Isaiah 43 meaning explained in AI Summary
Isaiah 43 is a powerful chapter focused on the themes of comfort, redemption, and the uniqueness of Israel as God's chosen people. Here's a summary:
1. God's Comfort and Protection (Verses 1-7):
- God addresses Israel, reminding them that He created them and has redeemed them.
- He assures them that He is with them, even through trials like fire and flood.
- He calls them precious and promises to gather them from the ends of the earth.
2. Israel as God's Witness (Verses 8-13):
- God challenges the nations to present their gods and their case against Him.
- He emphasizes that He alone is God, the one who declared the future and made it happen.
- He calls Israel as His witnesses, chosen to know and understand that He is the only true God.
3. A New Exodus and a New Beginning (Verses 14-21):
- God promises a new exodus, delivering His people from Babylon as He did from Egypt.
- He will make a way in the wilderness and provide water in the desert.
- This act will demonstrate His power and glory to the nations.
- He calls for Israel to forget the past and focus on the new thing He is doing.
4. Israel's Unfaithfulness and God's Forgiveness (Verses 22-28):
- God confronts Israel's unfaithfulness, highlighting their lack of sacrifice and obedience.
- Despite their rebellion, He offers forgiveness and promises not to remember their sins.
Overall Message:
Isaiah 43 is a message of hope and restoration for a struggling Israel. It emphasizes God's unwavering love, His power to save, and His desire for a renewed relationship with His people. Even in the face of their unfaithfulness, He offers forgiveness and a fresh start. The chapter also highlights Israel's unique role as God's chosen people, called to be witnesses to His power and glory.
Isaiah 43 bible study ai commentary
Isaiah 43 powerfully declares God's exclusive identity as the Creator, Redeemer, and sole Savior. Addressing a discouraged and exiled Israel, God provides profound reassurance based not on their performance but on His unchanging character and sovereign power. He contrasts His ability to predict and save with the impotence of pagan idols, using Israel's own history as evidence. The chapter climaxes with the promise of a "new thing"—a future act of redemption so great it will eclipse the legendary Exodus, rooted entirely in God's grace that blots out sin for His own sake.
Isaiah 43 Context
This chapter is part of "Second Isaiah" (chs. 40-55), written to the Judeans during their 6th-century BC exile in Babylon. The people felt forgotten by God and were surrounded by the imposing religion of Babylon, whose god Marduk was credited with creating the world and ordering society. Isaiah's message is a direct polemic against this worldview, reasserting Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over history, creation, and all nations. The language is intimate and judicial, designed to restore Israel's identity and hope by reminding them of who their God truly is.
Isaiah 43:1
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.”
In-depth-analysis
- "But now": A sharp, comforting contrast to the judgment described at the end of chapter 42. It signals a turn from wrath to grace.
- Created (
bara
) / Formed (yatsar
): These are verbs of divine, sovereign creation.Bara
(used in Gen 1:1) emphasizes creation from nothing, whileyatsar
(the potter's word) implies intimate, hands-on shaping. God is both their ultimate Originator and their personal Designer. - Redeemed (
ga'al
): This is the crucial term for a kinsman-redeemer, a relative with the duty to buy back family members or land from debt or slavery. God declares His family relationship and obligation to Israel. - Called you by your name: In the ancient world, to know and call someone's name was to have authority and intimacy with them. It is the opposite of being a nameless, faceless slave in Babylon.
- You are mine: The ultimate statement of ownership, affection, and covenant relationship. Israel's identity is not defined by their exile but by their divine owner.
Bible references
- Exodus 15:13: "You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed (
ga'al
)..." (God as Redeemer in the first Exodus). - John 10:3, 14: "...he calls his own sheep by name... I know my own and my own know me." (Jesus as the Shepherd who knows His own).
- 2 Timothy 2:19: "...‘The Lord knows those who are his...’" (Divine election and security).
- Ephesians 1:4-5: "...he chose us in him before the foundation of the world...he predestined us for adoption to himself..." (Pre-ordained divine calling).
Cross references
Jer 1:5 (formed in womb), Psa 139:13-16 (fearfully made), Isa 44:2 (formed you), John 15:16 (you did not choose me), 1 Cor 6:20 (bought with a price), Gal 4:4-5 (redemption and adoption).
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
In-depth-analysis
- "When you pass," not "if": Trials are a guaranteed part of the journey. The promise is not immunity from trials but God's presence in trials.
