Haftarah Torah Portion Lech Lecha
Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16

Isaiah 40

27 Why do you say, Jacob, and declare, Israel,

    “My way is hidden from the Lord
    my God ignores my predicament”?
28 Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard?
    The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the creator of the ends of the earth.
    He doesn’t grow tired or weary.
His understanding is beyond human reach,
29     giving power to the tired
    and reviving the exhausted.
30 Youths will become tired and weary,
    young men will certainly stumble;
31     but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength;
    they will fly up on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not be tired;
    they will walk and not be weary.

Isaiah 41

1 Be quiet before me, coastlands.
    Let the nations renew their strength.
    Let them approach and speak.
    Let’s draw near for a judgment.
2 Who has awakened one from the east
    and has authority to summon him to serve—
    giving him nations,
    conquering kings,
    making them like dust with his sword,
    like scattered straw with his bow?
3 He pursues them and passes untouched,
    needing no path for his feet.
4 Who has acted and who has done this,
    calling upon generation after generation since the beginning?
        I, the Lord, was first,
        and I will be the last!

5 The coastlands see and fear;
    the ends of the earth tremble;
    they draw near and arrive.
6 Each helps the other,
    each saying to the other, “Take courage!”
7 The craftsman encourages the metalworker;
    the one who smoothes with the hammer
    encourages the one who strikes the anvil,
    saying of the welding, “That’s good,”
    and strengthening it with nails so it won’t move.

8 But you, Israel my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    offspring of Abraham, whom I love,
9     you whom I took from the ends of the earth
        and called from its farthest corners,
    saying to you, “You are my servant;
    I chose you and didn’t reject you”:
10     Don’t fear, because I am with you;
    don’t be afraid, for I am your God.
    I will strengthen you,
    I will surely help you;
    I will hold you
    with my righteous strong hand.
11 All who rage against you will be shamed and disgraced.
    Those who contend with you
    will be as nothing and will perish.
12 You will look for your opponents,
    and won’t find them.
    Those who fight you will be of no account and will die.
13 I am the Lord your God,
    who grasps your strong hand,
    who says to you,
    Don’t fear; I will help you.
14 Don’t fear, worm of Jacob,
    people of Israel!
I will help you, says the Lord.
    The holy one of Israel is your redeemer.
15 Look, I’ve made you
    into a new threshing tool with sharp teeth.
You will thresh mountains and pulverize them;
    you will reduce hills to straw.
16 When you winnow them,
    the wind will carry them off;
    the tempest will scatter them.
You will rejoice in the Lord
    and take pride in the holy one of Israel.