Isaiah 44

Blessing poured out on Jacob, the chosen servant (continued)

וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּחַרְתִּי בֽוֹ׃
1
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה עֹשֶׂךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ מִבֶּטֶן יַעְזְרֶךָּ אַל-תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַֽעֲקֹב וִישֻׁרוּן בָּחַרְתִּי בֽוֹ׃
2
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
כִּי אֶצָּק-מַיִם עַל-צָמֵא וְנֹזְלִים עַל-יַבָּשָׁה אֶצֹּק רוּחִי עַל-זַרְעֶךָ וּבִרְכָתִי עַל-צֶאֱצָאֶֽיךָ׃
3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
וְצָמְחוּ בְּבֵין חָצִיר כַּעֲרָבִים עַל-יִבְלֵי-מָֽיִם׃
4
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
זֶה יֹאמַר לַֽיהוָה אָנִי וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְשֵֽׁם-יַעֲקֹב וְזֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַֽיהוָה וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּֽה׃
5
One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

There is no God beside me

כֹּֽה-אָמַר יְהוָה מֶֽלֶךְ-יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִֽים׃
6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
וּמִֽי-כָמוֹנִי יִקְרָא וְיַגִּידֶהָ וְיַעְרְכֶהָ לִי מִשּׂוּמִי עַם-עוֹלָם וְאֹתִיּוֹת וַאֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאנָה יַגִּידוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
7
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
אַֽל-תִּפְחֲדוּ וְאַל-תִּרְהוּ הֲלֹא מֵאָז הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְהִגַּדְתִּי וְאַתֶּם עֵדָי הֲיֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעָדַי וְאֵין צוּר בַּל-יָדָֽעְתִּי׃
8
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

The folly of idol makers

יֹֽצְרֵי-פֶסֶל כֻּלָּם תֹּהוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶם בַּל-יוֹעִילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶם הֵׄמָּׄהׄ בַּל-יִרְאוּ וּבַל-יֵדְעוּ לְמַעַן יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃
9
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
מִֽי-יָצַר אֵל וּפֶסֶל נָסָךְ לְבִלְתִּי הוֹעִֽיל׃
10
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
הֵן כָּל-חֲבֵרָיו יֵבֹשׁוּ וְחָרָשִׁים הֵמָּה מֵֽאָדָם יִֽתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם יַֽעֲמֹדוּ יִפְחֲדוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ יָֽחַד׃
11
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
חָרַשׁ בַּרְזֶל מַֽעֲצָד וּפָעַל בַּפֶּחָם וּבַמַּקָּבוֹת יִצְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפְעָלֵהוּ בִּזְרוֹעַ כֹּחוֹ גַּם-רָעֵב וְאֵין כֹּחַ לֹא-שָׁתָה מַיִם וַיִּיעָֽף׃
12
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
חָרַשׁ עֵצִים נָטָה קָו יְתָאֲרֵהוּ בַשֶּׂרֶד יַעֲשֵׂהוּ בַּמַּקְצֻעוֹת וּבַמְּחוּגָה יְתָאֳרֵהוּ וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ כְּתַבְנִית אִישׁ כְּתִפְאֶרֶת אָדָם לָשֶׁבֶת בָּֽיִת׃
13
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
לִכְרָת-לוֹ אֲרָזִים וַיִּקַּח תִּרְזָה וְאַלּוֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ-לוֹ בַּעֲצֵי-יָעַר נָטַע אֹרֶן וְגֶשֶׁם יְגַדֵּֽל׃
14
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
וְהָיָה לְאָדָם לְבָעֵר וַיִּקַּח מֵהֶם וַיָּחָם אַף-יַשִּׂיק וְאָפָה לָחֶם אַף-יִפְעַל-אֵל וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ עָשָׂהוּ פֶסֶל וַיִּסְגָּד-לָֽמוֹ׃
15
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַף בְּמוֹ-אֵשׁ עַל-חֶצְיוֹ בָּשָׂר יֹאכֵל יִצְלֶה צָלִי וְיִשְׂבָּע אַף-יָחֹם וְיֹאמַר הֶאָח חַמּוֹתִי רָאִיתִי אֽוּר׃
16
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
וּשְׁאֵרִיתוֹ לְאֵל עָשָׂה לְפִסְלוֹ ‫(יסגוד)‬ יִסְגָּד-לוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּחוּ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וְיֹאמַר הַצִּילֵנִי כִּי אֵלִי אָֽתָּה׃
17
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵֽרְאוֹת עֵֽינֵיהֶם מֵהַשְׂכִּיל לִבֹּתָֽם׃
18
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
וְלֹא-יָשִׁיב אֶל-לִבּוֹ וְלֹא דַעַת וְלֹֽא-תְבוּנָה לֵאמֹר חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַפְתִּי בְמוֹ-אֵשׁ וְאַף אָפִיתִי עַל-גֶּחָלָיו לֶחֶם אֶצְלֶה בָשָׂר וְאֹכֵל וְיִתְרוֹ לְתוֹעֵבָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְבוּל עֵץ אֶסְגּֽוֹד׃
19
And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
רֹעֶה אֵפֶר לֵב הוּתַל הִטָּהוּ וְלֹֽא-יַצִּיל אֶת-נַפְשׁוֹ וְלֹא יֹאמַר הֲלוֹא שֶׁקֶר בִּימִינִֽי׃
20
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Israel redeemed and the heavens called to sing

זְכָר-אֵלֶּה יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי עַבְדִּי-אָתָּה יְצַרְתִּיךָ עֶֽבֶד-לִי אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תִנָּשֵֽׁנִי׃
21
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
מָחִיתִי כָעָב פְּשָׁעֶיךָ וְכֶעָנָן חַטֹּאותֶיךָ שׁוּבָה אֵלַי כִּי גְאַלְתִּֽיךָ׃
22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
רָנּוּ שָׁמַיִם כִּֽי-עָשָׂה יְהוָה הָרִיעוּ תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אָרֶץ פִּצְחוּ הָרִים רִנָּה יַעַר וְכָל-עֵץ בּוֹ כִּֽי-גָאַל יְהוָה יַֽעֲקֹב וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְפָּאָֽר׃
23
Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

The LORD the creator and his word concerning Cyrus

כֹּֽה-אָמַר יְהוָה גֹּאֲלֶךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ מִבָּטֶן אָנֹכִי יְהוָה עֹשֶׂה כֹּל נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם לְבַדִּי רֹקַע הָאָרֶץ ‫(מי)‬ ‫(אתי)‬ מֵאִתִּֽי
24
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
מֵפֵר אֹתוֹת בַּדִּים וְקֹסְמִים יְהוֹלֵל מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר וְדַעְתָּם יְסַכֵּֽל׃
25
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ וַעֲצַת מַלְאָכָיו יַשְׁלִים הָאֹמֵר לִירוּשָׁלִַם תּוּשָׁב וּלְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה תִּבָּנֶינָה וְחָרְבוֹתֶיהָ אֲקוֹמֵֽם׃
26
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
הָאֹמֵר לַצּוּלָה חֳרָבִי וְנַהֲרֹתַיִךְ אוֹבִֽישׁ׃
27
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
הָאֹמֵר לְכוֹרֶשׁ רֹעִי וְכָל-חֶפְצִי יַשְׁלִם וְלֵאמֹר לִירוּשָׁלִַם תִּבָּנֶה וְהֵיכָל תִּוָּסֵֽד׃
28
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Places in Isaiah 44

People, Places & Things in Isaiah 44