CHAPTER 48
Listen
to this,
O house
of Jacob,
you who are called
by the name
of Israel,
who have descended
from the line
of Judah,
who swear
by the name
of the LORD
and invoke
the God
of Israel—
but not
in truth
or
righteousness—
who indeed
call yourselves
after the Holy
City
and lean
on
the God
of Israel—
the LORD
of Hosts
is His name.
I foretold
the former things
long ago;
they came
out of My mouth;
I proclaimed them.
Suddenly
I acted,
and they came to pass.
Therefore I declared it
to you
long ago;
I announced it
before
it came to pass,
so you could not
claim,
‘My idol
has done this;
my carved image
and molten god
has ordained it.’
You have heard these things;
look at
them all.
Will you
not
acknowledge it?
From now on
I will tell you of
new things,
hidden things
unknown to you.
They are created
now,
and not
long ago;
you have not
heard of them
before
today,
so you cannot
claim,
‘I already
knew them!’
You have never
heard;
you have never
understood;
for a long time
your ears
have not
been open.
For
I knew
how deceitful you are;
you have been called
a rebel
from birth.
For the sake
of My name
I will delay
My wrath;
for the sake of My praise
I will restrain it,
so that you will not
be cut off.
For My own sake,
My very own sake,
I will act;
for
how
can I let Myself be defamed?
I will not
yield
My glory
to another.
“Listen
to Me,
O Jacob,
and Israel,
whom I have called:
I
am He;
I
am the first,
and I am
the last.
Surely
My own hand
founded
the earth,
and My right hand
spread out
the heavens;
when I
summon them,
they stand up
together.
Come together,
all of you,
and listen:
Which of the idols
has foretold
these things?
The LORD’s
chosen ally
will carry out
His desire
against Babylon,
and His arm
will be against the Chaldeans.
I,
even I,
have spoken;
yes,
I have called him.
I have brought him,
and he will succeed
in his mission.
Come near
to Me
and listen
to this:
“From the beginning
I have not
spoken
in secret;
from the time
it took place,
I
was there.”
And now
the Lord
GOD
has sent me,
accompanied by His Spirit.
Thus
says
the LORD,
your Redeemer,
the Holy
One of Israel:
“I
am the LORD
your God,
who teaches
you for your benefit,
who directs
you in the way
you should go.
If only
you had paid attention
to My commandments,
your peace
would have been
like a river,
and your righteousness
like waves
of the sea.
Your descendants
would have been
as countless as the sand,
and your offspring
as its grains;
their name
would never
be cut off
or eliminated
from My presence.”
Leave
Babylon,
flee
from the Chaldeans!
Declare it
with a shout
of joy,
proclaim
it,
let it go out
to
the ends
of the earth,
saying,
“The LORD
has redeemed
His servant
Jacob!”
They did not
thirst
when He led
them through the deserts;
He made water
flow
for them
from the rock;
He split
the rock,
and water
gushed out.