Isaiah 44:6 kjv
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isaiah 44:6 nkjv
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.
Isaiah 44:6 niv
"This is what the LORD says? Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Isaiah 44:6 esv
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
Isaiah 44:6 nlt
This is what the LORD says ? Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven's Armies: "I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.
Isaiah 44 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 44:6 | I am the first and the last; besides me there is no god. | Direct statement of uniqueness |
| Rev 1:8 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God... | NT Echo of Alpha and Omega |
| Rev 1:17 | I am the first and the last. | NT Echo of First and Last |
| Rev 21:6 | "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." | NT Echo of Beginning and End |
| Rev 22:13 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." | NT Echo of Full Title |
| Isa 45:5 | I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God. | Direct statement of uniqueness |
| Isa 45:18 | For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it, who set it fast, who did not create it in vain; who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other." | Emphasis on Creator status |
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." | Oneness of God |
| 1 Cor 8:4 | ...we know that 'an idol has no real existence,' and that 'there is no God but one.' | New Testament emphasis on oneness |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. | One Mediator and One God |
| Ps 86:10 | For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. | God's singular greatness |
| Jer 10:6 | There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. | God's unmatched greatness |
| Isa 43:10 | "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." | Witnesses to God's preeminence |
| Josh 24:14 | "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD." | Exhortation to exclusive worship |
| Ex 20:3 | "You shall have no other gods before me." | The First Commandment |
| Luke 4:8 | Jesus answered him, "It is said, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’" | Jesus quotes Deut 6:4 |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | Knowing the only true God |
| Acts 4:12 | And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." | Salvation exclusively in Jesus |
| Isa 48:12 | "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last." | Earlier declaration of I am the first and last |
| Rom 11:36 | For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen. | Sovereignty of God |
Isaiah 44 verses
Isaiah 44 6 Meaning
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god."
Isaiah 44 6 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah chapter 44, which is set in the context of the Babylonian exile. The Israelites are discouraged and feeling abandoned by God. The chapter is filled with messages of hope and restoration. God is emphasizing his power and sovereignty over all creation, contrasting himself with the powerless idols that the people have turned to. He declares his unique identity as the first and the last, the ultimate reality and source of all things, and that no other divine being exists. This is a polemic against the polytheistic surrounding cultures and a reassurance to Israel of His singular power and redemptive purpose.
Isaiah 44 6 Word Analysis
Thus says the LORD (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - Ko amar YHWH): A standard prophetic formula introducing a divine oracle or message from God.
the King of Israel (מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Melekh Yisrael): Refers to Yahweh as the sovereign ruler of His chosen people, Israel. This highlights a covenantal relationship and God’s authority over them.
and his Redeemer (וְגֹאֲלוֹ - V'goalo): Emphasizes God’s role as kinsman-redeemer, one who has the right and power to deliver, liberate, and restore His people from bondage or oppression, like purchasing back ancestral land or buying back a slave.
the LORD of hosts (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - YHWH Tsevaot): A title signifying God's omnipotence and dominion over all heavenly armies, spiritual powers, and the entirety of creation. It asserts His supreme military and cosmic authority.
I am the first (אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן - Ani rishon): Declares God’s eternal pre-existence; He was before all things and existed eternally. This signifies His absolute originality and ultimate foundation.
and I am the last (וְאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן - V'ani acharon): States God’s eternal continuation; He will exist after all created things cease. This proclaims His ultimate finality and enduring existence.
besides me there is no god (וּבִלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִים - U'vladai ein Elohim): A definitive statement of monotheism. It unequivocally denies the existence of any other deity apart from Yahweh. This directly challenges polytheistic beliefs prevalent in that era.
Words Group Analysis:
- "King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts": This triad of titles comprehensively defines God’s identity in relation to His people and the cosmos, encompassing sovereignty, protective action, and ultimate power.
- "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.": This declaration functions as the absolute creed of monotheism. "First" and "last" signify eternal existence (past and future), while "no god besides me" asserts exclusive divinity. This phrase emphasizes God's eternal nature and His sole claim to godhood.
Isaiah 44 6 Bonus Section
The titles used, "King of Israel" and "Redeemer," are deeply significant within the Israelite covenant. They remind the people of God's established rule and His unwavering commitment to save them, particularly relevant during their exile when they questioned His faithfulness. The phrase "I am the first and I am the last" resonates with themes of divine sovereignty found throughout Scripture, echoing in the New Testament in the self-declarations of Jesus Christ, positioning Him as the divine King and Redeemer, fully God. This verse establishes an immutable theological boundary against any syncretism or dilution of God’s absolute nature and exclusive claim on worship.
Isaiah 44 6 Commentary
This foundational declaration by God in Isaiah 44:6 serves as the bedrock of monotheism. He is not merely a tribal deity or one among many gods. He is the eternal "first" and "last," existing before creation and persisting beyond it, the Alpha and Omega. His redemptive role as Israel’s Kinsman-Redeemer is intrinsically linked to His absolute power and unique deity as LORD of hosts. This exclusivity – "besides me there is no god" – is a direct refutation of the idolatry and polytheism surrounding ancient Israel, and continues to be a core tenet of biblical faith, emphasizing that salvation and ultimate reality are found only in Him.