Isaiah 43
43
Promise of Restoration
1Now, this is what Yahweh says:
“Listen, Jacob, to the One who created you,
Israel, to the one who shaped who you are. # 43:1 Jacob was created, but Israel was formed. God forms (transforms) Jacob into Israel. God is seen here as the one who changes the nature of man. See Gen. 32:28.
Do not fear,
for I, your Kinsman-Redeemer, will rescue you.
I have called you by name, and you are mine.
2When you pass through # 43:2 God’s method of deliverance is often not “out of” but “through.” His presence as we go through difficulties becomes our deliverance. See Ps. 23:4. the deep, stormy sea,
you can count on me to be there with you.
When you pass through raging rivers,
you will not drown.
When you walk through persecution like fiery flames,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm you,
3for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God,
the Holy One of Israel!
I give up Egypt as the price to set you free,
Cush and Seba in exchange to bring you back. # 43:3 Seba was an African nation that bordered Egypt. God was saying that there is no price too high for him to pay to set his people free. In the days of Isaiah, these nations (Egypt, Cush, and Seba) were united as one dynasty. They were given in exchange, as it were, to Persia for Israel’s future deliverance through the successors of Cyrus.
4Since you are cherished and precious # 43:4 Or “dear,” “costly,” or “of great price.” in my eyes,
and because I love you dearly and want to honor # 43:4 This is the Hebrew word for “glory” (kabod). you,
I willingly give up nations in exchange for you—
a man # 43:4 Or “people” (Hb. adam). God gave up a Man (the last “Adam,” 1 Cor. 15:45) for those who are precious to him. to save your life.
5I am with you now, even close to you,
so never yield to fear.
I will bring your children # 43:5 Or “your seed.” from the east;
from the west I will gather you.
6I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold them back!’
Bring me my sons from far away,
my daughters from the ends of the earth!
7Bring me everyone who is called by my name, # 43:7 Isaiah was prophesying Israel’s restoration and foretelling a great worldwide harvest among the nations as a fulfillment of the Feast of Ingathering (Harvest), also known as the Feast of Tabernacles.
the ones I created to experience my glory. # 43:7 Or “for my glory.”
I myself formed them to be who they are
and made them for my glory.” # 43:7 We were created both to bring God glory and to experience his glory. See Rom. 8:30; Rev. 4:11.
God’s Witness
8Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
those who have ears but are deaf.
9Let all the nations gather together and the people assemble.
Which of their gods # 43:9 Or “Who of them.” prophesied this?
Which of them foretold what is about to happen?
Let them bring out their witnesses to make their case;
let them take the stand and testify, “It is true.”
10Yahweh says, “You are my witnesses, my chosen servants.
I chose you in order that you would know me intimately,
believe me always, and fully understand that I am the only God.
There was no god before me,
and there will be no other god after me.
11I, only I, am Yahweh, and there is no Savior-God but me.
12I am the only one who revealed this to you.
I saved you, foretold # 43:12 Or “proclaimed,” a word often used for proclaiming what is to come (see v. 9). the future, and brought it to pass.
It was not some foreign god who did this!
You are my witnesses that I am God,” declares Yahweh.
13“From the very beginning, I am the only God! # 43:13 Or “Ever since day was, I am he.”
No one can be snatched from my hand. # 43:13 See John 10:28–29.
When I choose to act, who can reverse it?”
God, Israel’s Protector
14This is what Yahweh,
your Kinsman-Redeemer, # 43:14 It is a beautiful thought that the Holy One, who must punish evil, is also our Kinsman-Redeemer. He loves us so much that he became the sacrifice to return us to God. See Lev. 25:25; Ruth 3:9; 4:14; Isa. 44:24. the Holy One of Israel, says:
“For your good, I will send for the Babylonians;
I will bring them all as fugitives
and turn the shouting of the Chaldeans into mourning. # 43:14 Or “in ships their joyful shout.” The Hebrew of this clause is uncertain.
15I am Yahweh, your Holy One and your King,
the Creator of Israel.”
God Will Do a New Thing
16Yahweh is the one who makes a way in the sea,
a pathway in the mighty waters. # 43:16 Jesus, walking on the water, made a way (or journey) in the sea. See Ps. 77:19.
17He destroyed # 43:17 Or “led out [to destruction].” chariots and horses # 43:17 Chariots and horses are frequent biblical metaphors for the strength of the flesh.
and all their mighty warriors.
They fell, never to rise again—
gone forever, snuffed out like a wick. This is what he says:
18“Stop dwelling on the past.
Don’t even remember these former things.
19I am doing something brand new, something unheard of.
Even now it sprouts and grows and matures.
Don’t you perceive it? # 43:19 See Amos 3:7.
I will make a way in the wilderness
and open up flowing streams # 43:19 Or “paths” (Dead Sea scroll 1QIsaa). See John 7:37–39. in the desert.
20Wild beasts, # 43:20 The beast is a common biblical metaphor for human nature. See Ps. 73:22. jackals, and owls will glorify me. # 43:20 The Hebrew word for “jackals” (tannim) can also be translated “dragon.”
For I supply streams of water in the desert
and rivers in the wilderness
to satisfy the thirst of my people, my chosen ones,
21so that you, whom I have shaped and formed for myself,
will proclaim my praise. # 43:21 See 1 Peter 2:9–10.
22Yet you did not call out to me, O Jacob.
Are you so weary # 43:22 Or “weary yourself [with longing].” of me, O Israel?
23You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you by requiring many grain offerings
or wearied you with demands for frankincense.
24You did not buy me fragrant calamus reeds
or lavish me with the fat of your sacrifices. # 43:24 See Heb. 13:15.
