The Redeemer of Israel
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, afor I have redeemed you;
bI have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 aWhen you pass through the waters, bI will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you cwalk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
aI gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have aloved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 aFear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And bgather you from the west;
6 I will say to the anorth, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is acalled by My name,
Whom bI have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
8 aBring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the bdeaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
aWho among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “Youa are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
b“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and cbelieve Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, aam the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no aforeign god among you;
bTherefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 aIndeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will breverse it?”
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives—
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your aKing.”
16 Thus says the Lord, who amakes a way in the sea
And a bpath through the mighty waters,
17 Who abrings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Doa not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a anew thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
bI will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because aI give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 aThis people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My bpraise.
Pleading with Unfaithful Israel
22 “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
And you ahave been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 aYou have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings,
Nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
But you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have awearied Me with your iniquities.
25 “I, even I, am He who ablots out your transgressions bfor My own sake;
cAnd I will not remember your sins.
26 Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be acquitted.
27 Your first father sinned,
And your mediators have transgressed against Me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary;
aI will give Jacob to the curse,
And Israel to reproaches.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.