Isaiah 41

Israel Encouraged

41LISTEN IN silence before Me, O islands {and} regions bordering on the sea! And let the people gather {and} renew their strength [for the argument; let them offer their strongest arguments]! Let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near together for judgment [and decide the point at issue between us concerning the enemy advancing from the east].H2790H339H3816H2498H3581H5066H1696H7126H3162H49412Who has roused up one [Cyrus] from the east, whom He calls in righteousness to His service {and} whom victory meets at every step? He [the Lord] subdues nations before him and makes him ruler over kings. He turns them to dust with the sword [of Cyrus], and to driven straw {and} chaff with his bow.H5782H6664H4217H7121H7272H5414H1471H6440H7287H4428H5414H6083H2719H5086H7179H71983He [Cyrus] pursues them and passes safely {and} unhindered, even by a way his feet had not trod {and} so swiftly that his feet do not touch the ground.H7291H5674H7965H734H935H72724Who has prepared and done this, calling forth {and} guiding the destinies of the generations [of the nations] from the beginning? I, the Lord--the first [existing before history began] and with the last [an ever-present, unchanging God]--I am He.H6466H6213H7121H1755H7218H3068H7223H3145The islands {and} coastlands have seen and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They draw near and come;H339H7200H3372H7098H776H2729H7126H8576They help every one his neighbor and say to his brother [in his tiresome idol making], Be of good courage!H5826H376H7453H559H251H23887So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith, {and} he who smooths [the metal] with the hammer [encourages] him who smites the anvil, saying of the soldering, That is good! And he fastens it with nails so that it cannot be moved.H2796H2388H6884H2505H6360H1986H6471H559H2896H1694H2388H4548H41318But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham My friend,H3478H5650H3290H977H2233H85H1579You whom I [the Lord] have taken from the ends of the earth and have called from the corners of it, and said to you, You are My servant--I have chosen you and not cast you off [even though you are exiled].H2388H7098H776H7121H678H559H5650H977H398810Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror {and} be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen {and} harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up {and} retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness {and} justice.H3372H8159H430H553H5826H8551H3225H666411Behold, all they who are enraged {and} inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.H2734H954H3637H582H7379H612You shall seek those who contend with you but shall not find them; they who war against you shall be as nothing, as nothing at all.H1245H4672H582H4695H4421H65713For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!H3068H430H2388H3225H559H3372H582614Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.H3372H8438H3290H4962H3478H5826H5002H3068H1350H6918H347815Behold, I will make you to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument which has teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff.H7760H2319H2742H4173H1167H6374H1758H2022H1854H7760H1389H467116You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest {or} whirlwind shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord, you shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.H2219H7307H5375H5591H6327H1523H3068H1984H6918H347817The poor and needy are seeking water when there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.H6041H34H1245H4325H3956H5405H6772H3068H6030H430H3478H580018I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.H6605H5104H8205H4599H8432H1237H7760H4057H98H4325H6723H776H4161H432519I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the wild olive; I will set the cypress in the desert, the plane [tree] and the pine [tree] together,H5414H4057H730H7848H1918H8081H6086H7760H6160H1265H8410H8391H316220That men may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.H7200H3045H7760H7919H3162H3027H3068H6213H6918H3478H125421[You idols made by men's hands, prove your divinity!] Produce your cause [set forth your case], says the Lord. Bring forth your strong proofs, says the King of Jacob.H7126H7379H559H3068H5066H6110H559H4428H329022Let them bring them forth and tell us what is to happen. Let them tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them and know the outcome of them; or declare to us the things to come.H5066H5046H7136H5046H7223H7760H3820H3045H319H8085H93523Tell us the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; yes, do good or do evil [something or other], that we may stare in astonishment {and} be dismayed as we behold [the miracle] together!H5046H857H268H3045H430H3190H7489H8159H7200H316224Behold, you [idols] are nothing, and your work is nothing! The worshiper who chooses you is an abomination [extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in God's sight].H369H6467H659H8441H97725I have raised up {and} impelled to action one from the north [Cyrus], and he comes; from the rising of the sun he calls upon My name [recognizing that his victories have been granted to him by Me]. And he shall tread upon rulers {and} deputies as upon mortar and as the potter treads clay. [He comes with the suddenness of a comet, but none of the idol oracles of the nations has anticipated it.]H5782H6828H857H4217H8121H7121H8034H935H5461H2563H3335H7429H291626[What idol] has declared this from the beginning, that we could know? And beforetime, that we could say that he is [unquestionably] right? Yes, there is none who declares it, yes, there is none who proclaims it; yes, [for the truth is, O you dumb idols] there is none who hears you speak!H5046H7218H3045H6440H559H6662H5046H8085H8085H56127I [the Lord] first gave to Zion the announcement, Behold, [the Jews will be restored to their own land, and the man Cyrus shall be raised up who will deliver them] behold them! And to Jerusalem I gave a herald [Isaiah] bringing the good news.H7223H6726H2009H2009H5414H3389H131928For I look [upon the heathen prophets and the priests of pagan practices] and there is no man among them [who could predict these events], and among these [idols] there is no counselor who, when I ask of him, can answer a word.H7200H376H3289H7592H7725H169729Behold, these [pagan prophets and priests] are all emptiness (falseness and futility)! Their works are worthless; their molten images are empty wind (confusion and waste).H205H4639H657H5262H7307H8414