Instead, you have burdened me with your many sins
and wearied me with your evil deeds.
25I, yes I, am the One and Only, # 43:25 This is doubly emphatic in the Hebrew. God refers to himself with fifteen emphatic personal pronouns in this chapter.
who completely erases your sins, never to be seen again.
I will not remember them again.
Freely I do this because of who I am! # 43:25 Or “for my own sake.”
26Help me remember the past. Let’s debate!
Bring me your version to prove your innocence.
27Your earliest ancestor # 43:27 Some believe this to be a reference to Abraham, Jacob, or Adam. sinned,
and your spokesmen # 43:27 This is most likely the teaching priests. rebelled against me.
28So I brought disgrace on the holy priests
of the holy sanctuary # 43:28 One ancient manuscript reads “Your rulers [priests] profaned my holy sanctuary.”
and brought destruction to Jacob,
humiliation and scorn to Israel.
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Isaiah 43: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationIsaiah 43
43
The Lord Will Rescue His People
1 Now, this is what the Lord says,
the one who created you, O Jacob,
and formed you, O Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect#tn Or “redeem.” See the note at 41:14. Cf. NCV “saved you”; CEV “rescued you”; NLT “ransomed you.” you.
I call you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass#tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line). through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm#tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.” you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,#sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4. your deliverer.
I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,
Ethiopia and Seba#sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9. in place of you.
4 Since you are precious and special in my sight,#tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.”
and I love you,
I will hand over people in place of you,
nations in place of your life.
5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
From the east I will bring your descendants;
from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’
and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’
Bring my sons from distant lands,
and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,
7 everyone who belongs to me,#tn Heb “everyone who is called by my name” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed – yes, whom I made!
The Lord Declares His Sovereignty
8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
those who are deaf, even though they have ears!
9 All nations gather together,
the peoples assemble.
Who among them announced this?
Who predicted earlier events for us?#tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?”
Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right;
let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’
10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,
“my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider#tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). and believe in me,
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and none will outlive me.#tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”
11 I, I am the Lord,
and there is no deliverer besides me.
12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed,
and there was no other god among you.
You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 From this day forward I am he;
no one can deliver from my power;#tn Heb “hand” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “No one can oppose what I do.”
I will act, and who can prevent it?”
The Lord Will Do Something New
14 This is what the Lord says,
your protector,#tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14. the Holy One of Israel:#sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and make them all fugitives,#tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”
turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs.#tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,#sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
the one who created Israel, your king.”
16 This is what the Lord says,
the one who made a road through the sea,
a pathway through the surging waters,
17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction,#tn Heb “led out chariots and horses.” The words “to destruction” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The verse refers to the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea.
together with a mighty army.
They fell down,#tn Heb “lay down”; NAB “lie prostrate together”; CEV “lie dead”; NRSV “they lie down.” never to rise again;
they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:
18 “Don’t remember these earlier events;#tn Heb “the former things” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “forget all that.”
don’t recall these former events.
19 “Look, I am about to do something new.
Now it begins to happen!#tn Heb “sprouts up”; NASB “will spring forth.” Do you not recognize#tn Or “know” (KJV, ASV); NASB “be aware of”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “perceive.” it?
Yes, I will make a road in the desert
and paths#tn The Hebrew texts has “streams,” probably under the influence of v. 20. The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has נתיבות (“paths”). in the wilderness.
20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,
the jackals and ostriches,
because I put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness,
to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself,
so they might praise me.”#tn Heb “[so] they might declare my praise.”
The Lord Rebukes His People
22 “But you did not call for me, O Jacob;
you did not long#tn Or “strive”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “been weary of me.” for me, O Israel.
23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings;
you did not honor me with your sacrifices.
I did not burden you with offerings;
I did not make you weary by demanding#tn Heb “with.” The words “by demanding” are supplied in the translation for clarification. incense.
24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds;#tn That is, “calamus” (so NIV); NCV, TEV, NLT “incense”; CEV “spices.”
you did not present to me#tn Heb “you did not saturate me”; NASB “Neither have you filled Me.” the fat of your sacrifices.
Yet you burdened me with your sins;
you made me weary with your evil deeds.#sn In vv. 22-24 the Lord appears to be condemning his people for failure to bring the proper sacrifices. However, this is problematic. If this refers to the nation’s behavior while in exile, such cultic service was impossible and could hardly be expected by the Lord. If this refers to the nation’s conduct before the exile, it contradicts other passages that depict Israel as bringing excessive sacrifices (see, e.g., Isa 1:11-14; Jer 6:20; Amos 4:4-5, 5:21-23). Rather than being a condemnation of Israel’s failure to bring sacrifices, these verses are better taken as a highly rhetorical comment on the worthlessness of Israel’s religious ritual. They may have brought sacrifices, but not to the Lord, for he did not accept them or even want them. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 127, and R. Whybray, Isaiah 40-66 (NCBC), 91.
25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake;
your sins I do not remember.
26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate!
You, prove to me that you are right!#tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.”
27 The father of your nation#tn Heb “your first father.” This could refer to Abraham (see 51:2), but elsewhere in Isaiah he does not appear in a negative light (see 29:22; 41:8; 63:16). A more likely candidate is Jacob/Israel, also referred to as the nation’s “father” elsewhere (see 58:14; 63:16). sinned;
your spokesmen#tn On the meaning of the term לִיץ (lits), see HALOT 590 s.v. מֵלִיץ. This may refer to the nation’s prophets, priests, and/or kings. rebelled against me.
28 So I defiled your holy princes,
and handed Jacob over to destruction,
and subjected#tn The word “subjected” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Israel to humiliating abuse.”
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