Isaiah 43:4 - Exposition

Since thou wast precious . "Since" probably means "from the time that" ( LXX ; ἀφ οὗ ), not "because," as Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne render. Israel became "precious" from the time that the promise was given to Jacob that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed ( Genesis 28:14 ). Thenceforward God placed the interests of Israel above those of "men" generally, and markedly above those of any other "people." People ; rather, peoples— as Mizraim, Cush, Seba ( Isaiah 43:3 ).