50
Yahweh's power
1 This is what Yahweh says:
“You Israeli children, do you think [RHQ] that I forced your parents to be exiled [MET]
like a man might send away his wife
after giving her a paper
on which he stated that he was divorcing her?
Did I [RHQ] get rid of you like a man who sells his children to get money to pay what he owes?
No, I forced you and your parents to be exiled
to punish you because of your sins.
2 When I came to you to rescue you,
why did no one answer when I called out to you?
Was there no one there?
Or, did you think that I do not have the power to rescue you?
That is certainly not true,
because I can speak to a sea and cause it to dry up!
I can cause rivers to become deserts
with the result that the fish in the rivers would die from thirst and rot.
3 I cause the sky to become dark,
as though [MET] it was wearing black clothes because it was mourning after someone died.”
4 Yahweh our God has given me his wise message
in order that I may encourage those who are weary.
Each morning he wakes me up,
in order that I may listen to what he teaches me.
5 Yahweh our God has spoken to me [IDI],
and I have not rejected what he told me;
I have accepted [LIT] it.
6 I allowed people to beat me on my back
and to pull out the whiskers in my beard because they hated me.
I did not turn away from them
when they made fun of me and spat on me.
7 But, because the lord our God helps me,
I will never be humiliated.
Therefore, I am strongly determined [IDI] to face difficulties,
and I know that nothing will cause me to be ashamed.
8 God, the one who vindicates me, is near to me;
so if anyone tries [RHQ] to stand in front of me and accuse me in a court,
he will not be successful.
9 The lord our God defends my case,
so no one [RHQ] will ◄condemn me/declare that I am guilty►.
All those who accuse me will disappear,
like old clothes that have been eaten by ◄ larvae of moths/cockroaches►.
10 If you revere Yahweh
and do what his servant tells you to do,
even if you are ◄walking in darkness/enduring suffering►, and have no light,
trust in Yahweh;
rely on his God.
11 But you people who oppose me,
who would like to throw me into a blazing fire,
walk in your own fires
and burn yourselves with your own torches!
This is what you will receive from Yahweh:
you will be enduring great torment when you die!
Note: The Old Testament in this translation is still being worked on, and is in draft form. Updates will be posted at eBible.org/t4t/.