48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I summoned!
I am the one;
I am present at the very beginning
and at the very end. 1
48:13 Yes, my hand founded the earth;
my right hand spread out the sky.
I summon them;
they stand together.
48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!
Who among them 2 announced these things?
The Lord’s ally 3 will carry out his desire against Babylon;
he will exert his power against the Babylonians. 4
48:15 I, I have spoken –
yes, I have summoned him;
I lead him and he will succeed. 5
48:16 Approach me! Listen to this!
From the very first I have not spoken in secret;
when it happens, 6 I am there.”
So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit. 7
1 tn Heb “I [am] he, I [am the] first, also I [am the] last.”
2 sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).
3 tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”
sn The
4 tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”
5 tn Heb “and his way will be prosperous.”
6 tn Heb “from the time of its occurring.”
7 sn The speaker here is not identified specifically, but he is probably Cyrus, the Lord’s “ally” mentioned in vv. 14-15.