Isaiah 43:18 (DBY)

Passage

Remember not the former things, neither consider the ancient things:

Nearby Context

Isaiah 43:16 Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,

Isaiah 43:17 who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as tow:

Isaiah 43:18 Remember not the former things, neither consider the ancient things:

Isaiah 43:19 behold, I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth: shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the waste.

Isaiah 43:20 The beast of the field shall glorify me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I will give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the waste, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "remember", "former", "things", "neither", "consider", and "ancient". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "remember" and "former", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "who bringeth forth chariot and horse army..." into verse 19's "behold I do a new thing now...", so "remember" and "former" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "remember" and "former" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.