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 Men nu, så siger Herren, som skabte dig, Jakob, danned dig, Israel: Frygt ikke, jeg genløser dig, jeg kalder dig ved Navn, du er min! Når du går gennem Vande, er jeg med dig, gennem Strømme, de river dig ikke bort; når du går gennem Ild, skal du ikke svides, Luen brænder dig ikke. Thi jeg er din Gud, jeg, Herren, Israels Hellige din Frelser. Jeg giver Ægypten som Løsesum, Ætiopien og Seba i dit Sted, fordi du er dyrebar for mig, har Værd, og jeg elsker dig; jeg giver Mennesker for dig og Folkefærd for din Sjæl. Frygt ikke, thi j eg er med dig! Jeg bringer dit Afkom fra Østen, sanker dig sammen fra Vesten, siger til Norden: "Giv hid!" til Sønden: "Hold ikke tilbage! Bring mine Sønner fra det fjerne, mine Døtre fra Jordens Ende, enhver, der er kaldt med mit Navn, hvem jeg skabte, danned og gjorde til min Ære!"

Før det blinde Folk frem, der har Øjne, de døve, der dog har Ører! Lad alle Folkene samles, lad Folkefærdene flokkes! Hvo blandt dem kan forkynde sligt eller påvise Ting, de har forudsagt? Lad dem føre Vidner og få Ret, lad dem høre og sige: "Det er sandt!" 10 Mine Vidner er I, så lyder det fra Herren, min Tjener, hvem jeg har udvalgt, at I må kende det, fro mig og indse, at jeg er den eneste. Før mig blev en Gud ej dannet, og efter mig kommer der ingen; 11 jeg, jeg alene er Herren, uden mig er der ingen Frelser. 12 Jeg har forkyndt det og frelser, kundgjort det, ej fremmede hos jer; I er mine Vidner, lyder det fra Herren. Jeg er fra Evighed Gud, 13 den eneste også i Fremtiden. Ingen frier af min Hånd, jeg handler - hvo gør det ugjort?

14 Så siger Herren, eders Genløser, Israels Hellige: For eder gør jeg Opbud mod Babel og fjerner deres Fængsels Portslåer, mens Kaldæerne bindes i Halsjern. 15 Jeg, Herren, jeg er eders Hellige, Israels Skaber eders Konge. 16 Så siger Herren, som lagde en Vej i Havet, en Sti i de stride Vande, 17 førte Vogne og Heste derud, Hær og Kriger tillige; de segned og rejste sig ikke, sluktes, gik ud som en Væge: 18 Kom ikke det svundne i Hu, tænk ikke på Fortidens Dage! 19 Thi se, nu skaber jeg nyt, alt spirer det, ser I det ikke? Gennem Ørkenen lægger jeg Vej, Floder i, det øde Land; 20 de vilde Dyr skal ære mig, Sjakaler tillige med Strudse. Thi Vand vil jeg give i Ørkenen, Floder i det øde Land, for at læske mit udvalgte Folk. 21 Det Folk, jeg har dannet mig, skal synge min Pris.

22 Jakob, du kaldte ej på mig eller trætted dig, Israel, med mig; 23 du bragte mig ej Brændofferlam, du æred mig ikke med Slagtofre; jeg plaged dig ikke for Afgrødeoffer, trætted dig ikke for Røgelse; 24 du købte mig ej Kalmus for Sølv eller kvæged mig med Slagtofres Fedt. Nej, du plaged mig med dine Synder, trætted mig med din Brøde. 25 Din Misgerning sletter jeg ud, jeg, jeg, for min egen Skyld, kommer ej dine Synder i Hu. 26 Mind mig, lad vor Sag gå til Doms, regn op, så du kan få Ret! 27 Allerede din Stamfader synded, dine Talsmænd forbrød sig imod mig, 28 så jeg vanæred hellige Fyrster, gav Jakob hen til Band og Israel hen til Spot.