Isaiah 45:18-20

Expanded Bible

¹⁸ The Lord created the heavens.
    He is the God who formed the earth and made it.
He did not ·want [create] it to be ·empty [or formless; chaotic; Gen. 1:2],
    but he ·wanted life on the earth [^Lformed it to be inhabited].
This is what the Lord says:
    “I am the Lord. There is no other God.
¹⁹ I did not speak in secret
    or hide my words in some dark place.
I did not tell the ·family [descendants; offspring; seed] of Jacob
    to ·look for me in empty places [or seek me in vain].
I am the Lord, and I speak the truth;
    I say what is right.

²⁰ “You ·people who have escaped [fugitives; refugees] from other nations,
    gather together and come before me;
    come near together.
People who carry idols of wood ·don’t know what they are doing [know nothing; or are fools].
    They pray to a god who cannot save them.