4
Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ' I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.' "
5
The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came.
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Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, "Be of good courage!"
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So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, "It is ready for the soldering"; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter.
8
"But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
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You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
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Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
11
"Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish.
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You shall seek them and not find them-- Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.
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For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'
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"Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you," says the Lord And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15
"Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff.
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You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel.
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"The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
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I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.
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I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together,
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That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
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"Present your case," says the Lord. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob.
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"Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; Let them show the former things, what they were, That we may consider them, And know the latter end of them; Or declare to us things to come.
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Show the things that are to come hereafter, That we may know that you are gods; Yes, do good or do evil, That we may be dismayed and see it together.
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Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.