Isaiah 43


Isaiah 43 is the forty-third chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets.
Chapters 40–55 are known as "Deutero-Isaiah" and date from the time of the Israelites' exile in Babylon. This chapter "refers mainly to the promised deliverance from Babylon". "But now", the opening words of this chapter, reverse the tone of the latter part of Isaiah 42, connecting the two chapters. In, the prophet has rebuked the people of Israel for their blindness and deafness; in he calls for "the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears" to hear the proclamation of a "new Exodus".

Text

The original text was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 28 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis, the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets, Aleppo Codex, Codex Leningradensis.
Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls :
  • 1QIsaa: complete
  • 1QIsab: extant: verses 2–14, 20‑21, 23-27
  • 4QIsab : extant: verses 12‑15
  • 4QIsag : extant: verses 1–4, 17-24
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Marchalianus.

Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex. Isaiah 43 is a part of the Consolations . : open parashah; : closed parashah.

The Lord will redeem his people (verses 1–7)

This section contains an oracle of salvation, with the repetition of 'Do not fear' in verses 1 and 5 to emphasize the message of reassurance, that YHWH had made the people of Israel part of his family and just as in the past, he is active in delivering them from every kind of danger in the future.

Verse 1

  • "Have redeemed you": NCV: “saved you”; CEV: “rescued you”; NLT: “ransomed you"; NET Bible: "will protect you". This is the act of a goel or "kinsman redeemer" who is 'a protector of the extended family's interests'.

    Verse 6

  • Cross reference: Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 66:12

    The Lord declares his sovereignty (verses 8–13)

In this section the language of a trial returns with the demand for Israel to bear witness to YHWH's deeds, although they are blind and deaf, to declare the incomparability of YHWH.

Verse 10

  • "Nor shall there be after Me": Hebrew: "and after me, there will not be"; NASB "there will be none after Me."

    The Lord will do something new (verses 14–21)

The oracle in this section commands the hearers not to remember the former things as they will pale into insignificance before 'the new thing' that YHWH will do in the future with his saving power.

Verse 17

  • "Quenched": from the Hebrew root: k-b-h, is also used in Isaiah 1:31 and Isaiah 66:24 for: "the fire shall not be quenched"; Isaiah 34:10: 'the fire devouring Edom "will not be quenched"'; as well as of the servant in 42:3, that "a dimly burning wick he will not quench".
  • Natural tow is a broken fibre, removed during the processing of flax, hemp, or jute. Other texts generally use the image of being "quenched like a wick".

    Verse 18

"The former things" refers to "events that had been predicted and fulfilled in the past ", in particular to the event of "the Exodus", in contrast to the predicted "new Exodus" which God will perform differently so that it should be "allowed to stand in its own right". Verna Holyhead notes that the prophet does not want the people "to forget and discount God's faithfulness", but to appreciate that God will do greater things in the future even than the deeds of the past.

The Lord rebukes his unfaithful people (verses 22–28)

In verses 22–24 YHWH condemns the people for the failure to participate in worship, which seems to be in contrast with what was condemned earlier in Isaiah 1:10—17, that is, 'misplaced enthusiasm for worship', but this section is 'concerned with the worship of other gods', as emphasized by the repetition of the word 'me'. Verses 25–28 clarify that the condemnation 'is to be seen in the context of the trial' and the whole community is not free from blame.

Verse 24

  • "Sweet cane" is also mentioned in as coming from a “far country”. Skinner, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, suggests that this refers to calamus odoratus with scientific name Acorus calamus, a product of India, but grown also in Arabia and Syria. NIV renders it "calamus"; NCV, TEV, NLT "incense"; CEV "spices."
  • "Nor have you satisfied Me": Hebrew: "you did not saturate me"; NASB "Neither have you filled Me."

    Verse 26

"State your cause, that you may be justified" is translated from Hebrew, literally: "you tell in order that you may be right".

Jewish

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