The Lord versus the Nations’ Gods
1
“Be silent before Me, islands!(A)
And let peoples renew their strength.
Let them approach, then let them testify;
let us come together for the trial.
2
3 And let peoples renew their strength.
Let them approach, then let them testify;
let us come together for the trial.
He pursues them, going on safely,
hardly touching the path with his feet.
4 hardly touching the path with his feet.
Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, Yahweh, am the first,
and with the last(E)—I am He.”(F)
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, Yahweh, am the first,
and with the last(E)—I am He.”(F)
5
6
Each one helps the other,
and says to another, “Take courage!”
7 and says to another, “Take courage!”
The craftsman encourages the metalworker;(H)
the one who flattens with the hammer
supports the one who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good.”
He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.(I)
the one who flattens with the hammer
supports the one who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good.”
He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.(I)
8
9
10
Do not fear, for I am with you;(N)
do not be afraid, for I am your God.(O)
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.(P)
do not be afraid, for I am your God.(O)
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.(P)
11
Be sure that all who are enraged against you
will be ashamed and disgraced;(Q)
those who contend with you
will become as nothing and will perish.
12 will be ashamed and disgraced;(Q)
those who contend with you
will become as nothing and will perish.
You will look for those who contend with you,
but you will not find them.
Those who war against you
will become absolutely nothing.
13
14
15 but you will not find them.
Those who war against you
will become absolutely nothing.
See, I will make you into a sharp threshing board,
new, with many teeth.
You will thresh mountains and pulverize them
and make hills into chaff.(V)
16 new, with many teeth.
You will thresh mountains and pulverize them
and make hills into chaff.(V)
You will winnow them(W)
and a wind will carry them away,
a gale will scatter them.
But you will rejoice in the Lord;
you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
and a wind will carry them away,
a gale will scatter them.
But you will rejoice in the Lord;
you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
17
The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, Yahweh, will answer them;(X)
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18
19 their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, Yahweh, will answer them;(X)
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will plant cedars in the desert,
acacias, myrtles, and olive trees.(AA)
I will put juniper trees in the desert,
elms and cypress trees together,
20 acacias, myrtles, and olive trees.(AA)
I will put juniper trees in the desert,
elms and cypress trees together,
so that all may see and know,
consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,(AB)
the Holy One of Israel has created(AC) it.
consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,(AB)
the Holy One of Israel has created(AC) it.
21
“Submit your case,” says the Lord.
“Present your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.
22 “Present your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.
“Let them come and tell us
what will happen.(AD)
Tell us the past events,
so that we may reflect on them
and know the outcome,
or tell us the future.
23
24 what will happen.(AD)
Tell us the past events,
so that we may reflect on them
and know the outcome,
or tell us the future.
25
26
Who told about this from the beginning,
so that we might know,
and from times past,
so that we might say: He is right?
No one announced it,
no one told it,
no one heard your words.
27
28 so that we might know,
and from times past,
so that we might say: He is right?
No one announced it,
no one told it,
no one heard your words.
When I look, there is no one;
there is no counselor among them;
when I ask them, they have nothing to say.(AK)
29 there is no counselor among them;
when I ask them, they have nothing to say.(AK)
Look, all of them are a delusion;(g)
their works are nonexistent;
their images are wind and emptiness.
their works are nonexistent;
their images are wind and emptiness.
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 41:2: Hb obscure
b.
Isaiah 41:9: Or seized
c.
Isaiah 41:14: LXX reads small number; DSS read dead ones
d.
Isaiah 41:23: DSS read we may hear
e.
Isaiah 41:25: DSS read his
f.
Isaiah 41:27: Lit First to Zion
g.
Isaiah 41:29: DSS, Syr read are nothing
Cross references:
J.
Isaiah 41:8:
Isaiah 42:19; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:1-2; Isaiah 44:21; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 49:3; Isaiah 54:17; Ezekiel 28:25; Ezekiel 37:25; Luke 1:54
K.
Isaiah 41:8:
Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 43:20; Isaiah 44:1-2; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 65:9; Isaiah 65:15; Isaiah 65:22
N.
Isaiah 41:10:
Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:15; Isaiah 43:5; Jeremiah 1:19; Jeremiah 15:20; Jeremiah 42:11
P.
Isaiah 41:10:
Exodus 15:6; Exodus 15:12; Psalm 18:35; Psalm 48:10; Psalm 63:8; Psalm 138:7; Psalm 139:10
T.
Isaiah 41:14:
Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 44:24; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 49:26; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 54:8; Isaiah 59:20; Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 63:16
AC.
Isaiah 41:20:
Isaiah 4:5
AI.
Isaiah 41:25:
Ezra 1:2-4
AK.
Isaiah 41:28:
Isaiah 46:7