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Isaiah 44 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

The Blessings of Israel

Isa 44:1

“But now listen, Jacob, My servant,

And Israel, whom I have chosen:

Isa 44:2

This is what the LORD says, He who made you

And formed you from the womb, who will help you:

‘Do not fear, Jacob My servant,

And [fn]Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

Isa 44:3

‘For I will pour water on [fn]the thirsty land

And streams on the dry ground;

I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring,

And My blessing on your descendants;

Isa 44:4

And they will spring up [fn]among the grass

Like poplars by streams of water.’

Isa 44:5

“This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’S’;

And that one [fn]will call on the name of Jacob;

And another will write [fn]on his hand, ‘Belonging to the LORD,’

And will give himself Israel’s name with honor.

Isa 44:6

“This is what the LORD says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of armies:

‘I am the first and I am the last,

And there is no God besides Me.

Isa 44:7

‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;

And, let him confront Me

[fn]Beginning with My establishing of the ancient [fn]nation.

Then let them declare to them the things that are coming

And the events that are going to take place.

Isa 44:8

‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid;

Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?

And you are My witnesses.

Is there any God besides Me,

Or is there any other Rock?

I know of none.’”

The Foolishness of Idolatry

Isa 44:9

Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

Isa 44:10Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no benefit?
Isa 44:11Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them be put to shame together.
Isa 44:12

The craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, [fn]fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and [fn]his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.

Isa 44:13The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of mankind, so that it may sit in a house.
Isa 44:14He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow.
Isa 44:15Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and bows down before it.
Isa 44:16Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.”
Isa 44:17Yet the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
Isa 44:18

They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

Isa 44:19No one [fn]remembers, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then [fn]I make the rest of it into an abomination, [fn]I bow down before a block of wood!”
Isa 44:20He [fn]feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save [fn]himself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

God Forgives and Redeems

Isa 44:21

“Remember these things, Jacob,

And Israel, for you are My servant;

I have formed you, you are My servant,

Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

Isa 44:22

“I have wiped out your wrongdoings like a thick cloud

And your sins like a [fn]heavy mist.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Isa 44:23

Shout for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done it!

Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;

Break into a shout of jubilation, you mountains,

Forest, and every tree in it;

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,

And in Israel He shows His glory.

Isa 44:24

This is what the LORD says, He who is your Redeemer, and the One who formed you from the womb:

“I, the LORD, am the Maker of all things,

Stretching out the heavens by Myself

And spreading out the earth [fn]alone,

Isa 44:25

Causing the [fn]omens of diviners to fail,

[fn]Making fools of fortune-tellers;

Causing wise men to turn back

And [fn]making their knowledge ridiculous,

Isa 44:26

Confirming the word of His servant

And [fn]carrying out the purpose of His messengers.

It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’

And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built.’

And I will raise her ruins again.

Isa 44:27

I am the One who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Dry up!’

And I will make your rivers dry up.

Isa 44:28

It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,

And he will carry out all My desire.’

And [fn]he says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’

And of the temple, ‘[fn]Your foundation will be laid.’”

NASB20 Footnotes
I.e., Israel
Or him who is thirsty
Another reading is like grass among the waters
Another reading is will be called by the name of Jacob
Or with
Lit From My establishing of
Or people
Lit and fashions
Lit there is no strength
Lit returns to his heart
Or shall I make?
Or shall I bow...?
Or is a companion of ashes
Lit his soul
Or cloud
Or who was with Me?
Lit signs
Lit He makes
Lit He turns
Lit He performs
Lit to say
Lit You will be founded
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New American Standard Bible 2020
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Isaiah Chapter 44 — Additional Translations: