6. Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have compassion upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith Jehovah: 9. as heaven is high above the earth; so high are My ways above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts. 10. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, till it has moistened the earth, and fertilised it, and made it green, and offered seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11. so will My word be which goeth forth out of My mouth: it will not return to Me fruitless, till it has accomplished that which I willed, and prosperously carried out that for which I sent it. 12. For ye will go out with joy, and be led forth[2] in peace: the mountains and the hills will break out before you into shouting, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13. Instead of the thorn will cypresses shoot up, and instead of the fleabane[3] will myrtles spring up: and it will be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting memorial that will not be swept away.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A lawgiver.—Arnold.
[2] And be led on with peace.—Jones.
[3] Nettle.—Cheyne.
eighth prophecy.—chap. lvi. 1–8.
Sabbatical Admonitions, and Consolations for Proselytes and Eunuchs.
1. Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye right, and do righteousness; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. 2. Blessed is the mortal that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth fast hold thereon; who keepeth the Sabbath, that he doth not desecrate it, and keepeth his hand from doing any kind of evil.
3. And let not the foreigner, who hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak thus: Assuredly Jehovah will cut me off from His people; and let not the eunuch say, I am only a dry tree. 4. For thus saith Jehovah to the eunuchs, Those who keep My Sabbaths, and decide for that in which I take pleasure, and take fast hold of My covenant, 5. I give to them in My house and within My walls a memorial[1] and a name better than sons and daughters; I give such a man an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6. And the foreigners, who have joined themselves to Jehovah, to serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be His servants, whoever keepeth the Sabbath from desecrating it, and those who hold fast to My covenant; 7. I bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their whole-offerings and their slain-offerings are well-pleasing upon Mine altar; for My house, a house of prayer shall it be called for all nations. 8. Word of the Lord, Jehovah: gathering the outcasts of Israel, I will also gather beyond itself to its gathered ones.