Isaiah Chapter 50

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

                  50:1The LORD says,

                  “Did I put your mother away with divorce papers?

                        Did I sell you as slaves to pay my debts?

                  No, I sold you because of your transgressions

                        and divorced your mother for her sins.

                  2 When I came, why wasn’t anybody home?

                        When I knocked, why didn’t anyone answer the door?

                        Am I too poor to pay a ransom;

                              don’t I have the strength to rescue?

                        I can dry up the sea with a word,

                              make rivers empty and the fish in them die and stink.

                        3 I dress the sky in darkness

                              and cover it with burlap.”                                   

Is 50:1-3

            4 The Lord GOD has given me a disciple’s tongue

                        so I can comfort the weary with his message;

                  he wakes me up morning after morning

                        to help me understand his will.

            5 He’s cleaned out my ears,

                  and I haven’t pulled away.

            6 I’ve turned my back to the ones who scourge me

                        and my cheeks to those who pull out my beard;

                  I haven’t covered my face from being spit on.

            7 He helps me so I’m not disgraced;

                  I set my face like flint

                        and know I won’t feel ashamed.

Is 50:4-7

            8 The One that vindicates me is close at hand;

                              who wants to fight me?

                        Let’s stand up to each other.

                  Who wants to take me to court?

                        Go on, sue me!

            9 The Lord helps me;

                        who can condemn me?

                  Adversaries will wear out like old, moth-eaten clothes.

            10 Who among you respects the LORD,

                        obeys his servant,

                        and still lives in the dark?

                  Trust the LORD and rely on him.

            11 You that live by the light of the fires you set

                  will fall into them in torment.                                          

Is 50:8-11

From the CNT translation by Virgil Warren, PhD