Isaiah — Chapter 43

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1But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!

2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

3For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.

4Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you and nations in place of your life.

5Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

6I 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—

7everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”

8Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind, and who have ears but are deaf.

9All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, 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 consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.

11I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.

12I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.

13Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

14Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake, I will send to Babylon and bring them all as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.

15I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King.”

16Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,

17who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

18“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.

19Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

20The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.

21The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

22But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.

23You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

24You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.

25I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.

26Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.

27Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.

28So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”

1But 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.

2When 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.

3For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

4Since 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.

5Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

6I 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;

7Even 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.

8Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

9Let 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.

10Ye 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.

11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

12I 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.

13Yea, 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?

14Thus 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.

15I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

16Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17Which 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.

18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19Behold, 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.

20The 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.

21This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

22But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

23Thou 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.

24Thou 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.

25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

26Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

27Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

1But now thus saith Jehovah 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.

2When 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.

3For I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead.

4Since thou hast been precious in my sight, [and] honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy life.

5Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

6I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth;

7every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yea, whom I have made.

8Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

9Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

10Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, 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.

11I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour.

12I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange [god] among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God.

13Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?

14Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

15I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17who bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick):

18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20The beasts of the field shall 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,

21the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.

22Yet thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

23Thou hast not brought me of thy sheep for burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

24Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins.

26Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth [thy cause], that thou mayest be justified.

27Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling.

1Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine.

2When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you.

3For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.

4Since you are precious and special in my sight and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.

5Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you.

6I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

7everyone who belongs to me, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed—yes, whom I made”.

8Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears!

9All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm, “It is true.”

10“You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “my servant whom I have chosen so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me.

11I, I am the Lord, and there is no deliverer besides me.

12I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.

13From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?”

14This is what the Lord says, your Protector, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs.

15I am the Lord, your Holy One, the one who created Israel, your King.”

16This is what the Lord says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters,

17the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:

18“Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events.

19“Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the wilderness and paths in the wastelands.

20The wild animals honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the wilderness and streams in the wastelands to quench the thirst of my chosen people,

21the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.

22“But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel.

23You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense.

24You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened me with your sins; you made me weary with your evil deeds.

25I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.

26Remind me of what happened. Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right!

27The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me.

28So I defiled your holy princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to humiliating abuse.

1But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.

3For I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

5Don’t be afraid; for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.

6I will tell the north, ‘Give them up!’ and tell the south, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth—

7everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’”

8Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

9Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, “That is true.”

10“You are my witnesses,” says Yahweh, “With 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, neither will there be after me.

11I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior.

12I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses”, says Yahweh, “and I am God.

13Yes, since the day was, I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?”

14Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

15I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

16Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters says:

17who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick):

18“Don’t remember the former things, and don’t consider the things of old.

19Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don’t you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.

22Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

23You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

24You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities.

25I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

26Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

27Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.

28Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult.”

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

The LORD reassures Israel not to fear, since he created and redeemed them and calls them by name, promising to be with them through waters and fire and to gather his sons and daughters from every direction because they are precious in his sight (vv. 1-7). He calls Israel as his witness that he alone is God, with no other savior before or after him, able to declare things beforehand as no idol can (vv. 8-13). He announces a coming deliverance from Babylon and a new exodus even greater than the first, making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (vv. 14-21). Despite Israel's failure to call on him and her burdening him with sins, the LORD declares that he himself blots out her transgressions for his own sake, and invites her to state her case so he might be proved right (vv. 22-28).

