18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (A)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (B)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience

21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [a]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”

23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(C)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(D)It has set him on fire all around,
(E)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (F)heart.

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, (G)for I have redeemed you;
(H)I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
(I)When you pass through the waters, (J)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you (K)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;
(L)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 (M)loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
(N)Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And (O)gather you from the west;
I will say to the (P)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 (Q)called by My name,
Whom (R)I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

(S)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (T)deaf who have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(U)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(V) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(W)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (X)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, (Y)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (Z)foreign god among you;
(AA)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (AB)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 (AC)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 (AD)King.”

16 Thus says the Lord, who (AE)makes a way in the sea
And a (AF)path through the mighty waters,
17 Who (AG)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(AH) not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a (AI)new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
(AJ)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 (AK)I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 (AL)This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My (AM)praise.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves

18 הַחֵרְשִׁ֖ים שְׁמָ֑עוּ וְהַעִוְרִ֖ים הַבִּ֥יטוּ לִרְאֽוֹת׃

19 מִ֤י עִוֵּר֙ כִּ֣י אִם־עַבְדִּ֔י וְחֵרֵ֖שׁ כְּמַלְאָכִ֣י אֶשְׁלָ֑ח מִ֤י עִוֵּר֙ כִּמְשֻׁלָּ֔ם וְעִוֵּ֖ר כְּעֶ֥בֶד יְהוָֽה׃

20 ׳רָאִיתָ׳ ״רָא֥וֹת״ רַבּ֖וֹת וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמֹ֑ר פָּק֥וֹחַ אָזְנַ֖יִם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמָֽע׃

21 יְהוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר׃

22 וְהוּא֮ עַם־בָּז֣וּז וְשָׁסוּי֒ הָפֵ֤חַ בַּֽחוּרִים֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם וּבְבָתֵּ֥י כְלָאִ֖ים הָחְבָּ֑אוּ הָי֤וּ לָבַז֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּ֔יל מְשִׁסָּ֖ה וְאֵין־אֹמֵ֥ר הָשַֽׁב׃

23 מִ֥י בָכֶ֖ם יַאֲזִ֣ין זֹ֑את יַקְשִׁ֥ב וְיִשְׁמַ֖ע לְאָחֽוֹר׃

24 מִֽי־נָתַ֨ן ׳לִמְשׁוֹסֶה׳ ״לִמְשִׁסָּ֧ה״ יַעֲקֹ֛ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל לְבֹזְזִ֖ים הֲל֣וֹא יְהוָ֑ה ז֚וּ חָטָ֣אנוּ ל֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־אָב֤וּ בִדְרָכָיו֙ הָל֔וֹךְ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּתוֹרָתֽוֹ׃

25 וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ עָלָיו֙ חֵמָ֣ה אַפּ֔וֹ וֶעֱז֖וּז מִלְחָמָ֑ה וַתְּלַהֲטֵ֤הוּ מִסָּבִיב֙ וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֔ע וַתִּבְעַר־בּ֖וֹ וְלֹא־יָשִׂ֥ים עַל־לֵֽב׃ פ

43 וְעַתָּ֞ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ בֹּרַאֲךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹצֶרְךָ֖ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּ֣י גְאַלְתִּ֔יךָ קָרָ֥אתִי בְשִׁמְךָ֖ לִי־אָֽתָּה׃

כִּֽי־תַעֲבֹ֤ר בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אִתְּךָ־אָ֔נִי וּבַנְּהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּךָ כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֤ךְ בְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶ֔ה וְלֶהָבָ֖ה לֹ֥א תִבְעַר־בָּֽךְ׃

כִּ֗י אֲנִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִׁיעֶ֑ךָ נָתַ֤תִּי כָפְרְךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם כּ֥וּשׁ וּסְבָ֖א תַּחְתֶּֽיךָ׃

מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָקַ֧רְתָּ בְעֵינַ֛י נִכְבַּ֖דְתָּ וַאֲנִ֣י אֲהַבְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֶתֵּ֤ן אָדָם֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים תַּ֥חַת נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

אַל־תִּירָ֖א כִּ֣י אִתְּךָ־אָ֑נִי מִמִּזְרָח֙ אָבִ֣יא זַרְעֶ֔ךָ וּמִֽמַּעֲרָ֖ב אֲקַבְּצֶֽךָּ׃

אֹמַ֤ר לַצָּפוֹן֙ תֵּ֔נִי וּלְתֵימָ֖ן אַל־תִּכְלָ֑אִי הָבִ֤יאִי בָנַי֙ מֵרָח֔וֹק וּבְנוֹתַ֖י מִקְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃

כֹּ֚ל הַנִּקְרָ֣א בִשְׁמִ֔י וְלִכְבוֹדִ֖י בְּרָאתִ֑יו יְצַרְתִּ֖יו אַף־עֲשִׂיתִֽיו׃

