Isaiah 43:3

43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

KJV

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For I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you.

43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. life: or, person

What does Isaiah 43:3 mean?

Isaiah 43:3 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym), קָדוֹשׁ (qâdôwsh). It connects to 5 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

For

the

LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

thy

God,אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

the

Holy

Oneקָדוֹשׁqâdôwsh/kaw-doshe'/H6918sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary

Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

thy

Saviour:יָשַׁעyâshaʻ/yaw-shah'/H3467properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor

gaveנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

EgyptמִצְרַיִםMitsrayim/mits-rah'-yim/H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt

for

thy

ransom,כֹּפֶרkôpher/ko'-fer/H3724properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); figuratively, a redemption-price

EthiopiaכּוּשׁKûwsh/koosh/H3568Cush (or Ethiopia), the name of a son of Ham, and of his territory; also of an Israelite

and

SebaסְבָאÇᵉbâʼ/seb-aw'/H5434Seba, a son of Cush, and the country settled by him

for

thee.

Commentary on Isaiah 43:3

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 43:3–4

is lips are the snare of his soul. Solomon has often shown what mischief bad men do to others with their ungoverned tongues; here he shows what mischief they do to themselves. 1. They embroil themselves in quarrels: A fool's lips, without any cause or call, enter into contention, by advancing foolish notions which others find themselves obliged to oppose, and so a quarrel is begun, or by giving provoking language, which will be resented, and satisfaction demanded, or by setting men at defiance, and bidding them do if they dare. Proud, and passionate men, and drunkards, are fools, whose lips enter into contention. A wise man may, against his will, be drawn into a quarrel, but he is a fool that of choice enters into it when he might avoid it, and he will repent it when it is too late. 2. They expose themselves to correction: The fool's mouth does, in effect, call for strokes; he has said that which deserves to be punished with strokes, and is still saying that which needs to be checked, and restrained with strokes, as Ananias unjustly commanded that Paul should be smitten on the mouth. 3. They involve themselves in ruin: A fool's mouth, which has been, or would have been, the destruction of others, proves at length his own destruction, perhaps from men. Shimei's mouth was his own destruction, and Adonijah's, who spoke against his own head. And when a fool, by his foolish speaking, has run himself into a premunire, and thinks to bring himself off by justifying or excusing what he has said, his defence proves his offence, and his lips are still the snare of his soul, entangling him yet more and more. However, when men by their evil words shall be condemned at God's bar their mouths will be their destruction, and it will be such an aggravation of their ruin as will not admit one drop of water, one drop of comfort, to cool their tongue, which is their snare and will be their tormentor. 8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Leviticus 19:16

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Psalms 52:2

Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

Psalms 64:3

Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

Psalms 64:4

That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

Isaiah 26:20

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Topics

Church (2)God Sabeans Seba Theocracy, The, or Immediate Government By God

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 43:3.

1 Kings 8:65

And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. as: Heb. according to the gift of his hand

Deuteronomy 17:15

Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

Deuteronomy 26:10

And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:

Exodus 2:23

And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

Genesis 26:2

And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

Genesis 45:2

And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. wept: Heb. gave forth his voice in weeping

Joshua 1:15

Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 43:3 say?

Isaiah 43:3 (King James Version) reads: "For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee."

Is Isaiah 43:3 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 43:3 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 43:3, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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