- Waters/Rivers: Symbolize chaos, overwhelming trouble, and death, directly recalling the Red Sea and Jordan River crossings.
- Fire/Flame: Represents purification, judgment, and intense suffering. This would resonate powerfully with the exiles whose nation had been "burned" by judgment.
- I will be with you: The core promise echoing God's covenantal presence with patriarchs and leaders (Gen 26:24; Ex 3:12; Josh 1:5) and fulfilled ultimately in Immanuel, "God with us" (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23).
Bible references
- Psalm 66:12: "...we went through fire and through water; yet you brought us out to a place of abundance." (Direct parallel of trial imagery).
- Daniel 3:25, 27: "...I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire... and the fire had not had any power over the bodies..." (A literal manifestation of this promise for Daniel's friends).
- Matthew 28:20: "...behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Jesus' final promise to His church).
Cross references
Psa 23:4 (walk through the valley), Psa 91:3-7 (protection from plagues), Zech 13:9 (refining by fire), 1 Pet 4:12-13 (fiery trial), Heb 13:5 (never leave you).
Isaiah 43:3-4
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.
In-depth-analysis
- Titles: God piles up His covenant titles: LORD (
Yahweh
), your God (Eloheikha
), the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. This establishes the foundation for His promises. - Savior (
Moshia
): God explicitly claims the role of Savior, a title central to this section of Isaiah. - Ransom/Exchange: This is debated. It could be a historical reference to God allowing the Persian king Cyrus to conquer these wealthy southern lands (Egypt, Cush, Seba) as a "payment" for releasing Israel. Theologically, it establishes a key principle: God is willing to pay an extravagant price to redeem His people.
- Precious...honored...I love you: An astonishing declaration of divine affection, a stark contrast to how the exiles must have felt. Their value is not intrinsic but is assigned to them by God's sovereign love. This love is the reason for their redemption.
Bible references
- Hosea 11:1: "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." (God's foundational love for Israel).
- Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man came... to give his life as a ransom for many." (Christ as the ultimate ransom, paying with His life).
- 1 John 4:10: "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (God's love is the initiative).
Cross references
Deut 7:7-8 (loved because he loved), Prov 21:18 (wicked are a ransom), Isa 63:9 (his love and pity), Jer 31:3 (everlasting love), John 3:16 (for God so loved), Rom 5:8 (while we were sinners).
Isaiah 43:5-7
Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.
In-depth-analysis
- Global Gathering: The promise expands from Babylon to a worldwide ingathering from all four cardinal directions. This points beyond the historical return to a future, eschatological restoration.
- My sons...my daughters: Deeply personal, familial language. Israel is God's own family, scattered but not disowned.
- Created for my glory: This is the ultimate purpose of Israel's existence and, by extension, humanity's. They were created to reflect and display the character (
kabod
, glory) of God. Their redemption serves this purpose.
Bible references
- Deuteronomy 30:3-4: "Then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes... If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you..." (An earlier promise of regathering).
- John 11:51-52: "...he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." (Caiaphas' prophecy pointing to Christ's work of gathering).
- Ephesians 1:11-12: "...so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory." (The Church's purpose is to praise God's glory).
Cross references
Psa 107:2-3 (gathering redeemed), Jer 29:14 (gather from all nations), Ezek 37:21 (gather from all around), Matt 24:31 (gather elect), Rev 5:9 (ransomed from every nation).
Isaiah 43:8-13
Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together... Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right... “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen... that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior...you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”
In-depth-analysis
- The Courtroom Scene: This section is a legal dispute. God puts the pagan gods and nations on trial.
- Blind/Deaf People: This is Israel. Despite their spiritual dullness (Isa 6:9-10), God brings them forward as His key exhibit and witness. Their entire history, including their deliverance, is the evidence.
- The Challenge: God dares the idols to produce witnesses who can testify that they predicted and brought about historical events. Their silence proves their non-existence.
- "I am he" (
ani hu
): A powerful and compact declaration of self-existence, deity, and uniqueness. It echoesehyeh asher ehyeh
("I AM WHO I AM") from Ex 3:14 and is the same phrase Jesus uses in the Gospel of John (e.g., John 8:58) to claim divinity. - The Verdict: Only Yahweh is God and Savior. He alone declares, acts, and saves. His work is irreversible.
