Isaiah 41:1

Isaiah 41:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)“Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength! Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment.

Context of Isaiah 41:1

‘You islands, be quiet as you listen to me. The nations need to come and stand in front of me. So they must be brave and speak to me. We must meet together to decide who is right. 2Tell me, who has woken up that king in the east? Who has chosen that king to serve him? He has given that king power over many nations, so that the kings of those nations must obey him. He uses that king's weapons to destroy other nations. He blows them away like dust or straw. 3That king chases quickly after them, and nothing hurts him. His feet do not seem to touch the ground!

Isaiah 41:1 word by word

הַחֲרִ֤ישׁוּ אֵלַי֙ אִיִּ֔ים וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֑חַ יִגְּשׁוּ֙ אָ֣ז יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ יַחְדָּ֖ו לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט נִקְרָֽבָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Keep silenceחָרֵשׁchârash · be quietH2790
• before me, O islandsאִי'îy · coastlandH339
• and let the peopleלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• renewחָלַףchâlaph · to passH2498
• strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• let them come nearנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• then let them speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• let us come nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
• to judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941

Cross-references for Isaiah 41:1

• Isaiah 49:1Listen to me, you islands. Listen carefully, you people who live far away. The Lord called me to serve him before I was born. Before my mother gave birth, he used my name to speak to me.
• Psalms 46:10He says, ‘Be still and quiet! Understand that I am God. I rule as king over the nations. All the world will say that I am great.’
• Habakkuk 2:20But the Lord rules from his holy temple. Everybody on the earth should be quiet in front of him.’
• Zechariah 2:13Be quiet, all people, because the Lord has left his home in heaven to come among you.’
• Isaiah 41:6They help each other, and they say to one another, “Be strong!” ’
• Isaiah 8:9You foreign nations must listen to this! Join together to fight. Shout as you go to battle. But you will never win! You people from countries that are far away, get ready for war. But you will be completely destroyed!
• Job 38:3Prepare yourself for a difficult job! I will ask you some questions and you must answer them.
• Job 40:7‘Prepare yourself for a difficult job! I will ask you some more questions and you must answer them.
• Joel 3:10Make your ploughs into swords. Make the tools that you use on the farm into spears. The weak man must say, ‘I am strong!’
• Isaiah 1:18The Lord says, ‘Please come, so that we talk about this together. Even if your sins are like a red stain, they will become as white as snow. Even if they are bright red, they will become like white wool.
• Job 23:3I would like to know where to find him. Then I could go to the place where he lives.
• Job 31:35I want someone to listen to me! All the things that I say are true. Almighty God should give me an answer! I need to know what I have done that is wrong. He should write down the reason why I am guilty!
• Job 40:8Do you say that I am not a fair judge? Do you want to show that I am guilty, not you? Then you could say that you are right.
• Micah 6:1Now listen to what the Lord says: ‘Stand up! Explain in front of the mountains what I want to say. Speak loud so that the hills can hear your voice.

Commentaries on Isaiah 41:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Keep silence before me, O islands "Let the distant nations repair to me with new force of mind" - , Septuagint. For החרישו hacharishu, be silent, they certainly read in their copy החדישו hachadishu, be renewed; which is parallel and synonymous with כח יחלפו yechalephu coach, "recover their strength;" that is, their strength of mind, their powers of reason; that they may overcome those prejudices by which they have been so long held enslaved to idolatry. A…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The design of this chapter is the same as that of the preceding, and it is to be regarded as the continuation of the argument commenced there. Its object is to lead those who were addressed, to put confidence in God. In the introduction to Isaiah 41:1. II. He specifies that he will raise up a man from the east - who should be able to overcome the enemies of the Jews, and to effect their deliverance Isaiah 41:2-4. III. The consternation of the nations at…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God's care of his people. (Is. 41:1-9) they are encouraged not to fear. (Is. 41:10-20) The vanity and folly of idolatry. (Is. 41:21-29) Verses 1-9 Can any heathen god raise up one in righteousness, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations? The Lord did so with Abraham, or rather, he would do so with Cyrus. Sinners encourage one another in the ways of sin; shall not the servants of the living God stir up one another in his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The nations gathering for a trial must listen quietly to God's arguments. Let them come forward and testify: Literally let them find new strength, which is a reference to Isaiah 40:31. God invited the nations to come and speak, challenging them to counter his case.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-291. (Zec 2:13). God is about to argue the case; therefore let the nations listen in reverential silence. Compare Ge 28:16, 17, as to the spirit in which we ought to behave before God. before me--rather (turning), "towards me" [Maurer]. islands--including all regions beyond sea (Jr 25:22), maritime regions, not merely isles in the strict sense. renew ... strength--Let them gather their strength for the argument; let them adduce their strongest arguments…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 41:1

• Island

In the dictionaries

• Predestination
• Produce
• Gods
• Isaiah
• Philosophy
• Renew
• Silence
• Text of the Old Testament

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