11  Thus says ^fthe Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:

^g“Ask me of things to come;

will you command me ^hconcerning my children and ⁱthe work of my hands?¹

12  ^jI made the earth

and created man on it;

it was my hands ^kthat stretched out the heavens,

and ^lI commanded all their host.

13  ^mI have stirred him up in righteousness,

ⁿand I will make all his ways level;

^ohe shall build my city

^pand set my exiles free,

not for price or reward,”

says the Lord of hosts.

18  ^vFor thus says the Lord,

who created the heavens

(he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he ^wdid not create it empty,

^xhe formed it to be inhabited!):

“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19  ^yI did not speak in secret,

in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,

^z‘Seek me in vain.’¹

I the Lord speak ^athe truth;

I declare what is right.