The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 41 -

Let the islands be silent before me, and let the nations take new strength. Let them draw near, and then speak. Let us apply for judgment together.

Who has raised up a just man from the east, and has called him to follow him? He will place the nations under his gaze, and he will rule over kings. He will cause them to be like dust before his sword, like chaff driven by the wind before his bow.(a)

He will pursue them. He will pass by in peace. No trace will appear after his feet.

Who has worked and accomplished these things, calling to the generations from the beginning? “It is I, the Lord! I am the first and the last.”

The islands saw it and were afraid. The ends of the earth were stupefied. They drew near and arrived.

Each one will help his neighbor and will say to his brother, “Be strengthened.”

The coppersmith striking with the mallet encouraged him who was forging at that time, saying, “It is ready for soldering.” And he strengthened it with nails, so that it would not be moved.

But you, O Israel, are my servant, O Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of my friend Abraham.

For his sake, I have taken you from the ends of the earth, and I have called you from its distant places. And I said to you: “You are my servant. I have chosen you, and I have not cast you aside.”

Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not turn away, for I am your God. I have strengthened you, and I have assisted you, and the right hand of my just one has upheld you.

Behold, all who fight against you shall be confounded and ashamed. They will be as if they did not exist, and the men who contradict you will perish.

You will seek them, and you will not find them. The men who rebel against you will be as if they did not exist. And the men who make war against you will be like something that has been consumed.

For I am the Lord your God. I take you by your hand, and I say to you: Do not be afraid. I have helped you.

Fear not, O worm of Jacob, you who are dead within Israel. I have helped you, says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

I have established you like a new threshing cart, having serrated blades. You will thresh the mountains and crush them. And you will turn the hills into chaff.

You will winnow them, and the wind will blow them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. And you shall exult in the Lord; you shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

The indigent and the poor are seeking water, but there is none. Their tongue has been dried up by thirst. I, the Lord, will heed them. I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

I will open rivers in the high hills, and fountains in the midst of the plains. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the impassable land into streams of water.

I will plant the cedar in a deserted place, with the thorn, and the myrtle, and the olive tree. In the desert, I will plant the pine, and the elm, and the box tree together,(b)

so that they may see and know, acknowledge and understand, together, that the hand of the Lord has accomplished this, and that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Meaningless Idols

Bring your case forward, says the Lord. Bring it here, if you have anything to allege, says the King of Jacob.

Let them approach and announce to us the things that will occur. Announce to us the things that were before. And we will apply our heart to them, and we will know their end. And so, reveal to us the things that will occur.

Announce the things that will occur in the future, and we will know that you are gods. Likewise, accomplish good or evil, if you are able, and let us speak of it and see it together.

Behold, you exist out of nothing, and your work is from what does not exist; he who has chosen you is an abomination.

I have raised up one from the north, and he will arrive from the rising of the sun. He will call upon my name, and he will reduce magistrates to mud, like a potter working with clay.

Who has announced this from its rising, so that we may know it, or from its beginning, so that we may say, “You are just.” There is no one who either announces, or predicts, or hears your words.

The first one will say to Zion: “Behold, they are here,” and to Jerusalem, “I will present an evangelist.”

And I saw, and there was no one among any of them to consult, or who, when I asked, could answer a word.

Behold, they are all unjust, and their works are empty. Their idols are wind and emptiness.

Footnotes

(a)41:2 In my interpretation, this passage refers to the great Catholic monarch, to his war, and to his subsequent reign in peace.(Conte)

(b)41:19 The thorn:In Hebrew, the shitta, or setim, a tree resembling the white thorn.(Challoner)

“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgment.

Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”

The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.

Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’

Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’

Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Meaningless Idols

Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.

Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word.

Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.