For Revised Standard Version the Hebrew particle ki rendered For is a logical connector here. It introduces the reason why nothing will harm God’s people when they encounter danger. They will be safe because Yahweh is their God. However, it is more likely that ki is an emphatic marker here, which is better rendered “Indeed” or “Truly.” God begins this verse with emphatic statements about himself.

I am the LORD your God: In verse 1 Yahweh claimed the Israelites as his own people. Now he reminds them that he is their God. He has a mutual relationship with them

For the Holy One of Israel, see the comments on 1.4.

Your Savior is another title for God. It occurs here for the first time in Isaiah (see also 45.15, 21; 49.26; 60.16; 63.8), but a “savior” was promised in 19.20 (see the comments there). Good News Translation renders it “who saves you.” Revised English Bible suggests “your deliverer,” because the Hebrew verb translated Savior usually has the sense of rescue from some specific danger. In many languages Savior will be rendered by the same word as the one for “Redeemer” (41.14).

I give Egypt as your ransom means God will offer Egypt as a ransom for Israel’s release. A ransom is normally money paid in order to gain the release of a hostage. Here God will hand over Egypt to Cyrus the Persian emperor, so that the Israelites can return from exile. Actually, Cyrus’ son Cambyses is the one who captured Egypt and the rest of the Nile River region. For this line Good News Translation has “I will give up Egypt to set you free.” Bible en français courant is similar with “I give Egypt in order to pay for your liberation.”

Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you is parallel to the previous line. The verb phrase I give is implied here. God will also offer Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for his people. For Ethiopia see the introductory comments on 18.1-7. Seba probably refers to a country that was on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, where Yemen is located today, or a country that was on the Red Sea coast of northeast Africa. It may be the same country as Sheba, which is mentioned in 1 Kgs 10.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Truly, I am Yahweh your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I will trade Egypt for your freedom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

• Indeed, I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I will hand over Egypt in order to set you free,
I will hand over Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

• Truly, I am Yahweh your God,
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.
I will give up Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba
in order to release you.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .