Isaiah 49
49Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me.H8085H339H7181H3816H7350H3068H7121H990H4578H517H2142H80342He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.H7760H6310H2299H2719H6738H3027H2244H7760H1305H2671H827H56413And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified."H559H5650H3478H62864But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the LORD, and my reward with my God."H559H3021H7385H3615H3581H8414H1892H403H4941H3068H6468H4305And now the LORD says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and my God has become my strength—H559H3068H3335H990H5650H7725H3290H7725H3478H622H3513H5869H3068H430H57976he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."H559H7043H5650H6965H7626H3290H7725H5341H5336H3478H5414H216H1471H3444H7097H7767Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, "Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."H559H3068H1350H3478H6918H5315H960H1471H8581H5650H4910H4428H7200H6965H8269H7812H3068H539H6918H3478H9778Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I have answered you, on a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages;H559H3068H7522H6256H6030H3117H3444H5826H5341H5414H1285H5971H6965H776H5157H8074H51599saying to the prisoners, "Come out," to those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves." They shall feed along the ways, on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;H559H631H3318H2822H1540H7462H1870H4830H820510they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.H7456H6770H8273H8121H5221H7355H5090H4002H4325H509511And I will turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be raised up.H7760H2022H1870H4546H731112Lo, these shall come from far away, and lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.H935H7350H6828H3220H776H551513Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones.H7442H8064H1523H776H6476H7440H2022H3068H5162H5971H7355H604114But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me."H6726H559H3068H5800H136H791115Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.H802H7911H5764H7355H1121H990H7911H791116See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.H2710H3709H2346H854817Your builders outdo your destroyers, and those who laid you waste go away from you.H1121H4116H2040H2717H331818Lift up your eyes all around and see; they all gather, they come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you shall put all of them on like an ornament, and like a bride you shall bind them on.H5375H5869H5439H7200H6908H935H2416H5002H3068H3847H5716H7194H361819Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land—surely now you will be too crowded for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.H2723H8074H776H2035H3334H3427H1104H736820The children born in the time of your bereavement will yet say in your hearing: "The place is too crowded for me; make room for me to settle."H1121H7923H559H241H4725H6862H5066H4725H342721Then you will say in your heart, "Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away—so who has reared these? I was left all alone—where then have these come from?"H559H3824H3205H7921H1565H1540H5493H1431H7604H37522Thus says the Lord GOD: I will soon lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.H559H136H3069H5375H3027H1471H7311H5251H5971H935H1121H2684H1323H5375H380223Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.H4428H539H8282H3243H7812H639H776H3897H6083H7272H3045H3068H954H696024Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?H4455H3947H1368H6662H7628H442225But thus says the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued; for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.H559H3068H7628H1368H3947H4455H6184H4422H7378H3401H3467H112126I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the LORD your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.H398H3238H1320H7937H1818H6071H1320H3045H3068H3467H1350H46H3290
Columbus, OH
