1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and have come forth from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Witness} and mention the God of Israel {Elohei Yisra'el, National Protector}, but not in truth {emet: faithfulness} or in righteousness {tsdakah: upright conduct}.
2 For they are named from the holy city, and rely upon the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, Covenant Anchor}; the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Warrior-King} is His name.
3 The former things I {YHWH, Faithful Revealer} declared long ago, and they went out from My mouth, and I made them heard; suddenly {pitom: abrupt intervention} I acted, and they came to pass.
4 Because I {YHWH: Omniscient Speaker} knew that you are stubborn, the sinew of iron is your neck and your forehead is bronze {nechusha: unyielding}.
5 I declared it to you from long ago; before it came about, I made you hear of it, lest you say, “My idol {atzbi: hand-made image} made them, and my graven image and my molten image {nesekh: cast statue} commanded them.”
6 You have heard—see all of it. And you, will you not declare {taggidu: public proclamation} it? I {YHWH, Supreme Revealer} have made you hear new things from now on, even hidden things, and you have not known them.
7 Now they have been created {nivre’u: brought into existence} and not since long ago, and before today you did not hear them {shema’tam: comprehended attentively}, lest you say, "Behold, I knew them."
8 Also, you did not hear; also, you did not know; also, from that time, your ear was not opened. For I {YHWH, Foreknowing Sovereign} knew that you would certainly deal treacherously, and from the womb you have been called a transgressor {poshe'a: habitual rebel}.
9 For the sake of my name {shemi: honored reputation} I {YHWH Elohim, Compassionate Upholder} will defer my anger, and for my praise I will hold it back for you, so that I do not cut you off.
10 Behold, I {YHWH, Faithful Refiner} have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction {oni: hardship and distress}.
11 For my sake, for my sake I {YHWH, Zealous Protector} will do it; for how could I let my name be defiled {yechal: render common or defile}? And I will not give my glory to another.
12 Hear Me {YHWH, Supreme Sovereign}, O Jacob and Israel, My called one; I am He, I am the first, and I am also the last {acharon: final in order}.
13 Also, My {YHWH, Creator Sovereign} hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens {shamayim: cosmic expanse}. When I call to them, they stand together in unity.
14 Assemble yourselves, all of you, and listen. Who among them has declared these things? The LORD {YHWH, Faithful Chooser} has loved him; He will accomplish His pleasure in Babylon, and His arm will be against the Chaldeans {Kasdim: ancient ruling people}.
15 I {ani, Sovereign Self-Assertion}, yes I have spoken; I have even called him; I have brought him, and he will make his way {darko: mission course} prosperous.
16 Come near to Me and hear this; I have not spoken in secret {seter: Hidden Counsel} from the beginning. From the time it existed, I was there; and now the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Sender} has sent Me, and His Spirit.
17 Thus says the LORD {YHWH, Holy Redeemer}, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD, your God {Elohekha, Guiding King}, teaching you for benefit and guiding you in the way you should go.”
18 O, if you had heeded My {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver} commandments, then your peace {shalom: whole well-being} would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 And your seed {zera: posterity} would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your loins like its grains. His name would not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me {YHWH, Name Preserver}.
20 Go out from Babylon; flee from the Chaldeans. With a voice of joy, declare it; make this heard; bring it out to the end of the earth. Say, “The LORD {YHWH, Exile Redeemer} has redeemed His servant Jacob {yaakov: Covenant Heir}.”
21 They did not thirst as He {YHWH, Divine Guide} led them through the deserts; He brought water from the rock {tzur: hard stone} for them, and He split the rock so that the waters poured out.
22 “There is no peace,” says the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Judge}, “for the wicked {rasha‘im: morally culpable}.”