Esias 43

1 And now thus says the Lord God that made you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you [by] your name; you are mine.

But now thus hath said the Lord 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; mine art thou.

2 And if you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you: and if you go through fire, you shall not be burnt; the flame shall not burn you.

Whenever thou passest through the waters, I am with thee; and through the rivers, —they shall not overflow thee: whenever thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be scorched; neither shall the flame burn on thee.

3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves you: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia your ransom, and [given] Soene for you.

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt for thy ransom, Cush and Seba in place of thee.

4 Since you became precious in my sight, you have become glorious, and I have loved you: and I will give men for you, and princes for your life.

Since thou art precious in my eyes, art honorable, and I indeed do love thee: therefore will I give men in place of thee, and nations instead of thy soul.

5 Fear not; for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and will gather you from the west.

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

6 I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

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

7 [even] all who are called by my name: for I have prepared him for my glory, and I have formed him, and have made him:

Every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory; whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.

8 and I have brought forth the blind people; for [their] eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf.

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

9 All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can announce this? and cause 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 Be you my witnesses, and I [too am] a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe, and understand that I am [he]: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: in order that ye may know and believe me, and understand, that I am he; before me there was no god formed, and after me there will be none.

11 I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour.

I, I am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

12 I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange [god] amongst you: you are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God,

I myself have announced it, and I have saved, and I have let it be heard, and there was no strange [god] among you; and ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.

13 even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back?

Yea, from the [first] day am I he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: if I will work, is there one that can hinder it?

14 Thus says the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.

Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake did I send to Babylon, and in swift vessels brought I them all down, and the Chaldeans, in the ships of their joyful song.

15 I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king.

I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;

Thus hath said the Lord, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 who brought forth chariots and horse, and a mighty multitude: but they have lain down, and shall not rise: they are extinct, as quenched flax.

Who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power: together shall they lie down, they shall not rise up again; they are extinct, like a wick are they quenched.

18 Remember you not the former things, and consider not the ancient things.

Remember not the former things, and ancient events regard no more.

19 Behold, I [will] do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and you shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; will ye not acknowledge it? I will even make in the wilderness a way, and in the desert rivers.

20 the beasts of the field shall bless me, the owls and young ostriches; for I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to my chosen race,

The beasts of the field shall honor me, the monsters and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my elect;

21 my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises.

This people which I have formed for myself; my praise shall they relate.

22 I have not now called you, O Jacob; neither have I made you weary, O Israel.

But on me hast thou not called, O Jacob; for thou art become weary of me, O Israel.

23 You have not brought me the sheep of your whole burnt offering; neither have you glorified me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied you with frankincense.

Thou hast not brought unto me the lamb of thy burnt-offerings; and with thy sacrifices hast thou not honored me: I have not troubled thee with meat-offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

24 Neither have you purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of your sacrifices: but you did stand before me in your sins, and in your iniquities.

Thou hast not bought for me sweet cane, and with the fat of thy sacrifices hast thou not satisfied me; but thou hast troubled me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.

25 I, [even] I, am he that blots out your transgressions for mine own sake, and your sins; and I will not remember [them].

I, it is I that blot out thy transgressions for my own sake, and thy sins I will not remember.

26 But do you remember, and let us plead [together]: do you first confess your transgressions, that you may be justified.

Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: relate thou, in order that thou mayest be justified.

27 Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me.

Thy first father did sin, and they that plead for thee transgressed against me.

28 And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob [to enemies] to destroy, and Israel to reproach.

Therefore do I profane the holy princes, and I give up Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.