Isaiah 49

1Listen to me, you coastlands; pay attention, you peoples far away. Yahweh called me from the womb; from my mother’s body he spoke my name.

2He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me. He made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he concealed me.

3He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my glory.”

4But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing, for empty breath. Yet surely my cause is with Yahweh, and my reward is with my God.”

5And now Yahweh says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, so that Israel might be gathered to him—for I am honored in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength—

6he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the survivors of Israel. I will make you a light for the nations, to be my salvation to the end of the earth.”

7This is what Yahweh says, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to one who is deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: Kings will see and rise up, and princes will bow down, because of Yahweh, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.

8This is what Yahweh says: In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you. I will keep you and make you a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to give out again its desolate inheritances,

9to say to the prisoners, “Come out,” and to those in darkness, “Show yourselves.” They will graze along the roads and find pasture on every bare hill.

10They will not hunger or thirst; neither scorching heat nor sun will strike them, for he who has compassion on them will lead them and guide them to springs of water.

11I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.

12Look, these will come from far away, and look, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.

13Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; break into song, you mountains! For Yahweh has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

14But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me.”

15Can a woman forget her nursing child, or have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

16See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are always before me.

17Your children hurry back; those who tore you down and laid you waste go away from you.

18Lift up your eyes and look around: they all gather and come to you. As surely as I live, declares Yahweh, you will put them all on like jewelry; you will bind them on like a bride.

19For your ruins and your desolate places and your devastated land—now you will be too small for your people, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.

20The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, “This place is too cramped for me; make room for me to live here.”

21Then you will say in your heart, “Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and turned away. Who brought these up? Look, I was left all alone; where have these come from?”

22This is what the Lord Yahweh says: See, I will lift up my hand to the nations and raise my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.

23Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the ground and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Yahweh; those who wait for me will not be put to shame.

24Can plunder be taken from a warrior, or the captives of the righteous be rescued?

25But this is what Yahweh says: Even the captives of the warrior will be taken, and the plunder of the tyrant will be rescued. I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.

26I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they will be drunk on their own blood as with new wine. Then all people will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.