"YET  hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.

2 Thus says the LORD who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: 'Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;

4 They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.`

5 One will say, 'I am the LORD's`; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; another will write with his hand, 'The LORD's and name himself by name of Israel.

6"Thus says the LORD, the KIng of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; beside Me there is no God.

7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let hom declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.

8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besiides Me ? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'

9 "Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor known, that they may be ashamed.

10 Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?

11 Surely all his compananions would be ashamed; and the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered togather, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, they shall be ashamed togather.

12 The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.

13 The craftman stretches out his rule, he marks one out with chalk; he fashions it with a plane, he marks it out with the compass, and makes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.

14 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and oak; he secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.

15 Then it shall be for a man to burn, for he will take some of it and warm himself; yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; indeed he makes a god and worships it; he make it a carved image, and falls down to it.

16 He burns half of it in the fire; with this half he eats meat; he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.

17 "And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, prays to and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!

18 "They do not know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

19 And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"

20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say," Is there not a lie in my right hands?"

21 "Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me!

 22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your sins . Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."

23 Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and everytree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.

24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spread abroad the earth Myself;

25 Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviner mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness;

26 Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to the Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited, 'to the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built, 'and I will raise up her waste places;

27 Who says to the deep, 'Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers' ;

28 Who says of Cyrus,' He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built, "and to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid. ISAIAH 44