Isaiah 43

1  BUT NOW [in spite of past judgments for Israel’s sins], thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you [ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives]; I have called you by your name; you are 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 or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.3  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt [to the Babylonians] for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba [a province of Ethiopia] in exchange [for your release].4  Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and because I love you, I will give men in return for you and peoples in exchange for your life.5  Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east [where they are dispersed] and gather you from the west. 6  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 ends of the earth--7  Even everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made.8  Bring forth the blind people who have eyes and the deaf who have ears.9  Let all the nations be gathered together and let the peoples be assembled. Who among [the idolaters] could predict this [that Cyrus would be the deliverer of Israel] and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear and acknowledge, It is the truth. 10  You are My witnesses, says the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know Me, believe Me and remain steadfast to Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me.11  I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.12  I have declared [the future] and have saved [the nation in times of danger], and I have shown [that I am God]--when there was no strange and alien god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God.13  Yes, from the time of the first existence of day and from this day forth I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand. I will work, and who can hinder or reverse it?14  Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent [one] to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, [with] all their nobles, even the Chaldeans, into the ships over which they rejoiced.15  I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.16  Thus says the Lord, Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters,17  Who brings forth chariot and horse, army and mighty warrior. They lie down together, they cannot rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a lampwick:18  Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.19  Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.20  The beasts of the field honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen, 21  The people I formed for Myself, that they may set forth My praise [and they shall do it].22  Yet you have not called upon Me [much less toiled for Me], O Jacob; but you have been weary of Me, O Israel!23  You have not brought Me your sheep and goats for burnt offerings, or honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not required you to serve with an offering or treated you as a slave by demanding tribute or wearied you with offering incense.24  You have not bought Me sweet cane with money, or satiated Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have only burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.25  I, even I, am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.26  Put Me in remembrance [remind Me of your merits]; let us plead and argue together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified (proved right).27  Your first father [Jacob, in particular] sinned, and your teachers [the priests and the prophets--your mediators] transgressed against Me.28  And so I will profane the chief ones of the sanctuary and will deliver Jacob to the curse (the ban, a solemn anathema or excommunication) and [will subject] Israel to reproaches and reviling.

Isaiah 43

Chapter 43

The Savior of Israel

1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;
I gave Ethiopiat and Seba in your place.4 Others were given in exchange for you.
I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
You are honored, and I love you.5 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
I will gather you and your children from east and west.6 I will say to the north and south,
‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel
from the distant corners of the earth.7 Bring all who claim me as their God,
for I have made them for my glory.
It was I who created them.’”8 Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.9 Gather the nations together!
Assemble the peoples of the world!
Which of their idols has ever foretold such things?
Which can predict what will happen tomorrow?
Where are the witnesses of such predictions?
Who can verify that they spoke the truth?10 “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the LORD.
“You are my servant.
You have been chosen to know me, believe in me,
and understand that I alone am God.
There is no other God—
there never has been, and there never will be.11 I, yes I, am the LORD,
and there is no other Savior.12 First I predicted your rescue,
then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.
No foreign god has ever done this.
You are witnesses that I am the only God,”
says the LORD.13 “From eternity to eternity I am God.
No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
No one can undo what I have done.”

The LORD’s Promise of Victory

14 This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon,
forcing the Babylonianst to flee in those ships they are so proud of.15 I am the LORD, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator and King.16 I am the LORD, who opened a way through the waters,
making a dry path through the sea.17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt
with all its chariots and horses.
I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned,
their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.18 “But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.19 For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.20 The wild animals in the fields will thank me,
the jackals and owls, too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
so my chosen people can be refreshed.21 I have made Israel for myself,
and they will someday honor me before the whole world.22 “But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help.
You have grown tired of me, O Israel!23 You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings.
You have not honored me with sacrifices,
though I have not burdened and wearied you
with requests for grain offerings and frankincense.24 You have not brought me fragrant calamus
or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices.
Instead, you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your faults.25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.26 Let us review the situation together,
and you can present your case to prove your innocence.27 From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me;
all your leaders broke my laws.28 That is why I have disgraced your priests;
I have decreed complete destructiont for Jacob
and shame for Israel.