Isaiah 43:8-18

8 educ foras populum caecum et oculos habentem surdum et aures ei sunt
9 omnes gentes congregatae sunt simul et collectae sunt tribus quis in vobis adnuntiet istud et quae prima sunt audire nos faciat dent testes eorum et iustificentur et audiant et dicant vere
10 vos testes mei dicit Dominus et servus meus quem elegi ut sciatis et credatis mihi et intellegatis quia ego ipse sum ante me non est formatus deus et post me non erit
11 ego sum ego sum Dominus et non est absque me salvator
12 ego adnuntiavi et salvavi auditum feci et non fuit in vobis alienus vos testes mei dicit Dominus et ego Deus
13 et ab initio ego ipse et non est qui de manu mea eruat operabor et quis avertet illud
14 haec dicit Dominus redemptor vester Sanctus Israhel propter vos emisi Babylonem et detraxi vectes universos et Chaldeos in navibus suis gloriantes
15 ego Dominus Sanctus vester creans Israhel Rex vester
16 haec dicit Dominus qui dedit in mari viam et in aquis torrentibus semitam
17 qui eduxit quadrigam et equum agmen et robustum simul obdormierunt nec resurgent contriti sunt quasi linum et extincti sunt
18 ne memineritis priorum et antiqua ne intueamini

Isaiah 43:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.