Isaiah 44

But now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I chose.

Thus says the Lord God who made you and who formed you from the womb: You will yet be helped. Do not fear, Jacob my servant, and beloved Israel whom I chose.

For I will give water in thirst to those who walk in a waterless place; I will put my spirit upon your seed and my blessings upon your children.

And they will spring up like grass amid water, and like a willow by flowing water.

This one will say: I am God's; and this one will call out by the name of Jacob; and another will write: I am God's — by the name of Israel.

Thus says God, the King of Israel, who rescued him, the God of hosts: I am first and I am after these things; besides me there is no god.

Who is like me? Let him stand, let him call and set it out for me, from the time I made man forever; and let them declare to you the things that are coming, before they come.

Do not hide yourselves. Did you not give ear from the beginning? And I declared it to you. You are witnesses whether there is a god besides me — and there were none then.

Those who form and carve are all vain; those who make the things of their own desire, which will not profit them — rather, they will be put to shame.

All who form a god and carve are unprofitable.

And all from whom they came have withered, and they are deaf ones from among men. Let them all be gathered and stand together; let them be disgraced and put to shame together.

For the craftsman sharpened iron; he worked it with an adze and bored it with a drill; he worked it with the arm of his strength. And he will hunger and grow weak and will not drink water, though he has chosen.

A woodworker set the wood up by measure and fitted it with glue; he made it like the form of a man and like the beauty of a person, to set it up in a house.

The wood he cut from the forest, which the Lord planted and the rain made grow,

so that it might be fuel for people. And taking some of it he warmed himself, and having kindled it they baked loaves on them; but the rest they made into gods, and they worship them.

Half of it they burned in the fire, and having kindled it they baked loaves on them; and on it he roasted meat and ate and was filled. And being warmed he said: It is sweet to me, for I have been warmed and have seen fire.

But the rest he made into a carved god, and he worships it and prays to it, saying: Deliver me, for you are my god.

They did not know how to think, for they were dimmed from seeing with their eyes and from understanding with their heart.

And he did not consider in his heart, nor did he reason in his soul, nor did he know with understanding that he burned half of it in the fire and baked loaves on its coals and roasted meat and ate; and the rest of it he made into an abomination, and they worship it.

Know that their heart is ashes, and they are led astray, and no one is able to deliver his soul. Look! Will you not say: There is a lie in my right hand?

Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you as my servant; and you, Israel, do not forget me.

For behold, I have wiped away your lawless deeds like a cloud and your sins like thick darkness. Turn back to me, and I will redeem you.

Rejoice, O heavens, for God has had mercy on Israel. Sound the trumpet, O foundations of the earth. Shout for joy, O mountains, you hills and all the trees in them, for God has redeemed Jacob, and Israel will be glorified.

Thus says the Lord who redeems you and who forms you from the womb: I am the Lord who accomplishes all things. I alone stretched out the sky and made the earth firm. Who else?

He will scatter the signs of ventriloquists and divinations from the heart, turning the prudent back and making their counsel foolish;

and he establishes the words of his servant and makes true the counsel of his messengers; who says to Jerusalem: You will be inhabited, and to the cities of Judea: You will be built, and her desolate places will spring up;

who says to the deep: You will be made desolate, and I will dry up your rivers;

who tells Cyrus to be wise, and he will do all my wishes; who says to Jerusalem: You will be built, and I will lay the foundation of my holy house.