Isaiah 44

New International Reader's Version

⁹ Those who make statues of gods don’t amount to anything.
    And the statues they think so much of are worthless.
Those who would speak up for them are blind.
    They don’t know anything.
    So they will be put to shame.
¹⁰ People make statues of gods.
    But those gods can’t do any good.
¹¹ People who do that will be put to shame.
    Those who make statues of gods are mere human beings.
Let all of them come together and state their case.
    They will be terrified and put to shame.

¹² A blacksmith gets his tool.
    He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals.
He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god.
    He forms it with his powerful arm.
He gets hungry and loses his strength.
    He doesn’t drink any water.
    He gets weaker and weaker.
¹³ A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line.
    He draws a pattern on it with a marker.
He cuts out a statue with sharp tools.
    He marks it with compasses.
He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being.
    He does this so he can put it in a temple.
¹⁴ He cuts down a cedar tree.
    Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree.
It might be a tree that grew in the forest.
    Or it might be a pine tree he planted.
    And the rain made it grow.
¹⁵ A man gets wood from trees to burn.
    He uses some of it to warm himself.
    He starts a fire and bakes bread.
But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it.
    He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.
¹⁶ He burns half of the wood in the fire.
    He prepares a meal over it.
He cooks meat over it.
    He eats until he is full.
He also warms himself. He says,
    “Good! I’m getting warm.
    The fire is nice and hot.”
¹⁷ From the rest of the wood he makes a statue.
    It becomes his god.
    He bows down and worships it.
He prays to it. He says,
    “Save me! You are my god!”
¹⁸ People like that don’t even know what they are doing.
    Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth.
    Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.
¹⁹ No one even stops to think about this.
    No one has any sense or understanding.
    If anyone did, they would say,
“I used half of the wood for fuel.
    I even baked bread over the fire.
    I cooked meat. Then I ate it.
Should I now make a statue of a god
    out of the wood that’s left over?
Should I bow down to a block of wood?
    The Lord would hate that.”
²⁰ That’s as foolish as eating ashes!
    The mind of someone like that
    has led him astray.
He can’t save himself.
    He can’t bring himself to say,
“This thing I’m holding in my right hand
    isn’t really a god at all.”

²¹ The Lord says, “Family of Jacob, remember these things.
    People of Israel, you are my servant.
I have made you. You are my servant.
    Israel, I will not forget you.
²² I will sweep your sins away as if they were a cloud.
    I will blow them away as if they were the morning mist.
Return to me.
    Then I will set you free.”

²³ Sing for joy, you heavens!
    The Lord does wonderful things.
Shout out loud, you earth!
    Burst into song, you mountains!
    Sing, you forests and all your trees!
The Lord sets the family of Jacob free.
    He shows his glory in Israel.

“I am the Lord. I am the Maker of everything.
    I alone stretch out the heavens.
    I spread out the earth by myself.

²⁵ “Some prophets are not really prophets at all.
    I show that their signs are fake.
    I make those who practice evil magic look foolish.
I destroy the learning of those who think they are wise.
    Their knowledge does not make any sense at all.
²⁶ I make the words of my servants the prophets come true.
    I carry out what my messengers say will happen.

“I say about Jerusalem,
    ‘My people will live there again.’
I say about the towns of Judah,
    ‘They will be rebuilt.’
I say about their broken-down buildings,
    ‘I will make them like new again.’
²⁷ I say to the deep waters,
    ‘Dry up. Let your streams become dry.’
²⁸ I say about Cyrus,
    ‘He is my shepherd.
    He will accomplish everything I want him to.
He will say about Jerusalem,
    “Let it be rebuilt.”
And he will say about the temple,
    “Let its foundations be laid.” ’