Isaiah 41:4

New King James Version

Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? "I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He."'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Who has performed and done this,calling the generations from the beginning?I am the Lord, the firstand with the last—I am he.”

Hebrew Names Version
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.

King James Version
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord , the first, and with the last; I am he.

English Standard Version
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord , the first, and with the last; I am he.

New American Standard Bible
"Who has performed and accomplished it, Summoning the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.'"

New Century Version
Who caused this to happen? Who has controlled history since the beginning? I, the Lord , am the one. I was here at the beginning, and I will be here when all things are finished."

Amplified Bible
"Who has performed and done this, Calling forth [and guiding the destinies of] the generations [of the nations] from the beginning? 'I, the LORD—the first, and with the last [existing before history began, the ever-present, unchanging God]—I am He.'"

World English Bible
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last, I am he.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Who hath wrought and done it? he that calleth the generations from the beginning. I the Lord am the first, and wt the last I am ye same.

Legacy Standard Bible
Who has worked and done it,Calling forth the generations from the beginning?‘I, Yahweh, am the first; and with the last, I am He.'"

Berean Standard Bible
Who has performed this and carried it out, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD-the first and the last-I am He."

Contemporary English Version
Who makes these things happen? Who controls human events? I do! I am the Lord . I was there at the beginning; I will be there at the end.

Complete Jewish Bible
Whose work is this? Who has brought it about? He who called the generations from the beginning, "I, Adonai , am the first; and I am the same with those who are last."

Darby Translation
Who hath wrought and done [it], calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, the first; and with the last, I [am] HE.

Easy-to-Read Version
Who was able to make all this happen? Who controlled the lives of everyone from the beginning? I, the Lord , am the one. I was here at the beginning, and I will be here when all things are finished.

George Lamsa Translation
Who has prepared and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first and the last; I am he.

Good News Translation
Who was it that made this happen? Who has determined the course of history? I, the Lord , was there at the beginning, and I, the Lord , will be there at the end.

Lexham English Bible
Who has accomplished and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, am first; and I am the one with the last.

Literal Translation
Who has planned and done it , calling forth the generations from the beginning? I Jehovah am the first and the last; I am He.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who hath made, created, and called the generacions from the begynnynge? Euen I the LORDE, which am the first, and with the last.

American Standard Version
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last, I am he.

Bible in Basic English
Whose purpose and work was it? His who sent out the generations from the start. I the Lord, the first, and with the last, I am he.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who hath wrought and done it? He that called the generations from the beginning. I, the LORD, who am the first, and with the last am the same.

King James Version (1611)
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord the first, and with the last, I am he.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Who hath made and created these thinges? euen he that called the generations from the beginning, euen I the Lorde whiche am the first, and with the last.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Who has wrought and done these things? he has called it who called it from the generations of old; I God, the first and to all futurity, I AM.

English Revised Version
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who wrouyte and dide these thingis? clepynge generaciouns at the bigynnyng. Y am the Lord; and Y am the firste and the laste.

Update Bible Version
Who has wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last, I am he.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who hath wrought and done [it], calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I [am] he.

New English Translation
Who acts and carries out decrees? Who summons the successive generations from the beginning? I, the Lord , am present at the very beginning, and at the very end—I am the one.

New Living Translation
Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord , the First and the Last. I alone am he."

New Life Bible
Who has done this, calling out all the people from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. I am He."

New Revised Standard
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord , am first, and will be with the last.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who hath wrought and performed, Calling the generations, in advance? I, Yahweh, who am First, And with them who are last, I, am the Same!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who hath wrought and done these things, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, I am the first and the last.

Revised Standard Version
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am He.

Young's Literal Translation
Who hath wrought and done, Calling the generations from the first? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last I [am] He.

THE MESSAGE
"Who did this? Who made it happen? Who always gets things started? I did. God . I'm first on the scene. I'm also the last to leave.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.'"

