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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Isaiah 43: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 43
43
Israel’s Only Savior
1Now this is what the Lord says—
He who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
2When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you go through the rivers,
they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be scorched;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush #43:3 That is, the upper Nile region and Seba in your place.
4Because you are precious and honored in My sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you
and nations in place of your life.
5Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east
and gather you from the west.
6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
and My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7everyone called by My name and created for My glory,
whom I have indeed formed and made.”
8Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind,
and who have ears but are deaf.
9All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and My servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider and believe Me
and understand that I am He.
Before Me no god was formed,
and after Me none will come.
11I, yes I, am the Lord,
and there is no Savior but Me.
12I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“that I am God.
13Even from eternity I am He,
and none can deliver out of My hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
A Way in the Wilderness
14Thus says the Lord your Redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake, I will send to Babylon
and bring them all as fugitives,
even the Chaldeans,#43:14 That is, the Babylonians
in the ships in which they rejoice.
15I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, and your King.”
16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea
and a path through the surging waters,
17who brings out the chariots and horses,
the armies and warriors together,
to lie down, never to rise again;
to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18“Do not call to mind the former things;
pay no attention to the things of old.
19Behold, I am about to do something new;
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
20The beasts of the field will honor Me,
the jackals #43:20 Or serpents or dragons and the ostriches,#43:20 Literally and daughters of an ostrich or and daughters of an owl
because I provide water in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to My chosen people.
21The people I formed for Myself
will declare My praise.
Israel’s Unfaithfulness
(Judges 2:10–15; Jeremiah 2:23–37)
22But you have not called on Me, O Jacob,
because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
23You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
nor wearied you with frankincense.
24You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver,
nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened Me with your sins;
you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25I, yes I, am He
who blots out your transgressions for My own sake
and remembers your sins no more.
26Remind Me, let us argue the matter together.
State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
27Your first father sinned,
and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
28So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary,
and I will devote Jacob to destruction #43:28 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. and Israel to reproach.”
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The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.