Isaiah:49

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* Listen , O coastlands , to Me ; and listen , [lend your ear ], peoples from afar ; the LORD has called Me from the womb ; He has made mention of My name from My mother 's bowels . * And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword ; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me , and made Me a polished shaft . He has hidden Me in His quiver , * and said to Me , You [are ] My servant , O Israel , in whom I will be glorified . * Then I said , I have labored in vain ; I have spent My strength for nothing , and in vain ; [yet ] surely My judgment is with the LORD , and My work with My God . * And now , says the LORD who formed Me from the womb [to be ] His servant , to bring Jacob again to Him , Though Israel is not gathered , yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD , and My God shall be My strength . * And He said , It is but a little [thing ] that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob , and to bring back the preserved ones of Israel ; I will also give You for a light to the nations , to be My salvation to the end of the earth . * So says Jehovah , the Redeemer of Israel , His Holy One , [to Him ] whom man despises , [to Him ] whom the nation hates , the servant of rulers : Kings shall see and arise , rulers also shall worship , because of the LORD who is faithful , the Holy One of Israel , and He shall choose You . * So says the LORD , in a favorable time I replied to You , and in a day of salvation I have helped You ; and I will preserve You , and give You for a covenant of the people , to establish the earth , to cause them to inherit the wasted inheritances ; * that You may say to the prisoners , Go out ! To those who [are ] in darkness , Show yourselves ! They shall feed in the ways , and their pastures shall be in all high places . * They shall not hunger nor thirst ; nor shall the heat nor sun strike them ; for He who has mercy on them shall lead them ; even by the springs of water He shall guide them . * And I will make all My mountains a way , and My highways shall be set on high . * Behold , these shall come from far ; and , lo , these from the north and from the west ; and these from the land of Sinim . * Sing , O heavens ; and be joyful , O earth ; and break out [into ] singing , O mountains ; for the Lord has comforted His people , and will have mercy on His afflicted . * But Zion said , The LORD has forsaken me , and my LORD has forgotten me . * Can a woman forget her suckling child , that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? Yes , they may forget , yet I will not forget you . * Behold , I have carved you on the palms of [My ] hands ; your walls [are ] forever before Me . * Your sons shall make haste ; those destroying you and ruining you shall go out from you . * Lift up your eyes all around and see ; they all gather [and ] come to you . [As ] I live , says the LORD , you shall surely wear them as an ornament , and bind them [on ] as a bride . * For your wastes and your deserted places , and your land of ruins , shall even now be too narrow to dwell there , and they who swallowed you up shall be far away . * The sons of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears , The place [is ] too narrow for me ; come near to me so that I may dwell . * Then you shall say in your heart , Who has borne me these , since I [am ] bereaved , and desolate , turned aside and an exile , and who has brought up these ? Behold , I was left alone ; these , where [were ] they ? * So says the Lord Jehovah , Behold , I will lift up My hand to the nations , and have set up My banner to the people ; and they shall bring your sons in [their ] bosom , and your daughters shall be carried on [their ] shoulders . * And kings shall be your nursing fathers , and their queens your nurses . They shall bow to you , faces to the earth , and lick up the dust of your feet ; and you shall know that I [am ] the LORD ; by whom they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me . * Shall the prey be taken from the mighty , or the lawful captive delivered ? * But so says the LORD , Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away , and the prey of the fearful ones shall escape . For I will contend with him who contends with you , and I will save your sons . * And I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh ; and they shall be drunk with their own blood , as with sweet wine ; and all flesh shall know that I Jehovah [am ] your Savior and your Redeemer , the mighty One of Jacob .

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