XLI. 1 Keep silence before me, O isles; and the peoples shall renew strength; let them come near, then let them speak; let us draw near together to judgment.

2 Who raised up from the East him (whom) Righteousness calleth to his foot; gave up nations before him, maketh him subdue kings; giveth them as dust for his sword, as driven stubble for his bow?

3 He pursueth them, passeth on in peace: a path he shall not go with his feet.

4 Who hath wrought and done it? He that calleth the gene- rations from the beginning; I the LORD am the first, and with the last, I am he.

5 The isles have seen it, and are afraid: the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near, and come. ’

31. Lit. ‘exchange ’: so LXX. Or, ’put forth wings.1. ‘before,’ or, ‘for ’ ’renew,’ as in ch. xl. 31.2. Very doubtful: perh. ‘Whom he calleth in Righteousness to his foot (i.e. to follow him). ‘Or, him whom Righteousness meeteth at every ’ interpreting ‘righteousnes’ as=victory

6 They help everyone his neighbour; and one saith to his brother, Be strong!

7 And the craftsman strengthened the smelter, he that smootheth with the hammer him that smiteth the anvil, saying of the soldering, It is good: and he fasteneth it with nails, that it should not totter.

8 And thou, Israel my sevant, Jacob whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham that loved me;

9 Thou on whom I have taken hold from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the corners thereof; and said to thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not rejected thee.

10 Behold, all they that were hot against thee shall be ashamed and cofounded; they shall be as nought, ans shall perish, the men of thy strife.

12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, the men of thy contention; the men of thy war shall be as nought, and as nothingess.

13 For I, the LORD thy Gid, do hold fast thy right hadn; he that saith to thee, Fear not, I have helped thee.

14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, ye few men of Israel; I do help thee, saith the LORD, and the Holy One of Israel is thy redeemer.

15 Behold, I have set thee for a threshing sledge, sharp, new, with edges; thou shalt thresh mountains, and grind them fine, and shalt make hills as chaff.

16 Thou shalt winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt exult in the LORD, shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 The afflicted and needy are seeking water, and there is none; their tongue is parched with thirst: I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers on bare heights, and fountains in the midst of valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and dry land springs of water.

19 I will give in the wilderness cedar, acacia, and myrtle, and oil-tree; I will set in the desert ﬁr, plane, and larch together.

20 That they may see, and learn, and consider, and under- stand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

21 Bring near your cause, saith the LORD; bring up your strengths, saith the King of Jacob.