said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?' And Hezekiah said: 'They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.' 4Then said he: 'What have they seen in thy house?' And Hezekiah answered: 'All that is in my house have they seen; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.' 5Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah: 'Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6Behold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. 7And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be officers in the palace of the king of Babylon.' 8Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah: 'Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken.' He said moreover: 'If but there shall be peace and truth in my days.'
- 40Comfort ye, comfort ye My people,
- Saith your God.
- 2Bid Jerusalem take heart,
- And proclaim unto her,
- That her time of service is accomplished,
- That her guilt is paid off;
- That she hath received of the Lord's hand
- Double for all her sins.
- 3Hark! one calleth:
- 'Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord,
- Make plain in the desert
- A highway for our God.
- 4Every valley shall be lifted up,
- And every mountain and hill shall be made low;
- And the rugged shall be made level,
- And the rough places a plain;
- 5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
- And all flesh shall see it together;
- For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.'
- 6Hark! one saith: 'Proclaim!'
- And he saith: 'What shall I proclaim?'
- 'All flesh is grass,
- And all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field;
- 7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth;
- Because the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it—
- Surely the people is grass.
- 8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth;
- But the word of our God shall stand for ever.'
- 9O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,
- Get thee up into the high mountain;
- O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,
- Lift up thy voice with strength;
- Lift it up, be not afraid;
- Say unto the cities of Judah:
- 'Behold your God! '
- 10Behold, the Lord God will come as a Mighty One,
- And His arm will rule for Him;
- Behold, His reward is with Him,
- And His recompense before Him.
- 11Even as a shepherd that feedeth his flock,
- That gathereth the lambs in his arm,
- And carrieth them in his bosom,
- And gently leadeth those that give suck.
- 12Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
- And meted out heaven with the span,
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