1 And now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel {Yisra'el: God-wrestler}, whom I {YHWH, Sovereign Chooser} have chosen.
2 Thus says the LORD {YHWH, Creator Sustainer}, your Maker and your Former from the womb {mibeten: before your birth}, who helps you: “Do not fear, my servant {eved: devoted one}, Jacob, and Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.”
3 For I {YHWH, Life-Giving Sustainer} will pour water upon the thirsty, and streams {nozlim: flowing channels} upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your descendants.
4 And they will spring up among the grass {chatzir: open pasture plants}, like willows by streams {yivlei: watercourses} of water.
5 This one will say “I am the LORD’s {YHWH, Exclusive Belonging}”; and another will call himself by the name of Jacob {Ya‘ăqōḇ: ancestral identity}; and another will write on his hand “Belonging to the LORD” and will surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus says the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign King}, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Commander of Armies}: “I am the first, and I am the last, and besides Me there is no God.”
7 And who is like Me {YHWH, Incomparable One}? Let him call out, declare it, and set it in order before Me, since I appointed the ancient people {am-olam: venerable community}. Let them declare what is to come and what will happen.
8 Do not be afraid or tremble; have I not made you hear and declared it from then? You are My witnesses. Is there a God {Eloah, Supreme Ruler} apart from Me? Indeed, there is no Rock {tzur: unshakable refuge}; I know of none.
9 The makers of idols—all of them are emptiness {tohu: utter futility}; and their desirable things {ḥămûdêhem: cherished possessions} will not profit, and as for their witnesses, they do not see and they do not know, so that they will be put to shame.
10 Who has formed a god {el: man-made deity} or cast an idol that fails to profit {ho-il: fails to profit}?
11 Behold, all his companions {chaveirav: close associates} will be ashamed, and the craftsmen—they are only human—let them all assemble {yit-qab-bə-ẓū: convene urgently}; let them stand; they will fear; they will be ashamed together.
12 The smith {kharash: artisan craftsman} works iron with an adze {maatzad: cutting tool}, labors over coals and with hammers shapes and works it by the strength of his arm. He is also hungry, and he has no strength; he does not drink water, and he grows faint.
13 The craftsman {kharash: skilled worker} of wood stretches out a line, marks it out with a stylus, makes it with planes, and marks it with a compass; then he makes it like the pattern {ketavnit: design template} of a man, as the beauty of a human, to dwell in a house.
14 To cut cedars {arazim: valued timber species} for himself, and he also takes a cypress and an oak and strengthens them for himself among the trees of the forest {ba’atsē-yāʿar: woodland environment}; he has planted a pine, and the rain makes it grow.
15 And it shall serve a man for burning {ba’er: fuel purpose}; and he takes from them and warms himself; indeed he kindles and bakes bread; yet he also shapes a god {el: false deity}, and bows down; he makes it a graven image and bows down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire; over the other half he eats flesh {basar: physical meat portion} and roasts a roast until he is satisfied. Indeed, he also warms himself and says, “Aha {he’ach: exclamation of delight}! I am warm; I have seen the fire.”
17 And its remainder he made into a god {el: false deity} as his idol; he bows down to it and prostrates himself, and he prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for You are my god {eli: personal deity}.”
18 They have not known, and they have not understood; for He {YHWH, Divine Judge} has shut their eyes from seeing and their hearts {lev: inner mind and will} from understanding.
19 And he does not consider in his heart {lev: seat of inner thought}, and there is neither knowledge nor understanding to say, “Half of it I burned in fire itself, and I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and ate it—shall I make what remains into an abomination? Shall I bow down to the block {levul: wooden block} of wood?”
20 He feeds on ashes {efer: symbol of emptiness}; a heart that has been deceived has turned him aside, and he cannot deliver his soul, nor does he say, “Is there not a lie {sheker: self-deception} in my right hand?”
21 Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel, because you are My {YHWH, Covenant-Keeper} servant; I have formed you, you are a servant for Me; Israel, you will not be forgotten {tin-nāššenî: erased from My memory}.
22 I {YHWH, Forgiving Redeemer} have wiped out Your transgressions {pesha: covenant rebellion} like a thick cloud, and Your sins like a cloud. Return to Me, for I have redeemed You.
23 Sing aloud, O heavens, for the LORD {YHWH, Creation’s Deliverer} has acted; raise a shout, O depths of the earth; burst out with a joyful song, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and in Israel He will show His splendor {yitpa'ar: self-glorifies}.
24 Thus says the LORD {YHWH, Eternal Redeemer}, your Redeemer and the One who formed you from the womb {mibbeten: source of life}: I am the LORD who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens alone, and who spreads out the earth by Myself.
25 The one who frustrates the signs of liars {baddim: false fabricators} and makes diviners act foolishly, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge {daatam: intellectual insight} foolish.
26 The One who establishes the word {devar: prophetic declaration} of His servant {eved: commissioned representative} and completes the counsel of His messengers says to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “They shall be built,” and I will raise up her ruins.
27 The one who says to the deep{tzulah: vast abyss}, “Be dry!” and declares of your rivers, “I will dry them up”{ovish: cause to desiccate}.
28 The One {YHWH, Sovereign Decreer} who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd and will fulfill all My delight {chefets: desire},” and to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”