Isaiah 43:2

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you cross the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not consume you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּֽי־תַעֲבֹ֤ר בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אִתְּךָ־אָ֔נִי וּבַנְּהָר֖וֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּךָ כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֤ךְ בְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶ֔ה וְלֶהָבָ֖ה לֹ֥א תִבְעַר־בָּֽךְ׃

Transliteration

For when you taʿăbōr in the mayyim with-you-I, and in the nəhārôt not yišṭəpûkā; for when you tēlēk through ʾēš not tikkāweh, and lehābâ not tibʿar-in-you.

Grammar Details

• *taʿăbōr*: imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - you pass through/cross over
• *mayyim*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - waters
• *nəhārôt*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - rivers
• *yišṭəpûkā*: imperfect, 3rd person plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - they overflow/flood you
• *tēlēk*: imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - you walk/go
• *ʾēš*: noun, feminine singular - fire
• *tikkāweh*: imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular, Niphal - you will be burned/scorched
• *lehābâ*: noun, feminine singular - flame
• *tibʿar*: imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - it burns

Word Meanings

• *taʿăbōr*: pass through/cross over/traverse
• *yišṭəpûkā*: overflow you/flood you/wash you away
• *tikkāweh*: be burned/be scorched/be singed
• *tibʿar*: burn/consume/kindle

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  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 ignite upon you.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  When thou passest through{H5674} the waters,{H4325} I will be with thee; and through the rivers,{H5104} they shall not overflow{H7857} thee: when thou walkest{H3212} through{H1119} the fire,{H784} thou shalt not be burned,{H3554} neither shall the flame{H3852} kindle{H1197} upon thee.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  When thou passest through{H5674}{(H8799)} the waters{H4325}, I will be with thee; and through the rivers{H5104}, they shall not overflow{H7857}{(H8799)} thee: when thou walkest{H3212}{(H8799)} through{H1119} the fire{H784}, thou shalt not be burned{H3554}{(H8735)}; neither shall the flame{H3852} kindle{H1197}{(H8799)} upon thee.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  When thou wentest in the water, I was by the, that the stroge floudes shulde not pluck ye awaye: When thou walkest in the fyre, it shal not burne ye, and the flame shall not kindle vpon the.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  When thou passest through the waters, I wil be with thee, & through the floods, that they doe not ouerflowe thee. When thou walkest through the very fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  If thou goest thorow ye water, I wyl be with thee, the strong fluddes shal not ouerwhelme thee: and if thou walkest thorowe the fire, it shall not burne thee, & the flambe shal not kindle vpon thee:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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, neither shall the flame kindle on you.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  When thou passest into waters, I `am' with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  When you go through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not go over you: when you go through the fire, you will not be burned; and the flame will have no power over you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 66:12 : 12 You caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us out to abundance.
• Dan 3:25-27 : 25 He exclaimed, 'Look! I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!' 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, 'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!' So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came out of the fire. 27 The satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s officials gathered around and saw that the fire had had no effect on the bodies of these men. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of fire on them.
• Ps 91:15 : 15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
• Josh 1:9 : 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
• Deut 31:6-8 : 6 Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or be terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel: 'Be strong and courageous, for you will bring this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you shall divide it among them as their inheritance.' 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
• Isa 41:10 : 10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; indeed, I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• Josh 1:5 : 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor abandon you.
• 1 Cor 3:13-15 : 13 each one’s work will become evident, for the Day will make it clear because it will be revealed by fire. The fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss, but they will still be saved, though only as one escaping through flames.
• 1 Pet 4:12-13 : 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
• 2 Tim 4:17 : 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully made and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.
• 2 Tim 4:22 : 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you all. Amen.
• 2 Cor 12:9-9 : 9 But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
• Exod 14:29 : 29 But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
• Ps 46:4-7 : 4 Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake with their surging. Selah. 5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. 6 God is within her, she will not be moved; God will help her at the break of dawn. 7 Nations rage, kingdoms totter; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.
• Ps 66:10 : 10 For You, God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver is refined.
• Ps 23:4 : 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
• Isa 41:14 : 14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel. I myself will help you, declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
• Isa 11:15-16 : 15 The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt. With a scorching wind, He will wave His hand over the River and divide it into seven streams, allowing people to cross in sandals. 16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.
• Ps 91:3-5 : 3 Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His truth will be your shield and armor. 5 You will not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
• Isa 30:27 : 27 Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with anger and dense with smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is like a consuming fire.
• Heb 11:29 : 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
• Heb 11:33-38 : 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength out of weakness, became mighty in battle, and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Still others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, and they were killed with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, and on mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
• Amos 9:8-9 : 8 'Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet, I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,' declares the Lord. 9 For behold, I am giving the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes a sieve, but not a single pebble shall fall to the ground.
• Zech 13:9 : 9 This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’
• Mal 3:2-3 : 2 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, purifying the Levites and refining them like gold and silver, so they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
• Matt 1:23 : 23 'Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel' (which means, 'God with us').
• Luke 21:12-18 : 12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors on account of my name. 13 This will result in an opportunity for you to bear witness. 14 Therefore, make up your minds not to prepare your defense beforehand. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and some of you will be put to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of my name. 18 Yet not a single hair of your head will perish.
• Isa 8:7-9 : 7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty and abundant waters of the River—the king of Assyria and all his splendor. It will overflow all its channels and spill over all its banks. 8 It will sweep into Judah, flooding and passing through; it will reach up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the entire breadth of your land, O Immanuel. 9 Be shattered, you nations, and be terrified! Listen, all you distant lands. Prepare for battle and be terrified; prepare for battle and be shattered. 10 Devise your plans, but they will be thwarted; issue your orders, but they will not stand, for God is with us.
• Isa 29:6 : 6 The LORD Almighty will come with thunder, earthquake, and a loud noise—storm and tempest, and a consuming flame of fire.
• Josh 3:15-17 : 15 Now as the priests who carried the ark came to the Jordan, and their feet touched the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season), 16 the water flowing down from upstream stood still. It rose up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam near Zarethan. Meanwhile, the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.