Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49, verse 1. ¹“Listen to Me, O coastlands, and take heed, you Gentiles. It will stand for a long time,” says the Lord. “He called My name from My mother's womb. Isaiah 49, verse 2. ²He made My mouth like a sharp sword, and hid Me under the shadow of His hand. He made Me as a chosen arrow and covered Me in His quiver. Isaiah 49, verse 3. ³He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ Isaiah 49, verse 4. ⁴Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain and spent My strength for nothing. Therefore My judgment is from the Lord, and my labor is before My God.’ Isaiah 49, verse 5. ⁵Now thus says the Lord—who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, and to bring Jacob and Israel back to Him (for I shall gather and glorify them before the Lord, and My God shall be My strength)— Isaiah 49, verse 6. ⁶indeed He says, ‘It is a great thing for You to be called My Servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the dispersion of Israel. Behold, I give You as the covenant of a race and as the light of the Gentiles, that You should be the salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49, verse 7. ⁷Thus says the Lord, who delivers You, the God of Israel: “Sanctify Him who despises His life, who is abhorred by the nations and by the servants of rulers. Kings shall see Him and rise, and rulers also shall worship Him for the Lord's sake. For the Holy One of Israel is faithful, and He chose You.” Isaiah 49, verse 8. ⁸Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I heard You, and in the day of salvation I helped You. I give You as a covenant to the Gentiles, to establish the earth and to inherit the inheritance of the desert; Isaiah 49, verse 9. ⁹saying to those in bonds, ‘Go forth,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Reveal yourselves.’ They shall feed along all their roads, and their pasture shall be along all the paths. Isaiah 49, verse 10. ¹⁰They shall not hunger, neither shall they thirst, nor shall the burning heat of the sun strike them; but He who has mercy on them will comfort them; and He shall lead them by the fountains of waters. Isaiah 49, verse 11. ¹¹I will make every mountains as a road, and every path as a pasture for them. Isaiah 49, verse 12. ¹²Behold, these come from afar, these from the north and these from the sea, and the others from the land of the Persians.” Isaiah 49, verse 13. ¹³Be glad, O heavens, and rejoice exceedingly, O earth. Let the mountains break out in gladness, and the hills in righteousness. For the Lord had mercy on His people, and comforted the humble of His people. Isaiah 49, verse 14. ¹⁴But Zion said, “The Lord forsook me, and the Lord forgot me.” Isaiah 49, verse 15. ¹⁵“Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have mercy on the offspring of her womb? But even if a woman should forget these things, nevertheless, I shall not forget you,” says the Lord. Isaiah 49, verse 16. ¹⁶“Behold, I painted your walls on My hands, and you are continually before Me. Isaiah 49, verse 17. ¹⁷It will be rebuilt quickly by your destroyers, and those who laid you waste shall go away from you. Isaiah 49, verse 18. ¹⁸Lift up your eyes round about, and look on them. Behold, they gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “you shall clothe yourselves with them, and put them on as a bride's attire. Isaiah 49, verse 19. ¹⁹For your deserts and your ruined and fallen places will now be too confined because of the inhabitants; and those who swallowed you up will go far away. Isaiah 49, verse 20. ²⁰For your children, whom you lost, will say in your ears, ‘The place is too narrow for me. Make me a place where I may dwell.’ Isaiah 49, verse 21. ²¹Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? For I am childless and a widow, but who reared these for me? I was left alone, but these, where are they from?’” Isaiah 49, verse 22. ²²Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I lift My hand to the Gentiles, and I will set up My signal to the islands. They shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Isaiah 49, verse 23. ²³Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They shall bow down to you upon the face of the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know I am the Lord, and you will not be ashamed. Isaiah 49, verse 24. ²⁴Will someone take spoils from a mighty man? If anyone should take someone captive unjustly, will that one be saved?” Isaiah 49, verse 25. ²⁵Thus says the Lord: “If someone should take a mighty man captive, he will also take his spoils; and he will also save the one taken captive by that strong man. For I will plead your cause and deliver your children. Isaiah 49, verse 26. ²⁶Those who oppressed you will eat their own flesh and drink their own blood as new wine; and all flesh shall perceive that I am the Lord, who delivers you and supports the strength of Jacob.”