Isaiah 43 5

Isaiah 43:5 kjv

Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

Isaiah 43:5 nkjv

Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;

Isaiah 43:5 niv

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

Isaiah 43:5 esv

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

Isaiah 43:5 nlt

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
I will gather you and your children from east and west.

Isaiah 43 verses

Isaiah 43 5 Meaning

Isaiah 43:5 proclaims God's powerful assurance to His people, Israel, instructing them not to fear because of His unfailing presence with them. It promises a comprehensive, worldwide gathering and restoration of their scattered descendants from all geographical directions, signifying divine intervention and faithful fulfillment of covenant promises amidst their exile and despair.

Isaiah 43 5 Context

Isaiah 43:5 is situated within the latter part of the Book of Isaiah (chapters 40-55), often referred to as Deutero-Isaiah, which primarily addresses the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Following their defeat and displacement, the people of Israel faced despair and questioned God's power and faithfulness. This section serves as a powerful message of comfort, hope, and reassurance from Yahweh, emphasizing His unique sovereignty as the Creator and Redeemer of the world, especially for His chosen people. The preceding verses in chapter 43 articulate God's profound love for Israel, His declaration that He has ransomed and redeemed them, and that they are precious in His sight. He contrasts His unmatched power with the impotent idols of Babylon, assuring Israel that He alone controls history and can deliver them. This verse specifically promises their miraculous and global return from exile, reaffirming God's personal commitment and capability to fulfill His word despite seemingly insurmountable circumstances.

Isaiah 43 5 Word analysis

• Do not fear: (Hebrew: ʾal-tiyraʾ - אַל־תִּירָא) A divine imperative repeated frequently throughout Scripture, signaling a command from God directly confronting human anxiety and helplessness. Its significance lies in God providing a definitive antidote to fear: His own presence and power. It's not a dismissive command but a foundational assurance of security.

• for: (Hebrew: kî - כִּי) A causal conjunction, establishing the direct reason or basis for the command "do not fear." It means "because" or "indeed," grounding the prohibition of fear in a tangible truth about God.

• I am with you: (Hebrew: ʾānōḵî ʾittāḵ - אָנֹכִי אִתָּךְ) A core biblical promise. "I am" signifies God's self-existent, unchanging nature and sovereign authority. "with you" (singular) emphasizes God's personal, intimate, and protective presence for each individual and collectively for Israel. This is a covenantal pledge, implying support, help, and active involvement.

• I will bring your offspring: (Hebrew: ʾābîʾ zarka - אָבִיא זַרְעֲךָ) "I will bring" signifies active divine agency in initiating and completing the action. "Your offspring" (zeraʿ) refers to Israel's descendants, not just an individual, but the whole scattered nation. It encompasses both their physical lineage and the spiritual continuity of God's covenant people.

• from the east: (Hebrew: mimizraḥ - מִמִּזְרָח) This denotes a specific geographical direction, representing where a significant portion of the exiles, particularly those in Babylon, would have been dispersed. It symbolizes a starting point of God's global collection.

• and gather you: (Hebrew: weʾaqabbəṣəkā - וַאֲקַבְּצֶךָּ) "Gather" (qibbēṣ) indicates the action of collecting scattered parts back into a cohesive whole. It vividly pictures God's intentional act of reunification for a dispersed and broken people, restoring their corporate identity.

• from the west: (Hebrew: mimaʿarāḇ - מִמַּעֲרָב) Paired with "east," this phrase signifies the comprehensive, worldwide scope of God's gathering. From the rising of the sun to its setting, it denotes an all-encompassing restoration from every imaginable point of dispersion, leaving no part of His people ungathered.

• "Do not fear, for I am with you": This phrase combines a divine command with its underlying rationale. The imperative to not fear is rooted not in self-reliance or optimism, but in the unwavering and powerful presence of God Himself. It speaks to a relational covenant, where God’s presence guarantees security and removes the basis for alarm, functioning as a recurring divine promise of protection and solidarity with His people in distress.

• "I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west": This passage highlights God's absolute sovereignty over nations and geography. It details the practical outworking of His presence and power – a divinely initiated act of worldwide restoration. The pairing of "east" and "west" serves as a merism, signifying "from everywhere" or "all over the world." It’s a promise of national revival, a re-gathering from global exile that emphasizes both divine capability and His faithful commitment to His scattered flock.

Isaiah 43 5 Bonus section

The theme of God gathering His people from all corners of the earth directly parallels the "New Exodus" concept prevalent in Deutero-Isaiah. This prophesied return from Babylonian exile is presented as an even greater demonstration of God's power and faithfulness than the original Exodus from Egypt. While the first Exodus saw Israel delivered from a specific nation, this "New Exodus" is from a worldwide dispersion, signifying an even more magnificent divine rescue operation. The use of geographical extremes (east and west, later expanded to north and south in Isa 43:6) establishes a complete and inescapable act of God, indicating His mastery over all earthly domains and nations that held His people. This prophetic vision also prefigures the ultimate, spiritual gathering of believers from "every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages" (Rev 7:9) into God's eternal kingdom, demonstrating the far-reaching scope of God's salvific plan through history. The singular "you" (ʾittāḵ) and "you" (weʾaqabbəṣəkā) can address the nation corporately as well as resonating deeply with each individual member of God's covenant people.

Isaiah 43 5 Commentary

Isaiah 43:5 encapsulates the heart of God's message of hope and restoration for a desolate people. It begins with the fundamental divine command, "Do not fear," which is a cornerstone of God's comforting communication throughout Scripture, especially in times of crisis. The reason provided—"for I am with you"—is the most profound antidote to any human fear or despair. This isn't merely a promise of omnipresence but of active, protective, and covenantal presence, assuring Israel that God has not abandoned them in their exile.

The subsequent declaration, "I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west," transitions from comfort about God's presence to a specific, tangible promise of future deliverance. This pronouncement details God's redemptive work as a global, sovereign act of retrieval. "Offspring" denotes the continuation of Israel's identity and legacy, affirming God's commitment to their generational survival and flourishing. The imagery of gathering from "east" and "west" uses geographical extremities to represent the totality of their dispersion. It underscores that no matter how scattered, distant, or seemingly lost God's people may be, His divine hand will meticulously bring them back together. This gathering is not a human effort but an assured, irresistible act of God, demonstrating His power to fulfill His covenant pledges against all odds, thus restoring their community and their relationship with Him. The verse therefore establishes God as both their ever-present Companion and their omnipotent Gatherer, foundational for both individual faith and national restoration.