Isaiah 43 14

Isaiah 43:14 kjv

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.

Isaiah 43:14 nkjv

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.

Isaiah 43:14 niv

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.

Isaiah 43:14 esv

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.

Isaiah 43:14 nlt

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.

Isaiah 43 verses

Isaiah 43 14 Meaning

This verse declares God's authoritative word, identifying Him as Israel's Redeemer and Holy One. It pronounces His active intervention in history for the benefit of His people: He will send an invading force to Babylon, causing the mighty Chaldeans, once proud of their mercantile ships, to be overthrown and flee in those very vessels which were once symbols of their exultation and power. The pronouncement signifies divine judgment upon an oppressive empire and the sovereign restoration of Israel.

Isaiah 43 14 Context

Isaiah 43:14 is situated within the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), a section largely addressed to Israel in the context of their Babylonian exile. These chapters provide hope, assurance, and prophecy concerning Israel's future restoration, emphasizing God's incomparable sovereignty over all nations and His steadfast love for His covenant people. Chapters 40-48 particularly focus on God's power as the Creator and orchestrator of history, contrasting Him with the impotent idols of the pagan nations.

Verse 14 follows declarations of God's uniqueness and His past and future acts for Israel's deliverance (vv. 9-13). It directly promises Babylon's downfall as an act initiated and executed by God for Israel's sake. The historical context is the pending or ongoing Babylonian captivity (586-539 BC). The specific mention of "Chaldeans" refers to the ruling elite of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This prophecy serves as a polemic against the perceived invincibility of Babylon and its patron gods, highlighting that Yahweh, the God of Israel, not only allowed their ascendancy as an instrument of judgment against Judah but also decrees and executes their inevitable downfall. The promise of their flight in ships also implicitly challenges Babylon's pride in its mercantile power, connected to the rivers Euphrates and Tigris which were crucial for trade and navigation.

Isaiah 43 14 Word analysis

• Thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar Yahweh): This is a standard prophetic formula signifying an authoritative, divine declaration. It underscores that the following pronouncement is not human opinion but a direct message from the covenant God, Yahweh, emphasizing His veracity and absolute power.
• your Redeemer (גֹאֲלֶכֶם - go'alekhem): From the Hebrew root ga'al, meaning to redeem, ransom, or act as a kinsman-redeemer. This term highlights God's role as Israel's closest kinsman, obligated by covenant to restore them from bondage, avenge them, and recover their inheritance. It implies a deeply personal and faithful relationship, where God acts to liberate and protect His own.
• the Holy One of Israel (קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל - qedosh Yisra'el): This title emphasizes God's transcendent otherness, moral purity, and unique holiness, which sets Him apart from all other beings and gods. It is a recurring identifier for God in Isaiah, underscoring His distinct character and unwavering commitment to His covenant, making His actions both just and certain.
• For your sake (לְמַעַנְכֶם - lema'ankhem): This phrase unequivocally states the divine motivation for judging Babylon: it is because of or for the benefit of Israel. God's actions in world history are intricately linked to His purposes for His covenant people. It reinforces God's protective love and faithfulness to His chosen nation.
• I send to Babylon (שָׁלַחְתִּי בָבֶלָה - shalakhti Bavelah): The use of the Hebrew perfect tense (shalakhti) can imply a past, present, or imminent future action, reflecting God's certainty and sovereign control. God is the active agent initiating Babylon's judgment, even if human instruments (like Cyrus, foretold in later chapters) are employed. It asserts His command over historical events.
• and bring all of them down (וְהוֹרַדְתִּי כֻלָּם - v'horadeti kullam): This implies humiliation, demotion, and subjugation. God directly causes their descent from power.
• as fugitives (בָּרִיחִים - barichim): From the root barach, meaning to flee, escape. This depicts the defeated Chaldeans as in desperate, undignified flight, reversing their former status as conquerors. It symbolizes total defeat and the loss of any semblance of power or glory.
• even the Chaldeans (וְכַשְׂדִּים - v'Kashdim): A specific term referring to the ethnic group from which the ruling dynasty of the Neo-Babylonian Empire originated. Its inclusion makes the target of judgment precise, leaving no doubt about whom God will humble.
• in the ships in which they exult (בָּאֳנִיּוֹת רִנָּתָם - ba'oniyyot rinnatam): This is a powerfully ironic image. Oniyyot are ships, significant for Babylon's extensive trade network facilitated by the Euphrates. Rinnatam (from rinnah) means their shouting, joyful cry, or exultation. The very instruments of their economic prosperity, power, and boastful pride—their commercial vessels—will become the desperate means of their inglorious flight or imprisonment. It represents the complete reversal of their fortunes and a polemic against their reliance on earthly power.

Isaiah 43 14 Bonus section

The concept of Go'el (Redeemer) carries significant legal and social weight in ancient Israel. A go'el was often a close male relative whose responsibilities included: redeeming property (Lev 25:25), avenging blood (Num 35:19), or buying back a kinsman from slavery (Lev 25:48-49). By applying this title to Himself, God positions Himself not just as a powerful deity, but as Israel's most intimate and committed Kinsman, personally bound to deliver them from their captors and restore their freedom and heritage. This deepens the theological impact of His promise to overthrow Babylon.

The imagery of "ships" (in which they exult) being used for flight or capture further draws on the deep connections between Babylon and its riverine commerce. The city's immense wealth was partly due to its position on the Euphrates, making it a hub for trade, with its ships symbolizing this prosperity and its proud, self-sufficient empire. The reversal prophesied by Isaiah thus directly strikes at the heart of Babylon's identity and boasts, demonstrating God's complete dominion over all earthly power and pride. This serves as a powerful reminder that relying on material possessions or worldly might for security and happiness ultimately leads to spiritual emptiness and potential destruction.

Isaiah 43 14 Commentary

Isaiah 43:14 is a profound declaration of God's redemptive purpose and sovereign power. Identifying Himself as Israel's Redeemer and Holy One, God directly confronts the formidable might of Babylon, promising its downfall precisely "for Israel's sake." This highlights that God's plan for His people dictates the course of world events, including the rise and fall of empires. The specific prophecy that the Chaldeans would be brought down as fugitives "in the ships in which they exult" serves as a striking symbol of divine irony and ultimate justice. The very symbols of their economic power, pride, and supposed invincibility—their commercial fleets—would become instruments of their humiliating defeat or desperate escape. This demonstrates that all human boasting and strength are ultimately transient and subservient to the eternal, unwavering purpose of the Holy One of Israel. It reassures the exiled Israelites that their God controls history and will surely deliver on His promises of restoration.