen someone [has an ally; or loves him; C a reference to Cyrus, king of Persia; see 41:2; 44:28–45:6; 46:11; 48:14–16]
to carry out his ·wishes [desire; purpose] against Babylon,
·to attack [L his arm will be against] the Babylonians;
15 “I have spoken; I have called him.
I have brought him, and I will make him successful.
16 Come to me and listen to this.
From the ·beginning [first] I have ·spoken openly [L not spoken in secret].
From the time it ·began [happened], I was there.”
Now, the Lord God
·has sent me with his Spirit [or and his Spirit have sent me; C Cyrus is probably speaking here; vv. 14–15].
17 This is what the Lord, ·who saves you [your Redeemer],
the Holy One of Israel [1:4], says:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you ·to do what is good [what is best; or how to succeed],
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 If you had obeyed my commands,
you would have had peace like a river [C abundant and overflowing; 66:12].
·Good things [Your righteousness] would have flowed to you like the waves of the sea.
19 ·Your ·children [descendants] would have been ·as numerous as [L like] ·sand in the sea [L sand]
and your ·descendants [offspring/seed of your body] like grains of sand [10:22; Gen. 15:5; 22:17; Hos. 1:10].
·They [L Their name] would never have ·died out [been cut off]
nor been destroyed.”
20 ·My people, leave [L Go out from] Babylon!
Run from the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans]!
Tell this news with shouts of joy to the people;
spread it ·everywhere on [L to the end of] earth.
Say, “The Lord has ·saved [redeemed] his ·servants, the people of Jacob [L servant Jacob].”
21 They did not become thirsty when he led them through the deserts.
He made water flow from a rock for them.
He split the rock,
and water flowed out [43:19; Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:11].
22 “There is no peace for ·evil people [the wicked],” says the Lord.
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