Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 51

1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

*Listen to me, those who pursue righteousness and seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were carved, and to the place in the pit where you were dug out.

2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

*Look to Abraham, your dad, and to Sarah, who gave birth to you. Because I chose him, blessed him, and made him grow more.

3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

*The Lord will comfort Zion, fixing all that's broken. He'll turn her barren land into a paradise like Eden, and her dry desert into a beautiful garden. There, they'll find joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and lovely music.

4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

*Listen to me, my people, and pay attention to me, all my nation. Because a law will come from me, and I will establish my justice as a source of light for everyone.

5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

*My justice is coming soon; I've brought salvation, and I will judge people with my strength. The islands will wait for me, and they will rely on my power.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

*Look up at the sky and see the Earth below. The sky will one day disappear, and the Earth will grow old like a worn-out cloth. Everyone living there will die. But my saving help and fairness will always last.

7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

*Listen to me, those who understand what is right, the people who have my teachings in their hearts; don't be scared of what others say about you, and don't be afraid of their insults.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

*The moth will destroy those things as if eating a cloth, and the worm will consume them like cotton. However, my justice will last forever, and my rescue will be passed down through many families.

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

*Wake up, wake up, get strong, arm of the LORD; wake up like in the old times long ago. Aren't you the one who defeated Rahab and hurt the dragon?

10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

*Are you not the one who dried up the sea and the waters of the great deep? You made a path through the deep sea for the saved people to cross over?

11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

*So, those saved by God will return to Zion, singing happily. They'll have lasting joy on their heads, feeling glad and joyful. Sadness and crying won't be around anymore.

12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

*I am the one who brings you comfort. Why are you scared of a person who will eventually die, and a person like me who will become like grass?

13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

*And forget about the Lord your creator, who stretched out the skies and established the earth's foundations; and you constantly fear every day because of the anger of the oppressor, as if they are about to destroy. Where is the anger of the oppressor now?

14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

*The prisoner quickly waits to be set free, so he doesn't die in the deep hole, and his food doesn't run out.

15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.

*But I am your God, who split the sea, with waves that loudly crashed. The Lord of all armies is my name.

16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

*I've given you my words to speak, and kept you safe under my hand's protection. This way, I can create the sky and earth, and tell Zion, "You are my people."

17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

*Wake up, Jerusalem! Stand up! You've drunk from God's hand the cup of His anger. You've drunk the leftovers in the cup of fear and squeezed them out.

18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.

*No one guides her from all her children, and no one holds her hand from all the kids she raised.

19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?

*These two things have happened to you. Who will feel bad for you? Desolation, destruction, famine, and the sword. Who will comfort you?

20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

*Your children are exhausted and lie down everywhere on the streets, like a wild bull trapped in a net. They are filled with God's anger and disapproval.

21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

*So listen carefully, suffering person, and someone who is not drunk from regular alcohol, but something else.

22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

*So says your Lord and God, who defends His people's case: Look, I have removed from your hand the cup of anxiety, even the leftover bits of the cup of My anger; you will not drink it anymore.

23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

*But I will give those who hurt you the power to do so. They told your soul to bow down so they could pass by. You then lay your body like a floor and a road for those who went over.

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