Isaiah 41:22

Christian Standard Bible ®

“Let them come and tell uswhat will happen.Tell us the past events,so that we may reflect on themand know the outcome,or tell us the future.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Let them bring forth, and declare to us what shall happen: declare you the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

King James Version
Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.

English Standard Version
Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.

New American Standard Bible
Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, So that we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;

New Century Version
Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Have them tell us what happened in the beginning. Then we will think about these things, and we will know how they will turn out. Or tell us what will happen in the future.

Amplified Bible
Let them bring forward [their evidence] and tell us what is going to happen. Regarding the former events, tell what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome; Or announce to us the things that are going to come.

World English Bible
Let them bring forth, and declare to us what shall happen: declare you the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Let them bring foorth, and let them tell vs what shall come: let them shew the former things what they be, that wee may consider them, and knowe the latter ende of them: either declare vs things for to come.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let them bring it forth and declare to us what is going to take place;As for the former events, declare what they were,That we may establish our heart on them and know their outcome.Or cause us to hear of what is coming;

Berean Standard Bible
"Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.

Contemporary English Version
Come near me, you idols. Tell us about the past, and we will think about it. Tell us about the future, so we will know what is going to happen.

Complete Jewish Bible
Bring out those idols! Have them foretell the future for us, tell us about past events, so that we can reflect on them and understand their consequences. Or tell us about events yet to come,

Darby Translation
Let them bring them forward, and declare to us what shall happen: shew the former things, what they are, that we may give attention to them, and know the end of them;—or let us hear things to come:

Easy-to-Read Version
Let your idols come in and tell us what will happen. Idols, tell us what happened in the beginning. We will listen closely so that we can make a decision. Tell us what will happen in the future.

George Lamsa Translation
Let them come near and show us the things that are to come; show us the former things, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us the things that are to come.

Good News Translation
Come here and predict what will happen, so that we will know it when it takes place. Explain to the court the events of the past, and tell us what they mean.

Lexham English Bible
Let them bring them, and let them tell us what will happen. Tell us what the former things are so that we may take them to our heart and know their outcome. Declare to us the things to come;

Literal Translation
Let them draw near and tell us what shall happen; the former things, let them reveal what they are , that we may set our heart and know their end; or declare to us the coming things.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let the goddes come forth them selues, and shewe vs the thinges ye are past, what they be: let the declare the vnto vs, yt we maye take them to herte, and knowe them herafter.

American Standard Version
Let them bring forth, and declare unto us what shall happen: declare ye the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

Bible in Basic English
Let the future be made clear to us: give us news of the past things, so that we may give thought to them; or of the things to come, so that we may see if they are true.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Let them bring them forth, and declare unto us the things that shall happen; the former things, what are they? Declare ye, that we may consider, and know the end of them; or announce to us things to come.

King James Version (1611)
Let them bring them foorth, and shew vs what shall happen: let them shew the former things what they bee, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them, or declare vs things for to come.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let them bring foorth their gods, and let their gods tel vs what shall chaunce hereafter, yea let them shewe vs the thinges that are past what they be, let them declare them vnto vs, that we may take them to heart, and knowe them hereafter.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Let them draw nigh, and declare to you what things shall come to pass; or tell us what things were of old, and we will apply our understanding, and we shall know what are the last and the future things:

English Revised Version
Let them bring them forth, and declare unto us what shall happen: declare ye the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or shew us things for to come.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Neiy tho, and telle to vs, what euer thingis schulen come; telle ye the formere thingis that weren, and we schulen sette oure herte, and schulen wite; schewe ye to vs the laste thingis of hem, and tho thingis that schulen come.

Update Bible Version
Let them bring forth, and declare to us what shall happen: declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let them bring [them] forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they [are] that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come.

New English Translation
"Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Or decree for us some future events!

New King James Version
"Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; Let them show the former things, what they were, That we may consider them, And know the latter end of them; Or declare to us things to come.

New Living Translation
"Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what's going to happen.

New Life Bible
Let them bring what they have, and tell us what is going to happen. Let them tell us what has happened in the past, that we may think about it and know what will happen in the future.

New Revised Standard
Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, so that we may consider them, and that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Let them advance them, and tell us, What shall happen, - Things known in advance - what they were, tell ye, That we may lay them to our heart and mark the after-story of them, Or, things yet to come, let us hear:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let them come, and tell us all things that are to come: tell us the former things what they were: and we will set our heart upon them and shall know the latter end of them, and tell us the things that are to come.

Revised Standard Version
Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.

