Isaiah 41:21-29

Yahweh's Challenge to the Gods of the Nations. The nations are bidden to produce their case and bring forward their champions their idols (so emend strong reasons). Let the idols show that in days gone by they have foreseen the antecedents of present developments, or explain the events now happening and about to happen. They remain dumb, and Yahweh taunts them with their impotence. He has raised up Cyrus; who among them had foreseen the event? Not one; how patent, then, their nothingness!

Isaiah 41:22. latter end: issue. things for to come: the immediate development from the present situation.

Isaiah 41:23. be dismayed: rather (cf. mg.), open our eyes in wonder.

Isaiah 41:25. come upon: read, trample upon.

Isaiah 41:26. He is righteous: render, Right! is. declareth: render, was. declared, so in the two following clauses.

Isaiah 41:27. Read, perhaps, At the beginning I announced it to Zion, and to Jerusalem I gave a herald of good news. But among these gods there was none, among them no counsellor was found. Lo! all of them are nothing, none of them utters a word. Their works, eta