8. The Lord says, “People of Israel, you are my servants.People of Jacob, I chose you.You are from the family of my friend Abraham.
9. I took you from places far away on the earthand called you from a faraway country.I said, ‘You are my servants.’I have chosen you and have not turned against you.
10. So don’t worry, because I am with you.Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.I will make you strong and will help you;I will support you with my right hand that saves you.
11. “All those people who are angry with youwill be ashamed and disgraced.Those who are against youwill disappear and be lost.
12. You will look for your enemies,but you will not find them.Those who fought against youwill vanish completely.
13. I am the Lord your God,who holds your right hand,and I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid.I will help you.’
14. You few people of Israel who are left,do not be afraid even though you are weak as a worm.I myself will help you,” says the Lord.“The one who saves you is the Holy One of Israel.
15. Look, I have made you like a new threshing boardwith many sharp teeth.So you will walk on mountains and crush them;you will make the hills like chaff.
16. You will throw them into the air, and the wind will carry them away;a windstorm will scatter them.Then you will be happy in the Lord;you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.
17. “The poor and needy people look for water,but they can’t find any.Their tongues are dry with thirst.But I, the Lord, will answer their prayers;I, the God of Israel, will not leave them to die.
18. I will make rivers flow on the dry hillsand springs flow through the valleys.I will change the desert into a lake of waterand the dry land into fountains of water.
19. I will make trees grow in the desert—cedars, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees.I will put pine, fir, and cypress treesgrowing together in the desert.
20. People will see these things and understand;they will think carefully about these things and learnthat the Lord’s power did this,that the Holy One of Israel made these things.”
21. The Lord says, “Present your case.”The King of Jacob says, “Tell me your arguments.
22. Bring in your idols to tell uswhat is going to happen.Have them tell us what happened in the beginning.Then we will think about these things,and we will know how they will turn out.Or tell us what will happen in the future.
23. Tell us what is coming nextso we will believe that you are gods.Do something, whether it is good or bad,and make us afraid.