411 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment. 2 Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step?[1] He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow. 3 He pursues them and passes on safely, by paths his feet have not trod. 4 Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. 5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come. 6 Everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother, "Be strong!" 7 The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good"; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved. 8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; 9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off";
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. 12 You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. 13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you." 14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. 15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; 16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory. 17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, 20 that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. 23 Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified.[2] 24 Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you. 25 I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. 26 Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, "He is right"? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words. 27 I was the first to say[3] to Zion, "Behold, here they are!" and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news. 28 But when I look, there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer. 29 Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images are empty wind.
411 "Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case. 2 "Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God's service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind. 3 He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground. 4 Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he." 5 The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war. 6 The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, "Be strong!" 7 The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. "Good," they say. "It's coming along fine." Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over. 8 "But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, 9 I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, 'You are my servant.' For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.
10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 11 "See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing. 12 You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing. 13 For I hold you by your right hand- I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you. 14 Though you are a lowly worm, OÂ Jacob, don't be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.' 15 You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains. 16 You will toss them into the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the Lord . You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 "When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. 18 I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. 19 I will plant trees in the barren desert- cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. 20 I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means- that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.
21 "Present the case for your idols," says the Lord . "Let them show what they can do," says the King of Israel. 22 "Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what's going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything-good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves. 25 "But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north. From the east he will call on my name. I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay. 26 "Who told you from the beginning that this would happen? Who predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one said a word! 27 I was the first to tell Zion, 'Look! Help is on the way!' I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news. 28 Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked. 29 See, they are all foolish, worthless things. All your idols are as empty as the wind.
411 " Coastlands , listen to Me in silence , And let the peoples gain new strength ; Let them come forward , then let them speak ; Let us come together for judgment . 2 " Who has aroused one from the east Whom He calls in righteousness to His feet ? He delivers up nations before him And subdues kings . He makes them like dust with his sword , As the wind-driven chaff with his bow . 3 "He pursues them, passing on in safety , By a way he had not been traversing with his feet . 4 " Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning ? ' I, the Lord , am the first , and with the last . I am He.' " 5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid ; The ends of the earth tremble ; They have drawn near and have come . 6 Each one helps his neighbor And says to his brother , "Be strong !" 7 So the craftsman encourages the smelter , And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil , Saying of the soldering , "It is good "; And he fastens it with nails , So that it will not totter . 8 "But you, Israel , My servant , Jacob whom I have chosen , Descendant of Abraham My friend , 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth , And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant , I have chosen you and not rejected you.
10 'Do not fear , for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God . I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand .' 11 "Behold , all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored ; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish . 12 " You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent . 13 "For I am the Lord your God , who upholds your right hand , Who says to you, ' Do not fear , I will help you.' 14 "Do not fear , you worm Jacob , you men of Israel ; I will help you," declares the Lord , "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel . 15 "Behold , I have made you a new , sharp threshing sledge with double edges ; You will thresh the mountains and pulverize them, And will make the hills like chaff . 16 "You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, And the storm will scatter them; But you will rejoice in the Lord , You will glory in the Holy One of Israel . 17 "The afflicted and needy are seeking water , but there is none , And their tongue is parched with thirst ; I, the Lord , will answer them Myself, As the God of Israel I will not forsake them. 18 "I will open rivers on the bare heights And springs in the midst of the valleys ; I will make the wilderness a pool of water And the dry land fountains of water . 19 "I will put the cedar in the wilderness , The acacia and the myrtle and the olive tree ; I will place the juniper in the desert Together with the box tree and the cypress , 20 That they may see and recognize , And consider and gain insight as well , That the hand of the Lord has done this , And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 "Present your case ," the Lord says . "Bring forward your strong arguments," The King of Jacob says . 22 Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place ; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome . Or announce to us what is coming ; 23 Declare the things that are going to come afterward , That we may know that you are gods ; Indeed , do good or evil , that we may anxiously look about us and fear together . 24 Behold , you are of no account , And your work amounts to nothing ; He who chooses you is an abomination . 25 "I have aroused one from the north , and he has come ; From the rising of the sun he will call on My name ; And he will come upon rulers as upon mortar , Even as the potter treads clay ." 26 Who has declared this from the beginning , that we might know ? Or from former times , that we may say , "He is right !"? Surely there was no one who declared , Surely there was no one who proclaimed , Surely there was no one who heard your words . 27 " Formerly I said to Zion , 'Behold , here they are.' And to Jerusalem , 'I will give a messenger of good news .' 28 "But when I look , there is no one , And there is no counselor among them Who, if I ask , can give an answer . 29 "Behold , all of them are false ; Their works are worthless , Their molten images are wind and emptiness .
