Isaiah 43 - Expanded Bible (EXB)

God Is Always with His People

43 Now this is what the Lord says.
He created you, ·people of Jacob [L Jacob];
he formed you, ·people of Israel [L Israel].
He says, “Don’t be afraid, because I have ·saved [ransomed; redeemed] you.
I have called you by name, and you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you [C as at the Red/or Reed Sea; Ex. 13–14].
When you cross rivers, ·you will not drown [L they will not overflow you; C as when Israel crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land; Josh. 3–4].
When you walk through fire, you will not be burned [Dan. 3:25–27],
nor will the flames hurt you.
3 This is because I, the Lord, am your God,
the Holy One of Israel [1:4], your Savior.
I gave Egypt ·to pay for you [for your ransom],
and I gave ·Cush [Ethiopia] and Seba ·to make you mine [in place of you].
4 Because you are precious ·to me [L in my eyes],
because I give you honor and love you,
I will give other people in your place;
I will give other nations ·to save [in exchange for] your life.
5 Don’t be afraid, because I am with you.
I will bring your ·children [descendants; offspring; seed] from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will tell the north: Give my people to me.
I will tell the south: Don’t ·keep my people in prison [or hold them back; restrain them].
Bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from ·faraway places [L the end of the earth].
7 Bring to me all the people who are ·mine [L called by my name],
whom I ·made [created] for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

Judah Is God’s Witness

8 Bring out the people who have eyes but ·don’t see [are blind]
and those who have ears but ·don’t hear [are deaf; 42:19].
9 All the nations gather together,
and all the people ·come together [assemble].
·Which of their gods [L Who among them] said this would happen?
·Which of their gods can tell what happened in the beginning [L …and caused us to hear former things]?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove they were right.
Then others will say, “It is true.”
10 The Lord says, “You are my witnesses
and the servant I chose [42:1].
I chose you so you would know and believe me,
so you would understand that I am ·the true God [L he].
There was no God ·created [formed] before me,
and there will be ·no God [none] after me.
11 I myself am the Lord;
I am the only Savior.
12 I myself have ·spoken [made known] to you, saved you, and ·told [proclaimed to] you these things.
It was not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses, and I am God,”
says the Lord.
13 “·I have always been God [L Indeed from the day, I am he; C “day” may mean the first day of creation or from this day forward].
No one can save people from my ·power [L hand];
when I do something, no one can ·change [undo; reverse] it.”

14 This is what the Lord, ·who saves you [your protector/redeemer; 41:14],
the Holy One of Israel [1:4], says:
“I will ·send armies [L send] to Babylon for you,
and I will ·knock down all its locked gates [or bring them down as fugitives].
The ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] will ·shout their cries of sorrow [or flee in the ships they take such pride in].
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One [1:4],
the Creator of Israel, your King.”

God Will Save His People Again

16 This is what the Lord says.
He is the one who made a road through the sea [v. 2]
and a path through ·rough [strong; mighty] waters.
17 He is the one who ·defeated [L led out] the chariots and horses
and the mighty armies [Ex. 14:4–9].
They ·fell together [lay down] and will never rise again.
They were ·destroyed [extinguished] as a ·flame [L wick] is put out.
18 The Lord says, “Forget what happened before,
and do not ·think about [consider; dwell on] the past.
19 Look at the new thing I am going to do.
It is already ·happening [L sprouting/springing up]. Don’t you see it?
I will make a ·road [path; way] in the ·desert [wilderness; C the return from Babylon is portrayed as a new Exodus]
and ·rivers[a] [streams] in the ·dry land [desert; wasteland].
20 Even the wild animals will ·be thankful to [honor] me—
the ·wild dogs [jackals] and ·owls [or ostriches].
They will honor me when I put water in the ·desert [wilderness]
and ·rivers [streams] in the ·dry land [desert; wasteland]
to give ·water [drink] to my people, ·the ones I chose [my chosen; 42:1].
21 The people I ·made [L formed for myself]
will ·sing songs to praise me [L declare/proclaim my praise].

