Isaiah 41:22

41:22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!

Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, ¹ 

so we may examine them ²  and see how they were fulfilled. ³ 

Or decree for us some future events!

Isaiah 43:9

43:9 All nations gather together,

the peoples assemble.

Who among them announced this?

Who predicted earlier events for us? ⁴ 

Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right;

let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’

Isaiah 44:7

44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! ⁵ 

Let him announce it and explain it to me –

since I established an ancient people – ⁶ 

let them announce future events! ⁷ 

Isaiah 45:20-21

45:20 Gather together and come!

Approach together, you refugees from the nations!

Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,

those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.

45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! ⁸ 

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; ⁹ 

there is none but me.

[41:22]  ¹ tn Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”

[41:22]  ² tn Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”

[41:22]  ³ tn Heb “and might know their outcome.”

[43:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the former things was causing us to hear?”

[44:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “let him call” or “let him proclaim” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “Let him stand up and speak.”

[44:7]  ⁶ tc The Hebrew text reads, “from (the time) I established an ancient people, and the coming things.” Various emendations have been proposed. One of the options assumes the reading מַשְׁמִיעִים מֵעוֹלָם אוֹתִיּוֹת (mashmi’im me’olam ’otiyyot); This literally reads “the ones causing to hear from antiquity coming things,” but more idiomatically would read “as for those who predict from antiquity what will happen” (cf. NAB, NEB, REB). The emendation directs the attention of the reader to those who claim to be able to predict the future, challenging them to actually do what they claim they can do. The MT presents Yahweh as an example to whom these alleged “predictors of the future” can compare themselves. Since the ancient versions are unanimous in their support of the MT, the emendations should be set aside.

[44:7]  ⁷ tn Heb and those things which are coming let them declare for themselves.”

[45:21]  ⁸ tn Heb “Declare! Bring near!”; NASB “Declare and set forth your case.” See 41:21.

[45:21]  ⁹ tn Or “a righteous God and deliverer”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “a righteous God and a Savior.”