Isaiah 50

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.

1This is what the LORD says. "Where is the paper that says I sent your mother away? Which person that I owed money to did I sell you to? Look, you were sold because of the wrong things you did. Your mother was sent away because you broke my rules."

NoteIn Bible times a man could end a marriage by handing his wife a written paper. God asks to see that paper because there is none.

2Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, 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.

2"When I came, why was no one there? When I called, why did no one answer? Is my arm too short to save you? Do I not have the power to set you free? Look, when I speak sharply, the sea dries up. I turn rivers into dry desert. The fish rot because there is no water. They die with nothing to drink."

3I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

3"I make the heavens turn black. I cover them with rough, dark cloth."

NoteSackcloth is rough, dark cloth. People wore it to show they were very sad.

4The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

4The Lord GOD taught me how to speak. So I know how to say a helping word to someone who is tired. Every morning he wakes me up. He wakes my ears to listen, the way a student listens.

5The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

5The Lord GOD opened my ears so I could hear him. I did not say no to him. I did not turn around and go back.

6I 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.

6I let people hit my back. I let them pull the hair out of my face. I did not hide my face when they made fun of me and spit on me.

7For 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.

7The Lord GOD helps me. So no one can shame me. I have made my face hard like stone. I know I will not be put to shame.

NoteFlint is a very hard stone. "Face like flint" means he made up his mind and would not turn back.

8He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

8The one who says I am in the right is close by. So who wants to argue with me? Let us stand face to face. Who says I have done wrong? Let him come near.

9Behold, 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.

9Look, the Lord GOD helps me. So who can say I am guilty? All of them will wear out like old clothes. Moths will eat them up.

10Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

10Is anyone here who honors the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Is anyone walking in the dark with no light at all? Let that person trust the name of the LORD. Let him lean on his God.

11Behold, 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.

11Look, some of you light your own fires. You walk around holding burning sticks. Then go and walk in the light of the fire you made. But this is what you will get from my hand. You will lie down in sorrow.