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 the LORD who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

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 burned; the flame shall not burn you.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burnt, and flame will not scorch you.

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 your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

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 you have been precious and honoured in my sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

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

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.

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 tell the north, ‘Give them up!’ and tell the south, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far away, 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:

everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, 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 out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who 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 peoples be assembled. Who amongst them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, “That is true.”

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.

“You are my witnesses,” says the LORD, “With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me.

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

I myself am the LORD. Besides me, there is no saviour.

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

I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown, and there was no strange god amongst you. Therefore you are my witnesses”, says 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?

Yes, since the day was, I am he. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who 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.

The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Kasdim, in the ships of their rejoicing.

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

I am the LORD, your 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;

The LORD, who makes 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 brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick) says:

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

“Don’t remember the former things, and don’t consider the things of old.

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. It springs out now. Don’t you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

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 animals of the field, the jackals and the ostriches, shall honour me, because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

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

the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.

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

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, 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.

You have not brought me any of your sheep for burnt offerings, neither have you honoured me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you 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.

You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices, but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your 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, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

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. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

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

Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.

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

Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult.”