1 Israel Redeemed But now, this is what the L, your Creator says, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel,“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you [from captivity];I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;And through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.When you walk through fire, you will not be scorched,Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For I am the Lyour God,The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;I have given Egypt [to the Babylonians] as your ransom,Cush (ancient Ethiopia) and Seba [its province] in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in My sight,You are honored and I love you,I will giveothermen in return for you andotherpeoples in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;I will bring your offspring from the east [where they are scattered],And gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’Bring My sons from far wayAnd My daughters from the ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is called by My Name,Whom I have created for My glory,Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
8 Israel Is God’s Witness Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,And the deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have gathered togetherSo that the peoples may be assembled.Who among them (the idolaters) canLit announce.predict this [that Judah would return from captivity]And proclaim to us the former events?Let them provide their witnesses so that they may be justified,Or let them hear and say [in acknowledgement], “It is the truth.”
10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the L,“And My servant whom I have chosen,That you may know and believe MeAnd understand that I am He.Before Me there was no God formed,And there will be none after Me.
11 I, [only] I, am the L,And there is no Savior besides Me.
12 I have declared [the future] and saved [the nation] and proclaimed [that I am God],And there was no strange (alien)godamong you;Therefore you are My witnesses [among the pagans],” declares the L,“That I am God.
13 Even from eternity I am He,And there is no one who can rescue from My hand;I act, and who can revokeorreverse it?”
14 Babylon to Be Destroyed This is what the Lyour Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,“For your sake I have sent [one] to Babylon,And I will bring down all of them as fugitives,Even the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon], into the shipsLit of their rejoicing.over which they rejoiced.
15 I am the L, your Holy One,The Creator of Israel, your King.”
16 This is what the Lsays,He who makes a way through the seaAnd a path through the mighty waters,
17 He who brings out the chariot and the horse,The army and the mightywarrior,(They will lie down together, they will not rise again;They have been extinguished, they have been put out like alamp’swick):
18 “Do not remember the former things,Or ponder the things of the past.
19 Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing,Now it will spring forth;Will you not be aware of it?I will even put a road in the wilderness,Rivers in the desert.
20 The beasts of the field will honor Me,Jackals and ostriches,Because I have given waters in the wildernessAnd rivers in the desert,To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 The people whom I formed for MyselfWill make known My praise.
22 The Shortcomings of Israel “Yet you have not called on Me [in prayer and worship], O Jacob;But you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me your sheeporgoats for your burnt offerings,Nor honored Me with your sacrifices.I have not burdened you with offerings,Nor wearied you with [demands for offerings of] incense.
24 You have not bought Me sweet cane with money,Nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices;But you have burdened Me with your sins,You have wearied Me with your wickedness.
25 “I,onlyI, am He who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,And I will not remember your sins.
26 Or Report to Me.Remind Me [of your merits with a thorough report], let us pleadandargue our case together;State yourposition,that you may be proved right.
27 Your first father [Jacob] sinned,And your spokesmen [the priests and the prophets—your mediators] have transgressed against Me.
28 So I willOr pierce.profane the officials of the sanctuary,And I will consign Jacob to destruction and [I will subject] Israel to defamationandabuse.