Isaiah 41:25

Christian Standard Bible ®

“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.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun one who calls on my name: and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

King James Version
I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

English Standard Version
I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay.

New American Standard Bible
"I have put one from the north into motion, and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My name; And he will come upon rulers as upon mortar, As the potter treads on clay."

New Century Version
"I have brought someone to come out of the north I have called by name a man from the east, and he knows me. He walks on kings as if they were mud, just as a potter walks on the clay.

Amplified Bible
"I have stirred up and put into action one from the north [the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great], and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My Name [in prayer]. And he will trample on [the Babylonian] officials as on mortar, Even as a potter treads clay."

World English Bible
I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun one who calls on my name: and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue raised vp from the North, and he shal come: from the East sunne shall he cal vpon my Name, & shal come vpon princes as vpo clay, and as the potter treadeth myre vnder the foote.

Legacy Standard Bible
"I have awakened one from the north, and he has come;From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;And he will come upon officials as upon mortar,Even as the potter treads clay."

Berean Standard Bible
"I have raised up one from the north, and he has come-one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.

Contemporary English Version
I, the Lord , appointed a ruler in the north; now he comes from the east to honor my name. He tramples kings like mud, as potters trample clay.

Complete Jewish Bible
"I roused someone from the north, and he has come from the rising sun; he will call on my name. He will trample on rulers as if they were mud, like a potter treading clay."

Darby Translation
I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come,—from the rising of the sun, he who will call upon my name; and he shall come upon princes as on mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

Easy-to-Read Version
"I called someone in the north to come. He is coming from the east where the sun rises, and he honors my name. He tramples kings the way a potter softens clay with his feet.

George Lamsa Translation
I have stirred up one from the north, and he shall come from the rising of the sun, and shall call on my name; and the princes shall come, and shall be trodden down like mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Good News Translation
"I have chosen a man who lives in the east; I will bring him to attack from the north. He tramples on rulers as if they were mud, like a potter trampling clay.

Lexham English Bible
I stirred up one from the north, and he has come from the rising of the sun. He shall call on my name, and he shall come on officials as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Literal Translation
I have raised up one from the north; and he shall come from the east; he will call on My name. And he shall come upon rulers as on mortar, and as a potter tramples clay.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles I haue waked vp one from the North, & he shal come. And another from the East, which shal call vpo my name, & shal come to the prynces, as the Potter to his claye, & as ye Potter treadeth downe the myre.

American Standard Version
I have raised up one from the north, and he is come; from the rising of the sun one that calleth upon my name: and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

Bible in Basic English
I have sent for one from the north, and from the dawn he has come; in my name he will get rulers together and go against them; they will be like dust, even as the wet earth is stamped on by the feet of the potter.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
I have roused up one from the north, and he is come, from the rising of the sun one that calleth upon My name; and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

King James Version (1611)
I haue raised vp one from the North, and he shall come: from the rising of the Sunne shall he call vpon my name, and he shall come vpon princes as vpon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse, I haue waked vp one from the north, and he shall come from the east, he shal call vpon my name, and shall treade vpon princes as vpon clay, and as the potter treadeth downe the mire.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But I have raised up him that comes from the north, and him that comes from the rising of the sun: they shall be called by my name: let the princes come, and as potter’s clay, and as a potter treading clay, so shall ye be trodden down.

English Revised Version
I have raised up one from the north, and he is come; from the rising of the sun one that calleth upon my name: and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I reiside fro the north, and he schal come fro the risyng of the sunne; he schal clepe my name. And he schal brynge magistratis as cley, and as a pottere defoulynge erthe.

Update Bible Version
I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun one that calls on my name: and he shall trample rulers as mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

Webster's Bible Translation
I have raised up [one] from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as [upon] mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

New English Translation
I have stirred up one out of the north and he advances, one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. He steps on rulers as if they were clay, like a potter treading the clay.

New King James Version
"I have raised up one from the north, And he shall come; From the rising of the sun he shall call on My name; And he shall come against princes as though mortar, As the potter treads clay.

New Living Translation
"But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north. From the east he will call on my name. I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.

New Life Bible
"I have called one from the north, and he has come. From the rising of the sun he will call on My name. He will step hard on rulers as on builder's clay, as the pot-maker steps hard on clay."

