Isaiah 43
43
Restoration of Israel
1Now this is what the Lord says —
the one who created you, Jacob,
and the one who formed you, Israel#Is 43:7,15,21; 44:2,21,24 —
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;#Is 44:22–23; 48:20
I have called you by your name; you are mine.#Gn 32:28; Is 45:3–4
2When you pass through the waters,#Ps 66:12; Is 8:7–8
I will be with you,#Dt 31:6,8,23; Jos 1:5; 3:7; Jr 1:8; 30:11; 46:28
and the rivers will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire,#Is 29:6; 30:27–29; Dn 3:25,27
you will not be scorched,
and the flame will not burn you.
3For I am the Lord your God,#Ex 20:2; Is 41:13
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.#Is 19:20; 43:11; 45:15,21; 49:26; 60:16; 63:8
I have given Egypt as a ransom for you,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4Because you are precious in my sight#2Kg 1:13–14; Ps 36:7; 72:14; Pr 3:15; Is 28:16
and honored, and I love you,#Is 63:9
I will give people in exchange for you
and nations instead of your life.
5Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,#Is 41:8; 61:9
and gather you from the west.#Is 49:12
6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’
Bring my sons from far away,#2Co 6:18
and my daughters from the ends of the earth#Is 45:22 —
7everyone who bears my name
and is created for my glory.
I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”
8Bring out a people who are blind, yet have eyes,#Is 6:9; 42:19; Ezk 12:2
and are deaf, yet have ears.
9All the nations are gathered together,
and the peoples are assembled.#Is 34:1; 41:1
Who among them can declare this,#Is 41:22–23,26
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”#Is 44:8; Ac 1:8 —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
“and my servant whom I have chosen,#Is 41:8
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.#Is 41:4
No god was formed before me,
and there will be none after me.#Is 44:6,8; 45:5–6
11I — I am the Lord.
Besides me, there is no Savior.#Is 43:3; 45:21; Hs 13:4
12I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed —
and not some foreign god#43:12 Lit not a foreigner among you.
So you are my witnesses” —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
“and#43:12 Or that I am God.#Ps 46:10; 50:7; Is 45:22; 46:9
13Also, from today on I am he alone,
and none can rescue from my power.#Dt 32:39; Jn 10:28–29
I act, and who can reverse it?” #Jb 9:12; Is 14:27
God’s Deliverance of Rebellious Israel
14This is what the Lord, your Redeemer,#Jb 19:25; Ps 19:14; 78:35; Pr 23:11; Is 41:14; Jr 50:34 the Holy One of Israel#Is 1:4 says:
Because of you, I will send an army#43:14 an army supplied for clarity to Babylon
and bring all of them as fugitives,#43:14 Or will break down all their bars
even the Chaldeans#Is 23:13 in the ships in which they rejoice.#43:14 Hb obscure
15I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
16This is what the Lord says —
who makes a way in the sea,
and a path through raging water,#Ex 14:21–22; Ps 77:19; Is 11:15; 44:27; 50:2; 51:10; 63:11–12
17who brings out the chariot and horse,#Ex 15:19
the army and the mighty one together
(they lie down, they do not rise again;
they are extinguished, put out like a wick#Ps 118:12; Is 1:31) —
18“Do not remember the past events;
pay no attention to things of old.#Is 65:17; Jr 23:7
19Look, I am about to do something new;#Is 42:9; 48:6; 2Co 5:17
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,#Ex 17:6; Nm 20:11; Dt 8:15; Ps 78:16; Is 35:1,6; 41:18–19; 49:10; 51:3
rivers#43:19 DSS read paths in the desert.
20Wild animals —
jackals and ostriches — will honor me,
because I provide water in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert,#Is 41:17–18; 48:21
to give drink to my chosen people.
21The people I formed for myself
will declare my praise.#Ps 102:18; Is 42:12; Lk 1:74–75; 1Pt 2:9
22“But, Jacob, you have not called on me,
because, Israel, you have become weary of me.#Mc 6:3; Mal 1:13; 3:14
23You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings
or honored me with your sacrifices.#Zch 7:5–6; Mal 1:6–8
I have not burdened you with offerings
or wearied you with incense.#43:23 I.e., with demands for offerings and incense
24You 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#Ps 95:10; Is 1:14; 7:13; Ezk 6:9; Mal 2:17 with your iniquities.#Is 13:11
25“I am the one, I sweep away your transgressions#Is 44:22; 55:7; Jr 50:20; Heb 2:17
for my own sake#Is 37:35; 48:9,11; Ezk 36:22
and remember your sins no more.#Is 38:17; Jr 31:34; Mk 2:7
26Remind me. Let’s argue the case together.#Is 1:18; 41:1; 50:8
Recount the facts, so that you may be vindicated.
27Your first father sinned,#Is 51:2; Ezk 16:3
and your mediators have rebelled against me.#Is 9:15; 28:7; 29:10; Jr 5:31
28So I defiled the officers of the sanctuary,
and set Jacob apart for destruction#Is 24:6; 34:5; Jr 24:9; Dn 9:11; Zch 8:13
and Israel for scorn.
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Isaiah 43: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Isaiah 43
43
The Lord Has Rescued His People
1Descendants of Jacob,
I, the Lord, created you
and formed your nation.
Israel, don't be afraid.
I have rescued you.
I have called you by name;
now you belong to me.
2When you cross deep rivers,
I will be with you,
and you won't drown.
When you walk through fire,
you won't be burned
or scorched by the flames.
3I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
the God who saves you.
I gave up Egypt, Ethiopia,#43.3 Ethiopia: See the note at 11.11.
and the region of Seba#43.3 Seba: A region in southwest Arabia. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba probably stood for all that was known of Africa in biblical times.
in exchange for you.
4To me, you are very dear,
and I love you.
That's why I gave up nations
and people to rescue you.
5Don't be afraid! I am with you.
From both east and west
I will bring you together.
6I will say to the north
and to the south,
“Free my sons and daughters!
Let them return
from distant lands.
7They are my people—
I created each of them
to bring honor to me.”
The Lord Alone Is God
The Lord said:
8Bring my people together.
They have eyes and ears,
but they can't see or hear.
9Tell everyone of every nation
to gather around.
None of them can honestly say,
“We told you so!”
If someone heard them say this,
then tell us about it now.
10My people, you are my witnesses
and my chosen servant.
I want you to know me,
to trust me, and understand
that I alone am God.
I have always been God;
there can be no others.
11I alone am the Lord;
only I can rescue you.
12I promised to save you,
and I kept my promise.
You are my witnesses
that no other god did this.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
13I am God now and forever.
No one can snatch you from me
or stand in my way.
The Lord Will Prepare the Way
14I, the Lord, will rescue you!
I am Israel's holy God,
and this is my promise:
For your sake, I will send
an army against Babylon
to drag its people away,
crying as they go.#43.14 crying as they go: Or “in their glorious ships.”
15I am the Lord, your holy God,
Israel's Creator and King.
16I am the one who cut a path
through the mighty ocean.
17I sent an army to chase you
with chariots and horses;
now they lie dead,
unable to move.
They are like an oil lamp
with the flame snuffed out.
Forget the Past
The Lord said:
18Forget what happened long ago!
Don't think about the past.
19I am creating something new.
There it is! Do you see it?
I have put roads in deserts,
streams#43.19 streams: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls “paths.” in thirsty lands.
20Every wild animal honors me,
even jackals#43.20 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller. and owls.
I provide water in deserts—
streams in thirsty lands
for my chosen people.
21I made them my own nation,
so they would praise me.
22I, the Lord, said to Israel:
You have become weary of me,
but not from worshiping me.
23You have not honored me
by sacrificing sheep
or other animals.
And I have not burdened you
with demands for sacrifices
or sweet-smelling incense.
24You have not brought
delicious spices for me
or given me the best part
of your sacrificed animals.
Instead, you burden me down
with your terrible sins.
25But I wipe away your sins
because of who I am.
And so, I will forget
the wrongs you have done.
26Meet me in court!
State your case and prove
that you are right.
27Your earliest ancestor#43.27 earliest ancestor: Jacob, also known as Israel.
and all your leaders#43.27 leaders: Probably prophets, but perhaps also priests and kings.
rebelled against me.
28That's why I don't allow
your priests to serve me;
I let Israel be destroyed
and your people disgraced.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.