Isaiah 41 1

Isaiah 41:1 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.

Isaiah 41:1 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.

Isaiah 41:1 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.

Isaiah 41:1 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.

Isaiah 41:1 nlt

"Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea.
Bring your strongest arguments.
Come now and speak.
The court is ready for your case.

Isaiah 41 verses

Isaiah 41 1 Meaning

This verse opens a profound divine courtroom drama where the God of Israel summons the entire world, specifically the distant "coastlands" and their "peoples," to a formal legal dispute. He demands their absolute silence and focused attention, inviting them to prepare their arguments, approach His presence, and present their case. The purpose is a conclusive "judgment" where the true and sovereign God will reveal Himself as the sole controller of history and the only power capable of declaring the future, thereby exposing the futility of idols and the gods of the nations. It is an invitation to witness and participate in a judicial proceeding to prove His unparalleled power and wisdom.

Isaiah 41 1 Context

Isaiah 41:1 serves as the dramatic opening of the first of several "disputation speeches" or "courtroom scenes" (chapters 41–48) within Second Isaiah. This section is primarily addressed to Israel in exile, assuring them of God's unchanging faithfulness, His incomparable power, and His plans for their restoration through Cyrus, whom God raises up. The immediate historical context is the period of the Babylonian exile, when Judah was a dispersed people feeling forgotten and questioning God's ability or willingness to save them. The surrounding nations, with their powerful empires and various gods, seemed to dominate the world.

This verse specifically sets the stage for a grand theological and legal challenge. God summons the entire world – symbolized by the distant "coastlands" and their "peoples" – and by extension, their respective gods and idols, to account for themselves. It’s a polemical declaration against the idolatry and self-proclaimed power of the surrounding empires. God is about to present His irrefutable case, proving Himself to be the one true God who foretells and orchestrates history, unlike the silent, powerless idols of the nations. The overall context moves from despair and questioning among God's people to a powerful affirmation of His ultimate sovereignty and his unique plan of salvation for Israel and the world.

Isaiah 41 1 Word analysis

• Keep silence (הַחֲרִישׁוּ - Haḥarishu): This is a strong, imperative command in the Hiphil stem from the root ḥārash, meaning "to be silent," "to be deaf," or "to keep quiet." It signifies not merely a passive quietude but an active, compelled silence, a demand for profound attention and reverence in the presence of an authority about to speak. It commands the cessation of all rival claims, boasting, and the din of everyday life, signaling the absolute priority of God's address. The Hiphil implies "causing" or "making" silence, suggesting a deliberate act of quieting oneself before the divine.
• before Me (אֵלַי - elay): Literally "unto me." This personal pronoun emphatically directs the commanded silence specifically towards God, highlighting His presence and the direct nature of this divine address. It is a direct summons to God's audience.
• O coastlands (אִיִּים - iyyim): This term refers to distant islands and maritime regions, often symbolizing the farthest reaches of the world known to the ancient Israelites. Here, it is a synecdoche for all gentile nations beyond the immediate landmass, emphasizing the global scope of God's authority and the universal audience He addresses. It signifies that no nation, however remote or powerful, is outside His jurisdiction.
• and let the peoples (וּלְאֻמִּים - u-le'ummim): A parallel term to "coastlands," meaning "nations" or "peoples." This further clarifies the comprehensive and international scope of God's summons, leaving no entity out of His divine court. It pluralizes the concept of global nations, underscoring the vastness of the assembly.
• renew their strength (יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹּחַ - yaḥalifu koaḥ): This phrase contains an ironic double meaning. On the surface, it's an invitation to "brace yourselves" or "prepare your best arguments" for a judicial contest. However, in stark contrast to God's promise to Israel (Isa 40:31) to renew their strength in Him, this renewal for the nations is one of futility. They will gather whatever might they possess to argue their case, but it will prove insufficient against the omnipotent God. It implies an internal rallying of resolve to face a challenge.
• Let them approach, then let them speak (יִגְּשׁוּ יְדַבֵּרוּ - yiggeshu yedabberu): These are jussive verbs, conveying an imperative invitation or command.
  • Yiggeshu ("let them approach/draw near"): Signals the physical coming to the judicial forum.
  • Yedabberu ("then let them speak/present their case"): Emphasizes the purpose of their approach—to vocalize their defense or accusations. This is an invitation for them to lay out their most persuasive arguments before God.
• together for judgment (יַחְדָּו אֶל-מִשְׁפָּט - yaḥdaw el-mishpaṭ):
  • Yaḥdaw ("together/all at once"): Underlines the collective nature of this summons. All nations are implicated and will stand together before God.
  • El-mishpat ("for judgment/unto legal decision"): Mishpat refers to a legal verdict, a case, justice, or judgment. It frames the entire encounter as a formal legal proceeding where truth will be established, evidence examined, and a final decision rendered concerning who is the true, sovereign God.
• let us come together (נִקְרָבָה - niqravah): This is a cohortative (first-person plural, self-hortatory) verb from qārab, meaning "to approach." Here, it expresses God's invitation and readiness for a face-to-face confrontation in the judicial setting. God Himself proposes the joint appearance, signaling His readiness to initiate and preside over the legal case. It implies God as the instigator and willing participant in this grand legal proceeding, not merely a passive observer.

Isaiah 41 1 Bonus section

The legal imagery initiated in Isa 41:1 permeates chapters 41-48, establishing God not just as the Judge but also as the plaintiff and the prosecutor in this grand trial against the nations and their gods. He presents His evidence (His actions in history, His prophecies), challenges the defendants (the idols) to do the same, and then renders a verdict. The entire scene aims to solidify Israel's faith amidst exile by demonstrating that their God is actively involved in global events, fulfilling His word, and is infinitely superior to any other supposed deity. This forensic framework creates a compelling argument for Yahweh's uniqueness and His unwavering commitment to His covenant people, assuring them of future redemption and challenging them to be His witnesses.

Isaiah 41 1 Commentary

Isaiah 41:1 inaugurates a divine forensic confrontation, a profound theological court case staged on a global scale. Yahweh, the God of Israel, unequivocally asserts His universal sovereignty by summoning all nations, from the nearest "peoples" to the furthest "coastlands," to a formal tribunal. His opening demand for silence (Haḥarishu elay) is a direct challenge to their boastful claims, their reliance on impotent idols, and the hubris of their worldly powers. It mandates immediate reverence and focused attention, signaling that a matter of ultimate significance—God's unrivaled power and justice—is about to be declared.

The ironic invitation for the nations to "renew their strength" (yaḥalifu koaḥ) subtly highlights their inherent weakness. While God offers true strength to those who wait upon Him (Isa 40:31), the nations' self-generated strength for this contest will prove utterly futile. They are encouraged to gather their best arguments, approach the divine court ("yiggeshu yedabberu"), and collectively present their case for the legitimacy of their gods and the wisdom of their actions.

This entire exercise is structured "for judgment" (el-mishpaṭ). It is not merely an accusation but a solemn legal inquiry designed to prove God's unique identity as the orchestrator of history and the sole predictor of future events. He alone reveals things before they come to pass, in stark contrast to the mute and deaf idols who offer no counsel and demonstrate no power (as will be elaborated in the following verses). The "let us come together" (niqravah) signifies God's own proactive engagement, His willingness to present His own irrefutable evidence. This verse thus functions as a powerful declaration of God's undisputed authority over all creation, calling all to account before the only true and living God.