New Revised Standard
I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name. He shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I have roused up one from the North, and he hath come, From the rising of the sun, calleth he on my Name, - And he hath come, on deputies, as though they were mortar, And as a potter treadeth clay.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come from the rising of the sun: he shall call upon my name, and he shall make princes to be as dirt, and as the potter treading clay.

Revised Standard Version
I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call on my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay.

Young's Literal Translation
I have stirred up [one] from the north, And he cometh, From the rising of the sun he calleth in My name, And he cometh in [on] prefects as [on] clay, And as a potter treadeth down mire.

THE MESSAGE
"I, God, started someone out from the north and he's come. He was called out of the east by name. He'll stomp the rulers into the mud the way a potter works the clay. Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen? Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it with ‘Yes, he's right!'? No one mentioned it, no one announced it, no one heard a peep out of you. But I told Zion all about this beforehand. I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news. But around here there's no one— no one who knows what's going on. I ask, but no one can tell me the score. Nothing here. It's all smoke and hot air— sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I have aroused one from the north, and he has come; From the rising of the sun he will call on My name; And he will come upon rulers as upon mortar, Even as the potter treads clay."

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

I have: Jehovah here, by the mouth of the prophet, predicts the victories of Cyrus over the Chaldeans and their allies, at least 150 years before the event, as one instance of his foreknowledge and invincible power. Media lay north of Babylon, and Persia eastward; and Cyrus commanded the forces of both these nations; and, by his wonderful success, he trampled down mighty monarchs as mortar, and as the potter treads the clay.

raised: Isaiah 21:2, Isaiah 44:28, Isaiah 45:1-6, Isaiah 45:13, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 46:11, Jeremiah 51:27-29

shall he call: Ezra 1:2, Ezra 1:3

come upon: Isaiah 41:2, Isaiah 10:6, 2 Samuel 22:43, Micah 7:10, Zechariah 10:5

Reciprocal: Isaiah 13:17 - I will Jeremiah 1:14 - Out of Jeremiah 50:9 - I will raise Jeremiah 50:35 - upon her princes Jeremiah 50:44 - who is a Jeremiah 51:11 - the Lord hath Jeremiah 51:53 - from Habakkuk 2:7 - they Revelation 16:12 - that the

Cross-References

Genesis 41:16
“I am not able to,” Joseph answered Pharaoh. “It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Genesis 41:22
In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, coming up on one stalk.

Genesis 41:23
After them, seven heads of grain—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind—sprouted up.

Genesis 41:28
“It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Genesis 41:29
Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:14
For this time I am about to send all my plagues against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know there is no one like me on the whole earth.

Joshua 11:6
The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to be killed before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”

Psalms 98:2
The Lord has made his victory known;he has revealed his righteousnessin the sight of the nations.

Isaiah 43:9
All the nations are gathered together,and the peoples are assembled.Who among them can declare this,and tell us the former things?Let them present their witnessesto vindicate themselves,so that people may hear and say, “It is true.”

Daniel 2:45
You saw a stone break off from the mountain without a hand touching it, and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation reliable.”

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I have raised up one from the north,.... Either one people, or one person; a mighty king, as the Targum; meaning either Cyrus, who might be said to come from the north, and from the rising of the sun, or the east, as in the next clause; since he was by birth a Medo-Persian, hence called a mule; by his mother a Mede, and the country of Media lay rather to the north of Babylon; and by his father a Persian, and Persia lay to the east of it; and the forces he brought with him against it were partly Medes, and partly Persians; though some, as Jarchi observes, think two persons are meant in this and the next clause; in this Nebuchadnezzar, who came from Babylon, which lay north of Judea, to invade it; and in the other Cyrus, who came from the east, and proclaimed the name of the Lord, and liberty to the captive Jews. Kimchi and his father both interpret it of the King Messiah, as do also more ancient Jewish writers c, of whom Cyrus was a type; but to me it seems best of all, as most agreeable to the scope and tenure of the prophecy, to understand it of Constantine, who, as reported, was born in Britain, in the northern part of the world; but, when called to the empire, was in the eastern parts of it; and so with great propriety it is expressed here, and in the following clause:

and from the rising of the sun he shall call upon my name; which those that apply the prophecy to Cyrus explain by Ezra 1:1, but is much more applicable to Constantine, who was a worshipper of the true God, which invocation of his name is expressive of; and who openly professed the name of Christ, and encouraged those that did, and spread his name and fame, his Gospel and his glory, throughout the empire, east and west:

and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay; that is, he shall come upon them with his army, and conquer them, and tread them down, and trample upon them, as morter is trodden upon, or mire in the streets; or as the clay is trodden by the potter, who does with it as he pleases; which those who interpret it of Cyrus understand of Astyages, Croesus, Belshazzar, and others; see

