Isaiah 49

1 Listen to me, you coastlands! Now give my your attention, you distant peoples. Yahweh has called me from birth by name, when my mother brought me into the world.

Give ear, O sea-lands, to me; and take note, you peoples from far: I have been marked out by the Lord from the first; when I was still in my mother's body, he had my name in mind:

2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; he hid me in the shadow of his hand; he has made me into a polished arrow; in his quiver he has hidden me.

And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shade of his hand he has kept me; and he has made me like a polished arrow, keeping me in his secret place;

3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.”

And he said to me, You are my servant, Israel, in whom my glory will be seen;

4 But I replied, “Though I thought I have labored in vain, I have spent my energy for nothing, yet my justice is with Yahweh, and my reward is with my God.”

And I said, I have undergone weariness for nothing, I have given my strength for no purpose or profit: but still the Lord will take up my cause, and my God will give me my reward.

5 Now Yahweh has spoken—he who formed me from birth to be his servant, to restore Jacob again to himself, so that Israel would be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength—

And now, says the Lord, who made me his servant when I was still in my mother's body, so that I might make Jacob come back to him, and so that Israel might come together to him: and I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God became my strength.

6 and he says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the survivors of Israel. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

It is not enough for one who is my servant to put the tribes of Jacob again in their place, and to get back those of Israel who have been sent away: my purpose is to give you as a light to the nations, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.

7 This is what Yahweh says, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to the one whose life is despised, hated by the nations, and a slave of rulers, “Kings will see you and arise, and princes will see you and bow down, because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

The Lord who takes up Israel's cause, even his Holy One, says to him whom men make sport of, who is hated by the nations, a servant of rulers: Kings will see and get up from their places, and chiefs will give worship: because of the Lord who keeps faith; even the Holy One of Israel who has taken you for himself.

8 This is what Yahweh says, “At a time I decide to show my favor I will answer you, and in a day of salvation I will help you; I will protect you, and give you as a covenant for the people, to rebuild the land, to reassign the desolate inheritance.

This is the word of the Lord: I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: and I will keep you safe, and will make you a glory for the people, putting the land in order, and giving them the heritages which now are waste;

9 You will say to the prisoners, 'Come out;' to those in dark dungeons, 'Show yourselves.' They will graze along the roads, and on all the bare slopes will be their pasture.

Saying to those who are in chains, Go free; to those who are in the dark, Come out into the light. They will get food by the way wherever they go, and have grass-lands on all the dry mountain-tops.

10 They will not be hungry or thirsty; nor will the heat or sun beat on them, for he who has mercy on them will lead them; he will guide them to springs of water.

They will not be in need of food or drink, or be troubled by the heat or the sun: for he who has mercy on them will be their guide, taking them by the springs of water.

11 Then I will make all my mountains into a road, and make my highways level.”

And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways will be lifted up.

12 Look, these will come from far away, some from the north and the west; and others from the land of Sinim.

See, these are coming from far; and these from the north and the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

13 Sing, heavens, and be joyful, earth; break into singing, you mountains! For Yahweh comforts his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

Let your voice be loud in song, O heavens; and be glad, O earth; make sounds of joy, O mountains, for the Lord has given comfort to his people, and will have mercy on his crushed ones.

14 But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”

But Zion said, The Lord has given me up, I have gone from his memory.

15 “Can a woman forget her baby, nursing at her breast, so she does not have compassion on the son she has borne? Yes, they may forget, but I will not forget you.

Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.

16 Look, I have inscribed your name on my palms; your walls are continually before me.

See, your name is marked on my hands; your walls are ever before me.

17 Your children are hurrying back, while those who destroyed you are going away.

Your builders are coming quickly; your haters and those who made you waste will go out of you.

18 Look around and see, they are all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live—this is Yahweh's declaration—you will surely wear them like jewelry, and you will put them on like a bride.

Let your eyes be lifted up round about, and see: they are all coming together to you. By my life, says the Lord, truly you will put them all on you as an ornament, and be clothed with them like a bride.

19 Though you were a waste and desolate, a land that was in ruins, now you will be too small for the inhabitants, and those who devoured you will be far away.

For though the waste places of your land have been given to destruction, now you will not be wide enough for your people, and those who made you waste will be far away.

20 The children born during the time of your bereavement will say in your hearing, 'The place is too cramped for us, make room for us, so we may live here.'

The children to whom you gave birth in other lands will say in your ears, The place is not wide enough for me: make room for me to have a resting-place.

21 Then you will ask yourself, 'Who has borne these children for me? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and divorced. Who has raised these children? Look, I was left all alone; where did these come from?'”

Then you will say in your heart, Who has given me all these children? when my children had been taken from me, and I was no longer able to have others, who took care of these? when I was by myself, where then were these?

22 This is what the Lord Yahweh says, “Look, I will raise my hand to the nations; I will raise my signal flag to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

This is the word of the Lord God: See, I will make a sign with my hand to the nations, and put up my flag for the peoples; and they will take up your sons on their beasts, and your daughters on their backs.

23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursemaids; they will bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am Yahweh; those who wait for me will not be put to shame.”

And kings will take care of you, and queens will give you their milk: they will go down on their faces before you, kissing the dust of your feet; and you will be certain that I am the Lord, and that those who put their hope in me will not be shamed.

24 Can the spoils be taken from the warrior, or captives be rescued from the fierce?

Will the goods of war be taken from the strong man, or the prisoners of the cruel one be let go?

25 But this is what Yahweh says, “Yes, the captives will be taken away from the warrior, and spoils will be rescued; for I will oppose your adversary and save your children.

But the Lord says, Even the prisoners of the strong will be taken from him, and the cruel made to let go his goods: for I will take up your cause against your haters, and I will keep your children safe.

26 I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh; and they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. Then all mankind will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

And the flesh of your attackers will be taken by themselves for food; and they will take their blood for drink, as if it was sweet wine: and all men will see that I the Lord am your saviour, even he who takes up your cause, the Strong One of Jacob.