Isaiah 43:26 kjv
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
Isaiah 43:26 nkjv
Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.
Isaiah 43:26 niv
Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.
Isaiah 43:26 esv
Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
Isaiah 43:26 nlt
Let us review the situation together,
and you can present your case to prove your innocence.
Isaiah 43 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 43:25 | "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." | Isaiah 43:25 (Self-forgiveness) |
| Romans 8:33 | "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth;" | Romans 8:33 (God as Justifier) |
| Romans 8:34 | "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." | Romans 8:34 (Christ as Intercessor) |
| 1 John 2:1 | "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;" | 1 John 2:1 (Advocate in Heaven) |
| Psalm 50:6 | "And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself." | Psalm 50:6 (God as Judge) |
| Deuteronomy 32:31 | "For their rock is not as our rock, even our enemies themselves being judges." | Deuteronomy 32:31 (Contrast in divine power) |
| Job 9:2-3 | "How should man be just with God? If he contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand." | Job 9:2-3 (Human inability to justify oneself) |
| Psalm 35:1 | "Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me." | Psalm 35:1 (Divine defense) |
| Jeremiah 1:12 | "Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it." | Jeremiah 1:12 (God's word fulfilled) |
| Psalm 72:1-2 | "Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment." | Psalm 72:1-2 (Righteous judgment) |
| Isaiah 45:24-25 | "Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed." | Isaiah 45:24-25 (Righteousness in the LORD) |
| Acts 13:39 | "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." | Acts 13:39 (Justification through Christ) |
| Galatians 2:16 | "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." | Galatians 2:16 (Faith over law for justification) |
| Titus 3:7 | "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." | Titus 3:7 (Grace-based justification) |
| Hebrews 12:23 | "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect;" | Hebrews 12:23 (God as judge of all) |
| John 5:30 | "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." | John 5:30 (Jesus' judgment as just) |
| Matthew 12:36-37 | "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." | Matthew 12:36-37 (Accountability for words) |
| Romans 5:1 | "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" | Romans 5:1 (Justification by faith) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:11 | "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." | 1 Corinthians 6:11 (Justified in Christ's name) |
| Zechariah 3:3-4 | "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." | Zechariah 3:3-4 (Symbolic removal of iniquity and restoration) |
Isaiah 43 verses
Isaiah 43 26 Meaning
This verse is a declaration by God, through the prophet Isaiah, that He will vindicate and justify the speaker (implicitly Israel or a righteous individual) in a dispute or trial. It asserts that God Himself is the ultimate arbiter and that His judgment will be definitive, absolving the one He declares righteous.
Isaiah 43 26 Context
Isaiah 43 is set in a period of Babylonian exile for the people of Israel. The preceding verses (43:22-24) recount Israel's failings and their inability to truly serve or honor God through their sacrifices and obedience. The chapter emphasizes God's faithfulness and power, reminding Israel that He is their Redeemer and Creator. Verse 25 offers God's promise to blot out their transgressions for His own sake. Verse 26, therefore, immediately follows this promise of divine forgiveness by declaring God's intention to act as the ultimate arbiter, clearing the name of the one who has been accused and judged. This shifts from God's internal action (forgiveness) to His external action (justification), addressing the public aspect of judgment. The historical context implies that Israel felt condemned and accused, both by their circumstances and possibly by neighboring nations. God steps in as the supreme judge to declare them righteous.
Isaiah 43 26 Word Analysis
- RecAll (Hebrew: יָרִיב)
- Root: רִיב (rib) - means to contend, plead, strive, dispute, quarrel. It signifies a legal or argumentative dispute.
- Form: Imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular. Suggests an ongoing or future action.
- Usage: It indicates God is entering into a dispute on behalf of someone.
- you
- Second person masculine singular pronoun. Refers to an individual or the collective people of Israel being addressed.
- and (Hebrew: וְ - wə)
- Conjunction. Connects the action of God contending with the subsequent action of pleading.
