Israel's Only Savior

1And now, thus said Jehovah, Thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Fashioner, O Israel, Be not afraid, for I have redeemed thee, I have called on thy name -- thou art Mine.

2When thou passest into waters, I am with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.

3For I -- Jehovah thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I have appointed Egypt thine atonement, Cush and Seba in thy stead.

4Since thou wast precious in Mine eyes, Thou wast honoured, and I have loved thee, And I appoint men in thy stead, And peoples instead of thy life.

5Be not afraid, for I am with thee, From the east I bring in thy seed, And from the west I gather thee.

6I am saying to the north, 'Give up,' And to the south, 'Restrain not.' Bring in My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth.

7Every one who is called by My name, Even for My honour I have created him, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

8He brought out a blind people who have eyes, And deaf ones who have ears.

9All the nations have been gathered together, And the peoples are assembled, Who among them declareth this, And former things causeth us to hear? They give their witnesses, And they are declared righteous, And they hear and say, 'Truth.'

10Ye are My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that ye know and give credence to Me, And understand that I am He, Before Me there was no God formed, And after Me there is none.

11I -- I am Jehovah, And besides Me there is no saviour.

12I -- I declared, and saved, and proclaimed, And there is no stranger with you, And ye are My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I am God.

13Even from the day I am He, And there is no deliverer from My hand, I work, and who doth turn it back?

The Destruction of Babylon Foretold

14Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And caused bars to descend -- all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song is in the ships.

15I am Jehovah, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.'

16Thus said Jehovah, Who is giving in the sea a way, And in the strong waters a path.

17Who is bringing forth chariot and horse, A force, even a strong one: 'Together they lie down -- they rise not, They have been extinguished, As flax they have been quenched.'

Deliverance for God's People

18Remember not former things, And ancient things consider not.

19Lo, I am doing a new thing, now it springeth up, Do ye not know it? Yea, I put in a wilderness a way, In a desolate place -- floods.

20Honour me doth the beast of the field, Dragons and daughters of an ostrich, For I have given in a wilderness waters, Floods in a desolate place, To give drink to My people -- My chosen.

21This people I have formed for Myself, My praise they recount.

Israel's Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:11-15; Jeremiah 2:23-37)

22And Me thou hast not called, O Jacob, For thou hast been wearied of me, O Israel,

23Thou hast not brought in to Me, The lamb of thy burnt-offerings, And with thy sacrifices thou hast not honoured Me, I have not caused thee to serve with a present, Nor wearied thee with frankincense.

24Thou hast not bought for Me with money sweet cane, And with the fat of thy sacrifices hast not filled Me, Only -- thou hast caused Me to serve with thy sins, Thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.

25I -- I am He who is blotting out Thy transgressions for Mine own sake, And thy sins I do not remember.

26Cause me to remember -- we are judged together, Declare thou that thou mayest be justified.

27Thy first father sinned, And thine interpreters transgressed against me,

28And I pollute princes of the sanctuary, And I give Jacob to destruction, and Israel to revilings!