Isaiah 43
43
1But now this is what the Lord says to Jacob, the one who created you; to Israel, the one who formed you: “Don't be afraid! I have saved you! I have called you by name; you are mine! 2When you walk through the water, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they won't flood over you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you on fire. 3For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for your freedom; I traded Ethiopia and Seba for you. 4Because you are so valuable to me, because I honor you, and because I love you, I give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your lives.
5Don't be afraid, for I am with you! I will bring you and your children from the east and the west, and gather you together. 6I will tell the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and the south, ‘Don't stop them!’ Bring my sons back from far away and my daughters from distant lands. 7Bring back everyone who bears my name, those I created for my honor, those I formed and made.
8Bring back those who have eyes but are blind, those who have ears but are deaf. 9Have all the nations gather together! Have all the peoples assemble! Who among them could have said this, and predict what was going to happen? Have them bring their witnesses to prove that they're right. Then have them listen, and say, ‘It's true!’#43:9. This refers back to the previous chapter and the inability of the idols to predict the future, as God has just done. Clearly nobody could meet God's challenge.
10However, you are my witnesses, the Lord declares, and my chosen servant, so that you can think about it, and believe me and understand that I am God.#43:10. “I am God”: literally, “I am he.” Also in verse 25. No god preceded me, and none will come after me. 11I, yes I am the Lord, and there is no Savior apart from me. 12I predicted what was going to happen, then I saved you, then I announced it—there was no foreign god among you that did this. You are my witnesses that I am God, declares the Lord. 13I am God from the beginning.#43:13. “I am God from the beginning”: literally, “Before the day was I am he.” No one can snatch anybody from my hand. No one can reverse what I do.
14This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send attackers against Babylon and bring them down. All the Babylonians will be like fugitives, escaping in the ships they're so proud of.#43:14. The Hebrew of the last part of this verse is obscure. 15I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King. 16This is what the Lord says, the one who makes a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters; 17the one who brought out a great army with its horses and chariots and laid them down, never to rise again, snuffed out like a burning wick.
18But don't dwell on the past; don't concentrate on what happened back then. 19Just look at something new I'm going to do now! In fact it's started already. Can't you see it? Yes, I'm making a way through the wilderness, rivers in the desert! 20The wild animals will be grateful to me—the jackals and the owls—because I'm providing water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, so my people, my chosen people, can drink. 21I made this people for myself so that through their praise for me they could make me known.
22But you haven't called on me for help, Jacob. You've grown tired of me, Israel. 23You haven't brought me sheep for burnt offerings; you haven't honored me with your sacrifices. I haven't burdened you by asking for grain offerings; I haven't tired you out by demanding incense. 24You haven't used your money to buy scented calamus;#43:24. “Calamus”: a sweet-smelling plant used in perfumes and ancient medicines. you have not pleased me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead you have burdened me with your sins, and tired me out with your guilt. 25I, yes I am the God who wipes out your sins because of who I am, and who doesn't remember your sins any more. 26Remind me of the evidence so we can come to a decision together! Present your case to prove that you're right! 27Your very first father sinned, and your leaders rebelled against me. 28So I treated the priests of the sanctuary with contempt, and I handed Jacob over to be destroyed, and Israel to be scorned.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Yeshayah 43
43
1But now thus saith Hashem that created thee, O Ya'akov, And He that formed thee, O Yisroel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy shem; thou art Mine.
2When thou passest through the mayim, I will be with thee; and through the neharot, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the eish, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3For I am Hashem Eloheicha, the Kadosh Yisroel, thy Moshi'a: I gave Mitzrayim for thy kofer (ransom), Kush and Seva in thy place.
4Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honored, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give adam#43:4 See Isa 53:8 in exchange for thee, and people in exchange for thy nefesh.
5Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy zera from the mizrach (east), and gather thee from the ma'arav (west);
6I will say to the tzafon (north), Give them up; and to the teiman (south), hold not back; bring My banim from afar, and My banot from the ketzeh ha'aretz;
7Even every one that is called by My Shem, whom I have created for My kavod, whom I have formed and I have made.
8Bring forth the Am Ivver that have eyes, and the chereshim that have oznayim.
9Let kol HaGoyim be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled; who among them can declare this, and show us rishonot (former things)? Let them bring forth their edim (witnesses), that they may be vindicated: or let them hear, and say, It is emes.
10Ye are My edim (witnesses), saith Hashem. And Avdi whom I have chosen; so that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that Ani Hu (I am He); before Me there was no El formed, neither shall there be after Me.
11I, even I, am Hashem; and apart from Me there is no Moshi'a.
12I have declared, and have saved, and I have proclaimed, when there was no zar (foreign) [g-d] among you; therefore you#43:12 plural are My edim (witnesses), saith Hashem, that I am El.
13Yes, before the yom was, Ani Hu (I am He); and there is none that can deliver out of My Yad; I work, and who shall reverse it?
14Thus saith Hashem, your Go'el, the Kadosh Yisroel; For your sake#43:14 See Isa 45:4 I have sent to Babylon, and I shall bring down the fugitives, all of them, even the Kasdim (Chaldeans), whose shout of joy is in the ships.
15I am Hashem, your Kadosh, the Boreh Yisroel, your Melech.
16Thus saith Hashem, which maketh a derech in the yam, and a path in the mayim azzim (mighty waters);
17Which drew out the merkavah and sus, the army and warrior; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick.
18Remember ye not the rishonot (former things) neither consider kadmoniyyot (the things of old).
19Hineni, I am doing a chadashah (new thing); now titzmach (it shall spring forth; Tzemach); shall ye not perceive it? I will even make a derech in the midbar, and neharot in the desert.
20The animal of the wild shall honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give mayim in the midbar, and neharot in the desert, to give drink to My People, My Bachir.
21This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My tehillah (praise).
22But thou hast not called upon Me, O Ya'akov; but thou hast been weary of Me, O Yisroel.
23Thou hast not brought Me the seh (lamb) of thy olot; neither hast thou honored Me with thy zevakhim. I have not caused thee to serve with a minchah, nor wearied thee with levonah (incense, frankincense).
24Thou hast bought Me no fragrant calamus with kesef, neither hast thou filled Me with the chelev of thy zevakhim; but thou hast made Me to serve with thy chattot, thou hast wearied Me with thine avonot.
25I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy peysha'im for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy chattot.
26Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together at law; declare thou, lema'an (for the sake of) thou being declared righteous.
27Avicha HaRishon hath sinned, and thy melitzim (mediators) have rebelled against Me.
28Therefore I have profaned the Sarei Kodesh, (Holy Princes) and have given Ya'akov to cherem, and Yisroel to giddufim (revilings).
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.