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Isaiah 44
New International Version

### Israel the Chosen

44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(A)
Israel, whom I have chosen.(B)
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made(C) you, who formed you in the womb,(D)
and who will help(E) you:
Do not be afraid,(F) Jacob, my servant,(G)
Jeshurun,[a](H) whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water(I) on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;(J)
I will pour out my Spirit(K) on your offspring,
and my blessing(L) on your descendants.(M)
4 They will spring up like grass(N) in a meadow,
like poplar trees(O) by flowing streams.(P)
5 Some will say, ‘I belong(Q) to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(R) ‘The Lord’s,’(S)
and will take the name Israel.

### The Lord, Not Idols

6 “This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King(T) and Redeemer,(U) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(V)
apart from me there is no God.(W)
7 Who then is like me?(X) Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell(Y) what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim(Z) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(AA) besides me?
No, there is no other Rock;(AB) I know not one.”

9 All who make idols(AC) are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.(AD)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(AE)
they are ignorant, to their own shame.(AF)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(AG)
which can profit nothing?(AH)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(AI)
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame.(AJ)

12 The blacksmith(AK) takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.(AL)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.(AM)
13 The carpenter(AN) measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(AO)
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.(AP)
14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine,(AQ) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(AR) for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(AS) it;
he makes an idol and bows(AT) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(AU)”
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.(AV)
He prays(AW) to it and says,
“Save(AX) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(AY) nothing;
their eyes(AZ) are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding(BA) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(BB)
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(BC) thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(BD)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(BE) a deluded(BF) heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(BG)”

21 “Remember(BH) these things, Jacob,
for you, Israel, are my servant.(BI)
I have made you, you are my servant;(BJ)
Israel, I will not forget you.(BK)
22 I have swept away(BL) your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return(BM) to me,
for I have redeemed(BN) you.”

23 Sing for joy,(BO) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth(BP) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(BQ)
you forests and all your trees,(BR)
for the Lord has redeemed(BS) Jacob,
he displays his glory(BT) in Israel.

### Jerusalem to Be Inhabited

24 “This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer,(BU) who formed(BV) you in the womb:(BW)

I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,(BX)
who spreads out the earth(BY) by myself,
25 who foils(BZ) the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,(CA)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(CB)
and turns it into nonsense,(CC)
26 who carries out the words(CD) of his servants
and fulfills(CE) the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem,(CF) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
and of their ruins,(CG) ‘I will restore them,’(CH)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
and I will dry up(CI) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(CJ) ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(CK) “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple,(CL) “Let its foundations(CM) be laid.”’

#### Footnotes

1. Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.

