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Isaiah 43:19Behold, I do a new thing
Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
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Interpretation

Isaiah 43:19 shows a new beginnings that is lived within solitude and community—see "behold" and "do". Give new beginnings in boundaries we honor—carry peace past preference.

Context

The setting is Isaiah—prophetic oracle, highlighting new beginnings. Within ch. 43, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward prophetic hope & judgment. Watch the terms “behold” and “do”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Isaiah to Isaiah (son of Amoz). Introductions to Isaiah often note: Many propose layered composition across exilic and post‑exilic periods.. Date: 8th–5th century BC. Genre and setting: prophetic oracle, in the Behold, I do a new thing. This verse leans into prophetic hope & judgment. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). Exilic and post‑exilic horizons color sections of the book.

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
This text appears in the Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran (1QIsa^a), dated to 125 BCE, making it one of the oldest biblical manuscripts. The Hebrew text is remarkably well–preserved with minimal variations across manuscripts. The Dead Sea Scrolls version matches the Masoretic Text (standard Hebrew Bible) almost perfectly. Some minor variations exist in the Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd century BCE), but the core message remains consistent. The phrase 'new thing' uses the Hebrew word 'chadashah,' which appears unchanged in all major manuscripts.
Sources & witness notes
MT1QIsa