1. Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have flowed out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Jehovah, and extol the God of Israel, not in truth, and not in righteousness! 2. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel, Jehovah of hosts His name.
3. The first I long ago proclaimed, and it has gone forth out of My mouth, and I caused it to be heard. I carried it out suddenly, and it came to pass. 4. Because I knew that thou art hard, and thy neck an iron clasp, and thy brow brass; 5. I proclaimed it to thee long ago; before it came to pass I caused thee to hear it, that thou mightest not say, My idol has done it, and my graven image and molten image commanded it. 6. Thou hast heard it, look then at it all; and ye, must ye not confess it? I give thee new things to hear from this time forth, and hidden things, and what thou didst not know. 7. It is created now, and not long ago; and thou hast not heard it before; that thou mightest not say, Behold, I knew it. 8. Thou hast neither heard it, nor known it, nor did thine ear open itself to it long ago; for I knew thou art altogether faithless, and thou art called rebellious from the womb. 9. For My name’s sake I lengthen out My wrath, and for My praise I hold back towards thee, that I may not cut thee off. 10. Behold, I have refined thee, and not in the manner of silver; I have proved thee in the furnace of affliction. 11. For Mine own sake, for Mine own sake I accomplish it (for how[1] it is profaned!) and My glory I give not to another.
12. Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called! I am it; I first, also I last. 13. My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: I call to them, and they stand there together. 14. All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear: Who among you hath proclaimed this? He who Jehovah loveth will accomplish His will upon Babel, and His arm upon the Chaldeans. 15. I, I have spoken, have also called him, have brought him here, and his way prospers. 16. Come ye near to Me! Hear ye this! I have not spoken in secret; from the beginning from the time that it takes place, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent Me and His Spirit.
17. Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I, Jehovah thy God, am He that teacheth thee to do that which profiteth, and leadest thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18. Oh[2] that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then thy peace becomes like the river, and thy righteousness like waves of the sea; 19. and thy seed like the sand, and the children of thy body like the grains thereof; its name will not be cut off nor destroyed away from My countenance.
20. Go out of Babel, flee from Chaldea with voice of shouting: declare ye, preach ye this, carry it out to the end of the earth! Say ye, Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob His servant. 21. And they thirsted not: He led them through dry places; He caused water to trickle out of rocks for them; He split rocks, and waters gushed out. 22. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, for the wicked.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] For how should my name be profaned?—Kay and Arnold.
[2] 18. Oh that thou wouldst hearken to my commandments! then should thy peace be as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea; 19. thy seed also should be as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels as the gravel thereof; his name should not be cut off, &c.—Kay.
PART II.
first prophecy.—chap. xlix.