Study Desk

Listen^(a) to me, you islands;^(b) hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born^(c) the Lord called^(d) me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name.^(e)

He made my mouth^(f) like a sharpened sword,^(g) in the shadow of his hand^(h) he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow⁽ⁱ⁾ and concealed me in his quiver.

He said to me, "You are my servant,^(j) Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.^(k)"

But I said, "I have labored in vain;^(l) I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord 's hand,^(m) and my reward⁽ⁿ⁾ is with my God."^(o)

And now the Lord says— he who formed me in the womb^(p) to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel^(q) to himself, for I am^[a] honored^(r) in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength^(s)—

he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant^(t) to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.^(u) I will also make you a light^(v) for the Gentiles,^(w) that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."^(x)

This is what the Lord says— the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel^(y)— to him who was despised^(z) and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings^(aa) will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down,^(ab) because of the Lord , who is faithful,^(ac) the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen^(ad) you."

This is what the Lord says: "In the time of my favor^(ae) I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;^(af) I will keep^(ag) you and will make you to be a covenant for the people,^(ah) to restore the land^(ai) and to reassign its desolate inheritances,^(aj)

to say to the captives,^(ak) ‘Come out,' and to those in darkness,^(al) ‘Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.^(am)

They will neither hunger nor thirst,^(an) nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.^(ao) He who has compassion^(ap) on them will guide^(aq) them and lead them beside springs^(ar) of water.

I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways^(as) will be raised up.^(at)

See, they will come from afar^(au)— some from the north, some from the west,^(av) some from the region of Aswan.^[b]"

Shout for joy,^(aw) you heavens; rejoice, you earth;^(ax) burst into song, you mountains!^(ay) For the Lord comforts^(az) his people and will have compassion^(ba) on his afflicted ones.^(bb)

But Zion^(bc) said, "The Lord has forsaken^(bd) me, the Lord has forgotten me."

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child^(be) she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!^(bf)

See, I have engraved^(bg) you on the palms of my hands; your walls^(bh) are ever before me.

Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste^(bi) depart from you.

Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather^(bj) and come to you. As surely as I live,^(bk)" declares the Lord , "you will wear^(bl) them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.

"Though you were ruined and made desolate^(bm) and your land laid waste,^(bn) now you will be too small for your people,^(bo) and those who devoured^(bp) you will be far away.

The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.'^(bq)

Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who bore me these?^(br) I was bereaved^(bs) and barren; I was exiled and rejected.^(bt) Who brought these^(bu) up? I was left^(bv) all alone,^(bw) but these—where have they come from?'"

This is what the Sovereign Lord ^(bx) says: "See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner^(by) to the peoples; they will bring^(bz) your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips.^(ca)

Kings^(cb) will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers.^(cc) They will bow down^(cd) before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust^(ce) at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord ;^(cf) those who hope^(cg) in me will not be disappointed.^(ch)"

Can plunder be taken from warriors,^(ci) or captives be rescued from the fierce^[c]?

But this is what the Lord says: "Yes, captives^(cj) will be taken from warriors,^(ck) and plunder retrieved from the fierce;^(cl) I will contend with those who contend with you,^(cm) and your children I will save.^(cn)

I will make your oppressors^(co) eat^(cp) their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood,^(cq) as with wine. Then all mankind will know^(cr) that I, the Lord , am your Savior,^(cs) your Redeemer,^(ct) the Mighty One of Jacob.^(cu)"