(8:1-25) Jacob continues reading Isaiah to us. (Chapters 51 and 52)
(8:1) Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD:
look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye
are digged.
(8:2) Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called
him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
(8:3) For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and
he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the
LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice
of melody.
(8:4) Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law
shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of
the people.
(8:5) My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall
judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they
trust.
(8:6) Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the
heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a
garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my
salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. -- Isaiah 51:1-6
(8:6) "The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a
garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner." (God plans to destroy the universe.)
(8:7) Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is
my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their
revilings.
(8:8) For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them
like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from
generation to generation.
(8:9) Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient
days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and
wounded the dragon? -- Isaiah 51:7-9
(8:9-10)
God cut Rahab (the sea
monster) to pieces, wounded the dragon, and dried up the sea.
(8:10) Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep;
that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? 7
(8:11) Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing
unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain
gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
(8:12) I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be
afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as
grass;
(8:13) And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens,
and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day
because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and
where is the fury of the oppressor?
(8:14) The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not
die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
(8:15) But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The
LORD of hosts is his name.
(8:16) And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the
shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations
of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
(8:17) Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the
LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of
trembling, and wrung them out.
(8:18) There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth;
neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she
hath brought up.
(8:19) These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee?
desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I
comfort thee?
(8:20) Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild
bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.
(8:21) Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
(8:22) Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his
people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even
the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it
again:
(8:23) But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said
to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as
the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
(8:24) Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city:
for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the
unclean.
(8:25) Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose
thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. -- Isaiah 51:10 - 52:2
8:1Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to
the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.
8:2Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed
him.
8:3For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness
like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the
voice of melody.
8:4Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I
will make my judgment to rest for a light for the people.
8:5My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arm shall judge the people. The isles
shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
8:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; forthe heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell
therein shall die in like manner. But my
salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
8:7Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye
not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
8:8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my
righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
8:9Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days. Art thou not he that
hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
8:10Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the
sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?
8:11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting
joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall
flee away.
8:12I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of
man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?
8:13And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of
the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to
destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?
8:14The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that
his bread should fail.
8:15But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared; the Lord of Hosts is my name.
8:16And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may
plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art my people.
8:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his
fury -- thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling wrung out --
8:18And none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought forth; neither that taketh her by the hand,
of all the sons she hath brought up.
8:19These two sons are come unto thee, who shall be sorry for thee -- thy desolation and destruction, and
the famine and the sword -- and by whom shall I comfort thee?
8:20Thy sons have fainted, save these two; they lie at the head of all the streets; as a wild bull in a
net, they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.
8:21Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, and not with wine:
8:22Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause of his people; behold, I have taken out
of thine hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again.
8:23But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; who have said to thy soul: Bow down, that we
may go over -- and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over.
8:24Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
8:25Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.