< Isaiah 43 >
1 But now this is what Yahweh says, he who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: “Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.
And now thus saith the Lord God that made thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee [by] thy name; thou art mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned, and the flames will not destroy you.
And if thou pass through water, I am with thee; and the rivers shall not overflow thee: and if thou go through fire, thou shalt not be burned; the flame shall not burn thee.
3 For I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves thee: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia thy ransom, and [given] Soene for thee.
4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, I love you; therefore I will give people in exchange for you, and other peoples in exchange for your life.
Since thou becamest precious in my sight, thou hast become glorious, and I have loved thee: and I will give men for thee, and princes for thy life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.
Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and will gather thee from the west.
6 I will say to the north, 'Hand them over;' and to the south, 'Do not hold any back;' Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,
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;
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.
[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:
8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, and the deaf, even though they have ears.
and I have brought forth the blind people; for [their] eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf.
9 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them could have declared this and announced to us earlier events? Let them bring their witnesses to prove themselves right, let them listen and affirm, 'It is true.'
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.
10 You are my witnesses,” declares Yahweh, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe in me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no god formed, and there will be none after me.
Be ye my witnesses, and I [too am] a witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am [he]: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.
11 I, I am Yahweh, and there is no savior but me.
I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour.
12 I have declared, saved, and proclaimed, and there is no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares Yahweh, “I am God.
I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange [god] among you: ye are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God,
13 From this day on I am he, and no one can rescue anyone from my hand. I act, and who can turn it back?”
even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back?
14 This is what Yahweh says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and lead them all down as fugitives, turning the Babylonians' expressions of joy into songs of lamentation.
Thus saith 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.
15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”
I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king.
16 This is what Yahweh says (who opened a way through the sea and a path in the mighty waters,
Thus saith the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;
17 who led out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty host. They fell down together; they will never rise again; they are extinguished, quenched like a burning wick.)
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.
18 “Do not think about these former things, nor consider the things of long ago.
Remember ye not the former things, and consider not the ancient things.
19 Look, I am about to do a new thing; now it begins to happen; do you not perceive it? I will make a road in the desert and streams of water in the wilderness.
Behold, I [will] do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and ye shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land.
20 The wild animals of the field will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give water in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, for my chosen people to drink,
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,
21 this people whom I formed for myself, that they might recount my praises.
my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises.
22 But you have not called on me, Jacob; you have become tired of me, Israel.
I have not now called thee, O Jacob; neither have I made thee weary, O Israel.
23 You have not brought me any of your sheep as burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings, nor wearied you with demands for incense.
Thou hast not brought me the sheep of thy whole-burnt-offering; neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied thee with frankincense.
24 You have bought me no sweet-smelling cane with money, neither have you poured out to me the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened me with your sins, you have wearied me with your evil deeds.
Neither hast thou purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou didst stand before me in thy sins, and in thine iniquities.
25 I, yes, I, am he who blots out your offenses for my own sake; and I will not call to mind your sins any longer.
I, [even] I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and thy sins; and I will not remember [them].
26 Remind me of what happened. Let us debate together; present your cause, that you may be proved innocent.
But do thou remember, and let us plead [together]: do thou first confess thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified.
27 Your first father sinned, and your leaders have transgressed against me.
Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me.
28 Therefore I will defile the holy officials; I will hand Jacob over to complete destruction, and Israel to abusive humiliation.”
And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob [to enemies] to destroy, and Israel to reproach.