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The thanksgiving of Hezekiah.

ISAIAH. The Babylonian captivity foretold.

5 Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith sign that I shall go up to the house of the the LORD, the God of David thy father, I LORD? have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy

CHAP. XXXIX.

tears: behold, I will add unto thy days AT that time Merodach-baladan, the

fifteen years.

son of Baladan, king of Babylon,

6 And I will deliver thee and this city sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and he had heard that he had been sick, and I will defend this city. was recovered.

7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing shewed them the house of his precious 2 And Hezekiah was glad of them, and that he hath spoken; things, the silver, and the gold, and the

8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow spices, and the precious ointment, and all of the degrees, which is gone down in the the house of his armour, and all that was sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward. found in his treasures: there was nothing So the sun returned ten degrees, by which in his house, nor in all his dominion, that degrees it was gone down. Hezekiah shewed them not.

9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

king Hezekiah and said unto him, What 3¶ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto they unto thee? and Hezekiah said, They said these men? and from whence came are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.

11 I said, I shall not see the LORD,even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall thy house? And Hezekiah answered, All 4 Then said he, What have they seen in behold man no more with the inhabitants that is in my house have they seen: there of the world. not shewed them. is nothing among my treasures that I have

12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

the word of the LORD of hosts :
5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear

6 Behold, the days come, that all that is have laid up in store until this day, shall be in thy house, and that which thy fathers carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they 7 And of thy sons that shall issue from chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes take away; and they shall be eunuchs in fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am the palace of the king of Babylon. oppressed; undertake for me.

15 What shall I say? he hath both shall spoken. He said moreover, For there

8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast

unto me, and himself hath done it :

go softly all my years in the bitterness of shall be peace and truth in my days.

my soul.

16 O LORD, by these things men live,

CHAP. XL.

and in all these things is the life of n COMFOR OMFORT ye, comfort ye my people,

spirit: so wilt thou recover me,

me to live.

my

and make

your God.

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitter-complished, that her iniquity is pardoned: and cry unto her, that her warfare is acness: but thou hast in love to my soul de- for she hath received of the LORD's hand livered it from the pit of corruption: for thou double for all her sins. hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the

18 For the grave can not praise thee, wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the death can not celebrate thee: they that go LORD, make straight in the desert a highdown into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. way for our God. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and thee, as I do this day: the father to the every mountain and hill shall be made children shall make known thy truth. straight, and the rough places plain: low: and the crooked shall be made

20 The LORD was ready to save me therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the bile, and he shall recover.

22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the

revealed, and all flesh shall see it together
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it

What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said.
of the field:
all the goodliness thereof is as the flower

The promulgation of the gospel. CHAP. XLI.

Israel is promised comfort.

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for

ever.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted: yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

9 TO Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain: O Je- 25 To whom then will ye liken me, or rusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and beafraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Be- hold who hath created these things, that hold your God! bringeth out their host by number: he 10 Behold the Lord GoD will come calleth them all by names, by the greatwith strong hand, and his arm shall rule ness of his might, for that he is strong in for him: behold, his reward is with him, power; not one faileth.

and his work before him.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and

11 He shall feed his flock like a shep-speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the herd: he shall gather the lambs with his LORD, and my judgment is passed over arm, and carry them in his bosom, and from my God?

shall gently lead those that are with young. 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou 12 ¶ Who hath measured the waters in not heard, that the everlasting God, the the hollow of his hand, and meted out LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, heaven with the span, and comprehended fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no the dust of the earth in a measure, and searching of his understanding. weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly

14 With whom took he counsel, and fall: who instructed him, and taught him in the 31 But they that wait upon the LORD path of judgment, and taught him know- shall renew their strength; they shall fedge, and shewed to him the way of un-mount up with wings as eagles; they shall derstanding? run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

CHAP. XLI.

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up EEP silence before me, O islands; Kand let the people renew their the isles as a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to strength: let them come near; then let burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for them speak: let us come near together to a burnt-offering.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

judgment.

2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule 18 To whom then will ye liken God? over kings? he gave them as the dust to his or what likeness will ye compare unto sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. him? 3 He pursued them, and passed safely; 19 The workman melteth a graven even by the way that he had not gone with image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over his feet. with gold, and casteth silver chains.

4 Who hath wrought and done it, call20 He that is so impoverished that he ing the generations from the beginning? I hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will the LORD, the first, and with the last; I not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning am he.

workman to prepare a graven image that 5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends shall not be moved. of the earth were afraid, drew near, and 21 Have ye not known? have ye not came. heard? hath it not been told you from the 6 They helped every one his neighbour; beginning? have ye not understood from and every one said to his brother, Be of the foundations of the earth? good courage.

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of 7 So the carpenter encouraged the the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them It is ready for the sodering; and he fastout as a tent to dwell in: ened it with nails, that it should not be

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing;moved.

The vanity of idols.

ISAIAH.

The office of Christ.

8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Ja-may be dismayed, and behold it together. cob whom I have chosen, the seed of 24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your Abraham my friend. work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee,Thou art my servant; Í have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: 1 will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the

25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.

