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