Come to the water
1 Come here, all you who are thirsty, come to the water!
All who have no money, come!
Yes, without money and at no cost, buy and drink wine and milk.
2 Why spend money on what is not food and labor for what does not satisfy? Listen to me, and you will eat well; you will enjoy the richest of fare.
3 Incline your ear and come to me; listen, that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting cove nant, I will fulfill in you my promises to David.
4 See, I have given him for a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of the people.
5 Like wise you will summon a nation un known to you, and nations that do not know you will come hurrying to you for the sake of Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has promoted you.
6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked abandon his way,
let him forsake his thoughts,
let him turn to Yahweh for he will have mercy,
for our God is generous in forgiving.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
my ways are not your ways, says Yahweh.
9 For as the heavens are above the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts above your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down
from the heavens and do not return
till they have watered the earth,
making it yield seed for the sower
and food for others to eat,
11 so is my word that goes forth out of my mouth:
it will not return to me idle,
but it shall accomplish my will,
the purpose for which it has been sent.
12 Yes, in joy you will depart, in peace you will be led forth: mountains and hills will break into song before you, trees of the countryside will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush, the cypress will thrive; instead of briers, the myrtle. This will make Yahweh famous and re main as an everlasting witness to him.
Third part of the book of Isaiah
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Comments Isaiah, Chapter 55
• 55.1 The book ends with a call to hope.
55:1-3. Are you not tired of the happiness you thought you would easily get in the place of exile?
God is the one who always gives first. He only hopes that we will open the door for him. Jesus will offer us rest (Mt 11:28); he will give us the bread of life (Jn 6) and will give himself as “the” friend (Rev 3:20).
55:4-5. A universal mission awaits Israel in the homeland, after their return.
55:6-9. Allow yourselves to be conquered by the love of the Lord who is forming you even more than you can imagine. Paul will use similar language in his letter to the Romans (5:1-11).
55:10-11. Here the word of God appears personified. It is already much more than the words spoken by the prophets. This Word which comes from the Father and returns to him will be presented by the apostle John in the first page of his Gospel: it is Christ. See also in 45:8.