27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

28 For I beheld, and there was no man, even among them, and there was no coun sellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

29 Behold, they are all vanity, their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion. CHAP. XLII.

LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold;

of Israel.

mine elect, in whom my soul de

15 Behold, I will make thee a new lighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him: sharp threshing instrument having teeth: he shall bring forth judgment to the Genthou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat tiles.

them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind his voice to be heard in the street. shail carry them away, and the whirlwind 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice the smoking flax shall he not quench: he in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy shall bring forth judgment unto truth. One of Israel.

17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 T Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them 18 I will open rivers in high places, and out; he that spread forth the earth, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will that which cometh out of it; he that giveth make the wilderness a pool of water, and breath unto the people upon it, and spirit the dry land springs of water. to them that walk therein:

19 I will plant in the wilderness the 6 I the LORD have called thee in rightcedar, the shittah-tree, and the myrtle, eousness, and will hold thy hand, and and the oil-tree, I will set in the desert will keep thee, and give thee for a covethe fir-tree, and the pine, and the box-tree nant of the people, for a light of the Gentogether: tiles 20 That they may see, and know, and 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out consider, and understand together, that the prisoners from the prison, and them the hand of the LORD hath done this, and that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. the Holy One of Israel hath created it. 8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and 21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; my glory will I not give to another, neither bring forth your strong reasons, saith the my praise to graven images. King of Jacob.

9 Behold, the former things are come 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew to pass, and new things do I declare: beus what shall happen: let them shew the fore they spring forth I tell you of them. former things, what they be, that we may 10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and consider them, and know the latter end of his praise from the end of the earth, ye them; or declare us things for to come. that go down to the sea, and all that is there23 Shew the things that are to come in; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. hereafter, that we may know that ye are 11 Let the wilderness and the cities gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we thereof lift up their voice, the villages that

An exhortation to praise God.

CHAP. XLIII. The fall of Babylon foretold.

Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of they shall not overflow thee: when thou the rock sing, let them shout from the top walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy 13 The LORD shall go fortn as a mighty One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5 Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather 15 I will make waste mountains and thee from the west :

hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and make the rivers islands, and I will dry up to the south, Keep not back: bring my the pools. sons from far, and my daughters from the

16 And I will bring the blind by a way ends of the earth; that they knew not; I will lead them in 7 Even every one that is called by my paths that they have not known: I will name: for I have created him for my glory, make darkness light before them, and I have formed him; yea, I have made him. crooked things straight. These things 8 Bring forth the blind people that will I do unto them, and not forsake them. have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 17 ¶ They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen : that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was 20 Seeing many things, but thou ob- no God formed, neither shall there be after servest not; opening the ears, but he hear-me.

eth not.

11 I, even I, am the LORD; and besides 21 The LORD is well pleased for his me there is no saviour. righteousness' sake; he will magnify the 12 I have declared, and have saved, and law, and make it honourable. I have shewed, when there was no strange

22 But this is a people robbed and spoil-god among you: therefore ye are my wited; they are all of them snared in holes, nesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. and they are hid in prison-houses; they 13 Yea, before the day was, I am he; are for a prey, and none delivereth, for a and there is none that can deliver out of my spoil, and none saith, Restore.

23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken, and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

25 Therefore he hath poured upon him a the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

BUT

CHAP. XLIII.

UT now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers,

I

hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 14 Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20 The beast of the field shall honour

God's church comforted.

ISAIAH.

The vanity of idols.

me, the dragons and the owls: because I their own witnesses; they see not, nor give waters in the wilderness, and rivers know, that they may be ashaṛned. in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

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10 Who hath formed a god, or molten graven image that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

23 Thou hast not brought me the small 12 The smith with the tongs both workcattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither hast eth in the coals, and fashioneth it with hamthou honoured me with thy sacrifices. Imers, and worketh it with the strength of have not caused thee to serve with an his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength offering, nor wearied thee with incense. faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. 24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins

26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

CHAP. XLIV.

Ynd Israel, whom I have chosen:

ET now hear, O Jacob, my servant;

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant ; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the

rain doth nourish it.

15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindlethit, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

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18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that 5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and they cannot see; and their hearts, that another shall call himself by the name of they cannot understand.

Jacob; and another shall subscribe with 19 And none considereth in his heart, his hand unto the LORD, and surname him- neither is there knowledge nor understandself by the name of Israel. ing to say, I have burned part of it in the

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Is- fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon rael, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, I am the first, and I am the last; and be- and eaten it: and shall I make the resi sides me there is no God. due thereof an abomination? shall I fall

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall de-down to the stock of a tree? clare it, and set it in order for me, since I 20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived appointed the ancient people? and the heart hath turned him aside, that he canthings that are coming, and shall come, let not deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a them shew unto them. lie in my right hand?

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have 21 Remember these, O Jacob and not I told thee from that time, and have Israel; for thou art my servant : I have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. formed thee; thou art my servant : 0 IsIs there a God besides me? yea, there is rael, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. no God; I know not any. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, 9 They that make a graven image thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: are all of them vanity; and their delecta- return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. ble things shall not profit; and they are 23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD

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