English Standard Version
Isaiah 45:19
19I 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.
Context of Isaiah 45:19
17But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity. 18For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the Lord, and there is no other. 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. 20"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. 21Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- I have not spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- in secretסֵ֫תֶרsêther sithrâh · secrecyH5643
- in a darkחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- not unto the seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- Seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- ye me in vainתֹּ֫הוּtôhû · formlessnessH8414
- I the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- I declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- things that are rightמֵישָׁרmêyshâr · uprightnessH4339
Cross-references for Isaiah 45:19
- Isaiah 43:9All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.
- Isaiah 48:16Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there." And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 29:29"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
- Deuteronomy 30:11"For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.
- Proverbs 1:21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
- Proverbs 8:1Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
- John 7:26And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
- John 7:37On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
- John 18:20Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.
- Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- Isaiah 1:15When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
- Isaiah 8:19And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
- Isaiah 55:6"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
- Isaiah 58:1"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.
- 1 Chronicles 28:8Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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