"KEEP silence before Me, O coastlands, and let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near togather for judgment.

2 "Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? Who gave then as the dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow?

3 Who persues, and passed safely by the way that he had not gone with his feet?

4 Who has performed and done it, calling the generation from the beginning?' I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He.' "

5 The coastlands saw it and feared, the end of the earth were afraid; they drew near and came.

6 Everyone helped his neighbor, and said to his brother, be of  good courage.

7 So the craftman encouraged the goldsmith; he who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, saying, "It is ready for soldering"; then he fastened it with pegs, that it might not totter.

8  " But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend.  

9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away.

10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismyed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

11 "Behold, all those who incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish.

12 You shall seek them and not find them - those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a non- existing thing.

13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

14 "Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, "says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

15 "Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; you shall thresh the montains and beat them small, and make the hills like chaff.

16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind  shall scatter them; you shall rejoice in the LORD, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst, I, the LORD, will  hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers in desolate, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of  water.

19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress and the pine and box tree togather,

20 That they see and know, and consider and understand togather, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21 "Present your case, "says the LORD. "Bring forth your strong reasons, "says the King of Jacob.

22 "Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; let them show the former things, what they were the former things, what they were, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come.

23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good or do evil, that we may be dismayed and see it togather.

24 Indeed you are nothing, and your work is nothing; he who choose you in an abomination.

25 "I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come; from the rising sun he shall come against princes as though mortar, as the potter treads clay.

26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? And former times, that we may say,' He is righteous'? Surely there is no one who shows, surely there is no one who shows, surely there is no one who declares, surely there is no one who your words.

27 The first time I said to Zion, 'Look, there they are!' And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.

28 For I looked among them, but there was no counselor, who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

29 Indeed they are all worthless; their work are nothing; their molded images are wind and confusion. ISAIAH 41