New International Version
Isaiah 45:19
19I 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting. 18For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 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. 20“Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but 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. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
- Isaiah 48:16“Come near me and listen to this: “From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.” And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 29:29The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
- Deuteronomy 30:11Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.
- Proverbs 1:21on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech:
- Proverbs 8:1Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
- John 7:26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah?
- John 7:37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
- John 18:20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
- Acts 2:4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- Isaiah 1:15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!
- Isaiah 8:19When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
- Isaiah 58:1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
- 1 Chronicles 28:8“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when 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
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