Isaiah 45 20

Isaiah 45:20 kjv

Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

Isaiah 45:20 nkjv

"Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.

Isaiah 45:20 niv

"Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.

Isaiah 45:20 esv

"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.

Isaiah 45:20 nlt

"Gather together and come,
you fugitives from surrounding nations.
What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols
and pray to gods that cannot save!

Isaiah 45 verses

Isaiah 45 20 Meaning

All the nations gather together; let the peoples assemble. Which among them has declared this and told us former things? Let them bring their witnesses to be justified, or let them hear and say, "It is the truth."

Isaiah 45 20 Context

Isaiah chapter 45 is part of the larger section of Isaiah often referred to as "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55), which addresses the exiled people of Israel in Babylon. This chapter is a powerful declaration of Yahweh's sovereignty over all nations and His chosen instrument, Cyrus the Great. The passage immediately preceding verse 20 (v. 19) states, "I have not spoken in secret, in some place of the land of darkness..." This sets the stage for the current verse, which challenges all nations and their gods to present evidence of their predictive abilities, implicitly contrasting them with Yahweh, who has foretold events through His prophets. The context is a divine legal challenge and a call to assembly, aiming to vindicate God's truth and power against the impotence of other deities and to encourage Israel.

Isaiah 45 20 Word Analysis

• All (כֹּל - kol): Encompassing, totality. Refers to every single nation and people.

• the nations (גּוֹיִם - goyim): Peoples, often referring to Gentiles, distinct from Israel.

• gather (קִבְצוּ - qib'tsu): To assemble, collect, bring together. A summons to a communal assembly.

• yourselves (אֶתְכֶם - etchem): Emphasizes self-action, but here in the imperative, a call to gather as a unified group.

• together (יָחַד - yachadh): Togetherness, unity.

• Which (מִי - mi): Interrogative pronoun, seeking identity.

• among them (מֵהֶם - mehem): From within their midst, signifying their own ranks.

• has declared (הִגִּיד - higged): To tell, declare, announce. Refers to proclaiming future events.

• this (זֹאת - zoth): Referring to the declared prophecy or declaration of truth.

• and told us (וְהִשְׁמִיעֵנוּ - ve'hashmi'enu): To cause to hear, to report. The act of conveying information.

• former things (רִאשׁוֹנוֹת - rishonoth): Events or declarations of the past, particularly past prophecies.

• Let them (יָבִיאוּ - yavi'u): Imperative verb, "bring." A call for presentation.

• bring (עֵדִים - 'edim): Witnesses. Those who can testify to the truth or validity of a claim.

• their witnesses (וְיַצְדִּיקוּ - veyatzdiku): To justify, vindicate, prove righteous. Presenting evidence to establish one's cause.

• to be justified (וְיִשְׁמְעוּ - ve'yishma'u): And to hear. A call to attentive listening.

• or let them hear (וְיֹאמְרוּ - veyomru): And to say. To confess or admit the truth.

• and say (אָמֵן - amen): Truly, so be it. A direct confession of truth.

• "It is the truth." (וּצְדָקָה - utz'daqah): And righteousness. The consequence of justification, the establishment of truth.

• Group by words analysis:

  • "Which among them has declared this and told us former things?" This entire phrase functions as a rhetorical question, directly challenging all other nations and their deities. It highlights the uniqueness of God's prophetic power.
  • "Let them bring their witnesses to be justified, or let them hear and say, 'It is the truth.'" This is a conditional plea, presenting two possibilities for the other nations/gods. Either they provide irrefutable evidence (witnesses) of their predictive accuracy to prove their claims, or they must concede defeat by hearing and admitting God's declaration as truth.

Isaiah 45 20 Bonus Section

The rhetorical structure of this verse, inviting opposing parties to present their case and evidence, is characteristic of ancient Near Eastern legal and polemical styles. This method aimed to establish guilt or innocence clearly. In Isaiah's day, as with other oracles of prophetic confrontation, the nations often consulted oracles, diviners, and soothsayers for guidance about the future. Yahweh here claims a vastly superior method and outcome: precise, long-range prediction without reliance on superstition or the occult. This emphasizes not only His power over creation but His mastery over time itself. The concept of "witnesses" also evokes a divine council setting, where God's pronouncements are witnessed by heavenly beings (see Psalm 82:1). Here, the human nations are called to serve as witnesses to God’s superior nature. The declaration "It is the truth" (v'dagagah) underscores that accepting God's word leads to righteousness and correct standing.

Isaiah 45 20 Commentary

This verse serves as a climactic moment in the divine disputation found in Isaiah 40-55. Yahweh stands as the sole true God, confronting the impotence of pagan deities. The invitation to all nations and peoples is a summons to a cosmic courtroom. Their challenge is to produce any god or entity that can match Yahweh's ability to predict future events accurately. This is the supreme test of divinity: foreknowledge and foretelling. The absence of any successful counter-claim from the nations and their idols would vindicate Yahweh's singular authority. The consequence for the defeated nations is to acknowledge His truth and righteousness. This powerfully illustrates that true revelation and divine power lie solely with the God of Israel, not with any fabricated idol or earthly power. The verse echoes the divine mandate to recognize God's attributes and truth in a public, irrefutable manner.