1 GLT “And now, listen, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen. BSB BSB: But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 GLT Thus says Yahweh, your maker and your fashioner in the womb, your helper: Do not fear, Jacob my servant; and Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. BSB BSB: This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 GLT For I shall pour water on the thirsty{ ground}, and streams on the dry ground; I shall pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring. BSB BSB: For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
4 GLT And they will sprout among the grass, like willows by the streams of water. BSB BSB: They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
5 GLT One will say,‘I{ am} of Yahweh,’ and one will call out the name of Jacob, and one will write{ on} his hand‘Of Yahweh,’ and by the name of Israel address{ himself}. BSB BSB: One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
7 GLT And who{ is} like me? Let him announce{ it}, and let him declare it and arrange it before me. Who has made known from of old the signs, and what is coming, declared it? BSB BSB: Who then is like Me? Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people. Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place.
8 GLT Do not fear and do not be afraid. Have I not declared to you long ago and announced{ it}? And you{ are} my witnesses: Is there a God besides me? For there is no{ other} Rock; I know of none.” BSB BSB: Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
9 GLT All who fashion idols{ are} nothing, and their delights cannot benefit, and their witnesses, they cannot see and cannot know, so they are ashamed. BSB BSB: All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
10 GLT Who would form a god or cast an idol to no avail? BSB BSB: Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
11 GLT Behold, all his associates will be put to shame, and craftsmen, they{ are} but men. Let them gather, all of them; let them take their stand; together they will fear, be ashamed. BSB BSB: Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame.
12 GLT The craftsman of iron{ with} a tool works over coals, and with hammers he shapes it and works it with his strong arm. Yet, should he hunger, then there is no strength; should he drink no water, then he becomes faint. BSB BSB: The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.
13 GLT The craftsman of wood stretches out a measure, outlines with a stylus, makes it with a chisel and with a compass outlines it, and makes it like the figure of a man, like the splendor of man to dwell{ in} a house. BSB BSB: The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
14 GLT Cutting down cedars for it, and taking a cypress or an oak, and lets the trees of the forest grow strong for it; plants a fir tree and the rain makes{ it} grow. BSB BSB: He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15 GLT And it becomes kindling for man, and he takes from them and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. He also makes a god and bows down to it; he makes an idol and kneels before it. BSB BSB: It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread. He also fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
16 GLT Half of it he burns for the fire, on half of it he eats meat; he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms{ himself} and says,“Ah, I am warm, I have seen the fire.” BSB BSB: He burns half of it in the fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. Indeed, he warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”
17 GLT And the rest of it he makes a god, his carved image; he kneels before it and worships it, and prays to it and says,“Rescue me, for you{ are} my god.” BSB BSB: From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18 GLT They do not know, and they do not understand, for their eyes{ are} plastered over from seeing, their hearts from perceiving. BSB BSB: They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
19 GLT And none takes{ it} to his heart, with no knowledge and no understanding, saying,“Half of it I burned in fire, and I have also baked bread upon its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten. And its remainder I shall make into an abomination, a block of wood I shall worship.” BSB BSB: And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
20 GLT He grazes{ on} ashes; a deceived heart misleads him, and he will not rescue his life, and he does not say,“{ Is this} not a falsehood in my right hand?” BSB BSB: He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
21 GLT “Recall these, Jacob, and Israel, for you{ are} my servant: I have formed you; you{ are} my servant: Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. BSB BSB: Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are My servant, O Israel. I have made you, and you are My servant; O Israel, I will never forget you.
22 GLT I have blotted out like fog your rebellions, and like a cloud, your sins; return to me, for I have redeemed you.” BSB BSB: I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
23 GLT Sing, heavens, for Yahweh has done{ this}; shout, depths of the earth. Break out into singing, mountains, forest and every tree in it; for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will show his glory in Israel. BSB BSB: Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.
24 GLT Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer and your maker from the womb:“I{ am} Yahweh, who made everything, who alone stretched out the heavens, fashioned the earth— who{ was} with me?— BSB BSB: Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
25 GLT overturning the omens of liars, and disgracing soothsayers, making the wise turn back and making their knowledge a mockery, BSB BSB: who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
26 GLT confirming the words of his servant and the counsel of his messengers fulfilling, who says of Jerusalem,‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the towns of Judah,‘They will be built up, and her ruins I shall raise up’; BSB BSB: who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
27 GLT who says to the deep sea,‘Be parched, and your currents I shall dry up,’ BSB BSB: who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
28 GLT saying of Cyrus,‘My shepherd, and he will fulfill my every wish,’ and saying of Jerusalem,‘She will be rebuilt,’ and the temple,‘Your foundations will be laid.” BSB BSB: who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’” Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.