From the time that I appointed the people of the destined age?

The things that are now coming, and are to come hereafter, let them declare unto us.

8 Fear ye not, neither be ye afraid :

Have I not declared it unto you from the first?
Yea, I have foreshewn it; and ye are my witnesses.
Is there a God beside me ?

Yea, there is no sure protector; I know not any. 9 They that form the graven image are all of them vanity;

And their most curious works shall not profit.

Yea, their works themselves bear witness to them, That they see not, and that they understand not: 10 That every one may be ashamed, that he hath formed a god;

And cast a graven image, that profiteth not. 11 Behold, all his associates shall be ashamed; Even the workmen themselves shall blush:

12

They shall assemble all of them; they shall present themselves;

They shall fear, and be ashamed together.

The smith cutteth off a portion of iron:

He worketh it in the coals, and with hammers he formeth it:

And he exerteth upon it the force of his arm.

Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth him;
He drinketh no water, and he is faint.

13 The carpenter stretcheth his line;

He marketh out the form of it with red ochre :
He worketh it with the sharp tool;

He figureth it with the compass:

He maketh it according to the fashion of a man; According to the beauty of the human form, that it may abide in the house.

14 He heweth down cedars for his use:

And he taketh the pine, and the oak ;

And layeth in good store of the trees of the forest. He planteth the ash, and the rain nourisheth it; 15 That it may be for the use of man, for fuel:

And he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself;
Yea he heateth the oven with it, and baketh bread:
He also formeth a god, and worshippeth it:

He maketh of it a graven image, and boweth down
unto it,

16 Part of it he burneth in the fire;

And with part of it he dresseth flesh, and eateth:
He roasteth meat, and his hunger is satisfied;
He also warmeth himself, and saith:

Aha! I am warmed, I have enjoyed the fire: 17 And the remainder thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image;

He boweth down to it, and worshippeth it;
And he prayeth unto it, and saith;

Deliver me, for thou art my God!

18 They know not, neither do they understand: Verily their eyes are closed up, that they cannot

see;

And their heart, that they cannot rightly discern: 19 Neither doth he consider in his heart;

Neither hath he knowledge, nor understanding, to

say:

Part of it I have burned in the fire;

I have also baked bread on the coals thereof;
I have roasted flesh, and I have eaten ;

And shall I make the remnant an abomination?
Shall I bow myself down to the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes; a deluded heart leadeth him aside;

So that he cannot deliver his own soul, nor say,

Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these things, O Jacob;

And, Israel; for thou art my servant:

I have formed thee; thou art a servant unto me;

O Israel, by me thou shalt not be forgotten.

22 I have made thy transgressions vanish away like a cloud;

23

24

And thy sins like a vapour:

Return unto me: for I have redeemed thee.

Sing, O ye heavens, for JEHOVAH hath effected
it;

Utter a joyful sound, O ye depths of the earth:
Burst forth into song, O ye mountains;

Thou, forest, and every tree therein!
For JEHOVAH hath redeemed Jacob;
And will be glorified in Israel.

Thus saith JEHOVAH, thy Redeemer;
Even he, that formed thee from the womb:

I am JEHOVAH, who make all things;
Who stretch out the heavens alone;

Who spread the firm earth by myself:

25 I am He, who frustrateth the prognostics of the im

postors;

And maketh the diviners mad:

Who reverseth the devices of the sages,

And infatuateth their knowledge:

26 Who establisheth the word of his servant:

And accomplisheth the counsel of his messengers: Who saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; And to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built; And her desolated places I will restore: 27 Who saith to the deep, Be thou wasted; And I will make dry thy rivers:

28 Who saith to Cyrus, Thou art my shepherd!
And he shall fulfil all my pleasure:

Who saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built;
And to the Temple, Thy foundations shall be laid.

1

CHAP. XLV.

THUS saith JEHOVAH to his anointed;

To Cyrus, whom I hold fast by the right hand:
That I may subdue nations before him;
And ungird the loins of kings:

That I may open before him the valves;
And the gates shall not be shut.

2 I will go before thee;

And make the mountains level:

The valves of brass will I break in sunder;

And the bars of iron will I hew down.

3 And I will give unto thee the treasures of darkness, And the stores deep hidden in secret places;

That thou mayest know, that I am JEHOVAH; He that calleth thee by thy name, the God of Israel. 4 For the sake of my servant Jacob;

And of Israel, my chosen;

I have even called thee by thy name;

I have surnamed thee, though thou knowest me not. 5 I am JEHOVAH, and none else;

Beside me there is no God:

I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me. 6 That they may know, from the rising of the sun, And from the west, that there is none beside me: I am JEHOVAH, and none else;

7 Forming light, and creating darkness; Making peace, and creating evil :

8

I JEHOVAH am the author of all these things.

Drop down, O ye heavens, the dew from above
And let the clouds shower down righteousness:
Let the earth open her bosom, and let salvation pro-
duce her fruit;

And let justice push forth her bud together:
I JEHOVAH have created it.

9

Woe unto him, that contendeth with the power

that formed him;

The potsherd with the moulder of the clay!

Shall the clay say to the potter, What makest thou?
And to the workman, Thou hast no hands!

10 Woe unto him, that saith to his father, What begettest thou?

11

And to his mother, What dost thou bring forth?

Thus saith JEHOVAH, the Holy One of Israel;
And he that formeth the things which are to come:
Do ye question me concerning my children?
And do ye give me directions concerning the works
of my hands?

12 I have made the earth;

And man upon it I have created:

My hands have stretched out the heavens ;
And to all the host of them I have given command:

13 I have raised him up in righteousness;

14

15

16

And I will make level all his ways.

He shall build my city, and release my captives;
Not for price, nor for reward:

Saith JEHOVAH God of hosts.

Thus saith JEHOVAH:

The wealth of Egypt, and the merchandise of Cush,
And the Sabeans tall of stature,

Shall come over to thee, and shall be thine:

They shall follow thee; in chains shall they pass along;

They shall bow down to thee, and in suppliant

guise address thee:

In thee alone is God;

And there is no God besides whatever.

Verily, Thou art a God that hidest thy counsels, O God of Israel, the Saviour!

They are ashamed, they are even confounded, his adversaries, all of them;