Isaiah 43
Christian Standard Bible
Restoration of Israel
43 Now this is what the Lord says—
the one who created you, Jacob,
and the one who formed you, Israel(A)—
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;(B)
I have called you by your name; you are mine.(C)
2 When you pass through the waters,(D)
I will be with you,(E)
and the rivers will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire,(F)
you will not be scorched,
and the flame will not burn you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,(G)
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.(H)
I have given Egypt as a ransom for you,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4 Because you are precious in my sight(I)
and honored, and I love you,(J)
I will give people in exchange for you
and nations instead of your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,(K)
and gather you from the west.(L)
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’
Bring my sons from far away,(M)
and my daughters from the ends of the earth(N)—
7 everyone who bears my name
and is created for my glory.
I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”
8 Bring out a people who are blind, yet have eyes,(O)
and are deaf, yet have ears.
9 All the nations are gathered together,
and the peoples are assembled.(P)
Who among them can declare this,(Q)
and tell us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses
to vindicate themselves,
so that people may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses”(R)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my servant whom I have chosen,(S)
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.(T)
No god was formed before me,
and there will be none after me.(U)
11 I—I am the Lord.
Besides me, there is no Savior.(V)
12 I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed—
and not some foreign god[a] among you.
So you are my witnesses”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and[b] I am God.(W)
13 Also, from today on I am he alone,
and none can rescue from my power.(X)
I act, and who can reverse it?” (Y)
God’s Deliverance of Rebellious Israel
14 This is what the Lord, your Redeemer,(Z) the Holy One of Israel(AA) says:
Because of you, I will send an army[c] to Babylon
and bring all of them as fugitives,[d]
even the Chaldeans(AB) in the ships in which they rejoice.[e]
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 This is what the Lord says—
who makes a way in the sea,
and a path through raging water,(AC)
17 who brings out the chariot and horse,(AD)
the army and the mighty one together
(they lie down, they do not rise again;
they are extinguished, put out like a wick(AE))—
18 “Do not remember the past events;
pay no attention to things of old.(AF)
19 Look, I am about to do something new;(AG)
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,(AH)
rivers[f] in the desert.
20 Wild animals—
jackals and ostriches—will honor me,
because I provide water in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,(AI)
to give drink to my chosen people.
21 The people I formed for myself
will declare my praise.(AJ)
22 “But, Jacob, you have not called on me,
because, Israel, you have become weary of me.(AK)
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings
or honored me with your sacrifices.(AL)
I have not burdened you with offerings
or wearied you with incense.[g]
24 You have not bought me aromatic cane with silver,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me(AM) with your iniquities.(AN)
25 “I am the one,I sweep away your transgressions(AO)
for my own sake(AP)
and remember your sins no more.(AQ)
26 Remind me. Let’s argue the case together.(AR)
Recount the facts, so that you may be vindicated.
27 Your first father sinned,(AS)
and your mediators have rebelled against me.(AT)
28 So I defiled the officers of the sanctuary,
and set Jacob apart for destruction(AU)
and Israel for scorn.
Isaiah 43
The Message
When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place
43 1-4 But now, God’s Message,
the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
5-7 “So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
* * *
8-13 Get the blind and deaf out here and ready—
the blind (though there’s nothing wrong with their eyes)
and the deaf (though there’s nothing wrong with their ears).
Then get the other nations out here and ready.
Let’s see what they have to say about this,
how they account for what’s happened.
Let them present their expert witnesses
and make their case;
let them try to convince us what they say is true.
“But you are my witnesses.” God’s Decree.
“You’re my handpicked servant
So that you’ll come to know and trust me,
understand both that I am and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
I’m the only Savior there is.
I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed
long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.
And you know it, you’re my witnesses,
you’re the evidence.” God’s Decree.
“Yes, I am God.
I’ve always been God
and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake it?”
You Didn’t Even Do the Minimum
14-15 God, your Redeemer,
The Holy of Israel, says:
“Just for you, I will march on Babylon.
I’ll turn the tables on the Babylonians.
Instead of whooping it up,
they’ll be wailing.
I am God, your Holy One,
Creator of Israel, your King.”
16-21 This is what God says,
the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
they lie down and then can’t get up;
they’re snuffed out like so many candles:
“Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!’
—the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
rivers through the sunbaked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
the people I made especially for myself,
a people custom-made to praise me.
22-24 “But you didn’t pay a bit of attention to me, Jacob.
You so quickly tired of me, Israel.
You wouldn’t even bring sheep for offerings in worship.
You couldn’t be bothered with sacrifices.
It wasn’t that I asked that much from you.
I didn’t expect expensive presents.
But you didn’t even do the minimum—
so stingy with me, so closefisted.
Yet you haven’t been stingy with your sins.
You’ve been plenty generous with them—and I’m fed up.
25 “But I, yes I, am the one
who takes care of your sins—that’s what I do.
I don’t keep a list of your sins.
26-28 “So, make your case against me. Let’s have this out.
Make your arguments. Prove you’re in the right.
Your original ancestor started the sinning,
and everyone since has joined in.
That’s why I had to disqualify the Temple leaders,
repudiate Jacob and discredit Israel.”
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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