Israel the Lord's Chosen
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Thus says the LORD who made you, 2who formed you from the womb and will help you: 3Fear not, O Jacob my servant, 4Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
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5For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
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7This one will say, 'I am the LORD's,' another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, 'The LORD's,' and name himself by the name of Israel."
Besides Me There Is No God
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Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and 8his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 9"I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
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10Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.a Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
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Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? 11And you are my witnesses! 12Is there a God besides me? There is no 13Rock; I know not any."
The Folly of Idolatry
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14All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame.
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16Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.
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17The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.
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The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. 18He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house.
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19He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it.
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Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.
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Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!"
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And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. 20He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
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They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
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No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an 21abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"
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22He feeds on 23ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not 24a lie in my right hand?"
The Lord Redeems Israel
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Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are 25my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; 26O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
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27I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
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28Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it; shout, O 29depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, 30and will be glorifiedb in Israel.
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Thus says the LORD, 31your Redeemer, 32who formed you from the womb: 33"I am the LORD, who made all things, 34who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,
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who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, 35who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)