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Isaiah 49 (CEV)

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¹ Everyone, listen, even you foreign nations across the sea. The LORD chose me and gave me a name before I was born. ² He made my words pierce like a sharp sword or a pointed arrow; he kept me safely hidden in the palm of his hand. ³ The LORD said to me, "Israel, you are my servant; and because of you I will be highly honored." ⁴ I said to myself, "I'm completely worn out; my time has been wasted. But I did it for the LORD God, and he will reward me." ⁵ Even before I was born, the LORD God chose me to serve him and to lead back the people of Israel. So the LORD has honored me and made me strong. ⁶ Now the LORD says to me, "It isn't enough for you to be merely my servant. You must do more than lead back survivors from the tribes of Israel. I have placed you here as a light for other nations; you must take my saving power to everyone on earth." ⁷ Israel, I am the holy LORD God, the one who rescues you. You are slaves of rulers and of a nation who despises you. Now this is what I promise: Kings and rulers will honor you by kneeling at your feet. You can trust me! I am your LORD, the holy God of Is ⁸ This is what the LORD says: I will answer your prayers because I have set a time when I will help by coming to save you. I have chosen you to take my promise of hope to other nations. You will rebuild the country from its ruins, then people will come and ⁹ You will set prisoners free from dark dungeons to see the light of day. On their way home, they will find plenty to eat, even on barren hills. ¹⁰ They won't go hungry or get thirsty; they won't be bothered by the scorching sun or hot desert winds. I will be merciful while leading them along to streams of water. ¹¹ I will level the mountains and make roads. ¹² Then my people will return from distant lands in the north and the west and from the city of Syene. ¹³ Tell the heavens and the earth to celebrate and sing; command every mountain to join in the song. The LORD's people have suffered, but he has shown mercy and given them comfort. ¹⁴ The people of Zion said, "The LORD has turned away and forgotten us." ¹⁵ The LORD answered, "Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you. ¹⁶ A picture of your city is drawn on my hand. You are always in my thoughts! ¹⁷ "Your city will be built faster than it was destroyed -- those who attacked it will retreat and leave. ¹⁸ Look around! You will see your people coming home. As surely as I live, I, the LORD, promise that your city with its people will be as lovely as a bride wearing her jewelry." ¹⁹ Jerusalem is now in ruins! Nothing is left of the city. But it will be rebuilt and soon overcrowded; its cruel enemies will be gone far away. ²⁰ Jerusalem is a woman whose children were born while she was in deep sorrow over the loss of her husband. Now those children will come and seek room in the crowded city, ²¹ and Jerusalem will ask, "Am I really their mother? How could I have given birth when I was still mourning in a foreign land? Who raised these children? Where have they come from?" ²² The LORD God says: "I will soon give a signal for the nations to return your sons and your daughters to the arms of Jerusalem. ²³ The kings and queens of those nations where they were raised will come and bow down. They will take care of you just like a slave taking care of a child. Then you will know that I am the LORD. You won't be disappointed if you trust me." ²⁴ Is it possible to rescue victims from someone strong and cruel? ²⁵ But the LORD has promised to fight on our side and to rescue our children from those strong and violent enemies. ²⁶ He will make those cruel people dine on their own flesh and get drunk from drinking their own blood. Then everyone will know that the LORD is our Savior; the powerful God of Israel has rescued his people.