Isaiah, Chapter 44

1. Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:    2. Thus says the LORD who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.    3. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your children, and my blessing upon your offspring:    4. And they shall spring up as among grass, like willows by the waterways.    5. One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall commit himself in writing to the LORD, and name himself by the name of Israel.    6. Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.    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 show them.    8. Fear not, neither be afraid: have I not told you from that time, and have declared it? you are even my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.    9. Those who make a sculptured image are all of them vanity; and their delightful things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they do not see, nor know; that they may be ashamed.    10. Who has formed a god, or melted an image that is profitable for nothing?    11. Behold, all his companions shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.    12. The blacksmith with the tongs both works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength fails: he drinks no water, and is faint.    13. The carpenter stretches out his ruler; he marks it out with a line; he fits it with chisels, and he marks it out with the compass, and makes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.    14. He cuts down cedars, and takes the cypress and the oak, which he cultivates for himself among the trees of the forest: he plants an ash, and the rain nourishes it.    15. Then shall it be something for a man to burn: for he will take some of it, and warm himself; yea, he kindles it, and bakes bread; yea, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a sculptured image, and bows down to it.    16. He burns part of it in the fire; with part of it he eats flesh; he roasts meat, and is satisfied: yea, he warms himself, and says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:    17. And the rest of it he makes into a god, even his sculptured image: he bows down to it, and worships it, and prays to it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god.    18. They have not known nor understood: for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.    19. And none considers 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 of it; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? shall I fall down to the trunk of a tree?    20. He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?    21. Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: O Israel, you shall not be forgotten by me.    22. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you.    23. Sing, O you heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.    24. Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb, I am the LORD who makes all things; who stretches out the heavens alone; who spreads abroad the earth by myself;    25. Who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners madmen; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;    26. Who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:    27. Who says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers:    28. Who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.