Isaiah 45:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Speak up and present your case—yes, let them consult each other.Who predicted this long ago?Who announced it from ancient times?Was it not I, the Lord?There is no other God but me,a righteous God and Savior;there is no one except me.

Hebrew Names Version
Declare you, and bring [it] forth; yes, let them take counsel together: who has shown this from ancient time? who has declared it of old? Haven't I, the LORD? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.

King James Version
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord ? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

English Standard Version
Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord ? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

New American Standard Bible
"Declare and present your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this long ago? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.

New Century Version
Tell these people to come to me. Let them talk about these things together. Who told you long ago that this would happen? Who told about it long ago? I, the Lord , said these things. There is no other God besides me. I am the only good God. I am the Savior. There is no other God.

Amplified Bible
"Declare and present your defense of idols; Indeed, let them consult together. Who announced this [rise of Cyrus and his conquests] long before it happened? Who declared it long ago? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A [consistently and uncompromisingly] just and righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.

World English Bible
Declare you, and bring [it] forth; yes, let them take counsel together: who has shown this from ancient time? who has declared it of old? Haven't I, Yahweh? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Tell ye and bring them, and let them take counsell together, who hath declared this from the beginning? or hath tolde it of olde? Haue not I the Lord? and there is none other God beside me, a iust God, and a Sauiour: there is none beside me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Declare and draw near with your case;Indeed, let them consult together.Who has made this heard from of old?Who has long since declared it?Is it not I, Yahweh?And there is no other God besides Me,A righteous God and a Savior;There is none except Me.

Berean Standard Bible
Speak up and present your case-yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.

Contemporary English Version
"Why don't you get together and meet me in court? Didn't I tell you long ago what would happen? I am the only God! There are no others. I bring about justice, and have the power to save.

Complete Jewish Bible
Let them stand and present their case! Indeed, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, announced it in times gone by? Wasn't it I, Adonai ? There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Darby Translation
Declare and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath caused this to be heard from ancient time? [who] hath declared it long ago? Is it not I, Jehovah? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour, there is none besides me.

Easy-to-Read Version
Tell them to come to me. Let them present their case and discuss these things.) "Who told you about this before it happened? Who told you this so long ago? I, the Lord , am the one who said these things. I am the only God, the one who does what is right. I am the one who saves, and there is no other!

George Lamsa Translation
Tell and draw near and consult together; who has declared this from ancient time? Was it not I, the LORD from the beginning? And there is no other God besides me; a just God and Saviour; there is none besides me.

Good News Translation
Come and present your case in court; let the defendants consult one another. Who predicted long ago what would happen? Was it not I, the Lord , the God who saves his people? There is no other god.

Lexham English Bible
Declare and present your case, also let them consult together! Who made this known from former times, declared it from of old? Was it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God besides me, and no savior besides me.

Literal Translation
Declare and bring near; yea, let them consult together. Who has revealed this of old; who has told it from then? Is it not I, Jehovah? And there is no God other than Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none exceptMe.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let men drawe nye, let them come hither, ad aske councel one at another, and shewe forth: What is he, that tolde this before? or, who spake of it, euer sence the begynnynge? Haue not I ye LORDE done it: without whom there is none other God? the true God and sauioure, and there is els none but I?

American Standard Version
Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath showed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me.

Bible in Basic English
Give the word, put forward your cause, let us have a discussion together: who has given news of this in the past? who made it clear in early times? did not I, the Lord? and there is no God but me; a true God and a saviour; there is no other.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Declare ye, and bring them near, yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath announced this from ancient time, and declared it of old? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside Me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me.

King James Version (1611)
Tell ye and bring them neere, yea let them take counsell together, who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? Haue not I the Lord ? and there is no God else beside me, a iust God and a Sauiour, there is none beside me.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Drawe nye, come hyther, and let them aske counsaile one at another, and shew foorth what is he that told this before? or who spake of it euer since the beginning? haue not I the Lorde done it? without whom there is none other God, the true God and sauiour, and there is els none but I.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If they will declare, let them draw nigh, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God, and there is not another beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none but me.

