Focused Passage

Isaiah 41:1-7

The LORD’s Courtroom, the Futility of Idols, and Comfort for Israel His Servant

Isaiah 41 moves from the LORD summoning the nations and coastlands into courtroom silence, to His sovereign raising of a conqueror from the east, to the nations’ fearful idol-making, to the LORD’s tender assurance to Israel His servant, to the promise that enemies will become nothing, to the transformation of weak Jacob into a threshing sledge, to wilderness provision for the poor and needy, and finally to the LORD’s challenge for idols to prove themselves by declaring the future, which they cannot do.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1“Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment.

2Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.

3He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet.

4Who 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.”

5The islands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward.

6Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

7The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Be silentהַחֲרִ֤ישׁוּH2790Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralbefore Meאֵלַי֙H413Preposition | first person common singularO islandsאִיִּ֔יםH339Noun - masculine pluraland let the peoplesוּלְאֻמִּ֖יםH3816Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralrenewיַחֲלִ֣יפוּH2498Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir strengthכֹ֑חַH3581Noun - masculine singularLet them come forwardיִגְּשׁוּ֙H5066Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralandאָ֣זH227Adverbtestifyיְדַבֵּ֔רוּH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plurallet us togetherיַחְדָּ֖וH3162Adverbdraw nearנִקְרָֽבָה׃H7126Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralfor judgmentלַמִּשְׁפָּ֥טH4941Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or coastlands; also in verse 5
Verse 2

Original words

Whoמִ֤יH4310Interrogativehas arousedהֵעִיר֙H5782Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularone from the eastמִמִּזְרָ֔חH4217Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular[and] called himיִקְרָאֵ֣הוּH7121Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularto his feetלְרַגְל֑וֹH7272Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularin righteousnessצֶ֖דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularHe hands nationsגּוֹיִם֙H1471Noun - masculine pluraloverיִתֵּ֨ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto himלְפָנָ֤יוH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular[and] subduesיַ֔רְדְּH7287Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularkings [before him]וּמְלָכִ֣יםH4428Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralHe turns themיִתֵּ֤ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto dustכֶּֽעָפָר֙H6083Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularwith his swordחַרְבּ֔וֹH2719Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularto windblownנִדָּ֖ףH5086Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularchaffכְּקַ֥שׁH7179Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularwith his bowקַשְׁתּֽוֹ׃H7198Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or from the east, whom victory meets at every step
Verse 3

Original words

He pursues themיִרְדְּפֵ֖םH7291Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralgoing onיַעֲב֣וֹרH5674Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularsafelyשָׁל֑וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singularhardlyלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particletouchingיָבֽוֹא׃H935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe pathאֹ֥רַחH734Noun - common singularwith his feetבְּרַגְלָ֖יוH7272Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Whoמִֽי־H4310Interrogativehas performed thisפָעַ֣לH6466Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand carried it outוְעָשָׂ֔הH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularcalling forthקֹרֵ֥אH7121Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe generationsהַדֹּר֖וֹתH1755Article | Noun - masculine pluralfrom the beginningמֵרֹ֑אשׁH7218Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularIאֲנִ֤יH589Pronoun - first person common singularthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe firstרִאשׁ֔וֹןH7223Adjective - masculine singularandוְאֶת־H854Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthe lastאַחֲרֹנִ֖יםH314Adjective - masculine pluralIאֲנִי־H589Pronoun - first person common singularam Heהֽוּא׃H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

The islandsאִיִּים֙H339Noun - masculine pluralseeרָא֤וּH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland fearוְיִירָ֔אוּH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe endsקְצ֥וֹתH7098Noun - feminine plural constructof the earthהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singulartrembleיֶחֱרָ֑דוּH2729Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralThey approachקָרְב֖וּH7126Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland come forwardוַיֶּאֱתָיֽוּן׃H857Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 6

Original words

Each oneאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhelpsיַעְזֹ֑רוּH5826Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe otherרֵעֵ֖הוּH7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand saysיֹאמַ֥רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto his brotherוּלְאָחִ֖יוH251Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularBe strongחֲזָֽק׃H2388Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

The craftsmanחָרָשׁ֙H2796Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerencouragesוַיְחַזֵּ֤קH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe goldsmithצֹרֵ֔ףH6884Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular[and] he who wieldsמַחֲלִ֥יקH2505Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular constructthe hammerפַּטִּ֖ישׁH6360Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker[cheers] him who strikesה֣וֹלֶםH1986Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructthe anvilפָּ֑עַםH6471Noun - feminine singularsayingאֹמֵ֤רH559Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularof the weldingלַדֶּ֙בֶק֙H1694Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularItה֔וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis goodט֣וֹבH2896Adjective - masculine singularHe nails it downוַיְחַזְּקֵ֥הוּH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular. . .בְמַסְמְרִ֖יםH4548Preposition-b | Noun - masculine pluralso it will notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe toppledיִמּֽוֹט׃סH4131Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.