22 “People of Jacob, you have not ·called to me [called upon me; asked for my help];
people of Israel, you have ·become tired of [or not wearied yourself for] me.
23 You have not brought me your ·sacrifices [burnt offerings; Lev. 1:1–17] of sheep
nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I did not ·weigh you down [burden you] with ·sacrifices to offer [grain/or gift; tribute offering; Lev. 2:1]
or make you tired with incense to burn.
24 So you did not buy ·incense [fragrant calamus; aromatic cane] for me;
you did not ·freely bring me [saturate/lavish me with] fat from your sacrifices.
Instead you have ·weighed me down [burdened me] with your many sins;
you have made me tired of your ·many wrongs [iniquities].

25 “I, I am the One who ·erases [blots out] all your ·sins [transgressions], for my sake;
I will not remember your sins.
26 But you should ·remind [or review with] me.
Let’s ·meet and decide what is right [argue/contend together].
Tell what you have done and show ·you are right [your innocence].
27 Your first father sinned [C probably Jacob (58:14; 63:16), though possibly Abraham (51:2)],
and your ·leaders [mediators; spokesmen] have ·turned [transgressed] against me.
28 So I will make your ·holy rulers [or princes of the sanctuary; C either rulers or priests] ·unholy [defiled; disgraced].
I will ·bring destruction on [devote to destruction; Josh. 2:10] ·the people of Jacob [L Jacob],
and I will let Israel be ·insulted [reviled; scorned].”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 43:19 rivers A Dead Sea Scroll copy has “paths.”

You Might Also Like:

Isaiah 43 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

43 And now, thus said Jehovah, Thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Fashioner, O Israel, Be not afraid, for I have redeemed thee, I have called on thy name -- thou [art] Mine. 2 When thou passest into waters, I [am] with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art ...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

43 And now the Lord God, making of nought thee, Jacob, and forming thee, Israel, saith these things, Do not thou dread, for I again-bought thee, and I called thee by thy name; thou art my servant. (And now the Lord God, making thee, Jacob, out of nothing, and forming thee, Israel, saith these things...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - World English Bible (WEB)

43 But 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.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the f...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - The Voice (VOICE)

43 Eternal One: Remember who created you, O Jacob? Who shaped you, O Israel? See, you have nothing to fear. I, who made you, will take you back. I have chosen you, named you as My own.2 When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging ri...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Love for Israel43 But now, thus says Adonai—the One who created you, O Jacob,the One who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you,I have called you by name, you are Mine.2 When you pass through the waters,I will be with you,or through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you wa...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Restoration and Protection Promised43 But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhel...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Restoration and Protection Promised43 But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhel...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Restoration and Protection Promised43 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not over...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Restoration and Protection Promised43 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.(A)2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not o...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Savior of Israel43 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says,“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.When you go through rivers of difficulty, you w...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New Life Version (NLV)

God Promises to Save Israel43 But now the Lord Who made you, O Jacob, and He Who made you, O Israel, says, “Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine! 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, t...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Redeemer of Israel43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, (A)for I have redeemed you;(B)I have called you by your name;You are Mine.2 (C)When you pass through the waters, (D)I will be with you;And through the rivers, they shall not over...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Israel’s only Saviour43 But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will n...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New International Version (NIV)

Israel’s Only Savior43 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created(A) you, Jacob, he who formed(B) you, Israel:(C)“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(D) you; I have summoned you by name;(E) you are mine.(F)2 When you pass through the waters,(G) I will be with you;(H)and when you pass through t...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Lord Saves Israel43 Family of Jacob, the Lord created you. People of Israel, he formed you.He says, “Do not be afraid. I will set you free.I will send for you by name. You belong to me.2 You will pass through deep waters. But I will be with you.You will pass through the rivers. But their waters ...
Read More

Isaiah 43 - New English Translation (NET)

The Lord Will Rescue His People43 Now, 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[a] you.I call you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;when you pass[b] through the streams, they will n...
Read More