Isaiah 45:19

45:19 I have not spoken in secret,

in some hidden place. ¹ 

I did not tell Jacob’s descendants,

‘Seek me in vain!’ ² 

I am the Lord,

the one who speaks honestly,

who makes reliable announcements. ³ 

Isaiah 45:23

45:23 I solemnly make this oath ⁴  –

what I say is true and reliable: ⁵ 

‘Surely every knee will bow to me,

every tongue will solemnly affirm; ⁶ 

[45:19]  ¹ tn Heb “in a place of a land of darkness” (ASV similar); NASB “in some dark land.”

[45:19]  ² tn “In vain” translates תֹהוּ (tohu), used here as an adverbial accusative: “for nothing.”

[45:19]  ³ tn The translation above assumes that צֶדֶק (tsedeq) and מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim) are adverbial accusatives (see 33:15). If they are taken as direct objects, indicating the content of what is spoken, one might translate, “who proclaims deliverance, who announces justice.”

[45:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”

[45:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”

[45:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”