| 49 | Isaiah | Passage |
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| 1 |
Coasts and islands, listen to me,
pay attention, distant peoples.
Yahweh called me when I was in the womb,
before my birth he had pronounced my name.
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Israel - a light to the nations. Is.49.1-7
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| 2 |
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
he hid me in the shadow of his hand.
He made me into a sharpened arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
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| 3 |
He said to me, 'Israel, you are my servant,
through whom I shall manifest my glory.'
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| 4 |
But I said, 'My toil has been futile,
I have exhausted myself for nothing, to no purpose.'
Yet all the while my cause was with Yahweh
and my reward with my God.
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| 5 |
And now Yahweh has spoken,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him
and to re-unite Israel to him;
—I shall be honoured in Yahweh's eyes,
and my God has been my strength.—
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| 6 |
He said, 'It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I shall make you a light to the nations
so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts of earth.'
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| 7 |
Thus says Yahweh,
the redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
to the one who is despised, detested by the nation,
to the slave of despots:
Kings will stand up when they see,
princes will see and bow low,
because of Yahweh who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you. |
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| 8 |
Thus says Yahweh:
At the time of my favour I have answered you,
on the day of salvation I have helped you.
I have formed you and have appointed you
to be the covenant for a people,
to restore the land,
to return ravaged properties,
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The restoration of Jerusalem. Is.49.8-50.3
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| 9 |
to say to prisoners, 'Come out,'
to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.'
Along the roadway they will graze,
and any bare height will be their pasture.
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| 10 |
They will never hunger or thirst,
scorching wind and sun will never plague them;
for he who pities them will lead them,
will guide them to springs of water.
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| 11 |
I shall turn all my mountains into a road
and my highways will be raised aloft.
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| 12 |
Look! Here they come from far away,
look, these from the north and the west,
those from the land of Sinim. |
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| 13 |
Shout for joy, you heavens; earth, exult!
Mountains, break into joyful cries!
For Yahweh has consoled his people,
is taking pity on his afflicted ones.
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| 14 |
Zion was saying, 'Yahweh has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.'
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| 15 |
Can a woman forget her baby at the breast,
feel no pity for the child she has borne?
Even if these were to forget,
I shall not forget you.
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| 16 |
Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,
your ramparts are ever before me.
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| 17 |
Your rebuilders are hurrying,
your destroyers and despoilers will soon go away. |
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| 18 |
Raise your eyes and look around you:
all are assembling, coming to you.
By my life, declares Yahweh,
you will put them all on like jewels,
like a bride, you will fasten them on.
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| 19 |
For your desolate places and your ruins
and your devastated country
from now on will be too cramped for your inhabitants,
and your devourers will be far away.
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| 20 |
Once more they will say in your hearing,
the children of whom you were bereft,
'The place is too cramped for me,
make room for me to live.'
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| 21 |
Then you will think to yourself,
'Who has borne me these?
I was bereft and barren,
exiled, turned out of my home;
who has reared these?
I was left all alone,
so where have these come from?' |
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| 22 |
Thus says Lord Yahweh:
Look, I am beckoning to the nations
and hoisting a signal to the peoples:
they will bring your sons in their arms
and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.
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| 23 |
Kings will be your foster-fathers
and their princesses, your foster-mothers.
They will fall prostrate before you, faces to the ground,
and lick the dust at your feet.
And you will know that I am Yahweh;
those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
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| 24 |
Can the body be snatched from the warrior,
can the tyrant's captive be set free?
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| 25 |
But thus says Yahweh:
The warrior's captive will indeed be snatched away
and the tyrant's booty will indeed be set free;
I myself shall fight those who fight you
and I myself shall save your children.
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| 26 |
I shall make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
they will be as drunk on their own blood as on new wine.
And all humanity will know
that I am Yahweh, your Saviour,
your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. |
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