Isaiah 44 26

Isaiah 44:26 kjv

That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

Isaiah 44:26 nkjv

Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places;

Isaiah 44:26 niv

who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' of the towns of Judah, 'They shall be rebuilt,' and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'

Isaiah 44:26 esv

who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She shall be inhabited,' and of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins';

Isaiah 44:26 nlt

But I carry out the predictions of my prophets!
By them I say to Jerusalem, 'People will live here again,'
and to the towns of Judah, 'You will be rebuilt;
I will restore all your ruins!'

Isaiah 44 verses

Isaiah 44 26 Meaning

Isaiah 44:26 declares God's unique power to bring to pass what He has spoken through His prophets. It asserts the unfailing reliability of God's word and His sovereign plan. Specifically, it prophesies the literal restoration and repopulation of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah after their desolation, highlighting God's faithfulness to His covenant people and His absolute control over history. This declaration stands in stark contrast to the powerlessness of idols.

Isaiah 44 26 Context

Isaiah 44:26 is part of the latter section of the book of Isaiah (often referred to as Deutero-Isaiah or Second Isaiah, chapters 40-55), written primarily to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. This section's central theme is comfort and hope, assuring the exiled people of God's power, unique identity, and commitment to their restoration.

Specifically, chapter 44 is a powerful declaration of God's uniqueness and supremacy over all false gods. It emphasizes that Yahweh alone is the Creator and the Redeemer, capable of foretelling the future and bringing it to pass. The verses leading up to verse 26 contrast God's living and active presence with the dead, man-made idols worshipped by the Babylonians and adopted by some Israelites. God presents His ability to declare future events as a definitive proof of His divinity, unlike idols that are speechless and helpless. Verse 26 explicitly highlights God's command and intention to rebuild Jerusalem and Judah, a direct counter-narrative to the despair and apparent finality of the exile. This prophetic assurance set the stage for the specific mention of Cyrus the Great in verses 27-28, who God would use to achieve this restoration.

Word Analysis

• that confirms (מֵקִים, meqim): This Hebrew word is a participle, indicating continuous or habitual action. It means "He establishes," "He raises up," "He brings to stand." It underscores God's active, divine power to validate and solidify His promises. It is God Himself who acts to ensure the reality of His spoken word.
• the word (דְּבַר, devar): Refers to a divine utterance, a specific prophecy or spoken promise. It implies an authoritative decree or message from God.
• of His servant (עַבְדּוֹ, avdo): The singular noun "servant" is used here. In the broader context of Isaiah, "servant" can refer to Israel as a collective (Isa 44:1-2), a specific prophet like Isaiah, or most profoundly, the Suffering Servant (ultimately Christ). Here, it most naturally applies to the prophets generally—the collective body of God's faithful messengers throughout Israel's history. God authenticates their divinely inspired messages.
• and performs (implied from the action of meqim and context): The action of confirming applies also to "the counsel." It implies that God doesn't just validate the words but actively brings them into reality.
• the counsel (וַעֲצַת, va'atsat): Means "plan," "purpose," or "advice." This refers to God's eternal, sovereign intentions and wise designs, which are communicated through His messengers.
• of His messengers (מַלְאָכָיו, mal'achav): This plural noun literally means "His angels" or "His envoys/messengers." In this prophetic context, it primarily refers to God's human prophets, emphasizing their role as agents conveying God's specific plans and decrees. It highlights the divine source and authority behind the prophetic word.
• who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' (לִירוּשָׁלַ֫ם, תּוּשַׁב): God Himself speaks directly, promising that Jerusalem, currently desolate, will be re-peopled. Tushav is passive, "you shall be inhabited," highlighting that it is God who ensures its repopulation, not human effort alone.
• and to the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' (וְלְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה תִּבָּנֶינָה): Extending the promise of restoration to all urban centers of Judah. Tibbāneynāh is passive, "they shall be built," again emphasizing God's initiating and enabling power in the rebuilding process.
• and I will raise up her waste places; (וְחָרְבוֹתֶיהָ אֲקוֹמֵם): This is a direct, first-person statement from God ("I will raise up"). Charbvoteha refers to the ruins and desolate areas. Aqomem (אֲקוֹמֵם) is the causative form of the root qum, meaning "I will cause to stand" or "I will restore completely." This powerfully asserts God's active intervention and ultimate responsibility for the full renewal.

Words-group by Words-group Analysis

• "that confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers": This phrase highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His prophetic utterances. It establishes the principle that what God declares through His chosen spokespersons, He Himself actively establishes and fulfills. This differentiates Yahweh from idols, which cannot speak a true word or execute any plan. It underlines the divine inspiration and reliability of biblical prophecy.
• "who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' and to the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' and I will raise up her waste places": This part specifies the exact nature of the confirmed word and counsel. It is a promise of restoration and re-inhabitation of a land that was at that time devastated by war and exile. This is not just a spiritual promise but a concrete, physical one, soon to be realized through God's intervention. The shift from passive voice ("you shall be inhabited," "shall be built") to active ("I will raise up") subtly yet powerfully underlines God's direct, personal involvement in the execution of these promises.

Isaiah 44 26 Commentary

Isaiah 44:26 serves as a foundational declaration of God's unique omnipotence and absolute trustworthiness, central to the prophetic book's message of comfort and hope. In a world full of false gods who could neither speak nor act, Yahweh demonstrates His exclusive deity through His prophetic word. This verse essentially asserts, "What I promise, I perform, especially when it comes through My appointed spokesmen." It’s a polemic against idolatry by demonstrating a living God who interacts with human history by speaking future events into being. The restoration of Jerusalem and Judah, from their desolation after Babylonian exile, stood as irrefutable proof of God's ability to fulfill what He had revealed through His "servants" (prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel). This prophecy was partially fulfilled in the historical return under Ezra and Nehemiah but finds ultimate resonance in the new creation and eternal city God brings forth. The reliability of this historical fulfillment serves as a paradigm for the reliability of all God's promises for His people, emphasizing His sovereignty over all human affairs and His covenant faithfulness.

Bonus Section

• The placement of this verse within Isaiah 44 is significant: it follows a detailed debunking of idolatry, emphasizing God’s ability to predict and perform, as distinct from the inertness of carved images. This rhetorical strategy serves to convince the disillusioned exiles that their God is indeed the one true, living God who has the power to deliver on His word.
• The fulfillment of this prophecy in the rebuilding efforts led by figures like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah stands as a powerful historical testament to God's direct involvement in human affairs and His unwavering commitment to His people and promises, centuries after Isaiah first spoke the word.
• This verse undergirds the concept of verbal inspiration: God not only gives a general idea but stands behind the very words (devar) spoken by His prophets, ensuring their accuracy and fulfillment. It assures believers across generations of the dependability of every scripture.