Isaiah – Chapter 43

Old Testament28 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by…" — so begins Isaiah 43. Jacob stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 28 verses, two threads run through the text: sin and divine judgment and worship and praise. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine.

2When thou shalt pass through the waters, I will be with thee, and the rivers shall not cover thee: when thou shalt walk in the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, and the flames shall not burn in thee:

3For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I have given Egypt for thy atonement, Ethiopia and Saba for thee.

4Since thou becamest honourable in my eyes, thou art glorious: I have loved thee, and I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.

6I will say to the north: Give up: and to the south: Keep not back: bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.

7And every one that calleth upon my name, I have created him for my glory. I have formed him, and made him.

8Bring forth the people that are blind, and have eyes: that are deaf, and have ears.

9All the nations are assembled together, and the tribes are gathered: who among you can declare this, and shall make us hear the former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, let them be justified, and hear, and say: It is truth.

10You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe me, and understand that I myself am. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there shall be none.

11I am, I am the Lord: and there is no saviour besides me.

12I have declared, and have saved. I have made it heard, and there was no strange one among you. You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.

13And from the beginning I am the same, and there is none that can deliver out of my hind: I will work, and who shall turn it away?

14Thus saith the Lord your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their bars, and the Chaldeans glorying in their ships.

15I am the Lord your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16Thus saith the Lord, who made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.

17Who brought forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the strong: they lay down to sleep together, and they shall not rise again: they are broken as flax, and are extinct.

18Remember not former things, and look not on things of old.

19Behold I do new things, and now they shall spring forth, verily you shall know them: I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20The beast of the field shall glorify me, the dragons and the ostriches: because I have given waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, to my chosen.

21This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise.

22But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, neither hast thou laboured about me, O Israel.

23Thou hast not offered me the ram of thy holocaust, nor hast thou glorified me with thy victims: I have not caused thee to serve with oblations, nor wearied thee with incense.

24Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy victims. But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.

25I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.

26Put me in remembrance, and let us plead together: tell if thou hast any thing to justify thyself.

27Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28And I have profaned the holy princes, I have given Jacob to slaughter, and Israel to reproach.

Important Verses in Isaiah 43

And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine.

Isaiah 43:1

Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.

Isaiah 43:5

I have declared, and have saved. I have made it heard, and there was no strange one among you. You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.

Isaiah 43:12

I am the Lord your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

Isaiah 43:15

Historical Context

Isaiah addresses judah in crisis, the exiles in Babylon, and all who await the Messiah within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 43 of 66 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 28 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Jacob, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee,…" The chapter ends with: "And I have profaned the holy princes, I have given Jacob to slaughter, and Israel to reproach. " Read against its original backdrop, Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem during the Assyrian crisis, calling kings to trust God rather than alliances. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples

When It Was Written

Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

The prophetic discourse in this chapter speaks to a community facing the consequences of its choices before God. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art…" The passage repeatedly touches on sin and divine judgment.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 1604). Here, Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize sin and divine judgment as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.

People in This Chapter

Jacob3 mentions

Reflection for Today

Isaiah Chapter 43 belongs to the Old Testament and forms part of the Catholic canon proclaimed in the liturgy of the Word.

Through typology, the Church often reads Old Testament passages as preparing for Christ, while New Testament passages reveal Him explicitly. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). Here the believer is invited to ponder poverty of spirit and detachment.

Let Isaiah Chapter 43 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Isaiah Chapter 43 about?

Isaiah 43 contains 28 verses. It opens with "And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee,…" and closes with "And I have profaned the holy princes, I have given Jacob to slaughter, and Israel to reproach. ". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles and poetry.

What is a key verse in Isaiah 43?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Isaiah Chapter 43?

This chapter mentions Jacob.

Who wrote Isaiah and when?

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples. Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

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