Isaiah 41:23

41:23 Predict how future events will turn out, ¹ 

so we might know you are gods.

Yes, do something good or bad,

so we might be frightened and in awe. ² 

Isaiah 45:11

45:11 This is what the Lord says,

the Holy One of Israel, ³  the one who formed him,

concerning things to come: ⁴ 

“How dare you question me ⁵  about my children!

How dare you tell me what to do with ⁶  the work of my own hands!

[41:23]  ¹ tn Heb “Declare the coming things, with respect to the end.”

[41:23]  ² tc The translation assumes the Qere (וְנִרְאֶה [vÿnir’eh], from יָרֵא [yare’], “be afraid”).

[45:11]  ³ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[45:11]  ⁴ tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”

[45:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.

[45:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.