#### Cross references

1. Isaiah 44:1 : ver 21
2. Isaiah 44:1 : S Ge 16:11; S Isa 14:1
3. Isaiah 44:2 : ver 21; S Ps 149:2
4. Isaiah 44:2 : S Ge 2:7; S Ps 139:13; S Isa 27:11
5. Isaiah 44:2 : S Isa 41:10
6. Isaiah 44:2 : S Isa 43:5
7. Isaiah 44:2 : Jer 30:10; 46:27
8. Isaiah 44:2 : S Nu 23:21; S Dt 32:15
9. Isaiah 44:3 : Joel 3:18; Jn 4:10
10. Isaiah 44:3 : S Pr 9:5; S Isa 32:2; S 35:7
11. Isaiah 44:3 : S Isa 11:2; Eze 36:27; S Mk 1:8; S Ac 2:17
12. Isaiah 44:3 : Mal 3:10
13. Isaiah 44:3 : Isa 61:9; 65:23
14. Isaiah 44:4 : S Job 5:25; S Ps 72:16
15. Isaiah 44:4 : S Lev 23:40
16. Isaiah 44:4 : S Job 40:22
17. Isaiah 44:5 : Ps 116:16; Isa 19:21; Jer 50:5
18. Isaiah 44:5 : Ex 13:9
19. Isaiah 44:5 : Isa 60:3; 66:23; Zec 8:20-22; 13:9; 14:16
20. Isaiah 44:6 : S Isa 41:21
21. Isaiah 44:6 : S Job 19:25; Isa 43:1
22. Isaiah 44:6 : S Isa 41:4; Rev 1:8, 17
23. Isaiah 44:6 : S Dt 6:4; S 1Ch 17:20; S Ps 18:31; S Isa 43:10
24. Isaiah 44:7 : S Dt 32:39
25. Isaiah 44:7 : S Isa 41:22, 26
26. Isaiah 44:8 : S Isa 40:21; S 42:9
27. Isaiah 44:8 : S Isa 43:10
28. Isaiah 44:8 : S Ge 49:24
29. Isaiah 44:9 : S Ex 20:4; S Lev 19:4; Isa 40:19
30. Isaiah 44:9 : S Isa 41:24
31. Isaiah 44:9 : S Isa 26:11
32. Isaiah 44:9 : S Isa 1:29; 65:13; 66:5; Jer 22:22
33. Isaiah 44:10 : S Isa 40:19
34. Isaiah 44:10 : Isa 41:29; Jer 10:5; Ac 19:26
35. Isaiah 44:11 : S ver 9; S Isa 1:29
36. Isaiah 44:11 : S 2Ki 19:18; S Isa 37:19
37. Isaiah 44:12 : S Isa 40:19; 41:6-7; 54:16
38. Isaiah 44:12 : Ac 17:29
39. Isaiah 44:12 : Isa 40:28
40. Isaiah 44:13 : S Isa 41:7
41. Isaiah 44:13 : Ps 115:4-7
42. Isaiah 44:13 : S Jdg 17:4-5
43. Isaiah 44:14 : S Isa 41:19
44. Isaiah 44:15 : ver 19
45. Isaiah 44:15 : S Ex 20:5; Rev 9:20
46. Isaiah 44:15 : S 2Ch 25:14
47. Isaiah 44:16 : Isa 47:14
48. Isaiah 44:17 : S Ex 20:5; Isa 2:8; Jer 1:16
49. Isaiah 44:17 : S 1Ki 18:26
50. Isaiah 44:17 : S Jdg 10:14; Isa 45:20; 46:7; 47:15
51. Isaiah 44:18 : Isa 1:3; S 16:12; Jer 4:22; 10:8, 14, 14-15
52. Isaiah 44:18 : S Isa 6:9-10; S 29:10
53. Isaiah 44:19 : ver 18-19; Isa 5:13; 27:11; 45:20
54. Isaiah 44:19 : ver 15
55. Isaiah 44:19 : S Dt 27:15
56. Isaiah 44:19 : Isa 40:20
57. Isaiah 44:20 : Ps 102:9
58. Isaiah 44:20 : S Job 15:31; Ro 1:21-23, 28; 2Th 2:11; 2Ti 3:13
59. Isaiah 44:20 : S Dt 4:28; Isa 59:3, 4, 13; Jer 9:3; 10:14; 51:17; Hos 10:5; 13:2; Ro 1:25
60. Isaiah 44:21 : Isa 46:8; Zec 10:9
61. Isaiah 44:21 : S Isa 43:1
62. Isaiah 44:21 : S Ps 136:22; S Isa 27:11
63. Isaiah 44:21 : Ps 27:10; Isa 49:15; Jer 31:20
64. Isaiah 44:22 : S 2Sa 12:13; S 2Ch 6:21; Ac 3:19
65. Isaiah 44:22 : S Job 22:23; Isa 45:22; 55:7; Jer 36:3; Mal 3:7
66. Isaiah 44:22 : S Isa 33:24; S Mt 20:28; 1Co 6:20
67. Isaiah 44:23 : S Ps 98:4; S Isa 12:6
68. Isaiah 44:23 : S 1Ch 16:31; Ps 148:7
69. Isaiah 44:23 : S Ps 98:8
70. Isaiah 44:23 : S Ps 65:13
71. Isaiah 44:23 : S Ex 6:6; Isa 51:11; 62:12
72. Isaiah 44:23 : S Ex 16:7; S Lev 10:3; S Isa 4:2; 43:7; 46:13; 49:3; 52:1; 55:5; 60:9, 21; 61:3; Jer 30:19
73. Isaiah 44:24 : S Job 19:25; Isa 43:14
74. Isaiah 44:24 : S Isa 27:11
75. Isaiah 44:24 : S Ps 139:13
76. Isaiah 44:24 : S Ge 2:1; S Isa 42:5
77. Isaiah 44:24 : S Ge 1:1
78. Isaiah 44:25 : Ps 33:10
79. Isaiah 44:25 : Lev 19:26; 1Sa 6:2; Isa 2:6; 8:19; 47:13; Jer 27:9; Da 2:2, 10; 4:7; Mic 3:7; Zec 10:2
80. Isaiah 44:25 : S Job 5:13; 1Co 1:27
81. Isaiah 44:25 : 2Sa 15:31; 1Co 1:19-20
82. Isaiah 44:26 : Isa 59:21; Zec 1:6
83. Isaiah 44:26 : Isa 46:10; 55:11; Jer 23:20; 39:16; La 2:17; Da 9:12; S Mt 5:18
84. Isaiah 44:26 : S Isa 1:1
85. Isaiah 44:26 : S Ps 74:3; S Isa 51:3
86. Isaiah 44:26 : S Ezr 9:9; S Ps 51:18; Isa 49:8-21; S 61:4
87. Isaiah 44:27 : S Isa 11:15; S 19:5; Rev 16:12
88. Isaiah 44:28 : S 2Ch 36:22; S Isa 41:2
89. Isaiah 44:28 : S Isa 14:32
90. Isaiah 44:28 : Ezr 1:2-4
91. Isaiah 44:28 : S Isa 28:16; 58:12

New International Version (NIV)

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