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.

2 Who 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.

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

4 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.”

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

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

7 The 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 silent הַחֲרִ֤ישׁוּ H2790 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural before Me אֵלַי֙ H413 Preposition | first person common singular O islands אִיִּ֔ים H339 Noun - masculine plural and let the peoples וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים H3816 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural renew יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ H2498 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their strength כֹ֑חַ H3581 Noun - masculine singular Let them come forward יִגְּשׁוּ֙ H5066 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and אָ֣ז H227 Adverb testify יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural let us together יַחְדָּ֖ו H3162 Adverb draw near נִקְרָֽבָה׃ H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural for judgment לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט H4941 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or coastlands; also in verse 5
Verse 2

Original words

Who מִ֤י H4310 Interrogative has aroused הֵעִיר֙ H5782 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular one from the east מִמִּזְרָ֔ח H4217 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular [and] called him יִקְרָאֵ֣הוּ H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular to his feet לְרַגְל֑וֹ H7272 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular in righteousness צֶ֖דֶק H6664 Noun - masculine singular He hands nations גּוֹיִם֙ H1471 Noun - masculine plural over יִתֵּ֨ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to him לְפָנָ֤יו H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular [and] subdues יַ֔רְדְּ H7287 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular kings [before him] וּמְלָכִ֣ים H4428 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural He turns them יִתֵּ֤ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to dust כֶּֽעָפָר֙ H6083 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular with his sword חַרְבּ֔וֹ H2719 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular to windblown נִדָּ֖ף H5086 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular chaff כְּקַ֥שׁ H7179 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular with his bow קַשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ H7198 Noun - 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 them יִרְדְּפֵ֖ם H7291 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural going on יַעֲב֣וֹר H5674 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular safely שָׁל֑וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular hardly לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle touching יָבֽוֹא׃ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the path אֹ֥רַח H734 Noun - common singular with his feet בְּרַגְלָ֖יו H7272 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Who מִֽי־ H4310 Interrogative has performed this פָעַ֣ל H6466 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and carried it out וְעָשָׂ֔ה H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular calling forth קֹרֵ֥א H7121 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the generations הַדֹּר֖וֹת H1755 Article | Noun - masculine plural from the beginning מֵרֹ֑אשׁ H7218 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular I אֲנִ֤י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular the first רִאשׁ֔וֹן H7223 Adjective - masculine singular and וְאֶת־ H854 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker the last אַחֲרֹנִ֖ים H314 Adjective - masculine plural I אֲנִי־ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am He הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

The islands אִיִּים֙ H339 Noun - masculine plural see רָא֤וּ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and fear וְיִירָ֔אוּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural the ends קְצ֥וֹת H7098 Noun - feminine plural construct of the earth הָאָ֖רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular tremble יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ H2729 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural They approach קָרְב֖וּ H7126 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and come forward וַיֶּאֱתָיֽוּן׃ H857 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 6

Original words

Each one אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker helps יַעְזֹ֑רוּ H5826 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the other רֵעֵ֖הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and says יֹאמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to his brother וּלְאָחִ֖יו H251 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Be strong חֲזָֽק׃ H2388 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

The craftsman חָרָשׁ֙ H2796 Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker encourages וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק H2388 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the goldsmith צֹרֵ֔ף H6884 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular [and] he who wields מַחֲלִ֥יק H2505 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct the hammer פַּטִּ֖ישׁ H6360 Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker [cheers] him who strikes ה֣וֹלֶם H1986 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct the anvil פָּ֑עַם H6471 Noun - feminine singular saying אֹמֵ֤ר H559 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular of the welding לַדֶּ֙בֶק֙ H1694 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular It ה֔וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is good ט֣וֹב H2896 Adjective - masculine singular He nails it down וַיְחַזְּקֵ֥הוּ H2388 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular . . . בְמַסְמְרִ֖ים H4548 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural so it will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be toppled יִמּֽוֹט׃ס H4131 Verb - 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.