New English Translation
Isaiah 43:2
2When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you.
Isaiah 43:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Context of Isaiah 43:2
1Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you. 3For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you. 4Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.
Read all of Isaiah 43Isaiah 43:2 word by word
כִּֽי־תַעֲבֹ֤ר בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אִתְּךָ־אָ֔נִי וּבַנְּהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּךָ כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֤ךְ בְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶ֔ה וְלֶהָבָ֖ה לֹ֥א תִבְעַר־בָּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When thou passest throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- with thee; and through the riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- they shall not overflowשָׁטַףshâţaph · to overflowH7857
- thee: when thou walkestיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- throughבְּמוֹbemô · in/at/byH1119
- the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- thou shalt not be burnedכָּוָהkâvâh · to burnH3554
- neither shall the flameלֶהָבָהlehâbâh lahebeth · flameH3852
- kindleבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
Cross-references for Isaiah 43:2
- Isaiah 8:7So look, the sovereign master is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River – the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks.
- Isaiah 11:15The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
- Exodus 14:29But the Israelites walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
- Joshua 3:15When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface of the water – (the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time) –
- Psalms 66:10For you, O God, tested us; you purified us like refined silver.
- Psalms 91:3he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter and from the destructive plague.
- Amos 9:8Look, the sovereign Lord is watching the sinful nation, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will not completely destroy the family of Jacob,” says the Lord.
- Hebrews 11:29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.
- Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
- Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!”
- Joshua 1:5No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone.
- Psalms 23:4Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.
- Psalms 46:4The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.
- Psalms 91:15When he calls out to me, I will answer him. I will be with him when he is in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him honor.
- Matthew 1:23“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.
Commentaries on Isaiah 43:2
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2When thou passest through the waters - This is a general promise, and means that whenever and wherever they should pass through water or fire, he would protect them. It had been true in their past history as a people; and the assurance is here given in order that they might be comforted in view of the calamities which they were then suffering in Babylon. Fire and water are often used in the Scriptures to denote calamity - the latter because it overwhelms…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Conquering forces are compared to flooding rivers (see Isaiah 8:8). I will be with you: God promises to stay with his people to protect and care for them (see Isaiah 7:14; 41:10; 43:5; 45:14). Israel faced God's judgment as the fire of oppression during the exile in Babylon.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. rivers ... not overflow thee--so in passing Jordan, though at its "overflow," when its "swellings" were especially dangerous (Jos 3:15; Jr 12:5). waters ... fire--a proverbial phrase for the extremest perils (Psa 66:12; also Psa 138:7). Literally fulfilled at the Red Sea (Ex 14:21, 22), and in the case of the three youths cast into the fiery furnace for conscience' sake (Da 3:25, 27).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 43:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 43
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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