Polemics
This is a direct, systematic dismantling of the claims of Babylonian gods like Marduk. The Babylonians believed their gods controlled destiny and had won a cosmic battle. Isaiah presents Yahweh as the one true God who publicly calls the "divine assembly" to court and finds them all fraudulent. Yahweh’s proof is prophecy fulfilled; the idols can offer nothing.
Bible references
- Isaiah 41:21-23: "Set forth your case... Tell us what is to come... that we may know that you are gods." (An earlier iteration of the same divine challenge).
- John 8:58: "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" (Jesus' use of
ego eimi
, the Greek forani hu
, claiming timeless divinity). - Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..." (The mission of the church is a continuation of Israel's role as witnesses).
Cross references
Deut 4:35 (Lord is God; no other), Psa 115:4-8 (impotent idols), Isa 42:9 (new things I declare), Isa 44:6-8 (first and last, no other God), Hos 13:4 (no savior but me).
Isaiah 43:14-17
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoiced. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.
In-depth-analysis
- Redeemer (
go'el
): God again claims the title of kinsman-redeemer, stating that for Israel's sake, he will act. - Downfall of Babylon: God predicts the destruction of the seemingly invincible Babylonian empire, even turning their sources of pride (joyful ships on the canals) into avenues of escape.
- Your King: This title directly refutes the claims of the Babylonian king and declares that Israel's true monarch is Yahweh.
- Evoking the Exodus: Verses 16-17 use precise, unmistakable language from the Exodus narrative (Ex 14-15)—making a path in the sea, destroying the enemy's entire army. God grounds His promise of future action in His greatest past act of salvation.
Bible references
- Exodus 14:27-28: "...the Egyptians fled into it, and the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen..." (The event being directly referenced).
- Jeremiah 51:1-2, 11: "Behold, I am stirring up against Babylon... and they shall empty her land... for the LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it." (Prophecy of Babylon's fall).
Cross references
Psa 74:13 (divided sea), Psa 77:19 (way through the sea), Rev 18:2 (Fallen, fallen is Babylon).
Isaiah 43:18-21
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”
In-depth-analysis
- "Remember not...": A shocking command. God tells them to stop dwelling even on the great Exodus, which He just mentioned. The future act will be so great as to supersede the past.
- "A new thing": This is a key theological concept in Isaiah. It points to the return from exile, but ultimately to the work of Christ and the new covenant.
- The New Exodus: The imagery is a creative reversal of the first Exodus.
- Then: A way through the sea (a place of chaos). Now: A way through the wilderness (a place of chaos).
- Then: Water for people from a rock. Now: Rivers for wild animals, indicating a cosmic-level renewal. This is re-creation.
- Purpose: The end goal of this new creation/salvation is the same: to create a people who will "declare my praise."
Bible references
- Jeremiah 31:31-32: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant... Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.” (The "new thing" defined as a New Covenant).
- 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (The new creation is a person's transformation in Christ).
- Revelation 21:5: "And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" (The ultimate fulfillment in the new heavens and earth).
Cross references
Isa 48:6 (new things), Isa 65:17 (new heavens and earth), Jer 23:7-8 (no longer talk of Egypt Exodus).
Isaiah 43:22-24
“Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices... you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.”
In-depth-analysis
- Shift in Tone: The second half of the courtroom drama. God now turns the accusation on Israel.
- Weary of God: While they performed rituals, their heart was not in it. Their worship was a chore, not a delight.
- Burdened me with your sins: The paradox is profound. God, who does not grow weary (Isa 40:28), describes Himself as being "wearied" and "burdened" by the sheer weight of Israel's loveless, mechanical religion and moral failure. It conveys the relational offense of sin.
Bible references
- Amos 5:21-22: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings... I will not accept them." (God's rejection of heartless ritual).
- Malachi 1:13: "But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts." (Israel viewing God's service as a burden).
Cross references
Isa 1:11-14 (full of offerings I do not want), Hos 6:6 (desire steadfast love not sacrifice), Mic 6:6-8 (what does the Lord require).
Isaiah 43:25
“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
In-depth-analysis
- The Gospel Climax: After establishing Israel's guilt (v.22-24) and unworthiness, God reveals the sole basis for their salvation: Himself.
- "I, even I, am he": The emphatic
Anokhi anokhi hu
highlights that this action is uniquely and solely God's. No one else can or will do it. - Blots out: A verb used for erasing writing. It means to completely wipe away the record of debt.
