The scandal of the cross excused. ISAIAH. The benefit of Christ's passion. 5 Now therefore, what have I here, 5 But he was wounded for our transsaith the LORD, that my people is taken gressions, he was bruised for our iniquiaway for nought? they that rule over them ties; the chastisement of our peace was make them to howl, saith the LORD; and upon him; and with his stripes we are my name continually every day is blas- healed. phemed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; 6 Therefore my people shall know my we have turned every one to his own way; name: therefore they shall know in that and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity day that I am he that doth speak: behold, of us all. it is I. 7 He was oppressed, and he was af7 How beautiful upon the mountains flicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he are the feet of him that bringeth good is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and tidings, that publisheth peace; that bring- as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so eth good tidings of good, that publisheth he opened not his mouth. salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God 8 He was taken from prison and from reigneth! judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. 9 And he made his grave with the 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, wicked, and with the rich in his death; ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the because he had done no violence, neither LORD hath comforted his people, he hath was any deceit in his mouth. redeemed Jerusalem. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise 10 The LORD hath made bare his holy him; he hath put him to grief: when thou arm in the eyes of all the nations: and all shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he the ends of the earth shall see the salvation shall see his seed, he shall prolong his of our God. days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 ¶ Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. 12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rere-ward. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath 13 T Behold, my servant shall deal poured out his soul unto death: and he prudently, he shall be exalted and ex-was numbered with the transgressors; and tolled, and be very high. he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 14 As many were astonished at thee; (his visage was so marred more than any inan, and his form more than the sons of men:) 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. CHAP. LIII. CHAP. LIV. ING, O barren, thou that didst not Dear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy WHO hath believed our report? and habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, to whom is the arm of the LORD and strengthen thy stakes; revealed? 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right 2 For he shall grow up before him as a hand and on the left; and thy seed shall tender plant, and as a root out of a dry inherit the Gentiles, and make the desoground: he hath no form nor comeliness; late cities to be inhabited. and when we shall see him, there is no 4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashambeauty that we should desire him. ed: neither be thou confounded; for thou 3 He is despised and rejected of men; shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt a man of sorrows, and acquainted with forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt grief: and we hid as it were our faces not remember the reproach of thy widowfrom him; he was despised, and we hood any more. esteemed him not. 5 For thy Maker is thy husband; The 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Reand carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem deemer the Holy One of Israel; The God bim stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. of the whole earth shall he be called. An exhortation to faith. CHAP. LV, LVI. The happiness of believers. 6 For the LORD hath called thee as al 4 Behold, I have given him for a witwoman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and ness to the people, a leader and commanda wife of youth, when thou wast refused, er to the people. saith thy God. 5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that 7 For a small moment have I forsaken thou knowest not, and nations that knew thee; but with great mercies will I gather not thee shall run unto thee, because of the thee. LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 3 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and 9 For this is as the waters of Noah un- the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let to me for as I have sworn that the waters him return unto the LORD, and he will of Noah should no more go over the earth; have mercy upon him; and to our God, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth for he will abundantly pardon. with thee, nor rebuke thee. 8 For my thoughts are not your 10 For the mountains shall depart, and thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, the hills be removed; but my kindness saith the LORD. shall not depart from thee, neither shall 9 For as the heavens are higher than the the covenant of my peace be removed, earth, so are my ways higher than your saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 110 thou afflicted, tossed with 10 For as the rain cometh down, and tempest, and not comforted! behold, I will the snow from heaven, and returneth not lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh thy foundations with sapphires. it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed 12 And I will make thy windows of to the sower, and bread to the eater: agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. 13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. 14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. I 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be 16 Behold, I have created the smith to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that sign that shall not be cut off. bringeth forth an instrument for his work; CHAP. LVI. and I have created the waster to destroy.ment, and do justice: for my salvaHUS saith the LORD, Keep ye judg17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that tion is near to come, and my righteousness shall rise against thee in judgment thou to be revealed. shalt condemn. This is the heritage of 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, the servants of the LORD, and their right- and the son of man that layeth hold on it; eousness is of me, saith the LORD. that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. CHAP. LV. thirsteth, come ye Ho, every one that thine that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry trec. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the that which is not bread? and your labour eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose for that which satisfieth not? hearken dili- the things that please me, and take hold gently unto me, and eat ye that which is of my covenant; good, and let your soul delight itself in latness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 5 Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join The Jews reproved for idolatry. my covenant; ISAIAH. themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, Hypocritical fasts reproved. to love the name of the LORD, to be his and didst send thy messengers far off, and servants, every one that keepeth the sab- didst debase thyself even unto hell. bath from polluting it, and taketh hold of 10 Thou art wearied in the greatness 7 Even them will I bring to my holy no hope: thou hast found the life of thy of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is mountain, and make them joyful in my hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not 11 And of whom hast thou been afraid mine altar; for my house shall be called remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? a house of prayer for all people. 8 The Lord GOD which gathereth the and thou fearest me not? have not I held my peace even of old, outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides those that are ga-thy works; for they shall not profit thee. thered unto him. 13 ¶ When thou criest, let thy compa 12 I will declare thy righteousness, and 9 All ye beasts of the field, come to nies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry devour; yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind: they are but he that putteth his trust in me shall them all away; vanity shall take them: all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they possess the land, and shall inherit my holy cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving mountain; to slumber. 11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which up, prepare the way, take up the stum14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye can never have enough, and they are bling-block out of the way of my people. shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. THE CHAP. LVII. HE righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. 