Isaiah 41:26

Isaiah 41:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.
• New International Version (NIV)Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’? No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, "He is right"? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’? Surely there is no one who shows, Surely there is no one who declares, Surely there is no one who hears your words.

Context of Isaiah 41:26

24But no! Your idols are useless. There is nothing that they can do. Anybody who chooses to worship them has turned against God! 25I have woken up a ruler, who is coming with his army from the north. He comes from a land in the east, where the sun rises, and he will use my name to call to me. He will walk over rulers of other nations as if they are mud. He will push them down with his feet, like a potter who prepares his clay. Tell me, who decided in the beginning, that all these things must happen? Who told us about them before they happened? Then we could say, “He was right!” None of your idols said anything about it! Nobody heard them say a word! 27I, the Lord, was the first person to tell the good news to Zion. I sent someone to Jerusalem to say, “Look, they have arrived!” 28I looked among your idols, to see who might be a good advisor. But none of them could help. None of them could answer my questions.

Isaiah 41:26 word by word

מִֽי־הִגִּ֤יד מֵרֹאשׁ֙ וְנֵדָ֔עָה וּמִלְּפָנִ֖ים וְנֹאמַ֣ר צַדִּ֑יק אַ֣ף אֵין־מַגִּ֗יד אַ֚ף אֵ֣ין מַשְׁמִ֔יעַ אַ֥ף אֵין־שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Who hath declaredנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• from the beginningרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: firstH7218
• that we may knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• and beforetimeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• that we may sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• none that declarethשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: proclaimH8085
• none that hearethשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• your wordsאֵמֶר'êmer · wordH561

Cross-references for Isaiah 41:26

• Isaiah 41:22Bring your idols into court. Let them tell us what will happen in future years. Let them tell us what happened in the past. Then we can think about those things. We will understand what happened in the end. Or ask them to tell us about future events!
• Isaiah 43:9Tell the people of all nations to come together. Did any of their gods tell us what would happen? If anyone heard them speak the truth, they should bring those people to this court. Then they can tell us that they were right. People could say, “They spoke the truth.” ’
• Isaiah 44:7Is there anyone like me? If there is, he should say so! He must tell me why he thinks he is so great. Long ago I made my people become a nation. Let him say what he has done since then! Let him tell us what will happen in future years!
• Isaiah 45:21Now decide together what you will say in court! Tell me what you think! Who said a long time ago what would happen? Who spoke about it long before it happened? It was I, the Lord! There is nobody else like me. There is no other God, except me. I am a righteous God and I save my people. There is no other God.
• Isaiah 41:23If they can tell us what will happen in future years, we will know that they really are gods. Tell them to do something, a good thing or a bad thing. That would really surprise us, or even frighten us!

Commentaries on Isaiah 41:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Your word - אמרתיכם imrntheychem ; but, instead of this, one of my most ancient MSS. has דבריכם dibreychem . The meaning is nearly the same: but in this reading this His. is singular.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Who hath declared from the beginning - The meaning of this passage is, there is no one among the soothsayers, and the worshippers of idols, who has predicted the birth, the character, and the conquests of Cyrus. There is among the pagan no recorded prediction on the subject, as there is among the Jews, that when he shall have come, it may be said that a prediction is accomplished.‘ And before-time - Formerly; before the event occurred. That we may say…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. 26Idols and false gods could not predict the future.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. Who--of the idolatrous soothsayers? When this prophecy shall be fulfilled, all shall see that God foretold as to Cyrus, which none of the soothsayers have. beforetime--before the event occurred. He is righteous--rather, "It is true"; it was a true prophecy, as the event shows. "He is righteous," in English Version, must be interpreted, The fulfilment of the idol's words proves that he is faithful. showeth, &c.--rather, "there was none (of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 41:26

• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• 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