Isaiah 43
Modern English Version
The Redeemer of Israel
43 But now, thus says the Lord
who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
2 When you pass through waters,
I will be with you.
And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,
nor shall the flame kindle on you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honorable,
and I have loved you;
therefore, I will give men for you,
and people for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
and gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not keep them back.
Bring My sons from afar,
and My daughters from the ends of the earth,
7 even everyone who is called by My name,
for I have created him for My glory;
I have formed him, and I have made him.”
8 Bring forth the blind people who have eyes,
and the deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together,
and let the people be assembled.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us former things?
Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified;
or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 You are My witnesses, says the Lord,
and My servant whom I have chosen
that you may know and believe Me,
and understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
and besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown,
when there was no strange god among you;
therefore, you are My witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God.
13 Indeed, from eternity I am He;
there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I act, and who can reverse it?
14 Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans,
into the ships in which they rejoice.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings forth the chariot and horse,
the army and the mighty men
(they shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 Do not remember the former things
nor consider the things of old.
19 See, I will do a new thing,
now it shall spring forth; shall you not be aware of it?
I will even make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field shall honor Me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I give waters in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to My people, My chosen ones.
21 This people I have formed for Myself;
they shall declare My praise.
Pleading With Israel
22 But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
but you have made Me burdened with your sins;
you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 I, even I, am He who blots out
your transgressions for My own sake,
and will not remember your sins.
26 Put Me in remembrance;
let us plead together;
state your cause, that you may be justified.
27 Your first father has sinned,
and your teachers have transgressed against Me.
28 Therefore, I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary,
and have given Jacob to the curse,
and Israel to reproaches.
Isaiah 43
Lexham English Bible
The Restorer of Israel
43 But now thus says Yahweh,
he who created you, Jacob,
and he who formed you, Israel:
“You must not fear, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name; you are mine.[a]
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and through the rivers, they shall not flow over you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not scorch[b] you.
3 For I am Yahweh, your God,
the holy one of Israel, your savior.
I give you Egypt as ransom,
Cush and Seba in place of you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
you are honored, and I myself love you,
and I give people in place of you,
and nations in place of your life.
5 You must not fear,
for I am with you.
I will bring your offspring[c] from the east,
and I will gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give!’
and to the south, ‘You must not withhold!’
Bring my sons from far away,
and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
and whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed,
indeed whom I made.”
8 Bring out the people blind yet[d] with eyes,
and deaf, though[e] they have ears.
9 Let all the nations gather together,
and let the peoples assemble.
Who among them has declared this,
and declared[f] the former things to us?
Let them bring[g] their witnesses, that[h] they may be in the right,
and let them hear and say, “It is true!”
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares[i] Yahweh,
“and my servant whom I have chosen
so that you may know and believe in[j] me
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me[k],
and none shall be after me.
11 I myself am Yahweh,
and there is no savior besides me!
12 I myself declared and saved,
and I proclaimed.[l] And there was no strange god[m] among you.
And you are my witnesses,” declares[n] Yahweh,
“and I am God.
13 Indeed, from this day I am the one,
and no one can deliver from my hand.
I perform,[o] and who can cancel it?”[p]
Yahweh Rescues His People
14 Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer,
the holy one of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
and I will cause all of them to fall down as fugitives,
and the Chaldeans,[q] their rejoicing on the ships.
15 I am Yahweh, your holy one,
the creator of Israel, your king.”
16 Thus says Yahweh, who makes[r] a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse,
army and mighty one.
Together they lie down;
they cannot rise.
They are extinguished,
quenched like a wick.
18 “You must not remember the former things,
and you not must consider the former things.
19 Look! I am about to do a new thing! Now it sprouts!
Do you not perceive[s] it?
Indeed, I will make[t] a way in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert.
20 The animals of the field will honor me,
jackals and daughters of the ostrich,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give a drink to my chosen people,
21 this people whom I formed for myself,
so they might make known[u] my praise.
22 But[v] you did not call me, Jacob;
for you have become weary of me, Israel.
23 You have not brought me your sheep for a burnt offering
nor[w] honored me with your sacrifice.
I have not made you serve with offerings,[x]
nor have I made you weary with frankincense.
24 You have not bought me spice reed with money
or[y] satisfied me with the fat of sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have made me weary with your iniquities.
25 I, I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
26 Take me to court; let us enter into judgment together.
You, make an account[z] so that you may be in the right.
27 Your first ancestor[aa] sinned,
and your representatives[ab] transgressed against me.
28 And I profaned the princes of the sanctuary,
and I gave Jacob to destruction, and Israel to reviling.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:1 Literally “to me you”
- Isaiah 43:2 Or “burn”
- Isaiah 43:5 Literally “seed”
- Isaiah 43:8 Or “and”
- Isaiah 43:8 Or “and”
- Isaiah 43:9 Literally “caused to hear”
- Isaiah 43:9 Or “give”
- Isaiah 43:9 Or “and”
- Isaiah 43:10 Literally “declaration of”
- Isaiah 43:10 Literally “to”
- Isaiah 43:10 Literally “my face”
- Isaiah 43:12 Literally “caused to hear”
- Isaiah 43:12 Literally “stranger”
- Isaiah 43:12 Literally “declaration of”
- Isaiah 43:13 Or “make”
- Isaiah 43:13 Literally “bring it back”
- Isaiah 43:14 Literally “Chaldea”
- Isaiah 43:16 Literally “gives”
- Isaiah 43:19 Or “know”
- Isaiah 43:19 Literally “put”
- Isaiah 43:21 Literally “count out”
- Isaiah 43:22 Or “And”
- Isaiah 43:23 Or “and”
- Isaiah 43:23 Hebrew “offering”
- Isaiah 43:24 Or “and”
- Isaiah 43:26 Literally “count up”
- Isaiah 43:27 Or “father”
- Isaiah 43:27 Literally “scoffers” or “spokesmen”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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