Yesaya 43:1-4
Konteks43:1 Now, this is what the Lord says,
the one who created you, O Jacob,
and formed you, O Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect 1 you.
I call you by name, you are mine.
43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass 2 through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm 3 you.
43:3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, 4 your deliverer.
I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,
Ethiopia and Seba 5 in place of you.
43:4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, 6
and I love you,
I will hand over people in place of you,
nations in place of your life.
Yesaya 44:22
Konteks44:22 I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud,
the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. 7
Come back to me, for I protect 8 you.”
[43:1] 1 tn Or “redeem.” See the note at 41:14. Cf. NCV “saved you”; CEV “rescued you”; NLT “ransomed you.”
[43:2] 2 tn The verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[43:2] 3 tn Heb “burn” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV, NLT “consume”; NIV “set you ablaze.”
[43:3] 4 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
[43:3] 5 sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9.
[43:4] 6 tn Heb “Since you are precious in my eyes and you are honored.”
[44:22] 7 tn Heb “I blot out like a cloud your rebellious deeds, and like a cloud your sins.” “Rebellious deeds” and “sins” stand by metonymy for the guilt they produce. Both עָב (’av) and עָנָן (’anan) refer to the clouds in the sky. It is tempting for stylistic purposes to translate the second with “fog” or “mist” (cf. NAB, NRSV “cloud…mist”; NIV “cloud…morning mist”; NLT “morning mists…clouds”), but this distinction between the synonyms is unwarranted here. The point of the simile seems to be this: The Lord forgives their sins, causing them to vanish just as clouds disappear from the sky (see Job 7:9; 30:15).
