Isaiah 41:1-4

Context

The Lord Challenges the Nations

41:1 “Listen to me in silence, you coastlands!¹

Let the nations find renewed strength!

Let them approach and then speak;

let us come together for debate!²

41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east?³

Who⁴ officially commissions him for service?⁵

He hands nations over to him,⁶

and enables him to subdue⁷ kings.

He makes them like dust with his sword,

like windblown straw with his bow.⁸

41:3 He pursues them and passes by unharmed;⁹

he advances with great speed.¹⁰

41:4 Who acts and carries out decrees?¹¹

Who¹² summons the successive generations from the beginning?

I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning,

and at the very end – I am the one.¹³

[41:1] ¹tn Or “islands” (KJV, NIV, CEV); TEV “distant lands”; NLT “lands beyond the sea.”

[41:1] ²tn The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) could be translated “judgment,” but here it seems to refer to the dispute or debate between the Lord and the nations.

[41:2] ³sn The expression this one from the east refers to the Persian conqueror Cyrus, as later texts indicate (see 44:28-45:6; 46:11; 48:14-16).

[41:2] ⁴tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis.

[41:2] ⁵tn Heb “[in] righteousness called him to his foot.”

[41:2] ⁶tn Heb “he [the Lord] places before him [Cyrus] nations.”

[41:2] ⁷tn The verb יַרְדְּ (yardÿ) is an otherwise unattested Hiphil form from רָדָה (radah, “rule”). But the Hiphil makes no sense with “kings” as object; one must understand an ellipsis and supply “him” (Cyrus) as the object. The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a has יוֹרִד (yorid), which appears to be a Hiphil form from יָרַד (yarad, “go down”). Others suggest reading יָרֹד (yarod), a Qal form from רָדַד (radad, “beat down”).

[41:2] ⁸sn The point is that they are powerless before Cyrus’ military power and scatter before him.

[41:3] ⁹tn Heb “[in] peace”; KJV, ASV “safely”; NASB “in safety”; NIV “unscathed.”

[41:3] ¹⁰tn Heb “a way with his feet he does not come [or “enter”].” One could translate, “by a way he was not [previously] entering with his feet.” This would mean that he is advancing into new territory and expanding his conquests. The present translation assumes this is a hyperbolic description to his speedy advance. He moves so quickly he does not enter the way with his feet, i.e., his feet don’t even touch the ground. See C. R. North, Second Isaiah, 94.

[41:4] ¹¹tn Heb “Who acts and accomplishes?”; NASB “Who has performed and accomplished it.”

[41:4] ¹²tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[41:4] ¹³tn Heb “I, the Lord, [am with] the first, and with the last ones I [am] he.”