6  Thus says the Lord, the ^yKing of Israel

and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

“I am the ^zfirst and I am the last;

^abesides me there is no god.

18  For thus says the Lord,

^gwho created the heavens

(he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he did not create it empty,

he formed it to be inhabited!):

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

9  remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,