Isaiah 43 13

Isaiah 43:13 kjv

Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

Isaiah 43:13 nkjv

Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"

Isaiah 43:13 niv

Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

Isaiah 43:13 esv

Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"

Isaiah 43:13 nlt

"From eternity to eternity I am God.
No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
No one can undo what I have done."

Isaiah 43 verses

Isaiah 43 13 Meaning

Isaiah 43:13 declares God's eternal existence and immutable sovereignty. He is the ultimate, timeless Agent whose purposes cannot be thwarted. No power, human or divine, can undo what He has decided or rescue anyone from His determined will and actions. It affirms His exclusive authority as the Creator and controller of all things, reassuring His people of His power to save them.

Isaiah 43 13 Context

Isaiah 43 is part of a larger section (Isa 40-66) often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" or "Consolation." It addresses the exiled Israelites in Babylon, promising their future deliverance and restoration. The verses immediately preceding Isaiah 43:13 (v. 10-12) emphasize God's unique identity as the only true God, the sole Savior, and the one who foretells future events. God is distinguishing Himself from the idols worshipped by the surrounding nations, especially the powerful Babylonian gods. Verse 13 solidifies these claims by asserting God's eternal nature and irresistible power. It undergirds all His promises of rescue for His people and judgment against their oppressors, serving as an ultimate declaration of His unchallengeable authority against any human or divine adversary. The historical context of exile and polytheism makes this declaration of monotheistic omnipotence incredibly potent and reassuring.

Isaiah 43 13 Word analysis

• Indeed (אַף, aph): An emphatic particle, conveying "also," "surely," or "how much more." It intensifies the divine declaration that follows, affirming its truthfulness with strong assurance.

• from ancient days (מִיּוֹם מֵאָז, miy-yowm me'az): Literally "from the day from then," or "from of old, from the beginning." This phrase denotes God's eternal, timeless existence, not merely that He has been around for a long time, but that His being predates and encompasses all of creation and history. It highlights His absolute eternality.

• I am He (אֲנִי־הוּא, ani-hu): A profound self-identification. This powerful declaration ("I, He") emphasizes God's unique, exclusive, and unchanging identity. It affirms His self-existence, oneness, and sovereignty, recalling the divine name "I AM" (Ex 3:14) and recurring in Isaiah as a challenge to any false deity (Isa 41:4, 48:12).

• And there is no one who can deliver (וְאֵין מַצִּיל, v'ein matzil): matzil means "rescuer," "deliverer," or "savior." The phrase asserts that absolutely no other being, force, or deity has the capacity to save or extract from God's grasp. This denies any external power capable of opposing or overriding God's will, especially pertinent in a polytheistic environment where various gods claimed deliverance.

• from My hand (מִיָּדִי, mi-yadi): The "hand" of God is a common biblical metaphor for His power, authority, judgment, and action. To be "in His hand" means to be under His direct control. This statement implies that once God acts, decides, or claims something, no one can snatch it away or interfere with it.

• I act (אֶפְעַל, ephal): The verb pa'al means "to do," "to make," "to work," or "to accomplish." In the first person singular, it stresses God's initiative, purposeful engagement, and effective execution of His will. He is not a passive observer but an active, decisive agent in the affairs of the world.

• and who can reverse it? (וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנָּה, u'mi yeshi-vennah): A rhetorical question. yeshibennah comes from shuv, "to return," "to turn back," or "to revoke." The question powerfully conveys that God's actions are irreversible and His decrees immutable. No one possesses the authority or might to annul or undo what God has determined and accomplished.

• from ancient days I am He: This phrase underscores God's absolute timelessness and singular divine essence. His identity is established eternally, placing Him beyond the limitations of creation and making Him the uncreated Creator and the uncaused Cause. He is self-existent, always has been, and always will be, thus establishing the ground for His subsequent claims of irresistible power.

• there is no one who can deliver from My hand: This segment directly confronts any challenge to God's omnipotence. It proclaims that His authority and power are supreme, extending to every aspect of existence, from salvation to judgment. No entity, whether human, demonic, or any false god, can intervene to alter His decrees or escape His grasp.

• I act and who can reverse it?: This declarative statement followed by a rhetorical question is the climax of God's assertion of absolute sovereignty. It emphasizes the unchallengeable efficacy of God's will. Whatever He determines to do, He does effectively, and no power in heaven or on earth can halt, undo, or modify His finished work.

Isaiah 43 13 Bonus section

• This verse represents a forceful polemic against all forms of idolatry and any notion of competing divine powers. It systematically demolishes the validity of gods that were believed to deliver, foretell, or act definitively in the world.
• The "I am He" statement links back to Israel's foundational understanding of God (e.g., in Deuteronomy) as the sole, sovereign Yahweh, reassuring a people facing assimilation in a polytheistic empire.
• The rhetorical questions used throughout Isaiah, culminating in this verse, serve not to seek an answer but to affirm an undeniable truth about God's nature to an audience prone to doubt His power in their distress.
• This verse's declaration of God's unchanging nature and power is foundational to understanding concepts like God's providence, predestination, and the assurance of salvation within Christian theology.

Isaiah 43 13 Commentary

Isaiah 43:13 stands as a cornerstone declaration of God's unique, eternal, and absolute sovereignty. In a context of doubt and polytheistic temptations among the exiles, God reaffirms that His existence is not bound by time ("from ancient days") and His identity ("I am He") is singular and unparalleled. This divine "I AM" statement underscores His uncreated, self-existent nature, placing Him alone as the source and sustainer of all reality. Consequently, His power is limitless; once His hand moves, no one can rescue from its grip, whether in judgment or salvation. Furthermore, His actions are utterly decisive and irreversible. Whatever He purposes, He performs, and no one can annul or reverse His decree. This serves as profound comfort to God's people, assuring them that His promises of deliverance are secure, and simultaneously a dire warning to those who oppose His will, for their defiance is futile against His unchallengeable power. This verse compels an unreserved trust in God's immutable character and irresistible dominion over all creation and history.