Isaiah 44

Isaiah 44
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The Great Isaiah Scroll, the best preserved of the biblical scrolls found at Qumran from the second century BC, contains all the verses in this chapter.
Book	Book of Isaiah
Category	Nevi'im
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	23

Isaiah 44 is the forty-fourth chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies spoken by the prophet Isaiah, and is a part of the Book of the Prophets.

Text

• The original text is written in Hebrew language.
• This chapter is divided into 28 verses.

Textual versions

Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter in Hebrew language:

• Masoretic Text (10th century)
• Dead Sea Scrolls: (2nd century BC)
  • 1QIsa^a: complete
  • 1QIsa^b: extant: verses 21-28
  • 4QIsa^b (4Q56): extant: verses 19-28<

Ancient translations in Koine Greek:

• Septuagint (3rd century BC)
• Theodotion version (~AD 180)

Structure

This chapter can be grouped into:

• Isaiah 44:1–5 = God’s Blessing on Israel
• Isaiah 44:6–8 = There Is No Other God
• Isaiah 44:9–20 = Idolatry Is Foolishness
• Isaiah 44:21–23 = Israel Is Not Forgotten
• Isaiah 44:24–28 = Israel Is Not Forgotten

Verse 2

Thus saith the Lord that made thee,

and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee;

Fear not, O Jacob, my servant;

and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

• "formed … from … womb" (See Isaiah 44:24; Isaiah 49:1, 5). The sense is similar to that in Isaiah 1:2, "I have nourished and brought up children."
• "And thou Jeshurun" (וישׁרוּן vayeshurûn): This word occurs but four times in the Bible, as a poetical name for the people of Israel, apparently expressing affection and tenderness (Deuteronomy 32:15; Deuteronomy 33:5, Deuteronomy 33:26; and in this place). It is, says Gesenius (Commentary in loc.), 'a flattering appellation (schmeichelwort) for Israel,' and is probably a diminutive from ישׁור yāshûr equals ישׁר yāshâr, the passive form in an intransitive verb with an active signification. The ending ון ôn, he adds, is terminatio charitiva - a termination indicating affection, or kindness. In his Lexicon, he observes, however (as translated by Robinson), that 'it seems not improbable that it was a diminutive form of the name ישׂראל yı̂s'râ'ēl, which was current in common life for the fuller form ישׂיאלוּן yı̂s'râ'ēlûn, title of affection for Israel, but, like other common words of this sort, contracted, and more freely inflected, so as at the same time to imply an allusion to the signification of right or uprightness, contained in the root ישׁר yâshar.' Jerome renders it, Rectissime - 'Most upright.' The Septuagint renders it, Ἠγαπημένος Ἰσραήλ Ēgapēmenos Israēl - 'Beloved Israel.' The Syriac renders it, 'Israel.' So also the Chaldee. It is, doubtless, a title of affection, and probably includes the notion of uprightness, or integrity.

Verse 6

“Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel,

And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:

I am the First and I am the Last;

and beside Me there is no God.

Cross reference: Revelation 1:8

Verse 28

That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd,

and shall perform all my pleasure:

even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built;

and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

See also

• Alpha and Omega

• Related Bible parts: Isaiah 43, Revelation 1

External links

Jewish

• Isaiah 44 Original Hebrew with Parallel English

Christian

• Isaiah 44 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate