Isaiah 43:14-44:5

Revised Standard Version

¹⁴ Thus says the Lord,
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
    and break down all the bars,
    and the shouting of the Chalde′ans will be turned to lamentations.^[a]
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,
    a path in the mighty waters,
¹⁷ who brings forth chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
¹⁸ “Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
¹⁹ Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
²⁰ The wild beasts will honor me,
    the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
²¹     the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.

²² “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
    but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
²³ You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
    or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
    or wearied you with frankincense.
²⁴ You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
    or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins,
    you have wearied me with your iniquities.

²⁵ “I, I am He
    who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
    and I will not remember your sins.
²⁶ Put me in remembrance, let us argue together;
    set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
²⁷ Your first father sinned,
    and your mediators transgressed against me.
²⁸ Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary,
    I delivered Jacob to utter destruction
    and Israel to reviling.