The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 43 -

Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush

(a)

and Seba in your place.

Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you and nations in place of your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”

Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind, and who have ears but are deaf.

All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.

I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.

I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.

Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

A Way in the Wilderness

Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake, I will send to Babylon and bring them all as fugitives, even the Chaldeans,(b) in the ships in which they rejoice.

I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King.”

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,

who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.

Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals

(c)

and the ostriches,(d) because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.

The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Jeremiah 2:23–37)

But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.

You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.

I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.

Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.

Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.

So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction

(e)

and Israel to reproach.”

Footnotes

(a)43:3 That is, the upper Nile region

(b)43:14 That is, the Babylonians

(d)43:20 Literally and daughters of an ostrich or and daughters of an owl

(e)43:28 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.

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.

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 burned, and flame will not scorch you.

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

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

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

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—

everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’”

Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among 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.”

“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.

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

I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown, and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses”, says the LORD, “and I am God.

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?”

A Way in the Wilderness

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 Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

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

The LORD, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,

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:

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

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.

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

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

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Judges 2:10–15; Jeremiah 2:23–37)

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

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

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.

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

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

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