9. All the nations gather togetherand the peoples assemble.Which of their gods foretold thisand proclaimed to us the former things?Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,so that others may hear and say, ‘It is true.’
10. ‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord,‘and my servant whom I have chosen,so that you may know and believe meand understand that I am he.Before me no god was formed,nor will there be one after me.
11. I, even I, am the Lord,and apart from me there is no saviour.
12. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed –I, and not some foreign god among you.You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘that I am God.
13. Yes, and from ancient days I am he.No one can deliver out of my hand.When I act, who can reverse it?’
14. This is what the Lord says –your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:‘For your sake I will send to Babylonand bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,in the ships in which they took pride.
15. I am the Lord, your Holy One,Israel’s Creator, your King.’
16. This is what the Lord says –he who made a way through the sea,a path through the mighty waters,
17. who drew out the chariots and horses,the army and reinforcements together,and they lay there, never to rise again,extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18. ‘Forget the former things;do not dwell on the past.
19. See, I am doing a new thing!Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?I am making a way in the wildernessand streams in the wasteland.
20. The wild animals honour me,the jackals and the owls,because I provide water in the wildernessand streams in the wasteland,to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21. the people I formed for myselfthat they may proclaim my praise.
22. ‘Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.
23. You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,nor honoured me with your sacrifices.I have not burdened you with grain offeringsnor wearied you with demands for incense.
24. You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.But you have burdened me with your sinsand wearied me with your offences.
25. ‘I, even I, am he who blots outyour transgressions, for my own sake,and remembers your sins no more.
26. Review the past for me,let us argue the matter together;state the case for your innocence.
27. Your first father sinned;those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
28. So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;I consigned Jacob to destructionand Israel to scorn.