Isaiah 42:9 kjv
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 42:9 nkjv
Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Isaiah 42:9 niv
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
Isaiah 42:9 esv
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Isaiah 42:9 nlt
Everything I prophesied has come true,
and now I will prophesy again.
I will tell you the future before it happens."
Isaiah 42 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 41:22-23 | "Let them bring them forth... tell us what is to happen... so we may know" | Challenge to idols unable to predict future. |
| Isa 43:9 | "Who among them can declare this... that they may be proved right." | God as the sole true prophet. |
| Isa 43:18-19 | "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" | Call to look forward to God's new redemptive acts. |
| Isa 44:7-8 | "Who, like me, can proclaim the future... announce to me what is to come!" | Yahweh's exclusive attribute of foreknowledge. |
| Isa 46:9-10 | "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning." | God's unique power over time and events. |
| Isa 48:3-6 | "The former things I declared long ago... I declared them to you before they happened." | God reminds Israel of His past accurate prophecies. |
| Jer 31:31 | "The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant..." | Prophecy of a fundamentally new divine relationship. |
| Dan 2:28 | "There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in latter days." | God as the revealer of future events to prophets. |
| Amos 3:7 | "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." | God's method of revealing His future intentions. |
| Matt 12:18 | "Here is my servant whom I have chosen... He will proclaim justice to the nations." | Fulfillment of the Servant prophecy of Isaiah 42. |
| John 13:19 | "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am." | Jesus declares future events to build faith. |
| Rom 4:17 | "...who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." | God's creative power extends to making new realities. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come." | Spiritual newness found in salvation through Christ. |
| Eph 1:4 | "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world..." | God's sovereign plan predates creation itself. |
| Heb 8:13 | "By calling this covenant 'new,' he has made the first one obsolete." | The New Covenant supersedes the Old, fulfilling prophecy. |
| Rev 21:1-5 | "Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth'... And he who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'" | Ultimate fulfillment in eternal new creation. |
| Deut 18:22 | "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place... that is a message the LORD has not spoken." | Test for distinguishing true prophets by fulfillment. |
| Isa 45:21 | "Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago?" | Challenges any entity apart from God to declare the future. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?" | Emphasizes the unchangeable nature of God's word and purpose. |
| Psa 33:11 | "But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." | God's plans are eternally sure and always come to pass. |
| 1 Pet 1:24-25 | "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field... But the word of the Lord endures forever." | The lasting reliability of God's eternal word. |
Isaiah 42 verses
Isaiah 42 9 Meaning
Isaiah 42:9 declares God's unparalleled sovereignty and omniscient foreknowledge. He asserts that the prophecies He has previously uttered have already come to fruition, serving as undeniable proof of His power. Building upon this established credibility, God then proclaims entirely new and unprecedented future events, assuring His people that He reveals these developments to them with perfect timing, even before they begin to manifest, emphasizing His absolute control over all time and events.
Isaiah 42 9 Context
This verse resides in the second major section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55), often referred to as Deutero-Isaiah, which addresses the Babylonian exiles. Chapter 42 specifically introduces the first of four "Servant Songs," where the Lord's chosen Servant is revealed. Immediately preceding Isaiah 42:9, God has asserted His unparalleled majesty and creative power over the universe and challenged the impotent idols to prove their ability to predict the future (Isa 40-41). The verse serves as a crucial transition point. It reaffirms God's historical reliability by highlighting fulfilled prophecies ("former things") and then unveils new, unprecedented declarations ("new things") which primarily concern the mission of the Servant and the future redemption and restoration of Israel. Historically and culturally, it stands as a direct polemic against the prevalent Babylonian divination practices and polytheism, demonstrating that only the God of Israel holds true prophetic foresight and control over history.
Isaiah 42 9 Word analysis
- Behold (הִנֵּה, hinnēh): This interjection serves as an exclamation to draw immediate and emphatic attention to the momentous statement that follows. It signals a divine pronouncement of great significance.
