Isaiah 41 26

Isaiah 41:26 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.

Isaiah 41:26 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.

Isaiah 41:26 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.

Isaiah 41:26 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.

Isaiah 41:26 nlt

"Who told you from the beginning
that this would happen?
Who predicted this,
making you admit that he was right?
No one said a word!

Isaiah 41 verses

Isaiah 41 26 Meaning

Isaiah 41:26 presents a direct challenge from God, through the prophet, to the false gods and their adherents. It asks which deity accurately predicted future events from antiquity, enabling people to verify these declarations and acknowledge the predictor's truthfulness. The verse then decisively states that none of the idol gods or their prophets have declared such events, nor can they proclaim anything, and indeed, they cannot even hear the words or petitions addressed to them, thus exposing their utter impotence and non-existence as true deities in stark contrast to the Living God.

Isaiah 41 26 Context

Isaiah 41:26 is part of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), delivered during or just before the Babylonian exile. In this section, God passionately argues His case to His exiled people and to the surrounding nations, asserting His unrivaled sovereignty and faithfulness. The preceding verses (Isa 41:21-25) initiate a legal-style challenge to the idols and their worshippers, demanding they present their case for legitimacy. This specific verse builds on that challenge, focusing on the ability to predict future events accurately—a critical attribute distinguishing the true God from powerless idols. Historically, Judah faced a world saturated with polytheism and practices like divination, omens, and astrology prevalent in Babylonian culture. God's polemic through Isaiah directly confronts these pagan beliefs, contrasting the vibrant, speaking God of Israel with the mute, blind, and deaf idols.

Isaiah 41 26 Word analysis

• מִי־הִגִּיד (Mi-higgid) — "Who has declared?"

  • מִי (mi): "Who?" A direct interrogative pronoun that emphasizes a search for a specific, singular agent.
  • הִגִּיד (higgid): Hifil perfect of נָגַד (nagad), meaning "to tell, declare, make known." The Hifil stem here denotes causing something to be known or announced, specifically regarding future events. This verb is central to establishing who is capable of genuine prophecy.

• מֵרֹאשׁ (merōʾsh) — "from the beginning" / "from beforehand"

  • מֵ (mē): "from."
  • רֹאשׁ (rōʾsh): "head, top, beginning." Implies deep antiquity or a very early stage of declaration, signifying foreknowledge far preceding the event itself.

• נֵדַע (nēdaʿ) — "that we might know"

  • Qal imperfect of יָדַע (yadaʿ), "to know, perceive, understand." Expresses the purpose or result: the prior declaration must be clear enough to allow subsequent verification and knowing.

• וּמִלְּפָנִים (u-milləfānîm) — "And before time" / "and from former times"

  • וּ (u-): "and."
  • מִלְּפָנִים (milləfānîm): "from before, from former times, from antiquity." Reinforces the concept of remote, deep past declaration, building on merō'sh.

• וְנֹאמַר (wə-nōʾmar) — "that we might say"

  • וְ (wə-): "and" or "so that."
  • נֹאמַר (nōʾmar): Qal imperfect of אָמַר (amar), "to say, speak, declare." Purpose: the outcome of confirmed knowledge is to be able to voice an affirmation.

• צַדִּיק (ṣaddîq) — "He is right!" / "Righteous!" / "True!"

  • Adjective meaning "righteous, just, upright." In context, it attributes truthfulness, validity, and proven integrity to the prophecy and, by extension, to the one who declared it.

• אַף אֵין־מַגִּיד (ʾap ʾên-maggîd) — "Indeed, there is no one who declares"

  • אַף (ʾap): Particle meaning "also, even, indeed," serving to intensify the negation that follows.
  • אֵין (ʾên): Absolute negative, "there is not," or "no one."
  • מַגִּיד (maggîd): Hifil participle of נָגַד (nagad), "declaring." A continuous state of not declaring. This denies the idols' capacity for prophecy.

• אַף אֵין מַשְׁמִיעַ (ʾap ʾên mashmîaʿ) — "indeed, no one who proclaims/makes heard"

  • מַשְׁמִיעַ (mashmîaʿ): Hifil participle of שָׁמַע (shamaʿ), "to hear." Hifil implies "to cause to hear, announce, proclaim." This denies the idols' ability to publicly announce or reveal anything.

• אַף אֵין שֹׁמֵעַ (ʾap ʾên shōmēaʿ) — "indeed, no one who hears"

  • שֹׁמֵעַ (shōmēaʿ): Qal participle of שָׁמַע (shamaʿ), "hearing." This final and most poignant negation denies the idols the most basic attribute of life and intelligence: the ability to perceive or hear anything directed to them.

• אִמְרֵיכֶם (ʾimrêḵem) — "your words"

  • אִמְרֵי (ʾimrê): Construct plural of אֵמֶר (ʾemer), "word, saying."
  • כֶם (-ḵem): Second person masculine plural suffix "your." Refers to the words, declarations, or pleas addressed to the idols, or potentially words spoken by their false prophets. It underscores their complete inability to respond or even comprehend.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Who has declared from the beginning, that we might know? And before time, that we might say, 'He is right!'" This entire clause forms a single, compelling rhetorical question setting forth God's challenge. It defines the singular criterion for authentic deity: proven, long-range prophetic ability. The phrases "from the beginning" and "before time" emphasize the supernatural, pre-historical dimension of God's foreknowledge, far beyond human capacity. The purpose "that we might know" and "that we might say, 'He is right!'" stresses the verifiable and consequential nature of this divine attribute; it leads to clear conviction and proclamation of God's truth.
• "Indeed, there is no one who declares, no one who proclaims, and no one who hears your words." This tripartite negation delivers the decisive verdict. It systematically strips away any pretense of divine power from the idols. "No one who declares" disproves their ability to prophesy; "no one who proclaims" denies their capacity to make known any divine counsel; and "no one who hears your words" exposes their inert, lifeless nature. This final point is devastating for a worshiper who would offer prayers or requests to an idol, only for it to be utterly unresponsive.

Isaiah 41 26 Bonus section

• Hebraic Emphasis: The repetition of merō'sh (from the beginning) and milləfānîm (from former times) uses synonymous parallelism, a common Hebrew literary device, to strongly underscore the remote origin of God's declared knowledge.
• Polemic against Divination: This verse is a direct strike against the pervasive practices of divination, soothsaying, and astrology in ancient Mesopotamia. Unlike the ambiguous, often post-event, or easily manipulable "predictions" of pagan priests or diviners, God's declarations are clear, specific, and confirmed over vast spans of time, making them infallible.
• God's Covenant Testimony: The ability to declare future events (prophecy) and ensure their fulfillment (sovereignty) is foundational to God's relationship with Israel, His covenant people. His past declarations and fulfillments provide the basis for Israel's hope and trust in Him for future redemption from exile.

Isaiah 41 26 Commentary

Isaiah 41:26 encapsulates God's ultimate claim to deity, positing accurate, ancient prophecy as the undeniable proof. The Living God alone has revealed events from the distant past, confirming them through their fulfillment, leading people to declare His righteousness and truth. In sharp contrast, the idol gods are depicted as utterly deficient. They are not merely silent but entirely absent, lacking the power to declare the future, the ability to announce any message, and fundamentally, they cannot even hear the supplications of their worshippers. This stark difference establishes a core theological principle: God's word is living, active, and comes to pass, validating His divine nature and purpose, unlike the mute and impotent idols crafted by human hands, which signify nothing and promise emptiness.