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Isaiah 39:1-41:16
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 39:1-41:16
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah Speaks the Lord's Message to Hezekiah
(2 Kings 20.12-19)
39 Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, was now king of Babylonia. And when he learned that Hezekiah was well, he sent messengers with letters and a gift for him. 2 Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them all the silver, the gold, the spices, and the fine oils that were in his storehouse. He even showed them where he kept his weapons. Nothing in his palace or in his entire kingdom was kept hidden from them.
3 I asked Hezekiah, “Where did these men come from? What did they want?”
“They came all the way from Babylonia,” Hezekiah answered.
4 “What did you show them?” I asked.
Hezekiah answered, “I showed them everything in my kingdom.”
5 Then I told Hezekiah:
I have a message for you from the Lord All-Powerful. 6 One day everything you and your ancestors have stored up will be taken to Babylonia. The Lord has promised that nothing will be left. 7 (A) Some of your own sons will be taken to Babylonia, where they will be disgraced and made to serve in the king's palace.
8 Hezekiah thought, “At least our nation will be at peace for a while.” So he told me, “The message you brought from the Lord is good.”
Encourage God's People
40 Our God has said:
“Encourage my people!
Give them comfort.
2 Speak kindly to Jerusalem
and announce:
Your slavery is past;
your punishment is over.
I, the Lord, made you pay
double for your sins.”
3 (B)(C) Someone is shouting:
“Clear a path in the desert!
Make a straight road
for the Lord our God.
4 Fill in the valleys;
flatten every hill
and mountain.
Level the rough
and rugged ground.
5 Then the glory of the Lord
will appear for all to see.
The Lord has promised this!”
6 (D) Someone told me to shout,
and I asked,
“What should I shout?”
We humans are merely grass,
and we last no longer
than wild flowers.
7 At the Lord's command,
flowers and grass disappear,
and so do we.
8 Flowers and grass fade away,
but what our God has said
will never change.
Your God Is Here!
9 There is good news
for the city of Zion.
Shout it as loud as you can[a]
from the highest mountain.
Don't be afraid to shout
to the towns of Judah:
“Your God is here!”
10 (E) Look! The powerful Lord God
is coming to rule
with his mighty arm.
He brings with him
what he has taken in war,
and he rewards his people.
11 (F) The Lord cares for his nation,
just as shepherds care
for their flocks.
He carries the lambs
in his arms,
while gently leading
the mother sheep.
Who Compares with God?
12 Did any of you measure
the ocean by yourself
or stretch out the sky
with your own hands?
Did you put the soil
of the earth in a bucket
or weigh the hills and mountains
on balance scales?
13 (G) Has anyone told the Lord[b]
what he must do
or given him advice?
14 Did the Lord ask anyone
to teach him wisdom
and justice?
Who gave him knowledge
and understanding?
15 (H) To the Lord, all nations
are merely a drop in a bucket
or dust on balance scales;
all of the islands
are but a handful of sand.
16 The cattle on the mountains
of Lebanon
would not be enough to offer
as a sacrifice to God,
and the trees would not
be enough for the fire.
17 God thinks of the nations
as far less than nothing.
18 (I) Who compares with God?
Is anything like him?
19 Is an idol at all like God?
It is made of bronze
with a thin layer of gold,
and decorated with silver.
20 (J) Or special wood may be chosen[c]
because it doesn't rot—
then skilled hands
take care to make an idol
that won't fall on its face.
God Rules the Whole Earth
21 Don't you know?
Haven't you heard?
Hasn't it been clear
since the time of creation?[d]
22 God is the one who rules
the whole earth,
and we that live here
are merely insects.
He spread out the heavens
like a curtain or an open tent.
23 God brings down rulers
and turns them into nothing.
24 They are like flowers
freshly sprung up
and starting to grow.
But when God blows on them,
they wilt and are carried off
like straw in a storm.
25 The holy God asks,
“Who compares with me?
Is anyone my equal?”
26 (K) Look at the evening sky!
Who created the stars?
Who gave them each a name?
Who leads them like an army?
The Lord is so powerful
that none of the stars
are ever missing.