הוֹצִ֥יא עַם־עִוֵּ֖ר וְעֵינַ֣יִם יֵ֑שׁ וְחֵרְשִׁ֖ים וְאָזְנַ֥יִם לָֽמוֹ׃

כָּֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֞ם נִקְבְּצ֣וּ יַחְדָּ֗ו וְיֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִ֤י בָהֶם֙ יַגִּ֣יד זֹ֔את וְרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹת יַשְׁמִיעֻ֑נוּ יִתְּנ֤וּ עֵֽדֵיהֶם֙ וְיִצְדָּ֔קוּ וְיִשְׁמְע֖וּ וְיֹאמְר֥וּ אֱמֶֽת׃

10 אַתֶּ֤ם עֵדַי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְעַבְדִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחָ֑רְתִּי לְמַ֣עַן תֵּ֠דְעוּ וְתַאֲמִ֨ינוּ לִ֤י וְתָבִ֙ינוּ֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י ה֔וּא לְפָנַי֙ לֹא־נ֣וֹצַר אֵ֔ל וְאַחֲרַ֖י לֹ֥א יִהְיֶֽה׃ ס

11 אָנֹכִ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין מִבַּלְעָדַ֖י מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

12 אָנֹכִ֞י הִגַּ֤דְתִּי וְהוֹשַׁ֙עְתִּי֙ וְהִשְׁמַ֔עְתִּי וְאֵ֥ין בָּכֶ֖ם זָ֑ר וְאַתֶּ֥ם עֵדַ֛י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה וַֽאֲנִי־אֵֽל׃

13 גַּם־מִיּוֹם֙ אֲנִ֣י ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּ֑יל אֶפְעַ֖ל וּמִ֥י יְשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃ ס

14 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה גֹּאַלְכֶ֖ם קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְמַעַנְכֶ֞ם שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי בָבֶ֗לָה וְהוֹרַדְתִּ֤י בָֽרִיחִים֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם וְכַשְׂדִּ֖ים בָּאֳנִיּ֥וֹת רִנָּתָֽם׃

15 אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה קְדֽוֹשְׁכֶ֑ם בּוֹרֵ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃ ס

16 כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן בַּיָּ֖ם דָּ֑רֶךְ וּבְמַ֥יִם עַזִּ֖ים נְתִיבָֽה׃

17 הַמּוֹצִ֥יא רֶֽכֶב־וָס֖וּס חַ֣יִל וְעִזּ֑וּז יַחְדָּ֤ו יִשְׁכְּבוּ֙ בַּל־יָק֔וּמוּ דָּעֲכ֖וּ כַּפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה כָבֽוּ׃

18 אַֽל־תִּזְכְּר֖וּ רִֽאשֹׁנ֑וֹת וְקַדְמֹנִיּ֖וֹת אַל־תִּתְבֹּנָֽנוּ׃

19 הִנְנִ֨י עֹשֶׂ֤ה חֲדָשָׁה֙ עַתָּ֣ה תִצְמָ֔ח הֲל֖וֹא תֵֽדָע֑וּהָ אַ֣ף אָשִׂ֤ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֔רֶךְ בִּֽישִׁמ֖וֹן נְהָרֽוֹת׃

20 תְּכַבְּדֵ֙נִי֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה תַּנִּ֖ים וּבְנ֣וֹת יַֽעֲנָ֑ה כִּֽי־נָתַ֨תִּי בַמִּדְבָּ֜ר מַ֗יִם נְהָרוֹת֙ בִּֽישִׁימֹ֔ן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת עַמִּ֥י בְחִירִֽי׃

21 עַם־זוּ֙ יָצַ֣רְתִּי לִ֔י תְּהִלָּתִ֖י יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃ ס

18 Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look to see.

19 Who [is] blind but My servant? And deaf as My messenger I send? Who [is] blind as he who is at peace, Yea, blind, as the servant of Jehovah?

20 Seeing many things, and thou observest not, Opening ears, and he heareth not.

21 Jehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.

22 And this [is] a people seized and spoiled, Snared in holes -- all of them, And in houses of restraint they were hidden, They have been for a prey, And there is no deliverer, A spoil, and none is saying, `Restore.'

23 Who among you giveth ear [to] this? Attendeth, and heareth afterwards.

24 Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not Jehovah -- He against whom we sinned? Yea, they have not been willing in His ways to walk, Nor have they hearkened to His law.

25 And He poureth on him fury, His anger, and the strength of battle, And it setteth him on fire round about, And he hath not known, And it burneth against him, and he layeth it not to heart!

43 And now, thus said Jehovah, Thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Fashioner, O Israel, Be not afraid, for I have redeemed thee, I have called on thy name -- thou [art] Mine.

When thou passest into waters, I [am] with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.

