Isa 50 | HCSB | STEP | This is what the Lord says : Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away ? Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? Look , you were sold for your iniquities , and your mother was put away because of your transgressions .

Isaiah 50

1 This is what the Lord says:

Where is your mother’s divorce certificate
that I used to send her away? ^a
Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? ^b
Look, you were sold for your iniquities, ^c
and your mother was put away
because of your transgressions.
2 Why was no one there when I came?
Why was there no one to answer when I called?
Is My hand too short to redeem? ^d
Or do I have no power to deliver?
Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke; ^e
I turn the rivers into a wilderness;
their fish rot because of lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 I dress the heavens in black
and make ^{▼▼sackcloth: Garment made of poor quality material and worn as a sign of grief and mourning}sackcloth their clothing. ^g

The Obedient Servant

4 The Lord God has given Me
the tongue of those who are instructed ^h
to know how to sustain the weary with a word.
He awakens Me each morning;
He awakens My ear to listen like those being instructed. ⁱ
5 The Lord God has opened My ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I did not turn back. ^j
6 I gave My back to those who beat Me,
and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard.
I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting. ^k
7 The Lord God will help Me;
therefore I have not been humiliated;
therefore I have set My face like flint, ^l
and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 The One who vindicates Me is near; ^m
who will contend with Me?
Let us confront each other. ^{▼▼Lit us stand}
Who has a case against Me? ^{▼▼Lit Who is lord of My judgment}
Let him come near Me!
9 In truth, the Lord God will help Me;
who will condemn Me? ^p
Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment;
a moth will devour them. ^q
10 Who among you ^{▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}fears the Lord,
listening to the voice of His Servant? ^s
Who among you walks in darkness,
and has no light?
Let him trust in the name of ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh;
let him lean on his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
who encircle yourselves with ^{▼▼Syr reads who set ablaze} firebrands;
walk in the light of your fire
and in the firebrands you have lit!
This is what you’ll get from My hand:
you will lie down in a place of torment.