Add parallel Print Page Options

43 But now thus saith Jehovah, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I [am] Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee; and I will give men for thee, and peoples for thy life.

Fear not, for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth,

every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory: I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them declareth this, or causeth us to hear former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, [It is] truth.

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] HE: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

11 I, I [am] Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour.

12 It is I that have declared, and have saved, and have shewed, when there was no strange [god] among you; and ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, that I [am] God.

13 Yea, since the day was, I [am] HE, and there is none that delivereth out of my hand: I will work, and who shall hinder it?

14 Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

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

16 Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,

17 who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power—they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as tow:

18 —Remember not the former things, neither consider the ancient things:

19 behold, I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth: shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the waste.

20 The beast of the field shall glorify me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I will give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the waste, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

21 This people have I formed for myself: they shall shew forth my praise.

22 —But thou hast not called upon me, Jacob; for thou hast been weary of me, O Israel:

23 thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings, neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to toil with an oblation, nor wearied thee with incense.

24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast made me to toil with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

25 —I, I [am] He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.

26 Put me in remembrance, let us plead together; rehearse thine own [cause], that thou mayest be justified.

27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy mediators have rebelled against me.

28 And I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the ban, and Israel to reproaches.

44 And now hear, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen:

thus saith Jehovah, that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who helpeth thee, Fear not, Jacob, my servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.

And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.

One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand: [I am] Jehovah's, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.

Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, and beside me there is no God.

And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the coming things, and those that shall happen, let them declare unto them.

Fear not, neither be afraid. Have I not caused thee to hear from that time, and have declared it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a +God beside me? yea, there is no Rock: I know not any.

They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know;—that they may be ashamed.

10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; and the workmen are but men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up: they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.

12 The iron-smith [hath] a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm;—but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.

13 The worker in wood stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with red chalk; he formeth it with sharp tools, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of man: that it may remain in the house.

14 When he heweth him down cedars, he taketh also a holm-oak and a terebinth—he chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth a pine, and the rain maketh [it] grow.

15 And it shall be for a man to burn, and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; he kindleth it also, and baketh bread; he maketh also a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh, he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he is warm, and saith, Aha, I am become warm, I have seen the fire.

17 And with the remainder thereof he maketh a god, his graven image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god.

18 They have no knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand.

19 And none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it], and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood?

20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art my servant; I have formed thee: thou art my servant, Israel; thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

23 Sing, ye heavens; for Jehovah hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, the forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I [am] Jehovah, the maker of all things; who alone stretched out the heavens, who did spread forth the earth by myself;

25 —he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

26 that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built up, and I will raise up their ruins;

27 that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;

28 that saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created(A) you, Jacob,
    he who formed(B) you, Israel:(C)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(D) you;
    I have summoned you by name;(E) you are mine.(F)
When you pass through the waters,(G)
    I will be with you;(H)
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,(I)
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.(J)
For I am the Lord your God,(K)
    the Holy One(L) of Israel, your Savior;(M)
I give Egypt(N) for your ransom,
    Cush[a](O) and Seba(P) in your stead.(Q)
Since you are precious and honored(R) in my sight,
    and because I love(S) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid,(T) for I am with you;(U)
    I will bring your children(V) from the east
    and gather(W) you from the west.(X)
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south,(Y) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters(Z) from the ends of the earth(AA)
everyone who is called by my name,(AB)
    whom I created(AC) for my glory,(AD)
    whom I formed and made.(AE)

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(AF)
    who have ears but are deaf.(AG)
All the nations gather together(AH)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(AI) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(AJ)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant(AK) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(AL) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(AM) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.(AN)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(AO)
    and apart from me there is no savior.(AP)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god(AQ) among you.
You are my witnesses,(AR)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13     Yes, and from ancient days(AS) I am he.(AT)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”(AU)

God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness

14 This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(AV) the Holy One(AW) of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon
    and bring down as fugitives(AX) all the Babylonians,[b](AY)
    in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord,(AZ) your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator,(BA) your King.(BB)

