Isaiah 44:21 kjv
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
Isaiah 44:21 nkjv
"Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!
Isaiah 44:21 niv
"Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you.
Isaiah 44:21 esv
Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
Isaiah 44:21 nlt
"Pay attention, O Jacob,
for you are my servant, O Israel.
I, the LORD, made you,
and I will not forget you.
Isaiah 44 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 43:1 | "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name..." | God's calling and redemption |
| Isaiah 44:2 | "Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb..." | God as creator and former |
| Isaiah 49:15 | "Can a woman forget her nursing child...yet even these may forget..." | God's steadfast love vs. human |
| Jeremiah 31:3 | "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued..." | Eternal love of God |
| Psalm 100:3 | "Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his..." | God's creation and ownership |
| John 1:3 | "All things were made through him, and without him was not any..." | Christ as Creator |
| John 10:3 | "The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name..." | Christ calling His sheep |
| Romans 8:28 | "And we know that for those who love God all things work together..." | God's sovereign plan |
| Ephesians 1:4 | "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world..." | Predestination and choice |
| 1 Peter 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | Identity of believers |
| Acts 15:18 | "known from of old are all his works" | God's eternal knowledge |
| Isaiah 45:11 | "Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker..." | God's identity as Maker |
| Isaiah 43:6 | "I will say to the north, ‘Give them up,’ and to the south, ‘Do not..." | God's power over nations |
| Psalm 139:1-4 | "O Lord, you have searched me and known me...You discern my thoughts..." | God's intimate knowledge |
| Song of Solomon 2:1 | "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys." | Metaphor of intimacy |
| Jeremiah 18:6 | "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand..." | God as Potter, people as clay |
| Hosea 11:1 | "Out of Egypt I called my son." | God's calling of His people |
| John 15:16 | "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you..." | Christ's choice of disciples |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit..." | Believers belonging to God |
| Galatians 4:6 | "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into..." | Adoption as sons |
| Romans 11:33 | "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How..." | God's unsearchable wisdom |
| Ephesians 2:10 | "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." | God's creation for His purpose |
| 1 Thess 5:24 | "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." | God's faithfulness |
| Phil 1:6 | "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will..." | God's completion of His work |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 21 Meaning
The verse is a declaration from God to Israel, recalling their creation and redemption. It emphasizes God's intimate knowledge and unique relationship with them, reminding them that they are His chosen people, His servants, whom He has formed and will not forget.
Isaiah 44 21 Context
Isaiah 44 is part of a larger section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55) known as the "Book of Consolation." This section addresses the exiled people of Israel, assuring them of God's faithfulness, His power to deliver them from Babylonian captivity, and His intention to restore them and bring them back to their land. Chapter 44 particularly focuses on God's absolute sovereignty, contrasting Him with the impotence of idols, and reinforcing His unique relationship with Israel, His chosen servant. Verse 21 serves as a tender reassurance within this prophetic message, emphasizing God's deep, personal knowledge and remembrance of His people, despite their current circumstances and their history of sin.
Isaiah 44 21 Word Analysis
- "Remember" (zachor): To bring to mind, to call to remembrance, to be mindful of. It implies an active engagement of memory and a resulting action or disposition. God actively remembers His covenant and His people.
- "O Israel": A direct address to the nation, the descendants of Jacob.
- "you are my servant" (eved): This refers to Israel's role as God's chosen instrument and representative among the nations. They were called to serve God and bear witness to Him.
- "I formed you" (yatsarti): From the root yatsar, meaning to form, fashion, mold, especially as a potter shapes clay. This emphasizes God's deliberate act of creation and shaping of Israel from its very beginnings.
- "from the womb" (mi-beten): Refers to the place of origin, birth, or conception. It highlights God's involvement from the earliest stage of Israel's existence.
- "you are my servant": Repetition reinforces their identity and purpose in God's plan.
- "O Israel": Further affirmation of their identity.
- "I will not forget you" (lo-esheshkha): To forget, neglect, or leave behind. God's promise here is a solemn assurance against abandonment.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Remember, O Israel, that you are My servant...": This phrase connects the command to remember with the identity of Israel. It's not just a cognitive act but a recall of their covenantal status.
- "I formed you from the womb; you are My servant...": This sequence emphasizes God's foundational work in their creation and their consequent status as His servants, highlighting cause and effect.
- "I have formed you... I will not forget you": This pair of statements underscores God's intentionality in creating and His commitment to never abandoning His creation, particularly His chosen people.
Isaiah 44 21 Bonus Section
The Hebrew verb "yatsar" (formed) is often used in the Old Testament to describe God's creative action, notably in passages like Genesis 2:7 where God forms man from dust. This connects Israel's formation to the creation of humanity itself, underlining their foundational role in God's redemptive plan for all nations. The concept of God not forgetting is echoed in New Testament teachings where Christ assures believers that God remembers His promises and His people, as seen in John 10:28-29. This verse also resonates with the Christian understanding of the Church as the new Israel, also formed by God through Christ, and never forgotten. The assurance of being formed "from the womb" also finds a parallel in the New Testament concept of being born again or spiritual conception in Christ.
Isaiah 44 21 Commentary
This verse is a profound assurance of God's enduring commitment to Israel. It assures them that despite their failings and their present exilic suffering, God has not forgotten them. He reminds them of His sovereign, personal hand in their creation and formation, just as a potter meticulously shapes clay. This intimate knowledge and shaping process signifies a unique relationship and covenant responsibility. Their identity as His servants means they are inherently bound to His purpose and He is bound to them by His faithfulness. The promise "I will not forget you" is a powerful antidote to the despair of abandonment they might feel, declaring that their covenant God is present and active, even when circumstances suggest otherwise. It points to a love that predates their existence and will continue beyond their present trials.