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50 Eternal One: Where is the document of My divorce from your mother, Israel?
    And to whom did I turn you over when I could no longer pay?
        No, it was you who amassed debta debt of constant wrongdoing—
    And that’s why your mother was sent away.
    Why is it that when I came to visit, no one was there to greet Me;
        and when I called out for you, no one answered?
    Do you think My reach insufficient, My power too limited to rescue you?
    I need only to speak the words and entire oceans will evaporate;
        rivers will become deserts, leaving fish to stink and die for lack of water.
    I can dress the heavens with blackness
        and trade its velvet skies for the scratchy clothes of mourning.

The Lord, the Eternal, equipped me for this job
    with skilled speech, a smooth tongue for instruction.
I can find the words that comfort and soothe the downtrodden, tired, and despairing.
    And I know when to use them.
Each morning, it is God who wakes me and tells me what I should do,
    what I should say.
The Lord, the Eternal, has helped me to listen,
    and I do as He says. I have not been rebellious or run away from God’s work.
But it’s been hard. I offered My back to those who whipped me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not turn away from humiliation and spitting.

The prophet speaks, but his words are those of the Servant of God. The Servant is in tune with God, the Master Teacher. He teaches as he has been taught, and—for the first time it seems—He understands that suffering is an integral part of the work God has for him. The reality for God’s Servant and any who follow him is this: to be close with God means to be at odds with people.

Because the Lord, the Eternal, helps me I will not be disgraced;
    so, I set my face like a rock, confident that I will not be ashamed.
My hero who sets things right is near.
    Who would dare to challenge me?
Let’s stand and debate this head-to-head!
    Who would dare to accuse me? Let him come near.
See here, the Lord, the Eternal, helps me—who could possibly win against me?
    All my accusers will wear out like a ratty old moth-eaten shirt.

10 So, you who are listening, do you acknowledge the Eternal One as God?
    And do you take seriously what the servant of God has to say?
If you are enveloped in darkness, with no light to see,
    take confidence in the name of the Eternal One; rely on your God.
11 Ah, but if you’ve tried to go it alone,
    the light by which you go is your own consuming fire,
And the torches you light will be your undoing.

Eternal One: By My hand you will go down in torment.

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell(B) you?
Because of your sins(C) you were sold;(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(E)
Was my arm too short(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(H) I dry up the sea,(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness(K)
    and make sackcloth(L) its covering.”

The Sovereign Lord(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(Q)
The Sovereign Lord(R) has opened my ears;(S)
    I have not been rebellious,(T)
    I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.(W)
Because the Sovereign Lord(X) helps(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.(AA)
He who vindicates(AB) me is near.(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?(AD)
    Let us face each other!(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
It is the Sovereign Lord(AF) who helps(AG) me.
    Who will condemn(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths(AI) will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys(AK) the word of his servant?(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,(AM)
trust(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.(AR)

50 Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.