The Lord Gives Strength
27 You people of Israel say,
“God pays no attention to us!
He doesn't care if we
are treated unjustly.”
But how can you say that?
28 Don't you know?
Haven't you heard?
The Lord is the eternal God,
Creator of the earth.
He never gets weary or tired;
his wisdom cannot be measured.
29 The Lord gives strength
to those who are weary.
30 Even young people get tired,
then stumble and fall.
31 But those who trust the Lord
will find new strength.
They will be strong like eagles
soaring upward on wings;
they will walk and run
without getting tired.
The Lord Controls Human Events
41 Be silent and listen,
every island in the sea.
Have courage and come near,
every one of you nations.
Let's settle this matter!
2 Who appointed this ruler
from the east?[e]
Who puts nations and kings
in his power?[f]
His sword and his arrows
turn them to dust
blown by the wind.
3 He goes after them so quickly
that his feet
barely touch the ground—
he doesn't even get hurt.
4 Who makes these things happen?
Who controls human events?
I do! I am the Lord.
I was there at the beginning;
I will be there at the end.
5 Islands and foreign nations
saw what I did and trembled
as they came near.
What Can Idols Do?
6 Worshipers of idols
comfort each other,
saying, “Don't worry!”
7 Woodcarvers, goldsmiths,
and other workers[g]
encourage one another and say,
“We've done a great job!”
Then they nail the idol down,
so it won't fall over.
The Lord's Chosen Servant
8 (L) Israel, you are my servant.
I chose you, the family
of my friend Abraham.
9 From far across the earth
I brought you here and said,
“You are my chosen servant.
I haven't forgotten you.”
10 Don't be afraid. I am with you.
Don't tremble with fear.
I am your God.
I will make you strong,
as I protect you with my arm
and give you victories.
11 Everyone who hates you
will be terribly disgraced;
those who attack
will vanish into thin air.
12 You will look around
for those brutal enemies,
but you won't find them—
they will be gone.
13 I am the Lord your God.
I am holding your hand,
so don't be afraid.
I am here to help you.
14 People of Israel, don't worry,
though others may say,
“Israel is only a worm!”
I am the holy God of Israel,
who saves and protects you.
15 I will let you be like a log
covered with sharp spikes.[h]
You will grind and crush
every mountain and hill[i]
until they turn to dust.
16 A strong wind will scatter them
in all directions.
Then you will celebrate
and praise me, your Lord,
the holy God of Israel.
Footnotes
- 40.9 There … can: Or “City of Jerusalem, you have good news. Shout it as loud as you can.”
- 40.13 the Lord: Or “the Lord's Spirit.”
- 40.20 Or … chosen: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Two kinds of idols seem to be described: bronze idols covered with gold (verse 19) and wooden idols (verse 20).
- 40.21 Hasn't … creation: Or “Isn't it clear that God created the world?”
- 41.2 ruler from the east: Probably Cyrus (see 44.28; 45.1; 48.14).
- 41.2 Who puts … power: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 41.7 and other workers: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 41.15 I will let … sharp spikes: In ancient times a heavy object was sometimes dragged over wheat or barley to separate the grain from the husk. This was called threshing.
- 41.15 mountain and hill: These stand for the power and pride of Israel's enemies.
