Isaiah 41:27

Isaiah 41:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
• New International Version (NIV)I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’ I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I was the first to say to Zion, "Behold, here they are!" and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The first time I said to Zion, ‘Look, there they are!’ And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.

Context of Isaiah 41:27

25“I have stirred up and put into action one from the north [the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great], and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My Name [in prayer]. And he will trample on [the Babylonian] officials as on mortar, Even as a potter treads clay.” 26Who [among the idols] has declared this from the beginning, so that we could know? Or from earlier times, so that we could say, “He is [unquestionably] right!”? In fact, there was no one who declared it, Indeed, there was no one who proclaimed it; There was no one at all who heard you speak [for you pagan gods are speechless]. “I was first to say to Zion, ‘Listen carefully, here they are [the Jews who will be restored to their own land].’ And to Jerusalem, ‘I will provide a messenger (Isaiah) to bring the good news [that Cyrus will be stirred up and put into action to save them].’ 28But when I look [on the pagan prophets and priests], there is no one [who could predict these events], And there is no counselor among them, Who, if I ask, can give an answer. 29In fact, all of these [pagan prophets and priests] are false; Their works are worthless, Their cast images are [merely] wind and emptiness.

Isaiah 41:27 word by word

רִאשׁ֥וֹן לְצִיּ֖וֹן הִנֵּ֣ה הִנָּ֑ם וְלִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר אֶתֵּֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
• to Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• Beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• them: and I will giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• to Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• one that bringeth good tidingsבָּשַׂרbâώar · to bear tidingsH1319

Cross-references for Isaiah 41:27

• Isaiah 41:4Who has performed and done this, Calling forth [and guiding the destinies of] the generations [of the nations] from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord—the first, and with the last [existing before history began, the ever-present, unchanging God]—I am He.’ ”
• Isaiah 43:10“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.
• Isaiah 44:6“For the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts says this, ‘I am the First and I am the Last; And there is no God besides Me.
• Isaiah 48:12“Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called; I am He, I am the First, I am the Last.
• Revelation 2:8“And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God] who died and came to life [again]:
• Isaiah 40:9O Zion, herald of good news, Get up on a high mountain. O Jerusalem, herald of good news, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, do not fear; Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
• Isaiah 44:28It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd (ruler), And he will carry out all that I desire—’ Saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall [again] be built,’ And of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall [again] be laid.’ ”
• Isaiah 52:7How beautiful and delightful on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace, Who brings good news of good [things], Who announces salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
• Ezra 1:1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [that is, the first year he ruled Babylon], in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah [the prophet], the Lord stirred up (put in motion) the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:
• Nahum 1:15Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news [telling of Assyria’s destruction], Who announces peace and prosperity! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Perform your vows. For the wicked one [the king of Assyria] will never again pass through you; He is completely cut off.
• Luke 2:10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.
• Romans 10:15And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Commentaries on Isaiah 41:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them "I first to Zion gave the word, Behold they are here" - This verse is somewhat obscure by the transposition of the parts of the sentence, and the peculiar manner in which it is divided into two parallel lines. The verb at the end of the sentence belongs to both parts; and the phrase, Behold, they are here! is parallel to the messenger of glad tidings; and stands like it, as the accusative case to the verb…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27The first shall say to Zion - This translation is unhappy. It does not convey any clear meaning, nor is it possible from the translation to conjecture what the word first‘ refers to. The correct rendering undoubtedly is, I first said to Zion;‘ and the sense is, I, Yahweh, first gave to Zion the announcement of these things. I predicted the restoration of the Jews to their own land, and the raising up of the man who should deliver them; and I only have…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27The messenger with good news announced that God would come to save his people (see Isaiah 40:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. Rather, "I first will give to Zion and to Jerusalem the messenger of good tidings, Behold, behold them!" The clause, "Behold ... them" (the wished-for event is now present) is inserted in the middle of the sentence as a detached exclamation, by an elegant transposition, the language being framed abruptly, as one would speak in putting vividly as it were, before the eyes of others, some joyous event which he had just learned [Ludovicus De Dieu]…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 41:27

• Gospel
• Idolatry
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Produce
• Gods
• Isaiah
• Omniscience
• Philosophy

Commentaries on Isaiah 41

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings