Isaiah 41:23

23 adnuntiate quae ventura sunt in futurum et sciemus quia dii estis vos bene quoque aut male si potestis facite et loquamur et videamus simul

Isaiah 41:23 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 41:23

Show the things that are to come hereafter
From henceforward to the consummation of all things: so the Targum,

``show what shall come to the end;''

or at the end, the end of all things; or show wonderful things, which shall be hereafter; so Jarchi interprets the word; a word like this having the signification of signs and wonders: that we may know that ye are gods;
as ye are said to be; that we may own and acknowledge you to be such, there being this clear proof of it, if it can be made out, foretelling things to come, both near and far off. The Targum is,

``that we may know whether ye worship idols, in whom there is any profit;''

as if the words were spoken not to the idols, but to the worshippers of them: "yea, do good, or do evil"; not in a moral, but in a civil sense; do good to your friends, to your worshippers; bestow favours upon them, as I do on mine; or inflict punishment on your enemies, such as despise your deity, and will not worship you, as I do on those that despise me, and will not regard my service and worship: that we may be dismayed, and behold it together:
that when we see your deity, and are convinced of it by the above proofs, we may be amazed and astonished, as not expecting such proof, and be confounded, and have no more to object unto it. The Targum is,

``that we may consider and reason together;''

and bring the matter in controversy to an issue, as it is in the next verse.

Isaiah 41:23 In-Context

21 prope facite iudicium vestrum dicit Dominus adferte si quid forte habetis dixit Rex Iacob

22 accedant et nuntient nobis quaecumque ventura sunt priora quae fuerint nuntiate et ponemus cor nostrum et sciemus novissima eorum et quae ventura sunt indicate nobis

23 adnuntiate quae ventura sunt in futurum et sciemus quia dii estis vos bene quoque aut male si potestis facite et loquamur et videamus simul

24 ecce vos estis ex nihilo et opus vestrum ex eo quod non est abominatio est qui elegit vos

25 suscitavi ab aquilone et venit ab ortu solis vocabit nomen meum et adducet magistratus quasi lutum et velut plastes conculcans humum