17. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together:
20. That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
21. Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
22. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they are that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come.
23. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
25. I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.
26. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and before time, that we may say, He is righteous? verily, there is none that showeth, verily, there is none that declareth, verily, there is none that heareth your words.
27. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
28. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29. Behold, they are all vanity, their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.