Isaiah 46:10 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
properly · verb, hiphil active participle, masculine singular absolute
end
אַחֲרִ֔ית'a.cha.Rit
H319
the last or end · noun, common feminine singular absolute
beginning
מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙me.re.Shit
H7225
the first · preposition + noun, common feminine singular absolute
times
וּמִקֶּ֖דֶםu.mi.Ke.dem
H6924
the front · conjunction + preposition + noun, common masculine singular absolute
done
נַעֲשׂ֑וּna.'a.Su
H6213
to do or make · verb, niphal perfect, 3rd person common plural
saying
אֹמֵר֙'o.Mer
H559
to say (used with great latitude) · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
counsel
עֲצָתִ֣י'a.tza.Ti
H6098
advice · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix
stand
תָק֔וּםta.Kum
H6965
to rise (in various applications · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
do
אֶעֱשֶֽׂה'e.'e.Seh
H6213
to do or make · verb, qal imperfect, 1st person common singular
pleasure
חֶפְצִ֖יchef.Tzi
H2656
pleasure · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Psalms 33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Ephesians 1:9-11 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Isaiah 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
Isaiah 45:21 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…
Psalms 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
Isaiah 44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are c…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Isaiah 46:5–end
The deliverance of Israel by the destruction of Babylon (the general subject of all these chapters) is here insisted upon, and again promised, for the conviction both of idolaters who set up as rivals with God, and of oppressors who were enemies to the people of God.
I. For the conviction of those who made and worshipped idols, especially those of Israel who did so, who would have images of their God, as the Babylonians had of theirs,
1. He challenges them either to frame an image that should be thought a resemblance of him or to set up any being that should stand in competition with him (Isa 46:5): To whom will you liken me? It is absurd to think of representing an infinite and eternal Spir…
(Isa 45:21; Isa 41:22-23; Isa 44:26).
yet--not in the Hebrew. Translate, "What had not been done" [HORSLEY].
do all my pleasure-- (Isa 53:10; Rom 9:19).
John Gill on Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning,.... The end of the Jewish state, both as a church, and a commonwealth, from the first settlement of it in the times of Moses, and by him, Deuteronomy 32:29. The end of the world, and all things in it, as early as the times of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, Jde 1:14. The end and issue of every event, at least of many very remarkable and momentous ones, before they came to pass; and particularly things relating to Christ, the beginning and end; the fulfilling end of the moral law for righteousness; the scope and design of the ceremonial law, to which that tended, and in which it issued; as well as the end of the whole Scripture, of the prophecies and promis…
Declaring from the beginning. He now explains more fully in what manner he wishes the Jews to remember the past time, namely, that they were taught by constant predictions, as far as was necessary for their advantage. But from this preface he immediately makes a transition to the hope of deliverance.
My counsel shall stand. We ought not to wonder that he repeats this so frequently, because it is very hard to persuade men of the truth of it. The people were not only slow to believe, but even obstinate; and therefore he reminds them that they had learned long ago, and not on one occasion only, how safe it is to place their confidence in God. Nor is it only his foreknowledge that is here extol…
The Church Fathers
For he says "I am the one possessing knowledge of all, and whatever happens, I give notice of it beforehand." That which is announced, I execute … for what the holy God wills, who will thwart it? And who will avert his hand when it is raised?… We take the bird that is called from the east and from a far land to be the Babylonian, who scorched all the territory of the Jews, took Jerusalem and ruined the temple. They removed both ordinary flock and the leading birds among them and forced them into the region of the Persians. They also subjected them to a yoke of harsh imprisonment.…This work was done not by Israel's own hand, as if God would need a helper. For "it is I alone who save," guard and lead him on the right road, so that those who have made little progress in godliness will help the righteous ones and the humble. By these means, glory and honor are finally given to me alone, even from among wood and stones.
"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." There cannot be a greater prayer than to desire that earthly things should deserve to equal heavenly ones. For what does it mean to say "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," if not that human beings should be like angels and that, just as God's will is fulfilled by them in heaven, so also all those who are on earth should do not their own but his will? No one will really be able to say this but one who believes that God regulates all things that are seen, whether fortunate or unfortunate, for the sake of our well-being, and that he is more provident and careful with regard to the salvation and interests of those who are his own than we are for ourselves. And of course it is to be understood in this way—namely, that the will of God is the salvation of all, according to the text of blessed Paul: "Who desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth." Of this will the prophet Isaiah, speaking in the person of God the Father, also says, "All my will shall be done."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Unity Of God · Exhibited in: His being alone possessed of fore-knowledge — Exhibited in: His being alone possessed of fore-knowledge
Wisdom Of God, The · Exhibited in: His foreshadowing events — Exhibited in: His foreshadowing events
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
The second admonition is addressed to those who would imitate the heathen. "Remember this, and become firm, take it to heart, ye rebellious ones! Remember the beginning from the olden time, that I am God, and none else: Deity, and absolutely none like me: proclaiming the issue from the beginning, and from ancient times what has not yet taken place, saying, My counsel shall stand, and all my good pleasure I carry out: calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a distant land: not only have I spoken, I also bring it; I have purposed it, I also execute it." The object to which "this" points back is the nothingness of idols and idolatry. The persons addressed are the פושׁעי…
God knows the future before it even happens; he has comprehensive control over all events, and all his acts match his words (41:4, 26). He is the First and the Last (44:6; 48:12).
Rashi on Isaiah 46:10
[I] tell the end from the beginning The Egyptian exile and its redemption I announced in the Covenant between the Segments, before they came about.