Isaiah 51
51
Look to Abraham and Sarah
1Listen to me,
you who look for righteousness,
you who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry where you were dug.
2Look to Abraham your ancestor,
and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
They were alone when I called them,
but I blessed them and made them many.
3The LORD will comfort Zion;
he will comfort all her ruins.
He will make her desert like Eden
and her wilderness like the LORD’s garden.
Happiness and joy will be found in her—
thanks and the sound of singing.
Salvation endures forever
4Pay attention to me, my people;
listen to me, my nation,
for teaching will go out from me,
my justice, as a light to the nations.
5I will quickly bring my victory.
My salvation is on its way,
and my arm will judge the peoples.
The coastlands hope for me;
they wait for my judgment.#51.5 Or for my arm
6Look up to the heavens,
and gaze at the earth beneath.
The heavens will disappear like smoke,
the earth will wear out like clothing,
and its inhabitants will die like gnats.
But my salvation will endure forever,
and my righteousness will be unbroken.
7Listen to me, you who know what is right,
people who carry my teaching in your heart:
Don’t fear human scorn,
and don’t be upset when they abuse you.
8The moth will eat them as if they were clothing,
and the worm will eat them like wool,
but my righteousness is forever,
and my salvation for all generations.
Awake, arm of the LORD
9Awake, awake, put on strength,
arm of the LORD.
Awake as in times past,
generations long ago.
Aren’t you the one who crushed Rahab,
who pierced the dragon?
10Didn’t you dry up the sea,
the waters of the great deep?
And didn’t you make the redeemed a road to cross
through the depths of the sea,
a road for the redeemed to pass?
11Then let those ransomed by the LORD return
and come to Zion with singing
and with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Let happiness and joy overwhelm them;
let grief and groaning flee.
12I, I am the one who comforts you.
Why should you fear humans who will die,
mortals who are treated like grass?
13You forgot the LORD your maker,
the one who stretched out the heavens
and founded the earth.
You were continually afraid, all day long,
on account of the oppressor’s wrath—
a fear by which they intend to destroy you.
Where now is the oppressor’s wrath?
14The imprisoned ones will soon be released;
they won’t die in the pit
or even lack bread.
15I am the LORD your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the LORD of heavenly forces is his name.
16I put my words in your mouth
and hid you in the shadow of my hand,
stretching out#51.16 Or planting the heavens, founding the earth,
and saying to Zion, “You are my people.”
Wake yourself, Jerusalem
17Wake yourself, wake yourself!
Rise up, Jerusalem,
who drank the cup of wrath from the LORD’s hand.
You drank; you drained the goblet of reeling.
18There’s no one to guide her among all the children she bore;
there’s no one to take her by the hand among all the children she raised.
19These two things have happened to you—
Who will be sorry for you?#51.19 DSS (1QIsaa), LXX, Vulg; MT How will I—
destruction and devastation,
famine and sword—
who will comfort you?#51.19 Or how will I comfort you?
20Your children passed out;
they lay at the head of every street like antelope in a net,
filled with the LORD’s wrath,
with the rebuke of your God.
21Therefore, hear this, suffering one,
who is drunk, but not from wine.
22The LORD, your Lord and your God,
who contends for his people, says:
Look, I have taken the cup of reeling,
the goblet of my wrath, from your hand.
You will no longer drink from it.
23I will put it in the hand of your tormentors,
who said to you,
“Lie down so that we can walk on you.
Make your back like the ground,
like a street for those walking on it.”
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 51
51
Exhortation to Trust in the Lord
1Listen to me, you who pursue justice,
who seek the Lord;
Look to the rock from which you were hewn,
to the quarry#Rock…quarry: your glorious ancestry. from which you were taken;#Rom 9:30–31.
2Look to Abraham, your father,
and to Sarah, who gave you birth;
Though he was but one when I called him,
I blessed him and made him many.#Ez 33:24; Gn 12:2–4; 22:17.
3Yes, the Lord shall comfort Zion,
shall comfort all her ruins;
Her wilderness he shall make like Eden,
her wasteland like the garden of the Lord;
Joy and gladness shall be found in her,
thanksgiving and the sound of song.
4Be attentive to me, my people;#The conversion of the nations.
my nation, give ear to me.
For teaching shall go forth from me,
and my judgment, as light to the peoples.#Is 2:3.
5I will make my victory come swiftly;
my salvation shall go forth
and my arm shall judge the nations;
In me the coastlands shall hope,
and my arm they shall await.
6Raise your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth below;
Though the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies,
My salvation shall remain forever
and my victory shall always be firm.#While the heavens and the earth appear eternal and changeless, they are not so firm and lasting as God’s saving will for Israel.
7Hear me, you who know justice,
you people who have my teaching at heart:
Do not fear the reproach of others;
remain firm at their revilings.
8They shall be like a garment eaten by moths,
like wool consumed by grubs;
But my victory shall remain forever,
my salvation, for all generations.#Is 50:9.
9Awake, awake, put on strength,
arm of the Lord!
Awake as in the days of old,
in ages long ago!
Was it not you who crushed Rahab,#Rahab: see note on 30:7. The dragon: see notes on 27:1; Ps 74:12–17.
you who pierced the dragon?#Ex 15:16; Jb 9:13; 26:12; Ps 74:13; 89:11.
10Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,#Great deep: a reference to the primeval chaos (cf. Gn 1:2; 7:11; 49:25; Jb 28:14; Ps 36:7; Jon 2:4).
You who made the depths of the sea into a way
for the redeemed to pass through?
11Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.
12I, it is I who comfort you.
Can you then fear mortals who die,
human beings who are just grass,
13And forget the Lord, your maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of earth?
All the day you are in constant dread
of the fury of the oppressor
When he prepares himself to destroy;
but where is the oppressor’s fury?
14The captives shall soon be released;
they shall not die and go down into the pit,
nor shall they want for bread.
15For I am the Lord, your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
the Lord of hosts by name.#Jer 31:35.
16I have put my words into your mouth,
I covered you, shielded by my hand,
Stretching out the heavens,
laying the foundations of the earth,
saying to Zion: You are my people.
The Cup of the Lord
17Wake up, wake up!
Arise, Jerusalem,
You who drank at the Lord’s hand
the cup of his wrath;
Who drained to the dregs
the bowl of staggering!#Jer 25:15–17; Ez 23:32–34.
18She has no one to guide her
of all the children she bore;
She has no one to take her by the hand,
of all the children she reared!—
19Your misfortunes are double;
who is there to grieve with you?
Desolation and destruction, famine and sword!
Who is there to comfort you?
20Your children lie helpless
at every street corner
like antelopes in a net.
They are filled with the wrath of the Lord,
the rebuke of your God.
21But now, hear this, afflicted one,
drunk, but not with wine,#Is 29:9.
22Thus says the Lord, your Master,
your God, who defends his people:
See, I am taking from your hand
the cup of staggering;
The bowl of my wrath
you shall no longer drink.
23I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,
those who said to you,
“Bow down, that we may walk over you.”
So you offered your back like the ground,
like the street for them to walk on.
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