Isaiah 39:1-41:16
New International Version
Isaiah 39:1-41:16
New International Version
Envoys From Babylon(A)
39 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon(B) sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys(C) gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold,(D) the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.(E) There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,(F)” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word(G) of the Lord Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.(H) Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.(I)”
8 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,(J)” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.(K)”
Comfort for God’s People
40 Comfort, comfort(L) my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly(M) to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service(N) has been completed,(O)
that her sin has been paid for,(P)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double(Q) for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way(R) for the Lord[a];
make straight(S) in the desert
a highway for our God.[b](T)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,(U)
every mountain and hill(V) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(W)
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory(X) of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.(Y)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(Z)
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,(AA)
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers(AB) and the flowers fall,
because the breath(AC) of the Lord blows(AD) on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers(AE) fall,
but the word(AF) of our God endures(AG) forever.(AH)”
9 You who bring good news(AI) to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](AJ)
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(AK)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AL) with power,(AM)
and he rules(AN) with a mighty arm.(AO)
See, his reward(AP) is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AQ)
He gathers the lambs in his arms(AR)
and carries them close to his heart;(AS)
he gently leads(AT) those that have young.(AU)
12 Who has measured the waters(AV) in the hollow of his hand,(AW)
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(AX)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?(AY)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[d](AZ) of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(BA)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(BB)
or showed him the path of understanding?(BC)
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;(BD)
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(BE)
16 Lebanon(BF) is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals(BG) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(BH) are as nothing;(BI)
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.(BJ)
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(BK)
To what image(BL) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(BM) a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith(BN) overlays it with gold(BO)
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood(BP) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol(BQ) that will not topple.(BR)
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(BS)
Has it not been told(BT) you from the beginning?(BU)
Have you not understood(BV) since the earth was founded?(BW)
22 He sits enthroned(BX) above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.(BY)
He stretches out the heavens(BZ) like a canopy,(CA)
and spreads them out like a tent(CB) to live in.(CC)
23 He brings princes(CD) to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(CE)
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root(CF) in the ground,
than he blows(CG) on them and they wither,(CH)
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(CI)
25 “To whom will you compare me?(CJ)
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(CK)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(CL)
Who created(CM) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(CN) one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(CO)
not one of them is missing.(CP)
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?(CQ)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(CR)
The Lord is the everlasting(CS) God,
the Creator(CT) of the ends of the earth.(CU)
He will not grow tired or weary,(CV)
and his understanding no one can fathom.(CW)
29 He gives strength(CX) to the weary(CY)
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men(CZ) stumble and fall;(DA)
31 but those who hope(DB) in the Lord
will renew their strength.(DC)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(DD)
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.(DE)
The Helper of Israel
41 “Be silent(DF) before me, you islands!(DG)
Let the nations renew their strength!(DH)
Let them come forward(DI) and speak;
let us meet together(DJ) at the place of judgment.
2 “Who has stirred(DK) up one from the east,(DL)
calling him in righteousness(DM) to his service[e]?(DN)
He hands nations over to him
and subdues kings before him.
He turns them to dust(DO) with his sword,
to windblown chaff(DP) with his bow.(DQ)
3 He pursues them and moves on unscathed,(DR)
by a path his feet have not traveled before.
4 Who has done this and carried it through,
calling(DS) forth the generations from the beginning?(DT)
I, the Lord—with the first of them
and with the last(DU)—I am he.(DV)”
5 The islands(DW) have seen it and fear;
the ends of the earth(DX) tremble.
They approach and come forward;
6 they help each other
and say to their companions, “Be strong!(DY)”
7 The metalworker(DZ) encourages the goldsmith,(EA)
and the one who smooths with the hammer
spurs on the one who strikes the anvil.
One says of the welding, “It is good.”
The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.(EB)
8 “But you, Israel, my servant,(EC)
Jacob, whom I have chosen,(ED)
you descendants of Abraham(EE) my friend,(EF)
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,(EG)
from its farthest corners I called(EH) you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;(EI)
I have chosen(EJ) you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear,(EK) for I am with you;(EL)
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen(EM) you and help(EN) you;
I will uphold you(EO) with my righteous right hand.(EP)
11 “All who rage(EQ) against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;(ER)
those who oppose(ES) you
will be as nothing and perish.(ET)
12 Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.(EU)
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing(EV) at all.
13 For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand(EW)
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help(EX) you.
14 Do not be afraid,(EY) you worm(EZ) Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help(FA) you,” declares the Lord,
your Redeemer,(FB) the Holy One(FC) of Israel.
15 “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,(FD)
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains(FE) and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.(FF)
16 You will winnow(FG) them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale(FH) will blow them away.(FI)
But you will rejoice(FJ) in the Lord
and glory(FK) in the Holy One(FL) of Israel.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
- Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
- Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news
- Isaiah 40:13 Or mind
- Isaiah 41:2 Or east, / whom victory meets at every step
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