43
1 And now thus says the Lord God that made you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. 2 And if you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you: and if you go through fire, you shall not be burned; the flame shall not burn you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves you: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia your ransom, and given Soene for you. 4 Since you became precious in my sight, you have become glorious, and I have loved you: and I will give men for you, and princes for * your life. 5 Fear not; for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and will gather you from the west. 6 I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the land afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 even all who are called by my name: for I have prepared him for my glory, and I have formed him, and have made him: 8 and I have brought forth the blind people; for their eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf. 9 All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth. 10 Be you⌃ my witnesses, and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you⌃ may know, and believe, and understand that I am he: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none. 11 I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour. 12 I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you: you⌃ are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God, 13 even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back? 14 Thus says the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships. 15 I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king. 16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water; 17 who brought forth chariots and horse, and a mighty multitude: but they have † lain down, and shall not rise: they are extinct, as quenched flax. 18 Remember you⌃ not the former things, and consider not the ancient things. 19 Behold, I will do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and you⌃ shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land. 20 the beasts of the field shall bless me, the owls and young ostriches; for I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to my chosen race, 21 my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises. 22 I have not now called you, O Jacob; neither have I made you weary, O Israel. 23 You have not brought me the sheep of your whole burnt offering; neither have you glorified me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied you with frankincense. 24 Neither have you purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of your sacrifices: but you did stand before me in your sins, and in your iniquities. 25 ‡ I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and your sins; and I will not remember them. 26 But do you remember, and let us plead together: do you first confess your transgressions, that you may be justified. 27 Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me. 28 And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob to enemies to destroy, and Israel to reproach.
* 43:4 Gr. head † 43:17 Or, gone to sleep; See Ps. 75 (76) 5,6 ‡ 43:25 Gr. I am, I am