2. Post-Exile: The Blessing & Judgment Cycles ( 40:1 - 66:24 ) - 701-681 B.C., Israel

(These 8 groups of prophecies alternate between blessings on Israel and judgment on God's enemies.)

C. Cycle 3 (50:1-11)

1. Blessing: On Those Who are Chastened By the LORD (50:1-10)

(Restoration Through the Sufferings of the Messiah)

¹ Thus saith the LORD,
Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement,
whom I have put away?
or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
Behold,
for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves,
and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
² Wherefore, when I came,
was there no man?
when I called,
was there none to answer?
Is my hand shortened at all [diminished it is diminished],
that it cannot redeem?
or have I no power to deliver?
behold,
at my rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a wilderness:
their fish stinketh,
because there is no water,
and dieth for thirst.
³ I clothe the heavens with blackness,
and I make sackcloth their coverering.

⁴ The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned,
that I should know how to speak a word in season [to be timely of word]
to [this] -- him that is weary:
he wakeneth morning by morning,
he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
⁵ The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear,
and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back.
⁶ I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:
I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

⁷ For the Lord GOD will help me;
therefore shall I not be confounded:
therefore have I set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
⁸ He is near that justifieth me;
who will contend with me?
let us stand together:
who is mine adversary [master of my judgment]?
let him come near to me.
⁹ Behold,
the Lord GOD will help me;
who is he that shall condemn me?
lo, they all shall wax old as a garment;
the moth shall eat them up.

¹⁰ Who is among you that feareth the LORD,
that obeyeth the voice of his servant,
that walketh in darkness,
and hath no [nothing of] light?
let him trust in the name of the LORD,
and stay upon his God.

2. Judgment: On Those Who Walk by Their Own Light (50:11)

(Anguish to Those Who Light Their Own Way)

¹¹ Behold, all ye that kindle a fire,
that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk
in the light of your fire,
and in the sparks that ye have kindled.
This shall ye have of mine hand;
ye shall lie down in sorrow.