16 This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,(BC)
17 who drew out(BD) the chariots and horses,(BE)
    the army and reinforcements together,(BF)
and they lay(BG) there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:(BH)
18 “Forget the former things;(BI)
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!(BJ)
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness(BK)
    and streams in the wasteland.(BL)
20 The wild animals(BM) honor me,
    the jackals(BN) and the owls,
because I provide water(BO) in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21     the people I formed(BP) for myself(BQ)
    that they may proclaim my praise.(BR)

22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied(BS) yourselves for[c] me, Israel.(BT)
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,(BU)
    nor honored(BV) me with your sacrifices.(BW)
I have not burdened(BX) you with grain offerings
    nor wearied you with demands(BY) for incense.(BZ)
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus(CA) for me,
    or lavished on me the fat(CB) of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied(CC) me with your offenses.(CD)

25 “I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions,(CE) for my own sake,(CF)
    and remembers your sins(CG) no more.(CH)
26 Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;(CI)
    state the case(CJ) for your innocence.
27 Your first father(CK) sinned;
    those I sent to teach(CL) you rebelled(CM) against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
    I consigned Jacob to destruction[d](CN)
    and Israel to scorn.(CO)

Israel the Chosen

44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,(CP)
    Israel, whom I have chosen.(CQ)
This is what the Lord says—
    he who made(CR) you, who formed you in the womb,(CS)
    and who will help(CT) you:
Do not be afraid,(CU) Jacob, my servant,(CV)
    Jeshurun,[e](CW) whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water(CX) on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;(CY)
I will pour out my Spirit(CZ) on your offspring,
    and my blessing(DA) on your descendants.(DB)
They will spring up like grass(DC) in a meadow,
    like poplar trees(DD) by flowing streams.(DE)
Some will say, ‘I belong(DF) to the Lord’;
    others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand,(DG) ‘The Lord’s,’(DH)
    and will take the name Israel.

The Lord, Not Idols

“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King(DI) and Redeemer,(DJ) the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;(DK)
    apart from me there is no God.(DL)
Who then is like me?(DM) Let him proclaim it.
    Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
    and what is yet to come—
    yes, let them foretell(DN) what will come.
Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
    Did I not proclaim(DO) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(DP) besides me?
    No, there is no other Rock;(DQ) I know not one.”

All who make idols(DR) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.(DS)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(DT)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.(DU)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(DV)
    which can profit nothing?(DW)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(DX)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(DY)

12 The blacksmith(DZ) takes a tool
    and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
    he forges it with the might of his arm.(EA)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(EB)
13 The carpenter(EC) measures with a line
    and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
    and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(ED)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(EE)
14 He cut down cedars,
    or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
    or planted a pine,(EF) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(EG) for burning;
    some of it he takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(EH) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(EI) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(EJ)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(EK)
He prays(EL) to it and says,
    “Save(EM) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(EN) nothing;
    their eyes(EO) are plastered over so they cannot see,
    and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
    no one has the knowledge or understanding(EP) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(EQ)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(ER) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(ES)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(ET) a deluded(EU) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(EV)

21 “Remember(EW) these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.(EX)
I have made you, you are my servant;(EY)
    Israel, I will not forget you.(EZ)
22 I have swept away(FA) your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return(FB) to me,
    for I have redeemed(FC) you.”

23 Sing for joy,(FD) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
    shout aloud, you earth(FE) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(FF)
    you forests and all your trees,(FG)
for the Lord has redeemed(FH) Jacob,
    he displays his glory(FI) in Israel.

Jerusalem to Be Inhabited

24 “This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(FJ) who formed(FK) you in the womb:(FL)

I am the Lord,
    the Maker of all things,
    who stretches out the heavens,(FM)
    who spreads out the earth(FN) by myself,
25 who foils(FO) the signs of false prophets
    and makes fools of diviners,(FP)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(FQ)
    and turns it into nonsense,(FR)
26 who carries out the words(FS) of his servants
    and fulfills(FT) the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem,(FU) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
    of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
    and of their ruins,(FV) ‘I will restore them,’(FW)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
    and I will dry up(FX) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(FY) ‘He is my shepherd
    and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(FZ) “Let it be rebuilt,”
    and of the temple,(GA) “Let its foundations(GB) be laid.”’

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
  2. Isaiah 43:14 Or Chaldeans
  3. Isaiah 43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of
  4. Isaiah 43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  5. Isaiah 44:2 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel.