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43 But now this is what Adonai says,
he who created you, Ya‘akov,
he who formed you, Isra’el:
“Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I am calling you by your name; you are mine.
When you pass through water, I will be with you;
when you pass through rivers, they will not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire, you will not be scorched —
the flame will not burn you.
For I am Adonai, your God,
the Holy One of Isra’el, your Savior —
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and S’va for you.
Because I regard you as valued and honored,
and because I love you.
For you I will give people,
nations in exchange for your life.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
I will bring your descendants from the east,
and I will gather you from the west;
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold them back!
Bring my sons from far away,
and my daughters from the ends of the earth,
everyone who bears my name,
whom I created for my glory —
I formed him, yes, I made him.’”

Bring forward the people who are blind but have eyes,
also the deaf who have ears.
All the nations are gathered together,
and the peoples are assembled.
Who among them can proclaim this
and reveal what happened in the past?
Let them bring their witnesses to justify themselves,
so that others, on hearing, can say, “That’s true.”

10 “You are my witnesses,” says Adonai,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you can know and trust me
and understand that I am he —
no god was produced before me,
nor will any be after me.
11 I, yes I, am Adonai;
besides me there is no deliverer.
12 I have declared, saved and proclaimed —
not some alien god among you.
Therefore you are my witnesses,”
says Adonai. “I am God.
13 Since days began, I have been he.
No one can deliver from my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”

14 Here is what Adonai, your redeemer,
the Holy One of Isra’el, says:
“For your sake I have sent [an army] to Bavel
and knocked down the fleeing Kasdim, all of them;
their songs of triumph are now lamentations.
15 I am Adonai, your Holy One,
the Creator of Isra’el, your King.”

16 Here is what Adonai says,
who made a way in the sea,
a path through the raging waves;
17 who led out chariot and horse,
the army in its strength —
they lay down, never to rise again,
snuffed out and quenched like a wick:
18 “Stop dwelling on past events
and brooding over times gone by;
19 I am doing something new;
it’s springing up — can’t you see it?
I am making a road in the desert,
rivers in the wasteland.
20 The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
because I put water in the desert,
rivers in the wasteland,
for my chosen people to drink,
21 the people I formed for myself,
so that they would proclaim my praise.
22 But you haven’t called on me, Ya‘akov;
because you have grown weary of me, Isra’el.
23 You have not brought me sheep for your burnt offerings,
you have not honored me with your sacrifices.
I didn’t burden you by requiring grain offerings.
or weary you by demanding frankincense.
24 You have not spent money to buy me sweet cane
or filled me with the fat of your sacrifices.
Instead, you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your crimes.
25 I, yes I, am the one who blots out
your offenses for my own sake;
I will not remember your sins.
26 Remind me when we’re in court together —
tell your side, make the case that you are right.
27 Your first father sinned,
and your spokesmen rebelled against me.
28 Therefore I repudiated the officials of the sanctuary,
delivered Ya‘akov to the curse of destruction,
and subjected Isra’el to scorn.

43 But now thus saith Hashem that created thee, O Ya’akov, And He that formed thee, O Yisroel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy shem; thou art Mine.

When thou passest through the mayim, I will be with thee; and through the neharot, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the eish, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am Hashem Eloheicha, the Kadosh Yisroel, thy Moshi’a: I gave Mitzrayim for thy kofer (ransom), Kush and Seva in thy place.

Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honored, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give adam [see Isaiah 53:8] in exchange for thee, and people in exchange for thy nefesh.

Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy zera from the mizrach (east), and gather thee from the ma’arav (west);

I will say to the tzafon (north), Give them up; and to the teiman (south), hold not back; bring My banim from afar, and My banot from the ketzeh ha’aretz;

Even every one that is called by My Shem, whom I have created for My kavod, whom I have formed and I have made.

Bring forth the Am Ivver that have eyes, and the chereshim that have oznayim.

Let kol HaGoyim be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled; who among them can declare this, and show us rishonot (former things)? Let them bring forth their edim (witnesses), that they may be vindicated: or let them hear, and say, It is emes.

10 Ye are My edim (witnesses), saith Hashem. And Avdi whom I have chosen; so that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that Ani Hu (I am He); before Me there was no El formed, neither shall there be after Me.

11 I, even I, am Hashem; and apart from Me there is no Moshi’a.

12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have proclaimed, when there was no zar (foreign) [g-d] among you; therefore you [plural] are My edim (witnesses), saith Hashem, that I am El.

13 Yes, before the yom was, Ani Hu (I am He); and there is none that can deliver out of My Yad; I work, and who shall reverse it?

