Isaiah 41:4 kjv
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Isaiah 41:4 nkjv
Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.' "
Isaiah 41:4 niv
Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD?with the first of them and with the last?I am he."
Isaiah 41:4 esv
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Isaiah 41:4 nlt
Who has done such mighty deeds,
summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?
It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last.
I alone am he."
Isaiah 41 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 41:4 | Who has performed and done this, decreeing the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first and with the last; I am the same. | God's eternal power and purpose |
| Isaiah 44:28 | “Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ and he shall accomplish all that I please,” | Cyrus as God's shepherd |
| Isaiah 45:1 | “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped,” | God's appointment of Cyrus |
| Jeremiah 25:9 | “behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant,” | Nebuchadnezzar as God's servant |
| Daniel 2:21 | “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have discernment;” | God's control over kingdoms |
| Revelation 17:17 | “For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by their unity of mind, and to give their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” | God orchestrating political powers |
| Revelation 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. | Christ's ultimate victory |
| Genesis 50:20 | "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” | God's use of human actions for good |
| Acts 4:27 | “truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,” | Gathering of powers against Christ |
| Romans 11:36 | "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen." | God as the source of all things |
| Psalm 135:6 | Whatever the Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. | God's sovereign will |
| Psalm 115:3 | Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. | God's supreme authority |
| Isaiah 10:5 | “Woe to Assyria, the staff of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my fury!” | God using nations as instruments |
| Isaiah 10:15 | “Shall the axe boast itself against him who hews with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who wields it?” | Metaphor for God's control |
| 2 Chronicles 36:22 | Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom…” | God stirring Cyrus’ spirit |
| Ezra 1:1 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: | Cyrus fulfilling God's word |
| Daniel 4:17 | The decision is a decree of the watchers, the sentence by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.” | God giving kingdoms to whom He wills |
| Proverbs 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. | God guiding human plans |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | God's incarnate plan |
| Acts 13:36 | For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep, and is laid among his fathers and saw corruption, | Serving God's purpose |
Isaiah 41 verses
Isaiah 41 4 Meaning
This verse declares that God is the one who has brought forth Cyrus, a king of Persia, for a specific purpose: to subdue nations, weaken kings, grant them victory, and deliver cities and their inhabitants from the power of their enemies. It is a prophetic declaration of God's sovereignty and His plan for human history.
Isaiah 41 4 Context
This verse is situated within the latter part of the book of Isaiah, specifically in a section often referred to as "Second Isaiah" or "Deutero-Isaiah," which is traditionally dated to the Babylonian exile. The prophet is speaking to the people of Israel, who are in exile and have likely lost hope. The surrounding verses in chapter 41 depict God challenging the surrounding nations to present their cases and their gods, contrasting their inability to act with God's power. Israel's idols are portrayed as lifeless and incapable of prediction or intervention. In this context, the verse serves as a powerful assertion of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty and His intention to intervene in history, not only to deliver Israel but also to demonstrate His unique power to all the earth through the agency of a foreign king, Cyrus. The immediate audience would have been a disheartened community, needing reassurance that their God was in control and had a plan for their redemption, which included the dismantling of empires that held them captive.
Isaiah 41 4 Word Analysis
- מִ֤י (mî) - "Who" - An interrogative pronoun. It introduces a rhetorical question designed to highlight the unique nature of the actor being described.
- הֵעִ֣יר (heʿîr) - "stirred up," "roused," "woke" - From the root עי“r (ʿwr), meaning to be awake, to stir oneself. Here, it signifies initiating action or causing someone to arise and act.
- מִּקֶּ““ (miqqe““dēm) - "from ancient time" - From קֶ“““ (qā““dēm), meaning "eastward" or "beforetime," indicating the distant past, often referring to God's eternal purposes.
- וְ“““““““ (wə··ûr a·î ya· w ) - "and brought forth" - Connecting the concept of stirring up with the act of bringing into being or into prominence.
- אוֹ“““ (ʾô“â w) - "or" - A conjunction.
- יַ“““““““ (yaqîm) - "raised up" - From the root ק“““ (qûm), meaning to rise, to stand, to be established, or to raise up. This denotes establishing someone or something in authority or existence.
- ““““““““““““ (min nĕḏeḥôt) - "from the remote regions" or "from the ends of the earth" - Refers to distant places or origins.
- ““““““““““““ (wə··ôl· a·mōv) - "and whom" - A conjunctive relative pronoun.
- ““““““““““““““““ (yeqara) - "precious" or "honored" - Likely referring to Cyrus, emphasizing his significant status or the value God placed upon his mission.
- ““““““““““““““““ (qara) - "called" - From the root ק“““ (qara), meaning to call or to name. This highlights divine designation.
- ““““““““““““““““ (tə·ḵû·lâ) - "consummation" or "completion" - Referring to the final outcome or end purpose.
- ““““““““““““““““ (mə·qōr â w) - "from his origin" or "from his place of gathering" - Suggesting a coming from a specific point or gathering of forces.
- ““““““““““““““““ (û·mî) - "and who" - Another conjunction.
- ““““““““““““““““ (ʾomēr) - "says" - From the root א“““ (ʾāmar), meaning to say or speak.
- ““““““““““““““““ (lə·‘ô·lam) - "forever" - Indicating continuity and eternity.
- ““““““““““““““““ (la·nōvɛš) - "to the last" or "to the end" - Indicating finality or continuation until the very end.
- ““““““““““““““““ (““““““““““““““““) - This part of the verse in some translations would lead into verse 5. However, based on the prompt's focus on verse 4, we are focusing on the declarative statements of divine action leading up to the assertion of God's ultimate being.
Grouped analysis: The verse begins with a series of rhetorical questions ("Who...") challenging the existence of any other power that could accomplish such deeds. It then asserts that "I, the Lord, the first and with the last; I am the same" (a concept implied by the declaration that God alone does these things and often completes this thought in the broader context, linking to later parts of chapter 41 and chapter 40/48). The emphasis is on God's eternal and unchangeable nature, which empowers Him to orchestrate history. The phrase "stirred up from ancient time" and "brought forth from distant regions" points to God's preordained plans executed through agents like Cyrus, who are raised up by Him to fulfill His purpose, even if they do not fully understand it.
Isaiah 41 4 Bonus Section
The use of Cyrus as God's instrument is a significant theme in Isaiah, showcasing God's ability to use even pagan rulers to achieve His purposes for His people. This highlights a crucial biblical concept: God is sovereign over all rulers and nations, and His redemptive plan extends beyond the boundaries of Israel. This particular verse serves as a prophetic preview of a significant historical event that would lead to the release of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity, a theme echoed in later scriptures and historical accounts. It demonstrates that God's "Chosen One" in this instance is not of Israel but a Gentile chosen for a specific task of restoration.
Isaiah 41 4 Commentary
This verse underscores God's absolute control over history and the nations. It asserts that divine intervention isn't random but is the result of eternal plans. Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, is presented not as an independent actor but as an instrument raised by God to carry out His will. This assurance would have been profoundly comforting to the Israelites in exile, reminding them that their deliverance was orchestrated by the God of all creation, not dependent on human might or the gods of their captors. It's a preemptive declaration against any who might attribute the fall of empires or the rise of new powers to chance or to other deities. The verse emphasizes that God is the beginning and the end, His plan is complete and unchanging, and He sovereignly directs human affairs to His ultimate glory and the fulfillment of His purposes.