Young's Literal Translation
They bring nigh, and declare to us that which doth happen, The first things -- what they [are] declare ye, And we set our heart, and know their latter end, Or the coming things cause us to hear.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;

Contextual Overview

²¹“Submit your case,” says the Lord.“Present your arguments,” says Jacob’s King. ²²“Let them come and tell uswhat will happen.Tell us the past events,so that we may reflect on themand know the outcome,or tell us the future.²³Tell us the coming events,then we will know that you are gods.Indeed, do something good or bad,then we will be in awe when we see it. ²⁴Look, you are nothingand your work is worthless.Anyone who chooses you is detestable. ²⁵“I have stirred up one from the north, and he has come,one from the east who invokes my name.He will march over rulers as if they were mud,like a potter who treads the clay. ²⁶Who told about this from the beginning,so that we might know,and from times past,so that we might say, ‘He is right’?No one announced it,no one told it,no one heard your words. ²⁷I was the first to say to Zion,‘Look! Here they are!’And I gave Jerusalem a herald with good news. ²⁸When I look, there is no one;there is no counselor among them;when I ask them, they have nothing to say. ²⁹Look, all of them are a delusion;their works are nonexistent;their images are wind and emptiness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and show: Isaiah 42:9, Isaiah 43:9-12, Isaiah 45:21, Isaiah 48:14, John 13:19, John 16:14

consider them: Heb. set our heart upon them

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:25 - God Deuteronomy 18:22 - speaketh 2 Kings 1:6 - Thus saith Ecclesiastes 1:11 - There is Isaiah 19:12 - let them Isaiah 41:1 - let the people Isaiah 41:26 - declared Isaiah 44:7 - who Isaiah 46:10 - the end Isaiah 48:3 - declared Daniel 2:22 - revealeth Daniel 2:28 - that revealeth Daniel 10:21 - I will Matthew 12:17 - it John 16:4 - that when Acts 15:18 - General Revelation 5:2 - Who

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Let them bring them forth,.... Not their reasons, as before, but their gods; let them cause them to come nigh, let them appear in court, and speak for themselves, when their worshippers have said all they can in defence of their deity:

and show us what shall happen: what shall come to pass hereafter; and by that prove their divinity; for none but God can foretell things to come with certainty; for everything else but what comes from God, by his prophets, is all conjecture, ambiguous, uncertain, mere juggle, trick, and deception, as were the oracles of the Heathens; but what is clearly and plainly foretold, and agreeably to the prediction comes to pass, is a proof of deity, and as such is here challenged. The "us" here, and the "we" in the following clauses, either design God, and the Christians, the true worshippers of him; or rather the three divine Persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit, the one true God, in opposition to the gods of the Heathens. The Targum renders it,

"what shall happen to us:''

let them show the former things what they be: either what were before the creation of the world, as Jarchi; what were purposed, decreed, and determined so early to be done; or let them write, or inspire their prophets to write, a history of the creation, and of the transactions of former times, as Moses did, under the inspiration of God; or let them show what things before predicted by them have come to pass, agreeably to their predictions; or rather "the first things, which may be, show" y; what will first or presently come to pass, that show unto us if you can:

that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or, "and we will set our hearts upon them" z; weigh them well in our minds, and diligently and attentively consider them, how and in what manner it is foretold they shall come to pass, and take notice and observe the issue of them, and whether the event answers to the prediction: or "declare us things for to come"; which are at a great distance; tell us not only what shall be done in the present age, but onward to the end of the world.

y הראשונות מה הנה הנידי "priora quid ipsa, nuntiate", Montanus; "piora quaenam sint indicate", Piscator. z ונשימה לבנו "et ponemus cor nostrum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let them bring them forth - Let the idols, or the worshippers of idols, bring forth the evidences of their divine nature and power. Or more probably it means, ‘let them draw near or approach.’

And show us what shall happen - None but the true God can discern the future, and predict what is to occur. To be able to do this, is therefore a proof of divinity to which God often appeals as a demonstration of his own divine character (see Isaiah 44:7-8; Isaiah 45:3-7; Isaiah 46:9-10). This idea, that none but the true God can know all things, and can with certainty foretell future events, is one that was admitted even by the pagan (see Xen. Cyr. i. ‘The immortal gods know all things, both the past, the present, and those things which shall proceed from each thing. It was on this belief also that the worshippers of idols endeavored to sustain the credit of their idol-gods; and accordingly, nearly all the reputation which the oracle at Delphi, and other shrines, obtained, arose from the remarkable sagacity which was evinced in predicting future events, or the skillful ambiguity in which they so couched their responses as to be able to preserve their influence whatever might be the result.

Let them show the former things what they be - The idea in this passage seems to be, ‘Let them foretell the entire series of events; let them predict in their order, the things which shall first occur, as well as those which shall finally happen. Let them not select merely an isolated and unconnected event in futurity, but let them declare those which shall have a mutual relation and dependency, and whose causes are now hid.’ The argument in the passage is, that it required a far more profound knowledge to predict the serges of events as they should actually occur; to foretell their order of occur rence, than it did to foretell one single isolated occurrence. The latter, the false prophets of the pagan often undertook to do; and undoubtedly they often evinced great sagacity in it. But they never undertook to detail minutely a series of occurrences, and to state the order in which they would happen. In the Scriptures, it is the common way to foretell the order of events, or a series of transactions pertaining often to many individuals or nations, and stretching far into futurity. And it is perfectly manifest that none could do this but God (compare Isaiah 46:10).

Or declare us things for to come - Declare any event that is to occur; anything in the future. If they cannot predict the order of things, or a series of events, let them clearly foretell any single event in futurity.