<p class="bodytext">You Israelites! Return to the one against whom you have so blatantly rebelled!<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>, your Holy One,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who created Israel, your king.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and will boast in him.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">says our protector &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies is his name,p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">men of<n id="2" /> Israel.p> <p class="poetry">I am helping you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">your protector,<n id="3" /> the Holy One of Israel.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Remember these things, O Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">O Israel, for you are my servant.p> <p class="poetry">I formed you to be my servant;p> <p class="poetry">O Israel, I will not forget you!<n id="1" />p>

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="poetry">The sovereign master<n id="2" /> decreed judgment<n id="3" /> on Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">and it fell on Israel.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But you did not call for me, O Jacob;p> <p class="poetry">you did not long<n id="1" /> for me, O Israel.p>

<p class="poetry">So I defiled your holy princes,p> <p class="poetry">and handed Jacob over to destruction,p> <p class="poetry">and subjected<n id="1" /> Israel to humiliating abuse.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Now, listen, Jacob my servant,p> <p class="poetry">Israel whom I have chosen!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden,p> <p class="poetry">O God of Israel, deliverer!p>

<p class="poetry">He said to me, &#8220;You are my servant,p> <p class="poetry">Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">An ox recognizes its owner,p> <p class="poetry">a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but Israel does not recognize me,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">my people do not understand.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore, the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the powerful ruler of Israel,<n id="2" /> says this:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ah, I will seek vengeance<n id="3" /> against my adversaries,p> <p class="poetry">I will take revenge against my enemies.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">They say, &#8220;Let him hurry, let him act quickly,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so we can see;p> <p class="poetry">let the plan of the Holy One of Israel<n id="2" /> take shape<n id="3" /> and come to pass,p> <p class="poetry">then we will know it!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">So the <sc>Lordsc> cut off Israel&#8217;s head and tail,p> <p class="poetry">both the shoots and stalk<n id="1" /> in one day.p>

<p class="poetry">The light of Israel<n id="1" /> will become a fire,p> <p class="poetry">their Holy One<n id="2" /> will become a flame;p> <p class="poetry">it will burn and consume the Assyrian king&#8217;s<n id="3" /> briersp> <p class="poetry">and his thorns in one day.p>

<p class="poetry">He will lift a signal flag for the nations;p> <p class="poetry">he will gather Israel&#8217;s dispersed people<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and assemble Judah&#8217;s scattered peoplep> <p class="poetry">from the four corners of the earth.p>

<p class="poetry">Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,p> <p class="poetry">for the Holy One of Israel<n id="1" /> acts mightily<n id="2" /> among you!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">At that time<n id="1" /> men will trust in their creator;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they will depend on<n id="3" /> the Holy One of Israel.<n id="4" />p>