Authorship & Background

Author: Isaiah son of Amoz (see Chapter 1 notes for full details).
Classification: Prophetic Salvation Oracle
Key Themes: Redemption by name, passing through water and fire, God as Israel's only Savior, the new exodus, witnesses to God's uniqueness, sins blotted out for God's own sake
Historical Context: Continuing the comfort theme of chapters 40+, this chapter addresses exilic Israel with some of Scripture's most intimate language. God has "created," "formed," "redeemed," and "called by name" His people (v.1). The trial speech continues (vv.8-13): Israel is God's witness that no other god exists. The "new thing" (v.19) is a second exodus — not through the Red Sea but through the Babylonian wilderness. The chapter ends with a startling reversal: instead of Israel atoning for their sins through sacrifice, GOD blots out their sins for His own sake (v.25).
When Thou Passest Through the Waters (vv.1-7): But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. Then the promise the chapter is best known for, and its form is worth noticing, 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. Not instead of the water and the fire but through them. And the price is stated in currency that would have startled the original hearers, I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee, followed by the reason, since thou wast precious in my sight.
Ye Are My Witnesses (vv.8-13): Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. The court of chapter 41 reconvenes and this time Israel is put in the witness box, and the qualification for the role is memory rather than insight, ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen. The nations are challenged again to produce prediction, who can declare this, and shew us former things. And the testimony required is a single sentence, 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.
Remember Ye Not the Former Things (vv.14-21): For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles. Then the exodus is recalled in full, which makes the next verse startling: behold, I will do a new thing, remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. A book that has argued from the exodus for forty chapters now tells its readers to stop looking at it. What replaces it is described in the same terms, I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, and the audience for it is animal, the beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls.
Thou Hast Not Brought Me the Small Cattle (vv.22-24): But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Then a charge that is put with unusual care, I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. What is complained of is not neglect of a burdensome system but weariness with a light one, and the accounting is reversed in the last verse, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. The one being served is God.
I, Even I, Am He That Blotteth Out (vv.25-28): I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. The motive clause is the same as Ezekiel 36:22 and it is stated here before any request has been made. Then the court returns one last time with an invitation to argue, put me in remembrance, let us plead together, declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. And the section ends by conceding the history, thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me, so the pardon of verse 25 is not granted on a revised view of the facts.

Map & Geography

  • Egypt (v.3): Land to the southwest; place of Israel's bondage and exodus.
  • Babylon (v.14): Capital of the Babylonian empire; place of Judah's exile (modern Iraq).

Places on this map

  • EgyptEgyptA ribbon of irrigated land along the Nile, ending in the Delta where Israel settled in Goshen. Rain-fed Canaan depended on weather; Egypt depended on a river that flooded on schedule, which made it the place everyone went when the harvest failed. Wikipedia
  • Babylonnear Hillah, IraqOn the Euphrates about 55 miles south of modern Baghdad. Judah's exiles were marched roughly 900 miles to get here, the long way round the Arabian desert, which is why the journey took months and the return was a genuine undertaking rather than a short trip home. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Isaiah 42-44 | God's Faithful Servant | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Enduring Words for Troubled Times - FEAR NOT - Isaiah 43:1-2
David Guzik

Isaiah 43:3 || 90-Second Sermon #3 || "Jesus, Our Ransom"
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: the promised king who runs through Isaiah from beginning to end.
  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Isaiah -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Called by Name, Claimed as His Own (v.1) — God declares that He has redeemed His people and called them by name, marking them as His. Do you experience God's claim on you as personal and specific, or as something general and impersonal?
  • Passing Through, Not Around (v.2) — The promise isn't protection from water and fire but God's presence while walking directly through them. Are you currently in a hard season expecting God to remove it, or to walk through it with you?
  • Witnesses to the One True God (vv.10-12) — Israel is called to be God's witnesses, testifying that no other god was formed before Him and none will come after. Does your life actually testify to God's uniqueness, or blend in with competing claims on your trust?
  • A New Thing Springing Up (v.19) — God announces He is doing something new and asks whether His people even perceive it, since it's already springing up around them. Are you so fixed on past seasons, good or bad, that you might be missing what God is doing right now?
  • Sins Blotted Out for His Sake (v.25) — God says He blots out transgressions and will not remember sins, doing it for His own sake rather than because it was earned. If God chooses not to hold your past against you, why do you sometimes hold it against yourself?