English Revised Version
Declare ye, and bring it forth; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath shewed this from ancient time? who hath declared it of old? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a saviour; there is none beside me.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Telle ye, and come ye, and take ye councel togidere. Who made this herd fro the bigynnyng? fro that tyme Y bifor seide it. Whether Y am not the Lord, and no God is ferthere with out me? God riytful and sauynge is noon, outakun me.

Update Bible Version
Declare, and bring [it] forth; yes, let them take counsel together: who has shown this from ancient time? who has declared it of old? haven't I, Yahweh? and there is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yes, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else besides me; a just God and a Savior; [there is] none besides me.

New English Translation
Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the Lord ? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me.

New King James Version
Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.

New Living Translation
Consult together, argue your case. Get together and decide what to say. Who made these things known so long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it not I, the Lord ? For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me.

New Life Bible
Make your need known. Yes, let them talk it over together. Who said this would happen from long ago? Who has been saying it for a long time? Is it not I, the Lord? There is no other God besides Me, a God Who is right and good, a God Who saves. There is none except Me.

New Revised Standard
Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord ? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Tell ye - and bring near, Yea let them take counsel, together, - Who let this be known aforetime. In time past, declared it? Was it not, I - Yahweh? And there is none else that is God besides me, A GOD, righteous and ready to save, There is none, besides me!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Tell ye, and come, and consult together: who hath declared this from the beginning, who hath foretold this from that time? Have not I the Lord, and there is no God else besides me? A just God and a saviour, there is none besides me.

Revised Standard Version
Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Young's Literal Translation
Declare ye, and bring near, Yea, they take counsel together, Who hath proclaimed this from of old? From that time hath declared it? Is it not I -- Jehovah? And there is no other god besides Me, A God righteous and saving, there is none save Me.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.

Contextual Overview

²⁵The God Who Forms Light and Darkness God 's Message to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom he took by the hand To give the task of taming the nations, of terrifying their kings— He gave him free rein, no restrictions: "I'll go ahead of you, clearing and paving the road. I'll break down bronze city gates, smash padlocks, kick down barred entrances. I'll lead you to buried treasures, secret caches of valuables— Confirmations that it is, in fact, I, God , the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. It's because of my dear servant Jacob, Israel my chosen, That I've singled you out, called you by name, and given you this privileged work. And you don't even know me! I am God , the only God there is. Besides me there are no real gods. I'm the one who armed you for this work, though you don't even know me, So that everyone, from east to west, will know that I have no god-rivals. I am God , the only God there is. I form light and create darkness, I make harmonies and create discords. I, God , do all these things. "Open up, heavens, and rain. Clouds, pour out buckets of my goodness! Loosen up, earth, and bloom salvation; sprout right living. I, God , generate all this. But doom to you who fight your Maker— you're a pot at odds with the potter! Does clay talk back to the potter: ‘What are you doing? What clumsy fingers!' Would a sperm say to a father, ‘Who gave you permission to use me to make a baby?' Or a fetus to a mother, ‘Why have you cooped me up in this belly?'" Thus God , The Holy of Israel, Israel's Maker, says: "Do you question who or what I'm making? Are you telling me what I can or cannot do? I made earth, and I created man and woman to live on it. I handcrafted the skies and direct all the constellations in their turnings. And now I've got Cyrus on the move. I've rolled out the red carpet before him. He will build my city. He will bring home my exiles. I didn't hire him to do this. I told him. I, God -of-the-Angel-Armies." God says: "The workers of Egypt, the merchants of Ethiopia, and those statuesque Sabeans Will all come over to you—all yours. Docile in chains, they'll follow you, Hands folded in reverence, praying before you: ‘Amazing! God is with you! There is no other God—none.'" Clearly, you are a God who works behind the scenes, God of Israel, Savior God. Humiliated, all those others will be ashamed to show their faces in public. Out of work and at loose ends, the makers of no-god idols won't know what to do with themselves. The people of Israel, though, are saved by you, God , saved with an eternal salvation. They won't be ashamed, they won't be at loose ends, ever. God , Creator of the heavens— he is, remember, G od. Maker of earth— he put it on its foundations, built it from scratch. He didn't go to all that trouble to just leave it empty, nothing in it. He made it to be lived in. This God says: "I am God , the one and only. I don't just talk to myself or mumble under my breath. I never told Jacob, ‘Seek me in emptiness, in dark nothingness.' I am God . I work out in the open, saying what's right, setting things right. So gather around, come on in, all you refugees and castoffs. They don't seem to know much, do they— those who carry around their no-god blocks of wood, praying for help to a dead stick? So tell me what you think. Look at the evidence. Put your heads together. Make your case. Who told you, and a long time ago, what's going on here? Who made sense of things for you? Wasn't I the one? God ? It had to be me. I'm the only God there is— The only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped—saved!— everyone, whoever and wherever you are. I am God , the only God there is, the one and only. I promise in my own name: Every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say. Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me. Everyone is going to end up saying of me, ‘Yes! Salvation and strength are in God !'" All who have raged against him will be brought before him, disgraced by their unbelief. And all who are connected with Israel will have a robust, praising, good life in God !

