Isaiah 43

Israel Redeemed

1 But now, thus says the LORD, your ¹Creator, O Jacob, And He who ²formed you, O Israel, "Do not ³fear, for I have ⁴redeemed you; I have ⁵called you by name; you are ⁶Mine!

2 "When you ⁷pass through the waters, ⁸I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you ⁹walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

3 "For ¹⁰I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your ¹¹Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, ¹²Cush and Seba in your place.

4 "Since * you are ¹³precious in My sight, Since you are ¹⁴honored and I ¹⁵love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

5 "Do not fear, for ¹⁶I am with you; I will bring ¹⁷your offspring from the east, And ¹⁸gather you from the west.

6 "I will say to the ¹⁹north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My ²⁰sons from afar And My daughters from the ²¹ends of the earth,

7 Everyone who is ²²called by My name, And whom I have ²³created for My ²⁴glory, ²⁵Whom I have formed, even whom I have made."

Israel Is God's Witness

8 Bring out the people who are ²⁶blind, even though they have eyes, And the deaf, even though they have ears.

9 All the nations have ²⁷gathered together So that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can ²⁸declare this And proclaim to us the former things? Let them present ²⁹their witnesses ³⁰that they may be justified, Or let them hear and say, "It is true."

10 "You are ³¹My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And ³²My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that ³³I am He. ³⁴Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.

11 "I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no ³⁵savior ³⁶besides * Me.

12 "It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no ³⁷strange god among you; So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God.

13 "Even ³⁸from eternity ³⁹I am He, And there is ⁴⁰none who can deliver out of My hand; ⁴¹I act and who can reverse it?"

Babylon to Be Destroyed

14 Thus says the LORD your ⁴²Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, "For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And will bring them all down as fugitives, Even the ⁴³Chaldeans, into the ⁴⁴ships in which they rejoice.

15 "I am the LORD, your Holy One, ⁴⁵The Creator of Israel, your ⁴⁶King."

16 Thus says the LORD, Who ⁴⁷makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

17 Who brings forth the ⁴⁸chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty man (They will lie down together and not rise again; They have been ⁴⁹quenched and extinguished like a wick ):

18 "⁵⁰Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.

19 "Behold, I will do something ⁵¹new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even ⁵²make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.

20 "The beasts of the field will glorify Me, The ⁵³jackals and the ostriches, Because I have ⁵⁴given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people.

21 "The people whom ⁵⁵I formed for Myself ⁵⁶Will declare My praise.

The Shortcomings of Israel

22 "Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; But you have become ⁵⁷weary of Me, O Israel.

23 "You have ⁵⁸not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings, Nor have you ⁵⁹honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not ⁶⁰burdened you with offerings, Nor wearied you with ⁶¹incense.

24 "You have bought Me not ⁶²sweet cane with money, Nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; Rather you have burdened Me with your sins, You have ⁶³wearied Me with your iniquities.

25 "I, even I, am the one who ⁶⁴wipes out your transgressions ⁶⁵for My own sake, And I will ⁶⁶not remember your sins.

26 "Put Me in remembrance, ⁶⁷let us argue our case together; State your cause, ⁶⁸that you may be proved right.

27 "Your ⁶⁹first forefather sinned, And your ⁷⁰spokesmen have transgressed against Me.

28 "So I will pollute the princes of the sanctuary, And I will consign Jacob to the ⁷¹ban and Israel to ⁷²revilement.

Isaiah 43 Commentary

God's unchangeable love for his people. (1-7) Apostates and idolaters addressed. (8-13) The deliverance from Babylon, and the conversion of the Gentiles. (14-21) Admonition to repent of sin. (22-28)

Verses 1-7 God's favour and good-will to his people speak abundant comfort to all believers. The new creature, wherever it is, is of God's forming. All who are redeemed with the blood of his Son, he has set apart for himself. Those that have God for them need not fear who or what can be against them. What are Egypt and Ethiopia, all their lives and treasures, compared with the blood of Christ? True believers are precious in God's sight, his delight is in them, above any people. Though they went as through fire and water, yet, while they had God with them, they need fear no evil; they should be born up, and brought out. The faithful are encouraged. They were to be assembled from every quarter. And with this pleasing object in view, the prophet again dissuades from anxious fears.

