Isaiah 43
1STILL however thus saith the Lord, the God Who made thee O Jacob, and Who formed thee, O Israel! fear not. Because I have redeemed thee—have called thee by thy name—thou art Mine;
2therefore when thou passest through water, I am with thee, and the streams shall not overwhelm thee: and when thou passest through fire, thou shalt not be burned up—the flame shall not quite consume thee.
3Because I the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel am thy Saviour, I have given Egypt for thy ransom and Ethiopia and Soena in thy stead.
4Because thou hast been precious in My sight—hast been honoured and I loved thee; therefore I will give men for thee and chiefs for thy life.
5Fear not. Because I am with thee, from the east I will bring thy seed, and gather thee together from the west:
6I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep thou not back; bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7all that are called by My name. For I have prepared him for My glory, I have fashioned him and made him,
8and have brought out a blind people: for their eyes are as if they were blind; and they are deaf, though they have ears.
9(p) All the nations were assembled together; now let all the archons be assembled: can any among them announce these things? Or can any tell you these things before hand? Let them produce their witnesses and be justified, and let them hear and tell things true.
10(J) Be you witnesses for Me: and as for Me I Myself am a witness saith the Lord God; and this servant of Mine whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe and understand that with respect to Me,
11The I Am, There is no other God before Me; and after Me none will exist. I am God and there is no Saviour besides Me.
12I have announced and saved; I reproached when there was no strange god among you. You are witnesses for Me;
13and I the Lord am still the same God from the beginning; and there is none who can rescue out of My hands. I will act; and who can prevent it—
14Thus saith the Lord, the God Who redeemed you, the Holy One of Israel. For your sakes I will send to Babylon, and rouse up all who are fleeing; and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.
15I am the Lord God, your Holy One, Who pointed out Israel your king.
16Thus saith the Lord Who made a highway in a sea, and a path in the mighty water;
17Who brought out chariots and horses and a mighty host, but they lay down to sleep and shall rise no more: they were extinguished like an extinguished taper.
18Mention not these former things, nor reason from the things of old.
19Behold I am in act to do new things, which shall now spring up and you shall know them—I will make a way in the wilderness, and streams of water in the desert.
20The wild beasts of the field will bless Me—the sirens and the daughters of the ostrich; because I have given water in the wilderness, and flowing streams in the desert, to give drink to this race of Mine which I have chosen—
21My people whom I have preserved to recount My praises.
22I had not now called upon thee, Jacob, nor caused thee Israel, to weary thyself:
23thou hadst not brought Me thy sheep of thy whole burnt offering; nor honoured Me with thine incense offerings: I had not burdened thee with sacrifices of flour; nor wearied thee with demands of frankincense:
24nor hadst thou purchased with silver perfumes for Me; nor had I desired the suet of thy sacrifices: but thou stoodest before Me in thy sins and in thine iniquities.
25I even I, The I Am, am He Who blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine Own sake; and of thy sins I will no more make mention: but do thou mention them and let us be judged; do thou first state thy transgressions, that thou mayst be acquitted.
27Your fathers first, then your chiefs transgressed against Me.
28When the chiefs polluted My sanctuary, then I gave up Jacob to be destroyed, and Israel to reproach.