For I -- Jehovah thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I have appointed Egypt thine atonement, Cush and Seba in thy stead.

Since thou wast precious in Mine eyes, Thou wast honoured, and I have loved thee, And I appoint men in thy stead, And peoples instead of thy life.

Be not afraid, for I [am] with thee, From the east I bring in thy seed, And from the west I gather thee.

I am saying to the north, `Give up,' And to the south, `Restrain not.' Bring in My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth.

Every one who is called by My name, Even for My honour I have created him, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

He brought out a blind people who have eyes, And deaf ones who have ears.

All the nations have been gathered together, And the peoples are assembled, Who among them declareth this, And former things causeth us to hear? They give their witnesses, And they are declared righteous, And they hear and say, `Truth.'

10 Ye [are] My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that ye know and give credence to Me, And understand that I [am] He, Before Me there was no God formed, And after Me there is none.

11 I -- I [am] Jehovah, And besides Me there is no saviour.

12 I -- I declared, and saved, and proclaimed, And there is no stranger with you, And ye [are] My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I [am] God.

13 Even from the day I [am] He, And there is no deliverer from My hand, I work, and who doth turn it back?

14 Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: `For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And caused bars to descend -- all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song [is] in the ships.

15 I [am] Jehovah, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.'

16 Thus said Jehovah, Who is giving in the sea a way, And in the strong waters a path.

17 Who is bringing forth chariot and horse, A force, even a strong one: `Together they lie down -- they rise not, They have been extinguished, As flax they have been quenched.'

18 Remember not former things, And ancient things consider not.

19 Lo, I am doing a new thing, now it springeth up, Do ye not know it? Yea, I put in a wilderness a way, In a desolate place -- floods.

20 Honour me doth the beast of the field, Dragons and daughters of an ostrich, For I have given in a wilderness waters, Floods in a desolate place, To give drink to My people -- My chosen.

21 This people I have formed for Myself, My praise they recount.

18 (A)Hear, you who are deaf!
And look, you who are blind, so that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (B)servant,
Or so deaf as My (C)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as one who is [a](D)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (E)You have seen many things, but you do not retain them;
Your ears are open, but no one hears.
21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the Law (F)great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and pillaged;
All of them are (G)trapped in [b]caves,
Or are (H)hidden away in prisons;
They have become plunder, with no one to save them,
And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”

23 Who among you will listen to this?
Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they (I)were not willing to walk,
And whose Law they did not (J)obey?
25 So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the (K)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he [c](L)paid no attention.

Israel Redeemed

43 But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your (M)Creator, Jacob,
And He who (N)formed you, Israel:
“Do not (O)fear, for I have (P)redeemed you;
I have (Q)called you by name; you are (R)Mine!
When you (S)pass through the waters, (T)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you (U)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For (V)I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your (W)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
[d](X)Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Since you are (Y)precious in My sight,
Since you are (Z)honored and I (AA)love you,
I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for (AB)I am with you;
I will bring (AC)your offspring from the east,
And (AD)gather you from the west.
I will say to the (AE)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My (AF)sons from afar
And My daughters from the (AG)ends of the earth,
Everyone who is (AH)called by My name,
And whom I have (AI)created for My (AJ)glory,
(AK)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

Israel Is God’s Witness

Bring out the people who are (AL)blind, even though they have eyes,
And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.
All the nations have (AM)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (AN)declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present (AO)their witnesses so (AP)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (AQ)My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And (AR)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (AS)I am He.
(AT)Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, only I, am the Lord,
And there is no (AU)savior (AV)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no (AW)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And I am God.
13 Even [e](AX)from eternity (AY)I am He,
And there is (AZ)no one who can rescue from My hand;
(BA)I act, and who can reverse it?”

Babylon to Be Destroyed

14 This is what the Lord your (BB)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:

“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
And will bring them all down as fugitives,
[f]Even the (BC)Chaldeans, into the (BD)ships [g]over which they rejoice.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
(BE)The Creator of Israel, your (BF)King.”

16 This is what the Lord says,

He who (BG)makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings out the (BH)chariot and the horse,
The army and the mighty man
(They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been (BI)extinguished, and have gone out like a wick):
18 (BJ)Do not call to mind the former things,
Or consider things of the past.
19 Behold, I am going to do something (BK)new,
Now it will spring up;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even (BL)make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
20 The animals of the field will glorify Me,
The (BM)jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have (BN)given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
21 The people whom (BO)I formed for Myself
(BP)Will declare My praise.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:19 Or the devoted one
  2. Isaiah 42:22 Or holes
  3. Isaiah 42:25 Lit did not lay it to heart
  4. Isaiah 43:3 Or Ethiopia
  5. Isaiah 43:13 As in LXX; MT from the day
  6. Isaiah 43:14 Another reading is As for the Chaldeans, their rejoicing is turned into mourning
  7. Isaiah 43:14 Lit of their rejoicing