Isaiah 43
English Standard Version
Israel's Only Savior
43 But now thus says the Lord,
(A)he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
(B)“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
(C)I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 (D)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
(E)when you walk through fire (F)you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For (G)I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
(H)I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and (I)Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 (J)Fear not, for I am with you;
(K)I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring (L)my sons from afar
and (M)my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
8 Bring out (N)the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
9 (O)All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 (P)“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and (Q)my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
(R)Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
11 (S)I, I am the Lord,
and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and (T)you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
13 Also (U)henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”
14 Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
(V)“For your sake I send to Babylon
and (W)bring them all down as fugitives,
(X)even the Chaldeans, in 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,
(Y)who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
17 who (Z)brings forth chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
(AA)they are extinguished, (AB)quenched like a wick:
18 (AC)“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
19 (AD)Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
(AE)I will make a way in the wilderness
(AF)and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me,
(AG)the jackals and the ostriches,
(AH)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
(AI)that they might declare my praise.
22 “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
but (AJ)you have been weary of me, O Israel!
23 (AK)You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
(AL)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
(AM)who blots out (AN)your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
26 Put me in remembrance; (AO)let us argue together;
set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
27 (AP)Your first father sinned,
and (AQ)your mediators transgressed against me.
28 Therefore (AR)I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,
and (AS)deliver Jacob to utter destruction
and Israel to reviling.
Isaiah 43
Common English Bible
Don’t fear
43 But now, says the Lord—
the one who created you, Jacob,
the one who formed you, Israel:
Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you won’t be scorched
and flame won’t burn you.
3 I am the Lord your God,
the holy one of Israel, your savior.
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
you are honored, and I love you.
I give people in your place,
and nations in exchange for your life.
5 Don’t fear,
I am with you.
From the east I’ll bring your children;
from the west I’ll gather you.
6 I’ll say to the north, “Give them back!”
and to the south, “Don’t detain them.”
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 have formed and made.
8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
the deaf ones who have ears.
9 All the nations are gathered together;
the peoples are assembled.
Which of them announced this?
Who predicted to us the past events?
Let them bring their witnesses as a defense;
let them hear and say, “It’s true!”
10 You are my witnesses, says the Lord,
my servant, whom I chose,
so that you would know and believe me
and understand that I am the one.
Before me no god was formed;
after me there has been no other.
11 I, I am the Lord,
and there is no savior besides me.
12 I announced, I saved, I proclaimed,
not some stranger among you.
You are my witnesses, says the Lord,
and I am God.
13 From the dawn of time, I am the one.
No one can escape my power.
I act, and who can undo it?
Don’t remember
14 The Lord your redeemer,
the holy one of Israel, says,
For your sake, I have sent an army[a] to Babylon,
and brought down all the bars,
turning the Chaldeans’ singing into a lament.[b]
15 I am the Lord, your holy one,
Israel’s creator, your king!
16 The Lord says—who makes a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse,
army and battalion;
they will lie down together and will not rise;
they will be extinguished, extinguished like a wick.
18 Don’t remember the prior things;
don’t ponder ancient history.
19 Look! I’m doing a new thing;
now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?
I’m making a way in the desert,
paths[c] in the wilderness.
20 The beasts of the field,
the jackals and ostriches, will honor me,
because I have put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness
to give water to my people,
my chosen ones,
21 this people whom I formed for myself,
who will recount my praise.
22 But you didn’t call out to me, Jacob;
you were tired of me, Israel.
23 You didn’t bring me lambs for your entirely burned offering;
you didn’t honor me with your sacrifices.
I didn’t make you worship with offerings;
I didn’t weary you with frankincense.
24 You didn’t buy spices for me with your money,
or satisfy me with the fat of your sacrifices.
Instead, you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your evil actions.
25 I, I am the one who wipes out your rebellious behavior for my sake. I won’t remember your sin.
26 Summon me, and let’s go to trial together;
you tell your story so that you may be vindicated!
