Isaiah Chapter 43

Isaiah 43 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1But now thus said G OD — Who created you, O Jacob, Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I will redeem you; I have singled you out by name, You are Mine.
2. 2When you pass through water, I will be with you; Through streams, They shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, You shall not be scorched; Through flame, It shall not burn you.
3. 3For I the E TERNAL am your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as a ransom for you, Cush and Saba in exchange for you.
4. 4Because you are precious to Me, And honored, and I love you, I give people in exchange for you And nations in your stead.
5. 5Fear not, for I am with you: I will bring your folk from the East, Will gather you out of the West;
6. 6I will say to the North, “Give back!” And to the South, “Do not withhold! Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth—
7. 7All who are linked to My name, Whom I have created, Formed, and made for My glory—
8. 8Setting free that people, Blind though it has eyes And deaf though it has ears.”
9. 9All the nations assemble as one, The peoples gather. Who among them declared this, Foretold to us the things that have happened? Let them produce their witnesses and be vindicated, That people, hearing them, may say, “It is true!”
10. 10My witnesses are you —declares G OD — My servant, whom I have chosen. To the end that you may take thought, And believe in Me, And understand that I am the One: Before Me no god was formed, And after Me none shall exist—
11. 11None but me, G OD ; Beside Me, none can grant triumph.
12. 12I alone foretold the triumph And I brought it to pass; I announced it, And no strange god was among you. So you are My witnesses —declares G OD — And I am God.
13. 13Ever since day was, I am the One; None can deliver from My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?
14. 14Thus said G OD , Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I send to Babylon; I will bring down all [her] bars, And the Chaldeans shall raise their voice in lamentation.
15. 15I am your Holy One, G OD , Your Sovereign, the Creator of Israel.
16. 16Thus said G OD , Who made a road through the sea And a path through mighty waters,
17. 17Who destroyed , here, as equivalent to Aramaic sheṣi . chariots and horses, And all the mighty host— They lay down to rise no more, They were extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18. 18Do not recall what happened of old, Or ponder what happened of yore!
19. 19I am about to do something new; Even now it shall come to pass, Suddenly you shall perceive it: I will make a road through the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
20. 20The wild beasts shall honor Me, Jackals and ostriches, For I provide water in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people,
21. 21The people I formed for Myself That they might declare My praise.
22. 22But you have not worshiped Me, O Jacob, That you should be weary of Me, O Israel.
23. 23You have not brought Me your sheep for burnt offerings, Nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings, Nor wearied you about frankincense.
24. 24You have not bought Me fragrant reed with money, Nor sated Me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened Me with your sins, You have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25. 25It is I, I who—for My own sake — Wipe your transgressions away And remember your sins no more.
26. 26Help me remember! Let us join in argument, Tell your version, That you may be vindicated.
27. 27Your earliest ancestor sinned, And your spokesmen transgressed against Me.
28. 28So I profaned the holy princes; I abandoned Jacob to proscription And Israel to mockery.

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