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Tell ye: Psalms 26:7, Psalms 71:17, Psalms 71:18, Psalms 96:10, Jeremiah 50:2, Joel 3:9-12

and bring: Isaiah 41:1-4

who hath declared: Isaiah 41:22, Isaiah 41:23, Isaiah 43:9, Isaiah 44:7, Isaiah 44:8, Isaiah 46:9, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 48:3, Isaiah 48:14

and there is: Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:14, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 44:8

a just: Isaiah 45:25, Isaiah 43:3, Isaiah 43:11, Isaiah 63:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 23:6, Zephaniah 3:5, Zephaniah 3:17, Zechariah 9:9, Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:14

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:3 - General Exodus 34:7 - that will by no means clear the guilty 2 Samuel 22:3 - my saviour 2 Samuel 22:32 - For who Job 37:23 - excellent Psalms 3:8 - Salvation Psalms 18:31 - General Psalms 36:6 - righteousness Psalms 68:35 - he that giveth Psalms 98:2 - made Psalms 106:21 - God Psalms 116:5 - and righteous Psalms 145:17 - righteous Isaiah 1:27 - redeemed Isaiah 19:20 - he shall send Isaiah 41:26 - declared Isaiah 44:6 - beside Isaiah 45:22 - for Jeremiah 14:8 - saviour Hosea 13:4 - for Joel 2:27 - that I Matthew 1:21 - for Matthew 28:7 - lo Mark 12:32 - for Luke 1:47 - God Luke 2:31 - General John 3:17 - but John 5:23 - all men John 6:40 - seeth John 17:25 - righteous Acts 5:31 - a Saviour Acts 10:36 - he is Acts 13:23 - raised Acts 17:26 - hath determined Romans 2:2 - judgment 1 Timothy 1:1 - God 1 Timothy 2:3 - God 1 Timothy 4:10 - the saviour 2 Timothy 1:10 - our Titus 1:3 - God Hebrews 1:8 - O God James 2:19 - General 1 John 1:9 - just 1 John 5:20 - This is Revelation 7:10 - Salvation Revelation 15:3 - just Revelation 19:11 - and in

Cross-References

Genesis 45:3
Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.

Genesis 45:9
"Hurry back to my father. Tell him, ‘Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'

Genesis 46:5
Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons loaded their father and their little ones and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They arrived in Egypt with the livestock and the wealth they had accumulated in Canaan. Jacob brought everyone in his family with him—sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters. Everyone.

Exodus 17:1
Directed by God , the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn't a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: "Give us water to drink." But Moses said, "Why pester me? Why are you testing God ?"

2 Chronicles 35:16
Everything went without a hitch in the worship of God that day as they celebrated the Passover and the offering of the Whole-Burnt-Offering on the Altar of God . It went just as Josiah had ordered. The Israelites celebrated the Passover, also known as the Feast of Unraised Bread, for seven days. The Passover hadn't been celebrated like this since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings had done it. But Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were there that week, plus the citizens of Jerusalem—they did it. In the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated.

Ecclesiastes 8:2
Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You're serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, "What are you doing?" Carrying out orders won't hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there's a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part. It's true that no one knows what's going to happen, or when. Who's around to tell us?

