Israel’s Only Savior

1And now thus saith the Lord God that made thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2And if thou pass through water, I am with thee; and the rivers shall not overflow thee: and if thou go through fire, thou shalt not be burned; the flame shall not burn thee.

3For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves thee: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia thy ransom, and given Soene for thee.

4Since thou becamest precious in my sight, thou hast become glorious, and I have loved thee: and I will give men for thee, and princes for thy life.

5Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and will gather thee from the west.

6I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the land afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

7even all who are called by my name: for I have prepared him for my glory, and I have formed him, and have made him:

8and I have brought forth the blind people; for their eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf.

9All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth.

10Be ye my witnesses, and I too am a witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I an he: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.

11I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour.

12I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you: ye are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God,

13even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back?

A Way in the Wilderness

14Thus saith the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.

15I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king.

16Thus saith the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;

17who brought forth chariots and horse, and a mighty multitude: but they have lain down, and shall not rise: they are extinct, as quenched flax.

18Remember ye not the former things, and consider not the ancient things.

19Behold, I will do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and ye shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land.

20the beasts of the field shall bless me, the owls and young ostriches; for I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to my chosen race,

21my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

22I have not now called thee, O Jacob; neither have I made thee weary, O Israel.

23Thou hast not brought me the sheep of thy whole-burnt-offering; neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied thee with frankincense.

24Neither hast thou purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou didst stand before me in thy sins, and in thine iniquities.

25I, even I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and thy sins; and I will not remember them.

26But do thou remember, and let us plead together: do thou first confess thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified.

27Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me.

28And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob to enemies to destroy, and Israel to reproach.