Isaiah 48 15

Isaiah 48:15 kjv

I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

Isaiah 48:15 nkjv

I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper.

Isaiah 48:15 niv

I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission.

Isaiah 48:15 esv

I, even I, have spoken and called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.

Isaiah 48:15 nlt

"I have said it: I am calling Cyrus!
I will send him on this errand and will help him succeed.

Isaiah 48 verses

Isaiah 48 15 meaning

This verse emphatically declares God's singular and supreme authority over world events. Through a series of powerful first-person affirmations, God states that He, and He alone, has ordained, prophesied, and actively brought about the actions of a chosen instrument, explicitly identified as Cyrus in previous chapters. This divine call and active empowerment ensure the success of the instrument's specific mission: the conquest of Babylon and the subsequent release of the Jewish exiles, thus proving God's unparalleled foresight and ability to fulfill His word.

Isaiah 48 15 Context

Isaiah 48:15 is situated within the "Book of Consolation" (Isaiah chapters 40-55), delivered to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. This section contrasts the unique power and knowledge of YHWH with the impotence of the idols worshipped by the Babylonians. The immediate context of chapter 48 highlights the persistent obstinacy and idolatry of Israel despite their historical experience of God's acts. God's message underscores that He alone is sovereign, able to declare future events (specifically the rise of Cyrus) and then bring them to pass. This serves to both rebuke Israel for their unbelief and assure them that their deliverance from Babylon, though seemingly impossible, is firmly within God's meticulously planned will, executed by a foreign king chosen by God Himself.

Isaiah 48 15 Word analysis

• "I, even I" (אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי - Anoki, Anoki): The emphatic repetition of the first-person singular pronoun highlights God's sole identity, unparalleled authority, and exclusive agency. It serves as a direct polemic against all false gods and human pretensions. It means that there is no other power or being involved in this declaration and action.
• "have spoken" (דִּבַּרְתִּי - dibbarti): This is a past tense verb (Qal Perfect), indicating a completed and authoritative declaration. God has already uttered His purpose and plan concerning Cyrus and the release from exile, demonstrating His unique foresight as opposed to idols who cannot predict the future.
• "I have called him" (קְרָאתִיו - qeratiw): Another Qal Perfect, this verb denotes a divine summons or commission. God specifically chose Cyrus (even before his birth, as seen in Is 45:4) for a particular role, emphasizing God's control over human history and His ability to raise up leaders, even foreign ones, to serve His purposes.
• "I have brought him" (הֲבִיאֹתִיו - havi'otiw): A Hiphil Perfect, this implies active divine causation. God not only called Cyrus but also actively moved him, enabled him, and directed his path. It speaks to God's intimate involvement in guiding and empowering His chosen instrument to conquer Babylon and set the stage for Israel's return.
• "and his way shall prosper" (וְהִצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ - v'hitsliaḥ darko): This uses a Hiphil Perfect form, often implying divine enablement or granting of success. It's not merely that Cyrus will "succeed," but that God will make or ensure his success. "His way" refers to his specific divinely appointed mission—conquering Babylon and facilitating the return of the exiles—not necessarily his personal well-being in all aspects. This outcome is guaranteed because it is God's will and power behind it.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "I, even I, have spoken; I have called him; I have brought him": This powerful sequence of first-person perfect tense verbs establishes God as the singular, initiating, and executive force behind these monumental historical events. It’s an irrefutable assertion of divine sovereignty, demonstrating God’s ability to both predict and perform.
• "I have called him; I have brought him": These two phrases underscore the twin aspects of divine intervention: election and enablement. God first chooses (calls) His instrument, and then He actively empowers and directs (brings) that instrument to accomplish the task, showing comprehensive control.
• "and his way shall prosper": This phrase serves as the inevitable conclusion and divine guarantee of the preceding actions. Because God Himself is the one speaking, calling, and bringing, the success of the mission—as defined by God’s purpose—is an absolute certainty.

Isaiah 48 15 Bonus section

This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor, demonstrating God's aseity (self-existence) and omnipotence. It also illustrates the principle of instrumental causality, where God uses secondary causes (like a pagan king) to achieve His primary divine will, without negating human agency. The fulfillment of this prophecy regarding Cyrus, years before his actual rise to power, provides historical validation of God's inspired word, reinforcing its trustworthiness not only for the exiles in Babylon but for all future generations. It's a reminder that even when circumstances seem bleak or contradictory to human expectations, God's eternal purposes are moving forward towards their guaranteed fulfillment.

Isaiah 48 15 Commentary

Isaiah 48:15 is a potent declaration of YHWH's absolute sovereignty and unerring execution of His word. Addressing a people prone to doubt and idolatry, God forcefully asserts that He alone is the source of all prophecy and the orchestrator of all historical events, using both willing and unwilling agents for His grand design. The emphasis on "I, even I" directly refutes the claims of impotent idols and human self-sufficiency. By calling, leading, and guaranteeing the success of Cyrus's specific mission, God proves Himself as the unique, living God, active in history, true to His promises, and utterly dependable for the ultimate redemption of His people.