Texts in Conversation
Isaiah 43:2 promises that God will be with Israel through water and fire, using imagery that alludes to the exodus. The Aramaic translation in Targum Jonathan makes this connection explicit by referring clearly to the Red Sea and the Egyptians. The Targum also replaces the direct presence of God with the intermediary Memra.
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Isaiah 43:2
Hebrew Bible
1 Now, 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. 2 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. 3 For 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. 4 Since 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.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Jonathan Isaiah 43:2
Targum
1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee who art mine by thy name. 2 For at first when ye did pass the Red sea my Word was your support. Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who were as many as the waters of the river, did not prevail against you. And again, when ye came amongst nations, who were as mighty as fire, they did not prevail against you; and kingdoms, which were strong as a flame, did not destroy you; 3 Because I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt in ex change for thee, Ethiopia, and Seba, in thy stead. 4 Ever since I loved thee, thou wast precious; yea, I loved thee dearly, and I gave nations instead of thee, and kingdoms for thy soul.
Date: 200-300 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The reassurance to Israel is framed as a promise of a new exodus (verses 2, 8, 12), and the use of this typology is different from that in 27:1. The reason for this difference is that Babylon, not Rome, is at issue in the present context (verse 14, compare 44:27). Notably, the Messiah appears here as a witness (verse 10), as if he already existed in personal terms. The connection between “servant” and “branch” (compare Tarum Isaiah 4:2 in comparison with the Masoretic text) is already made in Zechariah 3:8, but the idea of the Messiah’s personal pre-existence seems to be an Amoraic development ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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