- For my own sake: This is the most crucial phrase. God does not forgive Israel because they deserve it, or will get better. He does it to vindicate His own name, to be true to His covenant character, and to accomplish His purpose of having a people who declare His glory. It is pure, unconditional grace.
- Will not remember: A covenantal term meaning He will never again hold their sins against them in judgment.
Bible references
- Psalm 51:1, 9: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love... blot out all my iniquities... hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities." (David's plea for what God here promises to do).
- Hebrews 8:12: "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (The promise of Isa 43:25 quoted as a central feature of the New Covenant).
- Colossians 2:14: "[He has] canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." (The NT explanation of how God "blotted out" our transgressions).
Cross references
Jer 31:34 (remember their sin no more), Mic 7:18-19 (who is a God like you?), Ezek 36:22 (not for your sake, but for my name's sake).
Isaiah 43:26-28
“Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to utter destruction, and Israel to reviling.”
In-depth-analysis
- Final Court Summons: God ironically challenges Israel to present a defense, to prove any merit on their part.
- "Let us argue together": A rhetorical challenge, as God knows they have no case.
- Your first father: This could refer to Jacob, or more likely Adam, establishing that sinfulness has been endemic from the very beginning.
- Mediators transgressed: The priests, prophets, and kings—the very ones meant to bridge the gap between God and the people—were themselves sinners.
- Therefore...: The exile and destruction were the just consequences of this deep, pervasive sin. This verse justifies God's past judgment before He moves on in chapter 44 with promises of future restoration. It removes any basis for self-righteousness.
Bible references
- Romans 3:23: "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Universal sinfulness, from the "first father" onward).
- Hosea 12:2: "The LORD has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways..." (The concept of God bringing a legal case against Israel).
Cross references
Gen 3 (Adam's sin), Jer 2:29 (why argue with me?), Rom 5:12 (sin entered through one man).
Isaiah chapter 43 analysis
- The "I AM" God: The chapter is structured around a series of profound "I am" statements: "I am the LORD your God" (v. 3), "I am with you" (v. 5), "I am He" (v. 10, 13), "I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior" (v. 11), "I am the LORD, your Holy One... your King" (v. 15), and the climactic "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions" (v. 25). This divine self-revelation forms the bedrock of all the promises. Jesus' use of "I AM" (
ego eimi
) in the Gospel of John is a direct claim to be the God of Isaiah 43. - From Physical to Spiritual Exodus: The chapter masterfully uses the memory of the physical Exodus from Egypt as a template for a future, greater spiritual redemption. The call to "Remember not the former things" signifies that the work of Jesus Christ—the "new thing"—provides a New Covenant salvation so profound that it becomes the new reference point for understanding God's saving power.
- Grace Founded on Guilt: Isaiah doesn't offer cheap grace. He meticulously establishes Israel's guilt (blindness, deafness, empty ritual, wearying God with sin) before announcing the radical nature of forgiveness. Salvation is not a reward for the penitent but a free gift from God "for His own sake" to the guilty, which is the heart of the gospel.
Isaiah 43 summary
God commands his exiled people not to fear, identifying Himself as their Creator, Redeemer, and covenant-keeper who will be present in every trial. In a cosmic courtroom scene, He declares His unique status as the only God and Savior, challenging the mute idols of Babylon to prove otherwise. He promises a "new thing," a miraculous act of restoration that will eclipse even the great Exodus, and then reveals the ultimate basis for this hope: His own character. He will blot out Israel's proven and pervasive sin not because they deserve it, but purely for His own name's sake.
Isaiah 43 AI Image Audio and Video
Isaiah chapter 43 kjv
- 1 But now thus saith 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; thou art mine.
- 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
- 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
- 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
- 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
- 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
- 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
- 8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
- 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
- 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe 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 beside me there is no saviour.
- 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
- 13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
- 14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
- 15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
- 16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
- 17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
- 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
- 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
- 20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
- 21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
- 22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
- 23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
- 24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
- 25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
- 26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
- 27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
- 28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.
Isaiah chapter 43 nkjv
- 1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 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 shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
- 3 For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
- 4 Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life.
- 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;
- 6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth?
- 7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."
- 8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, And the deaf who have ears.
- 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, And let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, And show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; Or let them hear and say, "It is truth."
- 10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And 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, Nor shall there be after Me.
- 11 I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior.