Contextual Overview

¹ "Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment. ² "Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow? ³ Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet? ⁴ Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? "I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He."' ⁵ The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came. ⁶ Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, "Be of good courage!" ⁷ So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, "It is ready for the soldering"; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter. ⁸ "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend. ⁹ You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, "You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hath: Isaiah 41:26, Isaiah 40:12, Isaiah 40:26, Isaiah 42:24

calling: Isaiah 44:7, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 48:3-7, Deuteronomy 32:7, Deuteronomy 32:8, Acts 15:18, Acts 17:26

I the Lord: Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 48:12, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 2:8, Revelation 22:13

with the: Isaiah 46:3, Isaiah 46:4, Matthew 1:23, Matthew 28:20

Reciprocal: Numbers 23:23 - What hath Deuteronomy 32:39 - even I Job 15:25 - strengtheneth Isaiah 41:27 - first Matthew 14:27 - it Hebrews 1:11 - thou Hebrews 13:8 - General 1 John 1:1 - That which Revelation 1:4 - him Revelation 1:8 - Alpha

Cross-References

1 Kings 3:15
Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who hath wrought and done it,.... Contrived and effected it, formed the scheme, and brought it to pass; namely, raising up the righteous man from the east, and succeeding him in the manner described:

calling the generations from the beginning? or rather here begins the answer to the above question, which may be rendered,

he that calleth the generations from the beginning k; he has wrought and done this; and to this agree the Syriac and Arabic versions; even he that knew them from all eternity, before they were, and all the men that would be in them, and could call them by their names; and who calls things that are not, as though they were; and who calls them into being at the appointed time, and continues a succession of them, one after another; who calls by his grace all that are called in successive generations, and rules over them by his power, providence, and grace:

I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he; the immutable Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last; all which is said of Christ, and is the person here speaking, Revelation 1:8, phrases expressive of his eternity and deity; he is the first and the last in God's thoughts, purposes, and decrees; in the covenant of grace; in the creation of all things; in the salvation, justification, sanctification, adoption, and glorification of his people; and in the church, above and below:

and with the last, may be understood either of the last generations God is with, and calls as well as the first, as De Dieu; or of all believers, with whom he shall be and they with him to all eternity, so Gussetius l. Now the conversion of the Apostle Paul, his commission to preach the Gospel, the extraordinary qualifications he was endowed with, the wonderful things done by him, in the conversion of sinners, and planting of churches in the Gentile world, and towards the abolition of Paganism in it, are incontestable proofs of the deity of Christ; no mere creature could ever have raised up, such a man, and accomplished him in such a manner, or wrought such things by him.

k קורא הדורות מראש "ille qui vocat vel vocavit generationes ab inito", Munster, Tigurine version. So some in Vatablus. l Comment. Ebr. p. 29.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath wrought and done it? - By whom has all this been accomplished? Has it been by the arm of Cyrus? Has it been by human skill and powers. The design of this question is obvious. It is to direct attention to the fact that all this had been done by God, and that he who had raised up such a man, and had accomplished all this by means of him, had power to deliver his people.

Calling the generations from the beginning - The idea here seems to be, that all the nations that dwell on the earth in every place owed their origin to God (compare Acts 17:26). The word ‘calling’ here, seems to be used in the sense of commanding, directing, or ordering them; and the truth taught is, that all the nations were under his control, and had been from the beginning. It was not only true of Cyrus, and of those who were subdued before him, but it was true of all nations and generations. The object seems to be, to lift up the thoughts from the conquests of Cyrus to God’s universal dominion over all kingdoms from the beginning of the world.

I the Lord, the first - Before any creature was made; existing before any other being. The description that God here gives of himself as ‘the first and the last,’ is one that is often applied to him in the Scriptures, and is one that properly expresses eternity (see Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12). It is remarkable also that this expression, which so obviously implies proper eternity, is applied to the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:17; Revelation 22:13.

And with the last - The usual form in which this is expressed is simply ‘the last’ Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12. The idea here seems to be, ‘and with the last, I am the same;’ that is, I am unchanging and eternal. None will subsist after me; since with the last of all created objects I shall be the same that I was in the beginning. Nothing would survive God; or in other words, he would exist forever and ever. The argument here is, that to this unchanging and eternal God, who had thus raised up and directed Cyrus, and who had control over all nations, they might commit themselves with unwavering confidence, and be assured that he was able to protect and deliver them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 41:4. Who hath wrought and done it - "Who hath performed and made these things"] A word is here lost out of the text. It is supplied by an ancient MS., אלה elleh, "these things;" and by the Septuagint, ταυτα; and by the Vulgate, haec; and by the Chaldee, אלן elin; all of the same meaning.