Isaiah 43

Isaiah 43:1

Isaiah:  New *Heavens and a New Earth God’s Servant Saves God’s People An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Isaiah chapters 41 to 55 www.easyenglish.info Gordon Churchyard This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 43 v1 But now, this is what the *LORD says. He [is the *LORD] who created you, Jacob. And he [is the one] who shaped you, Israel. [He says this.] ‘Do not be afraid, because I have *redeemed you. I have called you by [your] name. You are mine.

v2 I will be with you when you pass through waters. [And when you pass through] rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through fire, it will not burn you. And flame will not make you on fire.

v3 [I will protect you] because I, the *LORD, am your God. [I am] the *Holy [God] of Israel. I will save you. I gave Egypt to *ransom you and Ethiopia and Seba instead of you.

v4 You are precious and honourable in my sight. Because of this, and because I love you, [I will do this]. I will exchange a man for you and I will exchange people for your life.

v5 Do not be afraid, because I am with you. I will bring your child[ren] from the east and I will gather you from the west.

v6 I will say to [people in] the north, “Give them back!” And I will say to [people in] the south, “Do not stop them so that they cannot come back.” Bring my sons from far [places] and my daughters from the ends of the earth.

v7 [Bring] everyone who is called by my name. I created them. I shaped them and yes, I made them for my *glory.

v8 Lead out those [people]! They have eyes, but they are blind. They have ears, but they are deaf.

v9 Gather all the nations together. And bring together all the people. Which of them said that this would happen? And [which of them] told us about what happened in the past? Let them bring their witnesses to prove that they were right. Then other people will hear it and say, “It is true.”

v10 You are my witnesses’, says the *LORD. ‘You are my servant whom I have chosen. [I chose you] so that you may know [me]. Also, that you may believe me. And so that you may understand that I am [God]. Before me, nobody made a god. And there will not be one after me.

v11 I, only I, am the *LORD. And, apart from me, there is nobody to save [you].

v12 It was me, and not a foreign god among you, that showed [you this]. And I saved [you] and told [you this]. You are my witnesses that I am God’, says the *LORD.

v13 ‘Yes! From long ago I am [God]. Nobody can save himself from my power. When I do something, nobody can change it.’

v14 This is what the *LORD says. [The *LORD] is your *redeemer [and he is] the *Holy [God] of Israel. [He says], ‘I will send [an army] to Babylon because of you, [Israel]. And I will bring down all the *Babylonians as prisoners. [They will be] in the ships that they are so proud of.

v15 I am the *LORD [who is] your *Holy [God]. [I am] Israel’s Creator (the one that created everything) and I am your King.’

v16-17 This is what the *LORD says. [He is the *LORD who did these things.]

 He  made a road through the sea.

 [He  made] a path through the great waters.

 He  drew *chariots and [their] horses, the army and [its] leaders, out  [into the sea].

 [He  made them] lie there so that they would never get up again. He put  them out, he blew them out, like a candle.

v18 [The *LORD says], ‘Forget the past. Do not think about what happened then.

v19 Look! I will do something that is new! Now it springs up. Certainly, you can see it. I am making a road in the desert and streams in the wild places.

v20 The wild animals, jackals (wild dogs) and *owls give me honour. [They do this] because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wild places. [I do this] for my people that I have chosen. [I do it so that my people] can drink.

v21 [They are] the people that I made for myself. [I did it] so that they could praise me aloud.

v22 [It was] not me that you called to, Jacob. You have not made yourselves tired for me, Israel.

v23 [It was] not to me that you brought sheep. [You did not] burn them to offer them to me. Your *sacrifices did not give me honour. I have not made you carry heavy grain to offer to me. I have not made you tired because I demanded *incense [from you].

v24 [It was not] for me that you brought [a substance called] calamus that had a nice smell. You did not give to me generous amounts of fat from the animals that you burned. Instead, you made me to carry the heavy weight of your *sins. And you have made me tired every time that you did not obey me.

v25 I, [but yes,] I am he who sweeps away (forgives) your *sins. [I do it] to preserve my honour. I will not remember that you have not obeyed me.

v26 Remember [the past] with me. Let us talk about it together. Tell me why you [consider yourself to be] innocent.

v27 Your first father did not obey me. Also the people that spoke [to me] on behalf of you, *sinned against me.

v28 So I made your *holy princes ashamed. Then I destroyed everything in Jacob [that I hate. Also, people] laughed in a nasty way at Israel.’

© 2012, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

July 2012

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var w10 = new Array;w10[0]=’<b%3Eheavens</b%3E ~ another word for ‘skies’. It can also mean the place where God lives and the skies above us.’;w10[1]=’<b%3EHebrew</b%3E ~ the language that Isaiah spoke.’;w10[2]=’<b%3ELORD</b%3E ~ LORD is a special name of God. In the Hebrew language it is <I%3EYHWH</I%3E. It may mean ‘always alive’. So LORD is a sign that the Hebrew word is <I%3EYHWH</I%3E.