American Standard Version
Isaiah 45:19
19I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Isaiah 45:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
- New International Version (NIV)I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Context of Isaiah 45:19
17But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be put to shame nor confounded world without end. 18For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I, Jehovah, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. 21Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.
Read all of Isaiah 45Isaiah 45:19 word by word
לֹ֧א בַסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי בִּמְקוֹם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לֹ֥א אָמַ֛רְתִּי לְזֶ֥רַע יַעֲקֹ֖ב תֹּ֣הוּ בַקְּשׁ֑וּנִי אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר צֶ֔דֶק מַגִּ֖יד מֵישָׁרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- Seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
Cross-references for Isaiah 45:19
- Isaiah 43:9Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
- Isaiah 48:16Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and his Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 29:29The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
- Deuteronomy 30:11For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.
- Proverbs 1:21She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words:
- Proverbs 8:1Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?
- John 7:26And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?
- John 7:37Now on the last day, the greatdayof the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
- John 18:20Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing.
- Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- Isaiah 1:15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
- Isaiah 8:19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?
- Isaiah 55:6Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:
- Isaiah 58:1Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.
- 1 Chronicles 28:8Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Jehovah, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of Jehovah your God; that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you for ever.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Jehovah is with you, while ye are with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
Commentaries on Isaiah 45:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I have not spoken tn secret, in a dark place of the earth - In opposition to the manner in which the heathen oracles gave their answers, which were generally delivered from some deep and obscure cavern. Such was the seat of the Cumean Sybil: - Excisum Euboicae latus ingens rupis in antrum. Virg. Aen. 6:42. "A cave cut in the side of a huge rock." Such was that of the famous oracle at Delphi; of which, says Strabo, lib. ix., ' , . "The oracle is said to be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19I have not spoken in secret - The word rendered secret‘ (סתר sı̂ther ) denotes a hiding, or covering; and the phrase here means secretly, privately. He did not imitate the pagan oracles by uttering his predictions from dark and deep caverns, and encompassed with the circumstances of awful mystery, and with designed obscurity. In a dark place of the earth - From a cave, or dark recess, in the manner of the pagan oracles. The pagan responses were usually…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-19Verses 11-19 Believers may ask in prayer for what they need; if for their good, it will not be withheld. But how common to hear God called to account for his dealings with man! Cyrus provided for the returning Jews. Those redeemed by Christ shall be provided for. The restoration would convince many, and convert some; and all that truly join the Lord, find his service perfect freedom. Though God be his people's God and Saviour, yet sometimes he lays them…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-25Salvation comes only from the Lord. He is the creator, the revealer, and the one who carries out his will in human history. He promised to start a new era of salvation and righteousness (see Isaiah 45:8). Every person will submit to God, either by choice or not (Isaiah 45:23–24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. not ... secret--not like the heathen oracles which gave their responses from dark caverns, with studied obscurity (Is 48:16). Christ plainly quotes these words, thereby identifying Himself with Jehovah (Joh 18:20). I said not ... Seek ... in vain--When I commanded you to seek Me (Jehovah did so, Is 45:11, "Ask Me," &c.), it was not in order that ye might be sent empty away (De 32:47). Especially in Israel's time of trial, God's interposition, in…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 45:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 45
- 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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries