Isaiah 43:16

THE MESSAGE

This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves, The God who summons horses and chariots and armies— they lie down and then can't get up; they're snuffed out like so many candles: "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!' —the coyotes and the buzzards— Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sun-baked earth, Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This is what the Lord says—who makes a way in the sea,and a path through raging water,

Hebrew Names Version
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

King James Version
Thus saith the Lord , which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

English Standard Version
Thus says the Lord , who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,

New American Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says, He who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

New Century Version
This is what the Lord says. He is the one who made a road through the sea and a path through rough waters.

Amplified Bible
This is what the LORD says, He who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

World English Bible
Thus says Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus sayeth the Lord which maketh a way in the Sea, and a path in the mighty waters.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh,Who makes a way through the seaAnd a path through the mighty waters,

Berean Standard Bible
Thus says the LORD-He who makes a way in the sea, and a path through surging waters,

Contemporary English Version
I am the one who cut a path through the mighty ocean.

Complete Jewish Bible
Here is what Adonai says, who made a way in the sea, a path through the raging waves;

Darby Translation
Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord is making roads through the sea. He is making a path for his people, even through rough waters. The Lord says,

George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD, who has made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters;

Good News Translation
Long ago the Lord made a road through the sea, a path through the swirling waters.

Lexham English Bible
Thus says Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters,

Literal Translation
So says Jehovah, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in mighty waters;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Morouer, thus saieth the LORDE (Euen he that maketh a waye in the see, and a footpath in the mightie waters:

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Bible in Basic English
This is the word of the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a road through the deep waters;

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thus saith the LORD, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

King James Version (1611)
Thus sayth the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mightie waters:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus saith the Lorde, euen he that maketh away in the sea, and a foote path in the mightie waters.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thus saith the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord seith these thingis, that yaf weie in the see, and a path in rennynge watris;

Update Bible Version
Thus says Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

New English Translation
This is what the Lord says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters,

New King James Version
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

New Living Translation
I am the Lord , who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea.

New Life Bible
This is what the Lord says, Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the powerful waters,

New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord , who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh, - Who setteth in the sea, a way, - And in the mighty waters, a path;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord, who made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.

Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah, Who is giving in the sea a way, And in the strong waters a path.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus says the LORD, Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ God , your Redeemer, The Holy of Israel, says: "Just for you, I will march on Babylon. I'll turn the tables on the Babylonians. Instead of whooping it up, they'll be wailing. I am God , your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King." ¹⁶This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves, The God who summons horses and chariots and armies— they lie down and then can't get up; they're snuffed out like so many candles: "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!' —the coyotes and the buzzards— Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sun-baked earth, Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

maketh: Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 11:15, Isaiah 11:16, Isaiah 51:10, Isaiah 51:15, Isaiah 63:11-13, Exodus 14:16, Exodus 14:21, Exodus 14:29, Joshua 3:13-16, Nehemiah 9:11, Psalms 74:13, Psalms 74:14, Psalms 77:19, Psalms 78:13, Psalms 106:9, Psalms 114:3-5, Psalms 136:13-15, Jeremiah 31:35, Revelation 16:12

Reciprocal: Joshua 4:23 - which he dried Isaiah 44:27 - Be dry Isaiah 48:17 - which leadeth Isaiah 50:2 - I dry Jeremiah 31:9 - I will

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
Abram said, " God , Master, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?" Abram continued, "See, you've given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all."

Genesis 21:8
The baby grew and was weaned. Abraham threw a big party on the day Isaac was weaned.

Genesis 26:30
Isaac laid out a feast and they ate and drank together. Early in the morning they exchanged oaths. Then Isaac said good-bye and they parted as friends.

Genesis 31:54
Jacob learned that Laban's sons were talking behind his back: "Jacob has used our father's wealth to make himself rich at our father's expense." At the same time, Jacob noticed that Laban had changed toward him. He wasn't treating him the same. That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you." So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the field where his flocks were. He said, "I notice that your father has changed toward me; he doesn't treat me the same as before. But the God of my father hasn't changed; he's still with me. You know how hard I've worked for your father. Still, your father has cheated me over and over, changing my wages time and again. But God never let him really hurt me. If he said, ‘Your wages will consist of speckled animals' the whole flock would start having speckled lambs and kids. And if he said, ‘From now on your wages will be streaked animals' the whole flock would have streaked ones. Over and over God used your father's livestock to reward me. "Once, while the flocks were mating, I had a dream and saw the billy goats, all of them streaked, speckled, and mottled, mounting their mates. In the dream an angel of God called out to me, ‘Jacob!' "I said, ‘Yes?' "He said, ‘Watch closely. Notice that all the goats in the flock that are mating are streaked, speckled, and mottled. I know what Laban's been doing to you. I'm the God of Bethel where you consecrated a pillar and made a vow to me. Now be on your way, get out of this place, go home to your birthplace.'" Rachel and Leah said, "Has he treated us any better? Aren't we treated worse than outsiders? All he wanted was the money he got from selling us, and he's spent all that. Any wealth that God has seen fit to return to us from our father is justly ours and our children's. Go ahead. Do what God told you." Jacob did it. He put his children and his wives on camels and gathered all his livestock and everything he had gotten, everything acquired in Paddan Aram, to go back home to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Laban was off shearing sheep. Rachel stole her father's household gods. And Jacob had concealed his plans so well that Laban the Aramean had no idea what was going on—he was totally in the dark. Jacob got away with everything he had and was soon across the Euphrates headed for the hill country of Gilead. Three days later, Laban got the news: "Jacob's run off." Laban rounded up his relatives and chased after him. Seven days later they caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. That night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and said, "Be careful what you do to Jacob, whether good or bad." When Laban reached him, Jacob's tents were pitched in the Gilead mountains; Laban pitched his tents there, too. "What do you mean," said Laban, "by keeping me in the dark and sneaking off, hauling my daughters off like prisoners of war? Why did you run off like a thief in the night? Why didn't you tell me? Why, I would have sent you off with a great celebration—music, timbrels, flutes! But you wouldn't permit me so much as a kiss for my daughters and grandchildren. It was a stupid thing for you to do. If I had a mind to, I could destroy you right now, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, ‘Be careful what you do to Jacob, whether good or bad.' I understand. You left because you were homesick. But why did you steal my household gods?" Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid. I thought you would take your daughters away from me by brute force. But as far as your gods are concerned, if you find that anybody here has them, that person dies. With all of us watching, look around. If you find anything here that belongs to you, take it." Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen the gods. Laban went through Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and the tents of the two maids but didn't find them. He went from Leah's tent to Rachel's. But Rachel had taken the household gods, put them inside a camel cushion, and was sitting on them. When Laban had gone through the tent, searching high and low without finding a thing, Rachel said to her father, "Don't think I'm being disrespectful, my master, that I can't stand before you, but I'm having my period." So even though he turned the place upside down in his search, he didn't find the household gods. Now it was Jacob's turn to get angry. He lit into Laban: "So what's my crime, what wrong have I done you that you badger me like this? You've ransacked the place. Have you turned up a single thing that's yours? Let's see it—display the evidence. Our two families can be the jury and decide between us. "In the twenty years I've worked for you, ewes and she-goats never miscarried. I never feasted on the rams from your flock. I never brought you a torn carcass killed by wild animals but that I paid for it out of my own pocket—actually, you made me pay whether it was my fault or not. I was out in all kinds of weather, from torrid heat to freezing cold, putting in many a sleepless night. For twenty years I've done this: I slaved away fourteen years for your two daughters and another six years for your flock and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not stuck with me, you would have sent me off penniless. But God saw the fix I was in and how hard I had worked and last night rendered his verdict." Laban defended himself: "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flock is my flock—everything you see is mine. But what can I do about my daughters or for the children they've had? So let's settle things between us, make a covenant—God will be the witness between us." Jacob took a stone and set it upright as a pillar. Jacob called his family around, "Get stones!" They gathered stones and heaped them up and then ate there beside the pile of stones. Laban named it in Aramaic, Yegar-sahadutha (Witness Monument); Jacob echoed the naming in Hebrew, Galeed (Witness Monument). Laban said, "This monument of stones will be a witness, beginning now, between you and me." (That's why it is called Galeed—Witness Monument.) It is also called Mizpah (Watchtower) because Laban said, " God keep watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight. If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives when there's no one around to see you, God will see you and stand witness between us." Laban continued to Jacob, "This monument of stones and this stone pillar that I have set up is a witness, a witness that I won't cross this line to hurt you and you won't cross this line to hurt me. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor (the God of their ancestor) will keep things straight between us." Jacob promised, swearing by the Fear, the God of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and worshiped, calling in all his family members to the meal. They ate and slept that night on the mountain. Laban got up early the next morning, kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, blessed them, and then set off for home.

Genesis 43:19
So they went up to Joseph's house steward and talked to him in the doorway. They said, "Listen, master. We came down here one other time to buy food. On our way home, the first night out we opened our bags and found our money at the mouth of the bag—the exact amount we'd paid. We've brought it all back and have plenty more to buy more food with. We have no idea who put the money in our bags."

Genesis 44:1
Joseph ordered his house steward: "Fill the men's bags with food—all they can carry—and replace each one's money at the top of the bag. Then put my chalice, my silver chalice, in the top of the bag of the youngest, along with the money for his food." He did as Joseph ordered.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea,.... Who did make a way in the Red sea, when he led Israel through it as on dry land; this, with what follows, is observed to encourage the faith of the Lord's people in the performance of what he had promised, to bring them out of Babylon; for he that had done this, and the rest that are mentioned, could easily remove all difficulties that lay in the way of their deliverance:

and a path in the mighty waters; either of the Red sea, or it may be of Jordan; through which the Israelites passed into the land of Canaan.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord - This verse contains a reference to the deliverance from Egyptian servitude - the great storehouse of argument and illustration with the sacred writers; the standing demonstration of God’s merciful interposition in behalf of their nation, and proof that he was their God.

Which maketh - Whose characteristic it is to open a path of safety for his people even when deep and rapid floods are before them The standing roof of this which undoubtedly the prophet had in his eye, was the deliverance from Egypt. Still, I think, he did not mean to refer to that alone, but to that as an illustration of what God was, and had ever been to his people.

A way in the sea - Referring to the path made through the waters of the Red Sea when the children of Israel were permitted to go on dry ground.