The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 41 -

“Be silent before Me, O islands,(a) and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment.

Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness (b)? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.

He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet.

Who has performed this and carried it out, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD—the first and the last— I am He.”

The islands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward.

Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.

“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—

I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you.

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.

Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.

You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing.

For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.

Do not fear, O worm of Jacob, O few men of Israel. I will help you,” declares the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.

You will winnow them, and a wind will carry them away; a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.

I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will set cypresses

(c)

in the desert, elms and boxwood together,

so that all may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this and the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

Meaningless Idols

“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Submit your arguments,” says the King of Jacob.

“Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.

Tell us the things that are to come, so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something good or evil, that we may look on together in dismay.

Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.

I have raised up one from the north, and he has come— one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.

Who has declared this from the beginning, so that we may know, and from times past, so that we may say: ‘He was right’? No one announced it, no one foretold it, no one heard your words.

I was the first to tell Zion:(d) ‘Look, here they are!’ And I gave to Jerusalem a herald of good news.

When I look, there is no one; there is no counselor among them; when I ask them, they have nothing to say.

See, they are all a delusion; their works amount to nothing; their images are as empty as the wind.

Footnotes

(a)41:1 Or coastlands; also in verse 5

(b)41:2 Or from the east, whom victory meets at every step

(d)41:27 Or Formerly I said to Zion:

“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgment.

Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”

The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.

Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’

Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’

Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Meaningless Idols

Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.

Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word.

Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.