1Hear ye this , O house of Jacob , who are called by the name of Israel , and are come forth out of the waters of Judah ; who swear by the name of Jehovah , and make mention of the God of Israel , but not in truth , nor in righteousness 2( for they call themselves of the holy city , and stay themselves upon the God of Israel ; Jehovah of hosts is his name ): 3I have declared the former things from of old ; yea, they went forth out of my mouth , and I showed them : suddenly I did them , and they came to pass . 4Because I knew that thou art obstinate , and thy neck is an iron sinew , and thy brow brass ; 5therefore I have declared it to thee from of old; before it came to pass I showed it thee ; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them , and my graven image , and my molten image , hath commanded them .
The Purpose of God's Refining
6Thou hast heard it ; behold all this ; and ye , will ye not declare it ? I have showed thee new things from this time , even hidden things , which thou hast not known . 7They are created now , and not from of old ; and before this day thou heardest them not ; lest thou shouldest say, Behold , I knew them . 8Yea , thou heardest not ; yea , thou knewest not ; yea , from of old thine ear was not opened : for I knew that thou didst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. 9For my name ’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee , that I cut thee not off . 10Behold , I have refined thee, but not as silver ; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction .
The Promise of Redemption
11For mine own sake , for mine own sake , will I do it ; for how should my name be profaned ? and my glory will I not give to another . 12Hearken unto me , O Jacob , and Israel my called : I am he ; I am the first , I also am the last. 13Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth , and my right hand hath spread out the heavens : when I call unto them , they stand up together . 14Assemble yourselves , all ye , and hear ; who among them hath declared these things ? He whom Jehovah loveth shall perform his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans . 15I , even I , have spoken ; yea, I have called him ; I have brought him , and he shall make his way prosperous .
The Call to Obedience
16Come ye near unto me , hear ye this ; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret ; from the time that it was , there am I : and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me , and his Spirit . 17Thus saith Jehovah , thy Redeemer , the Holy One of Israel : I am Jehovah thy God , who teacheth thee to profit , who leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go . 18Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments ! then had thy peace been as a river , and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea : 19thy seed also had been as the sand , and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof : his name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me . 20Go ye forth from Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans ; with a voice of singing declare ye , tell this , utter it even to the end of the earth: say ye , Jehovah hath redeemed his servant Jacob . 21And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts ; he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out . 22There is no peace , saith Jehovah , to the wicked .