Isaiah 41:21-24
New American Standard Bible
21 “[a]Present your case,” the Lord says.
“Bring forward your evidence,”
The (A)King of Jacob says.
22 (B)Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place;
As for the (C)former events, declare what they were,
So that we may consider them and know their outcome.
Or announce to us what is coming;
23 (D)Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
So that we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, (E)do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.
24 Behold, (F)you are less than nothing,
And (G)your work is less than nothing!
He who chooses you is an (H)abomination.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:21 Lit Bring near
Isaiah 41:21-24
New English Translation
The Lord Challenges the Pagan Gods
21 “Present your argument,” says the Lord.
“Produce your evidence,”[a] says Jacob’s king.[b]
22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen!
Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles,[c]
so we may examine them[d] and see how they were fulfilled.[e]
Or decree for us some future events!
23 Predict how future events will turn out,[f]
so we might know you are gods.
Yes, do something good or something bad,
so we might be frightened and in awe.[g]
24 Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent;
the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.[h]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:21 tn Heb “strong [words],” see HALOT 870 s.v. *עֲצֻמוֹת.
- Isaiah 41:21 sn Apparently this challenge is addressed to the pagan idol gods, see vv. 23-24.
- Isaiah 41:22 tn Heb “As for the former things, tell us what they are!”
- Isaiah 41:22 tn Heb “so we might set [them to] our heart.”
- Isaiah 41:22 tn Heb “and might know their outcome.”
- Isaiah 41:23 tn Heb “Declare the coming things, with respect to the end.”
- Isaiah 41:23 tc The translation assumes the Qere (וְנִרְאֶה [venirʾeh], from יָרֵא [yareʾ], “be afraid”).tn Heb “so we might be frightened and afraid together.” On the meaning of the verb שָׁתָע (shataʿ), see the note at v. 10.
- Isaiah 41:24 tn Heb “an object of disgust [is he who] chooses you.”
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