Isaiah 41

1 “Be silent [keep silence, listen quietly] before Me, O islands [coastlands, habitable spots], and let the peoples [nations, communities] renew [regain, take new] their strength [power, might]. Let them come forward [approach, draw near] and testify [speak, present their case]; let us together [united, as one] draw near [come close, approach] for judgment [justice, righteous decision]. word study 2 Who has aroused [stirred up, raised] one from the east [the direction of sunrise] and called [summoned, invited] him to his feet [to stand, to be established] in righteousness [justice, moral integrity]? He hands [gives, entrusts] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples, goyim] over to him and subdues [causes to rule, makes victorious] kings [royal persons, monarchs] before him. He turns [reduces, brings low] them to dust [dry earth] with his sword [cutting instrument, weapon], to windblown [driven, scattered] chaff [dry straw, worthless material] with his bow [weapon]. word study 3 He pursues [chases down, follows with hostile intent] them, going on [passing by, transitioning] safely [in peace, with completeness], hardly [not, without] touching [treading, coming into contact] the path [way, road] with his feet [by means of his footsteps, in his tracks]. word study 4 Who [which one, the sole authority] has performed [wrought, accomplished, enabled to do] this and carried [brought to pass, fulfilled] it out, calling [summoning, proclaiming] forth the generations [successive groups of people, ages] from the beginning [the start, the first moment]? I, the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God]—the first [primary, initial] and the last [final, ultimate]— I am He [the eternal, unchanging One].” word study 5 The [coastland, or dry land] islands see [behold, perceive, or look after] and fear [revere, stand in awe, or be afraid]; the ends [corners, edges, or termination points] of the earth [land, country, or territory] tremble [shake with anxiety or fear]. They approach [come near, draw near, or present themselves] and come [arrive, come to a place, or bring something] forward. word study 6 Each one [every individual, a man] helps [assists, gives aid to] the other [his neighbor, companion] and says [speaks, declares] to his brother [relative, close friend, fellow], “Be strong [take courage, be of good cheer]!” word study 7 The craftsman [artificer, skilled worker] encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer [tool for shaping] cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding [soldering, joining], “It is good [pleasant, beneficial].” He nails [fastens with pegs] it down so it will not be toppled [shaken, unstable]. word study 8 “But you [my people], O Israel, My servant [slave, one who serves], Jacob [whom God transforms], whom I have chosen [selected, picked out], descendant [seed, offspring] of Abraham [father of faith] My friend [lover, one who has affection]— word study 9 I brought you from the [farthest, most distant] ends of the earth [land, terrestrial sphere] and called you from its [most remote, farthest] farthest corners [borders, edges]. I said, ‘You are My [faithful, obedient] servant [bondservant, slave].’ I have [selected, chosen for a purpose] chosen and not rejected [cast away] you. word study 10 Do not fear [be not afraid, do not be dismayed], for I am with you [by your side, together]; do not be afraid [dismayed, looking about in trouble], for I am your God [Elohim, the supreme God]. I will strengthen you [give you courage, make you strong]; I will surely help you [assist, aid]; I will uphold you [support, grasp] with My right hand [My powerful arm] of righteousness [justice, what is right]. word study 11 Behold [look, see], all [everything, every person] who rage [are incensed, furious] against you will be ashamed [disgraced, humiliated] and disgraced [confounded, put to shame]; those who contend [strive, fight] with you will be reduced to nothing [as nothing, nonexistent] and will perish [be destroyed, lost]. word study 12 You will seek [diligently search for] them but will not find [discover or attain] them. Those who wage [engage in, or make] war [battle, conflict] against you will come to [be reduced to, or become] nothing [as nothing, without existence]. word study 13 For I am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God], who takes hold [to strengthen, seize] of your right hand [the right hand or side; the south] and tells you: Do not [absolutely not] fear [to revere or be afraid], I will help [to aid, assist, or support] you. word study 14 Do not fear [have no anxiety], O worm [insignificant, lowly creature] of Jacob, O few men [small group, remnants] of Israel. I [the Lord] will help [assist, aid, support] you,” declares the LORD [the Holy One, Yehovah]. “Your Redeemer [Savior, Kinsman] is the Holy One [set apart, sacred] of Israel [God’s chosen people]. word study 15 Behold [look, see], I will make you into a threshing sledge [new sharp threshing instrument], new [recently created, renewed] and sharp [having a cutting edge], with many teeth [pointed edges]. You will thresh [tread, trample] the mountains [hills] and crush [pulverize, beat small] them, and reduce the hills [small hills] to chaff [loose outer covering of grain, worthless material]. word study 16 You will winnow [separate, toss up] them, and a wind [a blast of air] will carry them away; a gale [strong storm, whirlwind] will scatter [disperse, toss about] them. But you will rejoice [be glad, celebrate] in the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]; you will glory [boast, shine] in the Holy [set apart, sacred] One of Israel [God’s chosen people]. word study 17 The poor [afflicted, humble] and needy [oppressed, in need of help] seek [search for, look to] water [refreshment, spiritual nourishment], but there is none [nothing, a complete lack]; their tongues [the instrument of speech, language] are parched [dry, withered] with thirst [a deep physical or spiritual longing]. I, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], will answer [respond to, give an answer] them; I, the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people], will not [never, under no circumstances] forsake [abandon, loosen] them. word study 18 I will open [on the bare heights, in desolate highlands] rivers on the barren heights [bare or smooth places], and fountains [springs, sources of satisfaction] in the middle [midst, center] of the valleys. I will turn the desert [wilderness, a dry and barren place] into a pool [a body of calm or troubled water] of water, and the dry land [a land lacking water, a parched territory] into flowing springs [sources of refreshment, streams of water]. word study 19 I will plant cedars [trees of strength and durability] in the wilderness [a desert or open field], acacias [thorny trees], myrtles [fragrant trees], and olive trees [a tree; wood, timber, a plank]. I will set cypresses [evergreen trees] in the desert [a dry and barren land], elms [durable trees, possibly oak] and boxwood [trees known for erectness] together [in unity, as one], word study 20 so that all may see [behold, perceive] and know [understand, recognize], may consider [think about, ponder] and understand [discern, comprehend], that the hand [power, strength] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has done [accomplished, made] this and the Holy One [set apart, sacred] of Israel [God’s chosen people] has created [brought into being, formed] it.” word study 21 “Present [bring near, produce] your case [strife, argument],” says the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. “Submit [bring forth, present] your arguments [strong reasons, defense],” says the King [ruler, sovereign] of Jacob [Israel, the chosen people]. word study 22 “Let them come [approach, draw near] and tell [declare, proclaim] us what will happen [what is to come, future events]. Tell [declare, show] the former things [past events, what has already occurred], so that we may reflect [consider, think about] on them and know [understand, discern] the outcome [the end result, the conclusion]. Or [as an alternative] announce [declare, reveal] to us what is coming [future things, what is to happen]. word study 23 Tell us [declare openly, prophesy] the things that are to come [in the future, hereafter], so that we may know [be certain, understand] that you are [truly, really] gods [divine beings, Elohim]. Yes, do [perform, bring about] something good [beneficial, pleasing] or evil [harmful, bad], that we may look on [gaze, behold] together [united, as one] in dismay [with surprise, amazed]. word study 24 Behold [look, take notice], you are nothing [of no value, worthless] and your work [deeds, actions] is of no value [without significance, meaningless]. Anyone who chooses [selects, prefers] you is detestable [an abomination, disgusting]. word study 25 I have raised up [stirred, roused] one from the north [Zaphon, the direction of darkness], and he has come [arrived, drawn near]— one from the east [the direction of the sunrise] who calls [invokes, summons] on My name [My identity, character, and authority]. He will march over rulers [princes, leaders, those in power] as if they were mortar [clay, a fragile and pliable substance], like a potter [one who forms and shapes] who treads [tramples, molds] the clay. word study 26 Who [the one asking the question] has declared [to tell, make known] this from the beginning [from the very first, before all time], so that we may know [be aware, understand, perceive], and from times past [from ancient days, long ago], so that we may say [speak, proclaim]: ‘He [God, the righteous One] was right’? No one [none, not one] announced [declared, proclaimed] it, no one [none, not one] foretold [predicted, spoke beforehand] it, no one [none, not one] heard [listened to, heeded] your words [speech, message]. word study 27 I was the [primary, first in time or rank] first to tell Zion [the city of God, a mountain in Jerusalem]: ‘Look [behold, take notice], here they are [the heralds of good news]!’ And I gave [bestowed, appointed] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine] a herald [one who brings, messenger] of good news [glad tidings, joyful announcement]. word study 28 When I look [behold, observe carefully], there is no one [no man, no person]; there is no counselor [adviser, guide] among them [these, those people]; when I ask [inquire of, seek advice from] them, they have nothing [no answer, no word] to say [to answer, to respond]. word study 29 See [look, behold], they are all [every one of them] a delusion [vanity, emptiness]; their works [deeds, actions] amount to nothing [are worthless, of no value]; their images [idols, molten images] are as empty [worthless, without substance] as the wind [a blast of air]. word study