- the former things (הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת, hā-rišōnōt): Refers to past prophecies and events previously declared by God which have now come to full fruition. These could include the Exodus, the rise and fall of kingdoms, the establishment of Israel, or perhaps specifically earlier prophecies within Isaiah concerning Judah's exile.
- have come to pass (בָּאוּ, bā’ū): Denotes completion, realization, or materialization. It means these prior declarations have effectively arrived and been accomplished. This phrase highlights God's historical fidelity.
- and new things (וַחֲדָשׁוֹת, wa-ḥădāšōt): Signifies events that are entirely fresh, unprecedented, or unheard of, not merely extensions of old patterns. In the context of Deutero-Isaiah, these "new things" prominently include the release from Babylonian captivity, the mission of the Servant (Messiah), a new covenant, and ultimately, a new heaven and earth.
- I declare (מַגִּיד, maggîḏ): This active participle implies an ongoing, authoritative, and direct proclamation from God Himself. It emphasizes His role as the exclusive source of revealed truth about the future.
- before they spring forth (בְּטֶרֶם תִּצְמַחְנָה, bəṭerem tiṣmaḥnāh): Employs an evocative agricultural metaphor, comparing the emergence of future events to plants sprouting from the earth. "Before they sprout" highlights God's complete foreknowledge, not just seeing the seed planted, but knowing the entire development before any physical manifestation is visible. This emphasizes the certainty and detailed nature of His prophecy.
- I tell you of them (אַשְׁמִיעַ אֶתְכֶם, ’ašmîa‘ ’eṯkem): Conveys the act of making someone hear or understand. God is not simply thinking these things but is actively communicating them to His people, implying revelation and an invitation to trust and believe.
Groups of words analysis:
- "Behold, the former things have come to pass": This phrase functions as a divine evidence statement, establishing God's track record of perfect prophetic fulfillment. It lays a foundational truth for the hearer: what God has said, He has done.
- "and new things I declare": This signals a new phase of divine activity and revelation. God's work is not static; He continues to unfold His plan with novel and transformative interventions in history and redemption.
- "before they spring forth I tell you of them": This powerful assertion emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty and prescience. It demonstrates His ability to command the future into being, knowing every detail and revealing it even before the slightest sign appears, serving as both comfort and a challenge to human pride.
Isaiah 42 9 Bonus section
The "new things" proclaimed by God in this verse are multivalent, having both immediate and far-reaching prophetic applications. While directly assuring the exiles of their imminent deliverance from Babylon and the re-establishment of Jerusalem (a 'new' act compared to previous judgments), the text simultaneously lays the groundwork for the most profound "new thing": the advent and redemptive work of the Suffering Servant, who is later understood as the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This encompasses the New Covenant, the spiritual transformation of individuals, and ultimately, the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells forever. Therefore, this single verse spans historical deliverance and eschatological fulfillment, underscoring the enduring relevance and layered meaning of God's prophetic word.
Isaiah 42 9 Commentary
Isaiah 42:9 is a cornerstone declaration of God's unique deity and trustworthiness. It functions as an explicit contrast to the empty promises and non-existent power of pagan idols. God establishes His credibility by referring to "the former things" – prophecies previously delivered that have been faithfully accomplished. This appeals to His historical record of unerring truth and power. With this foundation, He then asserts His sole prerogative to reveal "new things," events utterly unprecedented and originating solely from His divine purpose. The phrase "before they spring forth I tell you of them" is crucial; it vividly illustrates God's perfect foreknowledge, a knowledge so absolute that He reveals outcomes before even the faintest indication of their beginning appears. This is not guesswork or deduction, but an authoritative declaration from the One who orchestrates and controls all of creation and history. This verse thus serves to instill deep trust in God's promises among His exiled people, assuring them that despite their present desolation, His plan for redemption and a glorious future (the ultimate "new thing" in Christ) is certain because it flows from His unchanging and all-knowing nature.