The Redeemer of Israel

43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, (A)for I have redeemed you;
(B)I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
(C)When you pass through the waters, (D)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you (E)walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
(F)I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have (G)loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
(H)Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And (I)gather you from the west;
I will say to the (J)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—
Everyone who is (K)called by My name,
Whom (L)I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

(M)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (N)deaf who have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(O)Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You(P) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(Q)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (R)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, (S)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (T)foreign god among you;
(U)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (V)Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will (W)reverse it?”

14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives—
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your (X)King.”

16 Thus says the Lord, who (Y)makes a way in the sea
And a (Z)path through the mighty waters,
17 Who (AA)brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do(AB) not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a (AC)new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
(AD)I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because (AE)I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 (AF)This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My (AG)praise.

Pleading with Unfaithful Israel

22 “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
And you (AH)have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 (AI)You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings,
Nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
But you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have (AJ)wearied Me with your iniquities.

25 “I, even I, am He who (AK)blots out your transgressions (AL)for My own sake;
(AM)And I will not remember your sins.
26 Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be [a]acquitted.
27 Your first father sinned,
And your [b]mediators have transgressed against Me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary;
(AN)I will give Jacob to the curse,
And Israel to reproaches.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:26 justified
  2. Isaiah 43:27 interpreters

43 But now thus saith Jehovah that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead. Since thou hast been precious in my sight, [a]and honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy life. Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yea, whom I have made.

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. [b]Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; [c]or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. 12 I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. 13 Yea, [d]since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?

14 Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down [e]all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing. 15 I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. 16 Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 [f]who bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick): 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 20 The beasts of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people which I formed for myself, [g]that they might set forth my praise.

22 Yet thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 23 Thou hast not brought me of thy sheep for burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with [h]offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense. 24 Thou hast bought me no [i]sweet cane with money, neither hast thou [j]filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified. 27 Thy first father sinned, and thy [k]teachers have transgressed against me. 28 Therefore I [l]will profane the [m]princes of the sanctuary; and I [n]will make Jacob a [o]curse, and Israel a reviling.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:4 Or, thou hast been honorable etc.
  2. Isaiah 43:9 Or, Gather yourselves together, all ye nations
  3. Isaiah 43:9 Or, and that they may hear
  4. Isaiah 43:13 Or, from this day forth I etc.
  5. Isaiah 43:14 Or, as otherwise read, all their nobles, even etc.
  6. Isaiah 43:17 Or, who . . . the power: They shall lie etc.
  7. Isaiah 43:21 Or, they shall set forth
  8. Isaiah 43:23 Or, a meal-offering
  9. Isaiah 43:24 Or, calamus
  10. Isaiah 43:24 Or, satiated
  11. Isaiah 43:27 Hebrew interpreters.
  12. Isaiah 43:28 Or, have profaned
  13. Isaiah 43:28 Or, holy princes
  14. Isaiah 43:28 Or, have made
  15. Isaiah 43:28 Or, devoted thing