Yeshayah 41:26

26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? And from beforehand, that we may say, He was in the right? Indeed, there is none that telleth, indeed, there is none that preacheth, indeed, there is none that heareth your words.

Yeshayah 41:26 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 41:26

Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know?
&c.] Who of the idols, or of their priests, that have declared things future before they came to pass, or ever predicted such an event as this before mentioned; which, if understood of Cyrus, was an hundred and fifty years before it came to pass; and if of Constantine, near a thousand years: and before time, that we may say, he is righteous?
that is, who hath declared things before the time of the accomplishment of them, and they have come to pass, as they have been declared? by which it may be known that they are gods, or the priests of such that are so, by their having prescience of future events, or the spirit of prophecy; and so it may be said of them, that they are just in their pretensions, and have a rightful claim to deity, or are true prophets; so the Targum,

``that we may say it is true''

yea, there is none that showeth, yea, there is none that declareth;
that shows and declares things to come, or such as the true God shows and declares: yea, there is none that heareth your words;
none of your worshippers that ever heard you speak a word, who, when they have prayed to you, could never have an answer; and therefore you have no just claim to deity; or ever heard any of your prophets say such a thing should come to pass, and it did.

Yeshayah 41:26 In-Context

24 See, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought; a toevah (abomination) is he that chooseth you.

25 I have awakened one [Koresh, Cyrus] from the tzafon (north), and he shall come; from the rising of the shemesh shall he call upon My Shem; and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the yotzer (potter) treadeth clay.

26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? And from beforehand, that we may say, He was in the right? Indeed, there is none that telleth, indeed, there is none that preacheth, indeed, there is none that heareth your words.

27 The rishon shall say to Tziyon, Hinei, behold them; and I will give to Yerushalayim mevaser (one that bringeth good news).

28 For I beheld, and there was no ish; even among them, and there was no Yo’etz (counselor), that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.