Verses 8-13 Idolaters are called to appear in defence of their idols. Those who make them, and trust in them, are like unto them. They have the shape and faculties of men; but they have not common sense. But God's people know the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the kind care of his providence, and the truth of his promise. All servants of God can give such an account of what he has wrought in them, and done for them, as may lead others to know and believe his power, truth, and love

Verses 14-21 The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.

Verses 22-28 Those who neglect to call upon God, are weary of him. The Master tired not the servants with his commands, but they tired him with disobedience. What were the riches of God's mercy toward them? I, even I, am he who yet blotteth out thy transgressions. This encourages us to repent, because there is forgiveness with God, and shows the freeness of Divine mercy. When God forgives, he forgets. It is not for any thing in us, but for his mercies' sake, his promise' sake; especially for his Son's sake. He is pleased to reckon it his honour. Would man justify himself before God? The attempt is desperate: our first father broke the covenant, and we all have copied his example. We have no reason to expect pardon, except we seek it by faith in Christ; and that is always attended by true repentance, and followed by newness of life, by hatred of sin, and love to God. Let us then put him in remembrance of the promises he has made to the penitent, and the satisfaction his Son has made for them. Plead these with him in wrestling for pardon; and declare these things, that thou mayest be justified freely by his grace. This is the only way, and it is a sure way to peace.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 43:15
• 2. Isaiah 43:7, 21; Isaiah 44:2, 21, 24
• 3. Isaiah 43:5
• 4. Isaiah 44:22, 23; Isaiah 48:20
• 5. Genesis 32:28; Isaiah 43:7; Isaiah 45:3, 4
• 6. Isaiah 43:21
• 7. Psalms 66:12; Isaiah 8:7, 8
• 8. Deuteronomy 31:6, 8
• 9. Isaiah 29:6; Isaiah 30:27-29; Daniel 3:25, 27
• 10. Exodus 20:2
• 11. Isaiah 19:20; Isaiah 43:11; Isaiah 45:15, 21; Isaiah 49:26; Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 63:8
• 12. Isaiah 20:3-5
• 13. Exodus 19:5, 6
• 14. Isaiah 49:5
• 15. Isaiah 63:9
• 16. Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 43:2
• 17. Isaiah 41:8; Isaiah 49:12; Isaiah 61:9
• 18. Isaiah 49:12
• 19. Psalms 107:3
• 20. 2 Corinthians 6:18
• 21. Isaiah 45:22
• 22. Isaiah 56:5; Isaiah 62:2; James 2:7
• 23. Psalms 100:3; Isaiah 29:23; Ephesians 2:10
• 24. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 46:13
• 25. Isaiah 43:1
• 26. Isaiah 6:9; Isaiah 42:19; Ezekiel 12:2
• 27. Isaiah 34:1; Isaiah 41:1
• 28. Is 41:22, 23, 26
• 29. Isaiah 44:9
• 30. Isaiah 43:26
• 31. Isaiah 44:8
• 32. Isaiah 41:8
• 33. Isaiah 41:4
• 34. Isaiah 45:5, 6
• 35. Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 45:21; Hosea 13:4
• 36. Isaiah 44:6, 8
• 37. Deuteronomy 32:16; Psalms 81:9
• 38. Psalms 90:2; Isaiah 48:16
• 39. Isaiah 41:4
• 40. Psalms 50:22
• 41. Job 9:12; Isaiah 14:27
• 42. Isaiah 41:14
• 43. Isaiah 23:13
• 44. Jeremiah 51:13
• 45. Isaiah 43:1
• 46. Isaiah 41:20; Isaiah 44:6
• 47. Exodus 14:21, 22; Psalms 77:19; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 44:27; Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 51:10; Isaiah 63:11, 12
• 48. Exodus 15:19
• 49. Psalms 118:12; Isaiah 1:31
• 50. Isaiah 65:17; Jeremiah 23:7
• 51. Isaiah 42:9; Isaiah 48:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17
• 52. Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11; Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalms 78:16; Isaiah 35:1, 6; Isaiah 41:18, 19; Isaiah 49:10; Isaiah 51:3
• 53. Isaiah 13:22; Isaiah 35:7
• 54. Isaiah 41:17, 18; Isaiah 48:21
• 55. Isaiah 43:1
• 56. Psalms 102:18; Isaiah 42:12; Luke 1:74, 75; 1 Peter 2:9
• 57. Micah 6:3; Malachi 1:13; Malachi 3:14
• 58. Amos 5:25
• 59. Zechariah 7:5, 6; Malachi 1:6-8
• 60. Jeremiah 7:21-26
• 61. Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 24:7
• 62. Exodus 30:23; Jeremiah 6:20
• 63. Psalms 95:10; Isaiah 1:14; Isaiah 7:13; Ezekiel 6:9; Malachi 2:17
• 64. Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 50:20
• 65. Isaiah 37:35; Isaiah 48:9, 11; Ezekiel 36:22
• 66. Isaiah 38:17; Jeremiah 31:34
• 67. Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 41:1; Isaiah 50:8
• 68. Isaiah 43:9
• 69. Isaiah 51:2; Ezekiel 16:3
• 70. Isaiah 9:15; Isaiah 28:7; Isaiah 29:10; Jeremiah 5:31
• 71. Isaiah 24:6; Isaiah 34:5; Jeremiah 24:9; Daniel 9:11; Zechariah 8:13
• 72. Psalms 79:4; Ezekiel 5:15