14 Thus saith Hashem, your Go’el, the Kadosh Yisroel; For your sake [see Isaiah 45:4] I have sent to Babylon, and I shall bring down the fugitives, all of them, even the Kasdim (Chaldeans), whose shout of joy is in the ships.

15 I am Hashem, your Kadosh, the Boreh Yisroel, your Melech.

16 Thus saith Hashem, which maketh a derech in the yam, and a path in the mayim azzim (mighty waters);

17 Which drew out the merkavah and sus, the army and warrior; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick.

18 Remember ye not the rishonot (former things) neither consider kadmoniyyot (the things of old).

19 Hineni, I am doing a chadashah (new thing); now titzmach (it shall spring forth; Tzemach); shall ye not perceive it? I will even make a derech in the midbar, and neharot in the desert.

20 The animal of the wild shall honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give mayim in the midbar, and neharot in the desert, to give drink to My People, My Bachir.

21 This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My tehillah (praise).

22 But thou hast not called upon Me, O Ya’akov; but thou hast been weary of Me, O Yisroel.

23 Thou hast not brought Me the seh (lamb) of thy olot; neither hast thou honored Me with thy zevakhim. I have not caused thee to serve with a minchah, nor wearied thee with levonah (incense, frankincense).

24 Thou hast bought Me no fragrant calamus with kesef, neither hast thou filled Me with the chelev of thy zevakhim; but thou hast made Me to serve with thy chattot, thou hast wearied Me with thine avonot.

25 I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy peysha’im for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy chattot.

26 Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together at law; declare thou, lema’an (for the sake of) thou being declared righteous.

27 Avicha HaRishon hath sinned, and thy melitzim (mediators) have rebelled against Me.

28 Therefore I have profaned the Sarei Kodesh, (Holy Princes) and have given Ya’akov to cherem, and Yisroel to giddufim (revilings).

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created(A) you, Jacob,
    he who formed(B) you, Israel:(C)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(D) you;
    I have summoned you by name;(E) you are mine.(F)
When you pass through the waters,(G)
    I will be with you;(H)
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,(I)
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.(J)
For I am the Lord your God,(K)
    the Holy One(L) of Israel, your Savior;(M)
I give Egypt(N) for your ransom,
    Cush[a](O) and Seba(P) in your stead.(Q)
Since you are precious and honored(R) in my sight,
    and because I love(S) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid,(T) for I am with you;(U)
    I will bring your children(V) from the east
    and gather(W) you from the west.(X)
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south,(Y) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters(Z) from the ends of the earth(AA)
everyone who is called by my name,(AB)
    whom I created(AC) for my glory,(AD)
    whom I formed and made.(AE)

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(AF)
    who have ears but are deaf.(AG)
All the nations gather together(AH)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(AI) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(AJ)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant(AK) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(AL) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(AM) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.(AN)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(AO)
    and apart from me there is no savior.(AP)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god(AQ) among you.
You are my witnesses,(AR)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13     Yes, and from ancient days(AS) I am he.(AT)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”(AU)

God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness

14 This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(AV) the Holy One(AW) of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
    and bring down as fugitives(AX) all the Babylonians,[b](AY)
    in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord,(AZ) your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator,(BA) your King.(BB)

16 This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,(BC)
17 who drew out(BD) the chariots and horses,(BE)
    the army and reinforcements together,(BF)
and they lay(BG) there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:(BH)
18 “Forget the former things;(BI)
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!(BJ)
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness(BK)
    and streams in the wasteland.(BL)
20 The wild animals(BM) honor me,
    the jackals(BN) and the owls,
because I provide water(BO) in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21     the people I formed(BP) for myself(BQ)
    that they may proclaim my praise.(BR)

22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied(BS) yourselves for[c] me, Israel.(BT)
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,(BU)
    nor honored(BV) me with your sacrifices.(BW)
I have not burdened(BX) you with grain offerings
    nor wearied you with demands(BY) for incense.(BZ)
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus(CA) for me,
    or lavished on me the fat(CB) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied(CC) me with your offenses.(CD)

25 “I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions,(CE) for my own sake,(CF)
    and remembers your sins(CG) no more.(CH)
26 Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;(CI)
    state the case(CJ) for your innocence.
27 Your first father(CK) sinned;
    those I sent to teach(CL) you rebelled(CM) against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
    I consigned Jacob to destruction[d](CN)
    and Israel to scorn.(CO)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
  2. Isaiah 43:14 Or Chaldeans
  3. Isaiah 43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of
  4. Isaiah 43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.