Isaiah 51

Israel Exhorted

1“1Listen to me, you who 2pursue righteousness, Who seek the Lord: Look to the 3rock from which you were hewn And to the 4quarry from which you were dug.2Look to 5Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he 6was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”3Indeed, 7the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her 8waste places. And her 9wilderness He will make like 10Eden, And her desert like the 11garden of the Lord; 12Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.

4“13Pay attention to Me, O My people, And give ear to Me, O My 14nation; For a 15law will go forth from Me, And I will 16set My 17justice for a 18light of the peoples.5My 19righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My 20arms will judge the peoples; The 21coastlands will wait for Me, And for My 22arm they will wait expectantly.623Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the 24sky will vanish like smoke, And the 25earth will wear out like a garment And its inhabitants will die 26in like manner; But My 27salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not 28wane.729Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose 30heart is My law; Do not fear the 31reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings.8For the 32moth will eat them like a garment, And the 33grub will eat them like wool. But My 34righteousness will be forever, And My salvation to all generations.”

935Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; Awake as in the 36days of old, the generations of long ago. 37Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces, Who pierced the 38dragon?10Was it not You who 39dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; Who made the depths of the sea a pathway For the 40redeemed to cross over?11So the 41ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And 42everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And 43sorrow and sighing will flee away.

12“I, even I, am He who 44comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of 45man who dies And of the son of man who is made 46like grass,13That you have 47forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who 48stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you 49fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the 50oppressor? 14The 5152exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, 53nor will his bread be lacking. 15For I am the Lord your God, who 54stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the Lord of hosts is His name). 16I have 55put My words in your mouth and have 56covered you with the shadow of My hand, to 5758establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”

1759Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have 60drunk from the Lord’s hand the cup of His anger; The 61chalice of reeling you have 62drained to the dregs.18There is 63none to guide her among all the sons she has borne, Nor is there one to take her by the hand among all the sons she has reared.19These two things have befallen you; Who will mourn for you? The 64devastation and destruction, famine and sword; How shall I comfort you?20Your sons have fainted, They 65lie helpless at the head of every street, Like an 66antelope in a net, Full of the wrath of the Lord, The 67rebuke of your God.

21Therefore, please hear this, you 68afflicted, Who are 69drunk, but not with wine:22Thus says your Lord, the Lord, even your God Who 70contends for His people, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the 71cup of reeling, The 72chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again.23I will 73put it into the hand of your tormentors, Who have said to 74you, ‘75Lie down that we may walk over you.’ You have even made your back like the ground And like the street for those who walk over it.”