Isaiah 55
What Happens in This Chapter
God calls people who are thirsty and hungry to come and get food and drink for free. He tells them to look for him, to turn away from wrong, and promises to forgive them fully. God says his thoughts and ways are far above human ones, and that his word always does the work he sends it to do. The chapter ends with a picture of people going out with joy while the hills sing and good trees grow where thorns once were.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
1Come, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the water. Come even if you have no money. Come, buy food, and eat. Come and buy wine and milk. It will cost you nothing at all.
2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
2Why do you spend money on things that are not food? Why work so hard for things that never fill you up? Listen carefully to me. Eat what is good. Then you will enjoy the very best food.
The old wording says "delight itself in fatness." Long ago "fatness" meant rich, good food, like the best part of a meal. It does not mean being fat.
3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
3Turn your ear this way and come to me. Listen, and you will live. I will make a promise with you that lasts forever. It is the faithful love I promised to King David.
"The sure mercies of David" means the loving promise God made long ago to King David, a promise God will keep.
4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
4Look, I made him someone who told the nations about me. I made him a leader and a commander for the peoples.
5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
5You will call out to a nation you do not know. Nations that do not know you will come running to you. This is because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel. He has given you honor.
6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
6Look for the LORD while he can be found. Call out to him while he is near.
7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
7Let the person who does wrong stop living that way. Let him stop his wrong thinking too. Let him come back to the LORD. Then God will be kind to him. Let him come back to our God. God will forgive him completely.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
8"My thoughts are not like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And your ways are not my ways."
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
9"The sky is far above the earth. In the same way, my ways are far above your ways. My thoughts are far above your thoughts."
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
10Rain falls down, and snow falls from the sky. They do not go back up until their work is done. They water the ground and make plants sprout and grow. They give seed to the farmer and food to the eater.
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
11"My word works the same way when I speak it. It will not come back to me empty. It will do what I want it to do. It will succeed at the job I send it to do."
12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
12You will go out with joy. You will be led along in peace. The mountains and the hills will burst into song in front of you. All the trees in the fields will clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
13Where thorn bushes grew, tall fir trees will grow. Where prickly weeds grew, sweet myrtle trees will grow. This will bring honor to the LORD's name. It will be a sign forever, and it will never be destroyed.
Fir trees and myrtle trees are strong, healthy trees with a nice smell. Thorns and briers are prickly weeds that grow in dry, empty places.
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