- 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses," Says the LORD, "that I am God.
- 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
- 14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives? The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
- 15 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 through the mighty waters,
- 17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
- 18 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
- 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
- 20 The beast of the field will 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 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
- 22 "But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; And you have been weary of Me, O Israel.
- 23 You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings, Nor wearied you with incense.
- 24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, Nor have you satisfied 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 who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
- 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.
- 27 Your first father sinned, And your mediators have transgressed against Me.
- 28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; I will give Jacob to the curse, And Israel to reproaches.
Isaiah chapter 43 niv
- 1 But now, this is what the LORD says? he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
- 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
- 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
- 4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
- 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
- 6 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?
- 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
- 8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.
- 9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, "It is true."
- 10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
- 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
- 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed? I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.
- 13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"
- 14 This is what the LORD says? your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took pride.
- 15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."
- 16 This is what the LORD says? he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
- 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
- 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
- 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
- 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
- 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
- 22 "Yet you have not called on me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.
- 23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense.
- 24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.
- 25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
- 26 Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.
- 27 Your first father sinned; those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
- 28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple; I consigned Jacob to destruction and Israel to scorn.
Isaiah chapter 43 esv
- 1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
- 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
- 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
- 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.
- 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.
- 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth,
- 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
- 8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!
- 9 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.
- 10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
- 11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.
- 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God.
- 13 Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"
- 14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
- 15 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, a path in the mighty waters,
- 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
- 18 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
- 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
- 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
- 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
- 22 "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
- 23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.
- 24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
- 25 "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
- 26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
- 27 Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me.
- 28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
Isaiah chapter 43 nlt
- 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 Ethiopia 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." - 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 Babylonians 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 destruction for Jacob
and shame for Israel.
- Bible Book of Isaiah
- 1 The Wickedness of Judah
- 2 The Mountain of the Lord
- 3 Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem
- 4 The Branch of the Lord Glorified
- 5 The Vineyard of the Lord Destroyed
- 6 Isaiah's Vision of the Lord
- 7 Isaiah Sent to King Ahaz
- 8 The Coming Assyrian Invasion
- 9 For to Us a Child Is Born
- 10 Judgment on Arrogant Assyria
- 11 The Righteous Reign of the Branch
- 12 The Lord Is My Strength and My Song
- 13 The Judgment of Babylon
- 14 The Restoration of Jacob
- 15 An Oracle Concerning Moab
- 16 Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the
- 17 An Oracle Concerning Damascus
- 18 An Oracle Concerning Cush
- 19 An Oracle Concerning Egypt
- 20 A Sign Against Egypt and Cush
- 21 Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon
- 22 An Oracle Concerning Jerusalem
- 23 An Oracle Concerning Tyre and Sidon
- 24 Judgment on the Whole Earth
- 25 God Will Swallow Up Death Forever
- 26 You Keep Him in Perfect Peace
- 27 The Redemption of Israel
- 28 Judgment on Ephraim and Jerusalem
- 29 The Siege of Jerusalem
- 30 Do Not Go Down to Egypt
- 31 Woe to Those Who Go Down to Egypt
- 32 A King Will Reign in Righteousness
- 33 O Lord, Be Gracious to Us
- 34 Judgment on the Nations
- 35 The Ransomed Shall Return
- 36 Sennacherib Invades Judah
- 37 Hezekiah Seeks Isaiah's Help
- 38 Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery
- 39 Envoys from Babylon
- 40 Comfort for God's People
- 41 Fear Not, for I Am with You
- 42 The Lord's Chosen Servant
- 43 Israel's Only Savior
- 44 Israel the Lord's Chosen
- 45 The great king Cyrus
- 46 The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
- 47 The Humiliation of Babylon
- 48 Israel Refined for God's Glory
- 49 The Servant of the Lord
- 50 Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience
- 51 The Lord's Comfort for Zion
- 52 The Lord's Coming Salvation
- 53 Who has believed our report
- 54 The Eternal Covenant of Peace
- 55 The Compassion of the Lord
- 56 Salvation for Foreigners
- 57 Israel's Futile Idolatry
- 58 True and False Fasting
- 59 Evil and Oppression
- 60 Arise Shine for your light has come
- 61 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
- 62 Zion's Coming Salvation
- 63 The Lord's Day of Vengeance
- 64 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might
- 65 Judgment and Salvation
- 66 The Humble and Contrite in Spirit