3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make draw out the tongue? are ye not children a wide mouth, and ye of transgression, a seed of falsehood; that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One with him also that is of a contrite and humHoly; I dwell in the high and holy place, ble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. I 16 For I will not contend for ever, neishould fail before me, and the souls which ther will I be always wroth: for the spirit have made. was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal comforts unto him and to his mourners. him: I will lead him also, and restore 19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. peace to him that is far off, and to him that sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast 20 But the wicked are like the troubled up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to 5 Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the wicked. the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy tot even to them hast thou poured a drinkoffering, thou hast offered a meat-offering. Should I receive comfort in these? RY CHAP. LVIII. aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice their transgression, and the house of Jalike a trumpet, and shew my people cob their sins. 7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast to know my ways, as a nation that did 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight thou set thy bed: even thither wentest righteousness, and forsook not the ordithou up to offer sacrifice. nance of their God: they ask of me the 8 Behind the doors also and the posts ordinances of justice they take delight hast thou set up thy remembrance: for in approaching to God. thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged and thou seest not? wherefore have we 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, thy bed, and made thee a covenant with afflicted our soul, and thou takest no know them; thou lovedst their bed where thou ledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, find pleasure, and exact all your labours sawest it. 9 And thou wentest to the king with 556 CHAP. LIX. The Jews punished for their sins. The promises to godliness. and to smite with the fist of wickedness and your fingers with iniquity; your lips ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make have spoken lies, your tongue hath mutyour voice to be heard on high. tered perverseness. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a 4 None calleth for justice, nor any day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, bow down his head as a bulrush, and to and speak lies; they conceive mischief, spread sackcloth and ashes under him? and bring forth iniquity. wilt thou call this a fast, and an accepta- 5 They hatch cockatrice's eggs, and ble day to the LORD? weave the spider's web: he that eateth 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? of their eggs dieth, and that which is to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo crushed breaketh out into a viper. the heavy burdens, and to let the oppress- 6 Their webs shall not become gared go free, and that ye break every yoke? ments, neither shall they cover themselves 7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hun- with their works: their works are works gry, and that thou bring the poor that are of iniquity, and the act of violence is in cast out to thy house? when thou seest the their hands. naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rere-ward. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not: and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whoso9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD ever goeth therein shall not know peace. shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall 9 Therefore is judgment far from us, say, Here I am. If thou take away from neither doth justice overtake us: we wait the midst of thee the yoke, the putting for light, but behold obscurity; for brightforth of the finger, and speaking vanity; ness, but we walk in darkness. 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then and we grope as if we had no eyes: we shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy stumble at noon-day as in the night; we darkness be as the noon-day: are in desolate places as dead men. 11 And the LORD shall guide thee con- 11 We roar all like bears, and mourn tinually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, sore like doves: we look for judgment, but and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt there is none; for salvation, but it is far off be like a watered garden, and like a spring from us. of water, whose waters fail not. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied 12 And they that shall be of thee shall before thee, and our sins testify against build the old waste places: thou shalt us: for our transgressions are with us; and raise up the foundations of many genera- as for our iniquities, we know them; tions; and thou shalt be called, The re- 13 In transgressing and lying against the pairer of the breach, The restorer of paths LORD, and departing away from our God, to dwell in. speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 13 ¶ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a de14 And judgment is turned away backlight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; ward, and justice standeth afar off: for and shalt honour him, not doing thine own truth is fallen in the street, and equity ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor cannot enter. speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. BEH CHAP. LIX. EHOLD, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 1 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 ¶ And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. 17 For he put on righteousness as a breast-plate, and a helmet of salvation 2 But your iniquities have separated upon his head; and he put on the garments between you and your God, and your sins of vengeance for clothing, and was clad have hid his face from you, that he will with zeal as a cloak. not hear. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, he will repay, fury to his adversaries, re ISAIAH. The covenant of the Redeemer. Compence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. The office of Christ. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will tions shall be utterly wasted. not serve thee shall perish; yea, those na unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and 13 The glory of Lebanon shall come the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20 ¶ And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 14 The sons also of them that afflicted 21 As for me, this is my covenant with they that despised thee shall bow themthee shall come bending unto thee: and all them, saith the LORD; My Spirit that is selves down at the soles of thy feet; and upon thee, and my words which I have put they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. CHAP. LX. ARISE, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people : but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. and hated, so that no man went through 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: 16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty and thou shalt know that I the LORD am One of Jacob. 17 For brass I will bring gold, and for and for stones iron: I will also make thy iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, officers peace, and thine exactors right eousness. thy land, wasting nor destruction within 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. by day: neither for brightness shall the 19 The sun shall be no more thy light moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thy heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces thy God thy glory. of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; 6 The multitude of camels shall cover neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for thee, the dromedaries of Midian and the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come and the days of thy mourning shall be they shall bring gold and incense; and they ended. shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. 21 Thy people also shall be all right 7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be ga-eous: they shall inherit the land for ever, thered together unto thee, the rams of Ne- the branch of my planting, the work of my baioth shall minister unto thee: they shall hands, that I may be glorified. come up with acceptance on mine altar, 22 Á little one shall become a thousand, nd I will glorify the house of my glory. and a small one a strong nation: I the 8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and LORD will hasten it in his time. as the doves to their windows? CHAP. LXI. 9 Surely the isles shall wait for and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring the THE Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon sons from far, their silver and their gold me to preach good tidings unto the meek; me; because the LORD hath anointed with them, unto the name of the LORD thy he hath sent me to bind up the brokenGod, and to the Holy One of Israel, be- hearted, to proclaim liberty to the capcause he hath glorified thee. 10 And the sons of strangers shall build them that are bound; tives, and the opening of the prison to up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. God; to comfort all that mourn; 11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in nor night; that men may bring unto thee the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of the forces of the Gentiles, and that their praise for the spirit of heaviness; that kings may be brought. they might be called Trees of righteous |