- conTenD (Hebrew: רִיבָה - rivah)
- Root: רִיב (rib) - same as above.
- Form: Imperative, 2nd person masculine singular. A direct command.
- Meaning: "Contend" or "plead." God instructs the speaker (or the community) to argue their case, but it's God who will powerfully support them.
- with (Hebrew: אֶת - 'et)
- Preposition often used to mark a direct object, but here can indicate association or opposition in the context of contending.
- ME (Hebrew:ִי - 'i)
- First person singular suffix. Refers to God. God instructs them to contend with Him, or perhaps, to present their case before Him for judgment. Given the context of God's own justification, it's likely a call to present their case to Him.
- and (Hebrew: וְ - wə)
- Conjunction. Links God's command to His own subsequent action.
- THUS (Hebrew: וְאוּלָם - wə'ulam)
- Adverb/conjunction. Carries a sense of "but," "yet," or "nevertheless." It introduces a contrasting or conclusive statement.
- Significance: Highlights that despite the potential for dispute or condemnation, God will interject with a definitive pronouncement.
- Saith (Hebrew: אָמַר - 'amar)
- Verb, Qal form (simple active). Means to say, speak, tell.
- Form: Perfect, 3rd person masculine singular. Indicates a completed or definitive declaration.
- THE (Hebrew: אֶת - 'et)
- Definite article.
- LORD (Hebrew: יְהוָה - YHWH)
- The covenant name of God. Indicates the authority behind the declaration.
- MY (Hebrew: מִן - min)
- Preposition often meaning "from" or "out of."
- words (Hebrew: דְּבָרַי - dᵉḇāray)
- Root: דָּבָר (davar) - word, matter, thing.
- Form: Plural noun with first-person singular possessive suffix. My words.
- Significance: God is stating that His words will prove the justification. It is His testimony and pronouncement that carries the weight. This connects to the concept of God's word being powerful and true.
- just (Hebrew: צֶדֶק - tṣeḏeq)
- Noun. Means righteousness, justice, vindication, acquittal.
- Usage: It is the state of being declared right or just.
Group analysis:
- "Contend and contend with me": This phrase (ירִיב וְרִיבָה) is strong. It's not just that God will contend, but that He calls the speaker to also contend, albeit with His help. It suggests a situation where arguments are made, accusations are leveled, but God stands ready to provide the irrefutable argument for the speaker's vindication.
- "Thus have said the LORD my words just": The Hebrew word order (וְאוּלָם אָמַר יְהוָה דְּבָרַי צֶדֶק) literally translates to "but said YHWH my words righteousness." This phrasing emphasizes that God's spoken declaration ("my words") is the very substance of justice and vindication. His word is the basis for being declared righteous.
Isaiah 43 26 Bonus Section
The phrasing "my words [are] righteousness" points to the divine fiat of declaration. God's word is performative; when He speaks something, it becomes reality. In this case, His speaking righteousness into existence for us is the ultimate act of vindication. This concept is deeply tied to the nature of God as both judge and redeemer. He doesn't just declare us righteous because He wants to; He does so in alignment with His own perfect justice and faithfulness, for His own name's sake (as mentioned in the preceding verse). This act of justification by God Himself underscores His sovereignty and the sufficiency of His word to establish our right standing. It’s not a legal loophole, but a righteous pronouncement based on His character and the work of redemption that He initiates.
Isaiah 43 26 Commentary
This verse powerfully conveys the theological concept of justification, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. In human experience, we are often accused, condemned by our failures, and stand in need of defense. God, however, declares that He Himself will step into this "courtroom" of life and decisively acquit the one who contends with Him. He uses His own word—His promises, His nature, His authoritative judgment—as the basis for this declaration of righteousness. This isn't about earning righteousness, but about God's declarative act, often occurring after times of distress or accusation. His declaration makes things right. The implication is that His Word, fully revealed in Christ, is the ultimate evidence that establishes our standing before Him and against any accusation.