Isaiah 43:14–28

Escape from Babylon

¹⁴Israel’s holy God, the Lord who saves you, says,

“To save you, I will send an army against Babylon;

I will break down the city gates,

and the shouts of her people will turn into crying.

¹⁵I am the Lord, your holy God.

I created you, Israel, and I am your king.”

¹⁶Long ago the Lord made a road through the sea,

a path through the swirling waters.

¹⁷He led a mighty army to destruction,

an army of chariots and horses.

Down they fell, never to rise,

snuffed out like the flame of a lamp!

¹⁸But the Lord says,

“Do not cling to events of the past

or dwell on what happened long ago.

¹⁹Watch for the new thing I am going to do.

It is happening already—you can see it now!

I will make a road through the wilderness

and give you streams of water there.

²⁰Even the wild animals will honour me;

jackals and ostriches will praise me

when I make rivers flow in the desert

to give water to my chosen people.

²¹They are the people I made for myself,

and they will sing my praises!”

Israel’s Sin

²²The Lord says,

“But you were tired of me, Israel;

you did not worship me.

²³You did not bring me your burnt offerings of sheep;

you did not honour me with your sacrifices.

I did not burden you by demanding offerings

or wear you out by asking for incense.

²⁴You didn’t buy incense for me

or satisfy me with the fat of your animals.

Instead you burdened me with your sins;

you wore me out with the wrongs you committed.

²⁵And yet, I am the God who forgives your sins,

and I do this because of who I am.

I will not hold your sins against you.

²⁶“Let us go to court; bring your accusation!

Present your case to prove you are in the right!

²⁷Your earliest ancestor^r sinned;

your leaders sinned against me,

²⁸and your rulers profaned^s my sanctuary.

So I brought destruction on Israel;

I let my own people be insulted.”