Isaiah 44 7

Isaiah 44:7 kjv

And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

Isaiah 44:7 nkjv

And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them.

Isaiah 44:7 niv

Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come? yes, let them foretell what will come.

Isaiah 44:7 esv

Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

Isaiah 44:7 nlt

Who is like me?
Let him step forward and prove to you his power.
Let him do as I have done since ancient times
when I established a people and explained its future.

Isaiah 44 verses

Isaiah 44 7 Meaning

The Lord declares His supreme sovereignty and eternal preeminence, emphasizing His role as the originator and sustainer of all things. He is the one true God, incomparable and the source of all wisdom, power, and redemption, contrasting Himself with powerless idols.

Isaiah 44 7 Context

Isaiah 44:7 is part of a larger section in Isaiah (chapters 40-48) often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" or the "Deutero-Isaiah." This section is addressed to the people of Israel in exile in Babylon. The overarching theme is the assurance of God's faithfulness and His ultimate redemption of His people. Within this chapter, God is confronting the people's tendency towards idolatry, specifically their reliance on man-made gods crafted by their own hands. This verse stands as a powerful declaration of God's unique identity and unmatched authority, contrasting Him with the lifeless and impotent idols that surrounded the exiles in Babylon.

Isaiah 44 7 Word Analysis

• And (וְ, və): Conjunction connecting phrases, indicating sequence or addition. Here, it links the previous thought of no one else revealing and declaring God's eternal nature.
• who (מִי, mî): Interrogative pronoun, used here rhetorically to challenge. It poses the question of who has appointed or can compare to God.
• appointed (הִגִּיד, higgîd): From the root nagad, meaning "to tell," "to declare," "to show forth." In this context, it signifies announcing or proclaiming God's eternal decree, His plans, and His true nature.
• me (אֹתִי, ’ōṯî): Direct object pronoun, referring to God.
• since (מִן, min): Preposition indicating origin, separation, or distinction. It signifies the point in time or essence from which the declaration originated.
• the first (רִאשֹׁן, rišôn): Adjective meaning "first," "former," "ancient." It refers to God's preeminence, being the first in existence and in His plan.
• time (עֵת, ‘ēṯ): Noun meaning "time," "season," "occasion."
• And (וְ, və): Conjunction.
• who (מִי, mî): Interrogative pronoun, again posing a rhetorical question.
• likened (הִשְׁוָה, hišvâ): From the root šāwâ, meaning "to make equal," "to compare," "to liken." It directly challenges anyone to equate themselves or anything else with God.
• unto (אֶל, ’el): Preposition indicating direction or relation.
• me (אֹתִי, ’ōṯî): Direct object pronoun, referring to God.
• when (כִּי, kî): Conjunction meaning "when," "for," "because," "that." Here it introduces the temporal clause.
• he (הוּא, hû’): Third-person masculine pronoun, referring to God.
• departed (צֵאת, ṣēṯ): Noun from the root yāṣā’, meaning "to go out," "to depart," "to go forth." It can refer to creation or to God's ongoing action.
• the (הַ, ha): Definite article.
• former (רִאשֹׁנִים, rišônîm): Plural adjective, "former," "first." It points to the earliest creations or occurrences.
• ages (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yiśrā’’ēl): While typically meaning "Israel," in some poetic contexts it can carry a broader sense or be a scribal variation. However, the conventional reading understands it as referring to God's initial creative acts or declarations. A more accurate reading in standard Hebrew manuscripts for "former things" or "ancient times" would be the plural of dabar qadowm (thing that is past) or similar phrasing. Assuming a potential variant or archaic reading, the sense relates to the past. The standard reading of the phrase here is actually hə’ân qədimônîm which refers to "former things" or "ancient times," with the latter part of the verse referencing bə’alōṯ sûm meaning "at my dwelling." The query might be based on a slightly misread or interpreted verse. A more standard transliteration for "former generations" or "ancient times" related to dabar qadowm (previous words/things). However, the standard text here uses different terms.*
• the (וְ, wə): Conjunction.
• coming (לָבֹא, lāḇō’): Infinitive construct verb, meaning "to come."
• things (וְבָאֹת, wəḇā’ōṯ): Conjunction and feminine plural participle, meaning "and [things] that are coming." Refers to future events.
• Also (אַף, ’ap): Adverb, also, even, moreover.
• they (הֵמָּה, hêmma): Third-person masculine plural pronoun.
• declare (יַגִּידוּ, yaggîḏû): Third-person plural future verb from nagad, "to declare."

Self-Correction Note on "Ages" word: The Hebrew for "former things" is rîšōnîm, implying things that are past, often specifically former declarations or events. The Hebrew for "coming things" is bā’ōṯ, literally "coming ones" or "things which come." The query's interpretation of "ages" or specific names might stem from misinterpretation of rîšōnîm.

• Words/Concepts Grouped:
  • "Who has declared...since the first time?" – This grouping emphasizes God's unique capacity to foresee and announce His plans from the very beginning of existence, a capability beyond any created being.
  • "And who has declared it for us?" – The rhetorical question continues, highlighting that no other deity or power could legitimately declare God's ways or purposes.
  • "Let them bring their witnesses that they may be justified..." (implicit challenge from surrounding verses) – God calls for proof from any challenger to demonstrate their divine credentials.
  • "Or let them hear, and say, It is truth." – Alternatively, God invites opponents to listen to His word and acknowledge its truth.
  • "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD..." (linking to previous verse) – God establishes Israel as His witnesses, those who have experienced His prophetic word and salvation.

Isaiah 44 7 Bonus Section

The rhetorical question "Who...?" is a common prophetic device in Isaiah to emphasize God's uniqueness and power, setting Him apart from the pagan deities whose limitations were evident to the people of Israel. The phrasing suggests that any declaration of truth or divine action prior to God's own revelation is illegitimate. Furthermore, the emphasis on God's role in declaring "former things" and "coming things" connects to the concept of prophecy as evidence of deity. The people were to look at past fulfillments of God's word and anticipate future ones as proof of His exclusive divinity. The Lord is not merely a king or a creator, but the eternal one who orchestrates all of time and existence according to His immutable purpose.

Isaiah 44 7 Commentary

Isaiah 44:7 serves as a divine proclamation of God's absolute sovereignty and exclusive claim to deity. It is a powerful challenge to any who would elevate other gods or concepts of power to His level. God is presenting Himself as the alpha and omega of reality, the One who established time and declares all things within it, from the very first moment of creation to the furthest future event. He contrasts His unchanging essence and prophetic knowledge with the void and impotence of idols, which are merely the products of human hands and imagination. This verse underlines the core of monotheism: there is no god like Yahweh. It is a declaration meant to reassure Israel of their God's unique power and faithfulness, especially in the face of Babylonian polytheism and the hopelessness of exile. The "witnesses" God calls for are both Himself and His people, who have a historical record of His actions and His word being fulfilled. The unsearchability of God's wisdom, referenced in Romans 11:33, is on display here, as He alone possesses such profound and comprehensive knowledge of past, present, and future.