43:8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
those who are deaf, even though they have ears!
43:9 All nations gather together,
the peoples assemble.
Who among them announced this?
Who predicted earlier events for us? 1
Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right;
let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’
43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,
“my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider 2 and believe in me,
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and none will outlive me. 3
43:11 I, I am the Lord,
and there is no deliverer besides me.
43:12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed,
and there was no other god among you.
You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.
43:13 From this day forward I am he;
no one can deliver from my power; 4
I will act, and who can prevent it?”
43:14 This is what the Lord says,
your protector, 5 the Holy One of Israel: 6
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and make them all fugitives, 7
turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. 8
43:15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, 9
the one who created Israel, your king.”
43:16 This is what the Lord says,
the one who made a road through the sea,
a pathway through the surging waters,
43:17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, 10
together with a mighty army.
They fell down, 11 never to rise again;
they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:
43:18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; 12
don’t recall these former events.
43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new.
Now it begins to happen! 13 Do you not recognize 14 it?
Yes, I will make a road in the desert
and paths 15 in the wilderness.
43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,
the jackals and ostriches,
because I put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness,
to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
43:21 the people whom I formed for myself,
so they might praise me.” 16
43:22 “But you did not call for me, O Jacob;
you did not long 17 for me, O Israel.
43:23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings;
you did not honor me with your sacrifices.
I did not burden you with offerings;
I did not make you weary by demanding 18 incense.
43:24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds; 19
you did not present to me 20 the fat of your sacrifices.
Yet you burdened me with your sins;
you made me weary with your evil deeds. 21
43:25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake;
your sins I do not remember.
43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate!
You, prove to me that you are right! 22
43:27 The father of your nation 23 sinned;
your spokesmen 24 rebelled against me.
43:28 So I defiled your holy princes,
and handed Jacob over to destruction,
and subjected 25 Israel to humiliating abuse.”