When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you.
That is because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine.
You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you. That's why I am willing to trade others, to give up whole nations, to save your life.
I will tell the north: Give my people to me. I will tell the south: Don't keep my people in prison. Bring my sons and daughters to me from the faraway places.
All people and all nations should also be gathered together. Maybe one of their false gods wants to tell about what happened in the beginning. They should bring their witnesses to speak the truth. This will show that they are right."
The Lord says, "You people are my witnesses and the servant I chose. I chose you so that you would help people believe me. I chose you so that you would understand that 'I Am He'—{I am the true God}. There was no God before me, and there will be no God after me.
I am the one who spoke to you, saved you, and told you those things. It was not some stranger who was with you. You are my witnesses, and I am God." (This is what the Lord himself said.)
The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, saves you, and he says, "I will send armies to Babylon for you. Many people will be captured. Those Chaldeans will be taken away in their own boats. (They are so proud of those boats.)
"Those who fight against me with their chariots, horses, and armies will be defeated. They will never rise again. They will be destroyed. They will be put out like the flame in a lamp.
because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land.
The wild animals will thank me. The large animals and birds will honor me when I put water in the desert and make rivers flow through that dry land. I will do this to give water to my chosen people.
You have not brought your sheep as sacrifices to me. You have not honored me with your sacrifices. I did not force you to give gifts to me like slaves. I did not force you to burn incense until you became tired.
So you did not use your money to buy things to honor me. But you did force me to be like your slave. You sinned until the bad things you did made me very tired.