But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God doesn't just say He redeemed Israel, but that He has redeemed them, pointing to past deliverances as a guarantee that He's not finished. His act of calling them "by name" emphasizes a deep, personal intimacy, not just a general designation.
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After rebuking Israel for their blindness and deafness to God's previous judgments, the prophet now shifts to a message of profound comfort and reassurance. This verse marks a pivotal contrast, moving from God’s displeasure to His unwavering love and promises of deliverance for His chosen people. God reminds them of His intimate relationship with them, highlighting His creative power in forming them as a nation.
God's people had just faced severe judgment. Why would the LORD immediately shift to words of comfort and assurance?
The opening "But now" in Isaiah 43:1 isn't just a transition; it's a powerful pivot. It acknowledges the recent punishment and sin described in the previous chapter (Isaiah 42:24-25), showing that God's discipline doesn't negate His deep love and redemptive purpose. This shift highlights that even in the wake of judgment, God’s mercy and faithfulness stand firm. He moves from consequence to covenant, from discipline to deliverance, demonstrating that His ultimate plan is to restore and claim His people.
God uses two powerful roles – Creator and Redeemer – to describe Himself. What does this dual claim mean for His people?
Isaiah emphasizes God's absolute authority by first reminding Israel that He is their Creator ("he who created you... he who formed you"). This points to His sovereign power and the fact that they owe their very existence and national identity to Him. Then, He immediately follows with "I have redeemed you." This act of redemption, often referencing past deliverances like the Exodus, asserts His right to claim them as His own. These two actions – creation and redemption – are foundational to God's relationship with His people. They signify that His claim on Israel is not arbitrary, but rooted in His power to bring them into being and His faithfulness to rescue them from bondage.
Why is being "called by name" so significant in ancient Near Eastern culture, and what does it reveal about God's relationship with us?
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In the ancient world, calling someone by their name was far more than a casual identifier; it signified a deep personal knowledge, intimacy, and often, ownership or authority. When God says, "I have called you by name," it’s a profound declaration of His personal engagement with Israel. It means He knows each individual, their unique circumstances, and has set His affection upon them. This isn't a distant, generic claim; it’s a specific, tender affirmation of relationship. The phrase "you are mine" seals this intimacy and ownership. God isn't just your Creator and Redeemer; He is intimately acquainted with you and claims you as His own possession, like a treasured belonging or a beloved family member.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel, signifying His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises.
bara · Hebrew Verb
To bring into existence out of nothing; used especially of God’s unique power to create the heavens, the earth, and His people.
Ya'aqov · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the patriarch Jacob and the nation descended from him, signifying God's covenantal relationship with His chosen people.
yatsar · Hebrew Verb
To fashion, mold, or shape; often used metaphorically for God’s deliberate act of forming a people or an individual for His purpose.
Yisra'el · Hebrew Noun
The name given to Jacob by God, representing the corporate identity of the covenant people of God.
ga'al · Hebrew Verb
To buy back or liberate someone from slavery or captivity by the payment of a price, representing God’s deliverance of His people.
This powerful message of comfort comes at one of Israel's darkest hours—the Babylonian Captivity. God reminds His people that even in exile, He is their Creator and Redeemer, emphasizing His ultimate control and unfailing love for them.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Deportation
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and many of its inhabitants are deported, effectively ending the existence of the northern kingdom.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of Israelites, including members of the royal family and skilled individuals. Daniel is among this group.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, following a revolt against Babylonian rule. Jerusalem's temple is not yet destroyed.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Babylon destroys Jerusalem and its temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire, conquers Babylon, creating the conditions for the return of the Jewish exiles.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree Allowing Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
This passage echoes the intimacy and assurance of God's love, stating 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.' It reinforces the idea that God's call and commitment to Israel (and by extension, believers) are deeply rooted and enduring.
Romans 8:38-39This New Testament passage powerfully amplifies the declaration 'you are mine.' It assures believers that nothing, not even the greatest troubles, can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus, highlighting God's unwavering possession and protection of His people.
John 10:14-15Jesus' words here directly illuminate the phrase 'I have called you by name.' He states, 'I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father.' This shows that God's calling of His people is an intimate, personal recognition and relationship.
Ephesians 2:10This verse connects to God as the 'creator' and 'former' of His people, explaining that 'we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.' It shows that God's creative and redemptive work has a specific purpose for His chosen people.
barnesIsaiah 43:1: "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 by thy name; thou art mine."
But now - This expression shows that this chapter is connected with the preceding. The sense is, "Though God has punished the nation, and showed them his displeasure Isaiah 42:24-25 , yet now he will have mercy, and will deliver them.' That created thee - The word 'thee' is used here evidently in a collective…
bensonIsaiah 43:1: "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 by thy name; thou art mine."
Isaiah 43:1-2 . But now, thus saith the Lord — But, notwithstanding thy gross insensibility under former judgments, for which I might justly send far heavier calamities upon thee, yet I will deal mercifully with thee. That created thee, O Jacob, &c. — Who made thee his people, and that in a manner as miraculo…
God doesn't just say He redeemed Israel, but that He has redeemed them, pointing to past deliverances as a guarantee that He's not finished. His act of calling them "by name" emphasizes a deep, personal intimacy, not just a general designation.
After rebuking Israel for their blindness and deafness to God's previous judgments, the prophet now shifts to a message of profound comfort and reassurance. This verse marks a pivotal contrast, moving from God’s displeasure to His unwavering love and promises of deliverance for His chosen people. God reminds them of His intimate relationship with them, highlighting His creative power in forming them as a nation.
After rebuking Israel for their blindness and deafness to God's previous judgments, the prophet now shifts to a message of profound comfort and reassurance. This verse marks a pivotal contrast, moving from God’s displeasure to His unwavering love and promises of deliverance for His chosen people. God reminds them of His intimate relationship with them, highlighting His creative power in forming them as a nation.
"But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." — God doesn't just say He redeemed Israel, but that He has redeemed them, pointing to past deliverances as a guarantee that He's not finished. His act of calling them "by name" emphasizes a deep, per…
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Last reviewed October 2026