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Ethiopia"
• [b]. So with Gr; Heb "from the day"
• [c]. Another reading is "As for the Chaldeans, their rejoicing" is turned "into lamentations"
• [d]. Lit "of their rejoicing"
• [e]. Or "a meal offering"
• [f]. Or "calamus"
• [g]. Or "saturated"
• [h]. Or "Report to Me"
• [i]. Lit "father"
• [j]. Or "interpreters"
• [k]. Or "rebelled"
• [l]. Or "pierce through"
• [m]. Or "holy princes"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 43

Is this chapter the Lord comforts his own people, under their afflictions, with many precious promises; asserts his deity against the idols of the nations; promises deliverance from Babylon, and a greater redemption than that; one branch of which is forgiveness of sin; and closes the chapter with a prediction of the destruction of the Jews by the Romans, for their iniquities. The Lord claims his interest in his people, not only on the foot of creation, but of redemption and calling, and promises them his presence in the midst of afflictions, Isa 43:1,2, puts them in mind of what he had done for them; and assures them of future layouts, as the effect of his unchangeable love to them, Isa 43:3,4 and promises the conversion of their seed and offspring in the several parts of the world, Isa 43:5-7 then challenges the Heathen nations to give such proofs of the deity of their idols as he was capable of giving of his, as his people were witnesses, taken from his eternity and immutability, as the alone Jehovah, and from his omniscience and omnipotence, Isa 43:8-13, after which the destruction of Babylon is prophesied of, and the redemption of his people out of it; which they are encouraged to believe from his being Jehovah, their Sanctifier, Creator, and King; and from what he had done formerly for them, when he brought them out of Egypt, Isa 43:14-17, and which yet was not to be mentioned or remembered, in comparison of what he would do in the world, a new thing, redemption by the Messiah, and the conversion of the Gentiles to the glory of his grace, Isa 43:18-21, the sins of omission and commission the people of God had been guilty of are mentioned, which are freely pardoned for Christ's sake, Isa 43:22-25 when the body and bulk of the Jewish nation were given up to destruction, because of their sins, Isa 43:26-28.