Isaiah 14:1, and is as true of Constantine, who subdued the emperors of Rome, trod them under his feet, as Maximius, Maxentius, Licinius, c. moreover, the word "saganin", here used, is a word used by Jewish writers for priests, for such who were the deputies of the high priest; and it may design here the Pagan priests, and the destruction of them, and of Paganism in the Roman empire by Constantine.

c Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 153. 1. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 13. fol. 208. 1. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 19. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I have raised up one - In the previous verses God had shown that the idols had no power of predicting future events. He stakes, so to speak, the question of his divinity on that point, and the whole controversy between him and them is to be decided by the inquiry whether they had the power of foretelling what would come to pass. He here urges his claims to divinity on this ground, that he had power to foretell future events. In illustration of this, he appeals to the fact that he had raised up, that is, in purpose, or would afterward raise up Cyrus, in accordance with his predictions, and in such a way that it would be distinctly seen that he had this power of foretelling future events. To see the force of this argument, it must be remembered that the Jews are contemplated as in Babylon, and near the close of their captivity; that God by the prophets, and especially by Isaiah, distinctly foretold the fact that he would raise up Cyrus to be their deliverer; that these predictions were uttered at least a hundred and fifty years before the time of their fulfillment; and that they would then have abundant evidence that they were accomplished. To these recorded predictions and to their fulfillment, God here appeals, and designs that in that future time when they should be in exile, his people should have evidence that He was worthy of their entire confidence, and that even the pagan should see that Yahweh was the true God, and that the idols were nothing. The personage referred to here is undoubtedly Cyrus (see the notes at Isaiah 41:2; compare Isaiah 45:1).

From the north - In Isaiah 41:2, he is said to have been raised up ‘from the east.’ Both were true. Cyrus was born in Persia, in the country called in the Scriptures ‘the east,’ but he early went to Media, and came from Media under the direction of his uncle, Cyaxares, when he attacked and subdued Babylon. Media was situated on the north and northeast of Babylon.

From the rising of the sun - The east - the land of the birth of Cyrus.

Shall he call upon my name - This expression means, probably, that he should acknowledge Yahweh to be the true God, and recognize him as the source of all his success. This he did in his proclamation respecting the restoration of the Jews to their own land: ‘Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, Yahweh, God of heaven, hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth’ Ezra 1:2. There is no decided evidence that Cyrus regarded himself as a worshipper of Yahweh, or that he was a pious man, but he was brought to make a public recognition of him as the true God, and to feel that he owed the success of his arms to him.

And he shall come upon princes - Upon the kings of the nations against whom he shall make war (see Isaiah 41:2-3). The word rendered here ‘princes’ (from סגן seggen or סגן ro n sâgân), denotes properly a deputy, a prefect, a governor, or one under another, and is usually applied to the governors of provinces, or the Babyionian princes, or magistrates Jeremiah 51:23, Jeremiah 51:28, Jeremiah 51:57; Ezekiel 23:6, Ezekiel 23:12, Ezekiel 23:33; Daniel 3:2, Daniel 3:27; Daniel 6:8. It is sometimes applied, however, to the chiefs and rulers in Jerusalem in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 2:16; Nehemiah 4:8, Nehemiah 4:13; Nehemiah 5:7. Here it is used as a general term; and the sense is, that he would tread down and subdue the kings and princes of the nations that he invaded.

As upon mortar - (See the note at Isaiah 10:6).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 41:25. I have raised up one from the north — "That is," says Kimchi, "the Messiah. The king of Assyria placed the ten tribes in Chalach and Chabar by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 2 Kings 17:6, which lands lie northerly and easterly."

He shall come upon princes - "He shall trample on princes"] For יבא yabo, Le Clerc reads יבס yebes, from the Chaldee, who seems to read both words. "Forte legend. ויבס vaiyebes vel וירמס vaiyirmos: sequitur ס." "This should perhaps be read ויבס vaiyebes, or וירמס vaiyirmos: a ס samech follows." - Secker. See Nahum 3:14.