27 Your first ancestor sinned,
and your officials rebelled against me.
28 So I made the holy officials impure,
handed over Jacob to destruction and Israel to abuse.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:14 Heb lacks an army.
- Isaiah 43:14 Heb uncertain
- Isaiah 43:19 DSS (1QIsaa); MT streams
Isaiah 43
Legacy Standard Bible
The Redemption of Israel
43 But now, thus says Yahweh, your (A)Creator, O Jacob,
And He who (B)formed you, O Israel,
“Do not (C)fear, for I have (D)redeemed you;
I have (E)called you by name; you are (F)Mine!
2 When you (G)pass through the waters, (H)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you (I)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For (J)I am Yahweh your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your (K)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
[a](L)Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you are (M)precious in My sight,
Since you are (N)honored and I (O)love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for (P)I am with you;
I will bring (Q)your seed from the east,
And (R)gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the (S)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My (T)sons from afar
And My daughters from the (U)ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is (V)called by My name,
And whom I have (W)created for My (X)glory,
(Y)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Israel Is Yahweh’s Witness
8 Bring out the people who are (Z)blind, even though they have eyes,
And the deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have (AA)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (AB)declare this
And make us hear the former things?
Let them present (AC)their witnesses (AD)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (AE)My witnesses,” declares Yahweh,
“And (AF)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (AG)I am He.
(AH)Before Me there was no god formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, even I, am Yahweh,
And there is no (AI)savior (AJ)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and caused it to be heard,
And there was no (AK)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares Yahweh,
“And I am God.
13 Even [b](AL)from eternity (AM)I am He,
And there is (AN)none who can deliver out of My hand;
(AO)I act and who can reverse it?”
Rivers in the Wasteland
14 Thus says Yahweh your (AP)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
And will bring down those who fled—all of them,
[c]Even the (AQ)Chaldeans—into the (AR)ships [d]in which they shouted for joy.
15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One,
(AS)The Creator of Israel, your (AT)King.”
16 Thus says Yahweh,
Who (AU)makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the (AV)chariot and the horse,
The military force and the mighty man;
They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been (AW)extinguished and quenched like a wick:
18 “(AX)Do not remember the former things,
Nor carefully consider things of the past.
19 Behold, I will do something (AY)new;
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not know it?
I will even (AZ)make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the wasteland.
20 The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The (BA)jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have (BB)given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the wasteland,
To give drink to My chosen people.
21 The people whom (BC)I formed for Myself
(BD)Will recount My praise.
22 “Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob;
But you have become (BE)weary of Me, O Israel.
23 You have (BF)not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,
Nor have you (BG)glorified Me with your sacrifices.
I have not (BH)burdened you with [e]offerings,
Nor wearied you with (BI)frankincense.
24 You have not bought Me [f](BJ)sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
Rather you have burdened Me with your sins;
You have (BK)wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 “I, even I, am the one who (BL)wipes out your transgressions (BM)for My own sake,
And I will (BN)not remember your sins.
26 [g]Bring Me to remembrance, (BO)let us enter into judgment together;
Recount your cause, (BP)that you may be proved right.
27 Your (BQ)first father sinned,
And your [h](BR)spokesmen have [i]transgressed against Me.
28 So I will [j]profane the [k]princes of the sanctuary,
And I will give Jacob to be (BS)devoted to destruction and Israel to (BT)revilement.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:3 Or Cush, cf. Gen 10:6
- Isaiah 43:13 As in Gr; Heb from the day
- Isaiah 43:14 Or As for the Chaldeans, their rejoicing is turned into lamentations
- Isaiah 43:14 Lit of their rejoicing
- Isaiah 43:23 Or a meal offering
- Isaiah 43:24 Or calamus
- Isaiah 43:26 Or Report to Me
- Isaiah 43:27 Or interpreters
- Isaiah 43:27 Or rebelled
- Isaiah 43:28 Or pierce through
- Isaiah 43:28 Or holy princes
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