43
1 But now thus hath said 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; mine art thou.
2 Whenever thou passest through the waters, I am with thee; and through the rivers,—they shall not overflow thee: whenever thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be scorched; neither shall the flame burn on thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt for thy ransom, Cush and Seba in place of thee.
4 Since thou art precious in my eyes, art honorable, and I indeed do love thee: therefore will I give men in place of thee, and nations instead of thy soul.
5 Fear not, for I am with thee; from the east will I bring thy seed, and from the west will I gather thee.
6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Withhold not: bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7 Every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory; whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.
8 Bring forward the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can announce this? and cause us to hear former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: in order that ye may know and believe me, and understand, that I am he; before me there was no god formed, and after me there will be none.
11 I, I am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.
12 I myself have announced it, and I have saved, and I have let it be heard, and there was no strange [god] among you; and ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.
13 Yea, from the [first] day am I he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: if I will work, is there one that can hinder it?
14 Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake did I send to Babylon, and in swift vessels brought I them all down, and the Chaldeans, in the ships of their joyful song.
15 I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 Thus hath said the Lord, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
17 Who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power: together shall they lie down, they shall not rise up again; they are extinct, like a wick are they quenched.
18 Remember not the former things, and ancient events regard no more.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; will ye not acknowledge it? I will even make in the wilderness a way, and in the desert rivers.
20 The beasts of the field shall honor me, the monsters and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my elect;
21 This people which I have formed for myself; my praise shall they relate.
22 But on me hast thou not called, O Jacob; for thou art become weary of me, O Israel.
23 Thou hast not brought unto me the lamb of thy burnt-offerings; and with thy sacrifices hast thou not honored me: I have not troubled thee with meat-offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.
24 Thou hast not bought for me sweet cane, and with the fat of thy sacrifices hast thou not satisfied me; but thou hast troubled me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.
25 I, it is I that blot out thy transgressions for my own sake, and thy sins I will not remember.
26 Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: relate thou, in order that thou mayest be justified.
27 Thy first father did sin, and they that plead for thee transgressed against me.
28 Therefore do I profane the holy princes, and I give up Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.