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Isaiah 44:21–22

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44:21Remember these things, O Jacob,

O Israel, for you are my servant.

I formed you to be my servant;

O Israel, I will not forget you!34

44:22I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud,

the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud.35

Come back to me, for I protect36 you.”

Read in Logos
Isaiah 44:22: I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Footnotes

  1. 34 The verb in the Hebrew text is a Niphal imperfect with a pronominal suffix. Although the Niphal ordinarily has the passive sense, it can have a reflexive nuance as well (see above translation). Some have suggested an emendation to a Qal form: “Do not forget me” (all the ancient versions, , ; see §117.x). “Do not forget me” would make a good parallel with “remember these things” in the first line. Since the is the harder reading and fits with Israel’s complaint that God had forgotten her (Isa 40:27), the reading should be retained (, , , ESV). The passive has been rendered as an active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style (so also , , , ).
  2. 35 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. , “cloud … mist”; “cloud … morning mist”; “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).
  3. 36 Heb “redeem.” See the note at .

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Remember these things, O Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you; you are my servant;

O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

and your sins like mist;

return to me, for I have redeemed you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Remember these things, Jacob,

for you, Israel, are my servant.

I have made you, you are my servant;

Israel, I will not forget you.

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,

your sins like the morning mist.

Return to me,

for I have redeemed you.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Remember these things, Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you, you are my servant;

Israel, you will never be forgotten by me.

I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,

and your sins like a mist.

Return to me,

for I have redeemed you.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Pay attention, O Jacob,

for you are my servant, O Israel.

I, the Lord, made you,

and I will not forget you.

I have swept away your sins like a cloud.

I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist.

Oh, return to me,

for I have paid the price to set you free.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Remember these things, Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant:

I formed you; you are my servant;

Israel, you will not be forgotten by me!

I have wiped your transgressions out like a cloud

and your sins like mist.

Return to me,

for I have redeemed you!”

KJV 1900King James Version

Remember these, O Jacob

And Israel; for thou art my servant:

I have formed thee; thou art my servant:

O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions,

And, as a cloud, thy sins:

Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.