The Servant of the Lord
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Listen to me, 1O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples 2from afar. 3The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
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4He made my mouth like a sharp sword; 5in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.
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7But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God."
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8And now the LORD says, he 9who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him-- for 10I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength--
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he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; 11I will make you 12as a light for the nations, that 13my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
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Thus says the LORD, 14the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, 15to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: 16"Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
The Restoration of Israel
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Thus says the LORD: 17"In a 18time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you 19and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, 20to apportion the desolate heritages,
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21saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' 22They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
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23they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them 24will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.
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25And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up.
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26Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, 27these from the north and from the west,b and these from the land of Syene."c
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28Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD 29has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.
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But Zion said, 30"The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me."
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31"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
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Behold, 32I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
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34Lift up your eyes around and see; they all gather, they come to you. 35As I live, declares the LORD, 36you shall put them all on as an ornament; you shall bind them on as a bride does.
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"Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land-- 37surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
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38The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: 39'The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.'
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Then you will say in your heart: 'Who has borne me these? 40I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?'"
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Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, 41and raise my signal to the peoples; 42and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
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43Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. 44With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and 45lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; 46those who wait for me 47shall not be put to shame."
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Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrante be rescued?
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For thus says the LORD: 48"Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)