Lamentations 1:18
" God has right on his side. I'm the one who did wrong. Listen everybody! Look at what I'm going through! My fair young women, my fine young men, all herded into exile!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Tell ye, and bring them near, and let them take counsel together,.... Tell them what I say of their ignorance and stupidity; and gather them all together, their gods, their makers, and their worshippers, and let them lay their heads together, and consult what proof they are able to give of their divinities, particularly by foretelling things to come:

who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? that is, who of all their gods or priests have ever declared this or anyone thing at any distance of time before it came to pass? either this everlasting salvation of my people, or the redemption by Cyrus, which was a type of it, and was spoken of beforehand? have ever any of them foretold anything like this, and it came to pass as predicted? not one of them.

Have not I the Lord? he had. Christ, by his Spirit in the prophets, signified before hand his sufferings and his death, and the glory that should follow, 1 Peter 1:11 and when he was here on earth, he foretold his being betrayed to the chief priests; his being delivered to the Gentiles; his scourging and crucifixion, and resurrection from the dead; all which came to pass exactly as he had predicted, Matthew 20:18:

and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour: there is "none beside me", Christ is the one God with the Father and Spirit, and there is no other; nor any Saviour of lost sinners, but him; there is salvation in him, and in no other; and he is "just" in things pertaining to God, in satisfying his justice, and fulfilling his law; he was set forth as Mediator to declare his righteousness, and which is displayed in the work of redemption by him; so that God is just, while he is the justifier of him that believes in him, Romans 3:25.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Tell ye, and bring them near - That is, announce, and bring forward your strongest arguments (see the notes at Isaiah 41:1).

Who hath declared this from ancient time? - Who has clearly announced the events respecting Cyrus, and the conquest of Babylon, and the deliverance from the captivity? The argument is an appeal to the fact that God had clearly foretold these events long before, and that therefore he was the true God. To this argument he often appeals in proof that he alone is God (see the note at Isaiah 41:22-23).

And there is no God else beside me - (See Isaiah 45:5).

A just God - A God whose attribute it is always to do right; whose word is true; whose promises are fulfilled; whose threatenings are executed; and who always does that which, under the circumstances of the case, ought to be done. This does not refer particularly to the fact that he will punish the guilty, but, in the connection here, rather seems to mean that his course would be one of equity.

And a Saviour - Saving his people. It was a characteristic of him, that he saved or preserved his people; and his equity, or truth, or justice, was seen in his doing that. His being ‘a just God’ and ‘a Saviour’ are not set here in contrast or contradiction, as if there was any incongruity in them, or as if they needed to be reconciled; but they refer to the same thing, and mean that he was just and true in saving his people; it was a characteristic of him that be was so true to his promises, and so equitable in his government, that he would save them. There is here no unique and special reference to the work of the atonement. But the language is such as will accurately express the great leading fact in regard to the salvation of sinners. It is in the cross of the Redeemer that God has shown himself eminently to be just, and yet a Saviour; true, and merciful; expressing his abhorrence of sin, and yet pardoning it; maintaining the honor of his violated law, and yet remitting its penalty and forgiving the offender. It is here, in the beautiful language of the Psalmist Psalms 85:10, that

Mercy and truth are met together,

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

The same idea is expressed in Romans 3:26 : ‘That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.’ It is the glory of the character of God that he can be thus just and merciful at the same time; that he can maintain the honor of his law, secure the stability of his government, and yet extend pardon to any extent. No human administration can do this. Pardon under a human government always does much to weaken the authority of the government, and to set aside the majesty of the law. If never exercised, indeed, government assumes the form of tyranny; if often, the law loses its terrors, and crime will walk fearless through the earth. But in the divine administration, through the atonement, pardon may be extended to any extent, and yet the honor of the law be maintained, for the substituted sufferings of the innocent in the place of the guilty, will in fact do more to restrain from transgression than where the guilty themselves suffer. Of no human administration can it be said that it is at the same time just, and yet forgiving; evincing hatred of the violation of the law, and yet extending mercy to any extent to the violators of the laws. The blending together of these apparently inconsistent attributes belongs only to God, and is manifested only in the plan of salvation through the atonement.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 45:21. Bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together — For יועצו yoatsu or yivvaatsu, let them consult, the Septuagint read ידעו yedau, let them know: but an ancient MS. has יועדו yoedu, let them come together by appointment; which may probably be the true reading.