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Selected Verse: Isaiah 45:23 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Isa 45:23 |
King James |
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
sworn by myself--equivalent to, "As I live," as Rom 14:11 quotes it. So Num 14:21. God could swear by no greater, therefore He swears by Himself (Heb 6:13, Heb 6:16).
word . . . in righteousness--rather, "the truth (see on Isa 45:19) is gone forth from My mouth, the word (of promise), and it shall not return (that is, which shall not be revoked)" [LOWTH]. But the accents favor English Version.
tongue . . . swear--namely, an oath of allegiance to God as their true King (see on Isa 19:18; Isa 65:16). Yet to be fulfilled (Zac 14:9). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
I have sworn by myself - This verse contains a fuller statement of the truth intimated in the previous verse, that the benefits of salvation should yet be extended to all the world. It is the expression of God's solemn purpose that all nations should yet be brought to acknowledge him, and partake of the benefits of the true religion. The expression, 'I have sworn by myself,' denotes a purpose formed in the most solemn manner, and ratified in the most sacred form. God could swear by no greater Heb 6:13, Heb 6:16; and this, therefore, is the most solemn assurance that could be possibly given that the purpose which he had formed should be executed. To swear by himself is the same as to swear by his life, or to affirm solemnly that the event shall as certainly occur as that he exists. The same idea is often expressed by the phrase, 'as I live.' See a parallel declaration in Num 14:21 : 'But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord' (compare Num 14:28; Isa 49:18; Jer 22:24; Eze 5:11; Eze 14:16, Eze 14:18, Eze 14:20; Zep 2:9; Rom 14:11). This passage is quoted by Paul in Rom 14:11, where the phrase, 'I have sworn by myself' is rendered, 'as I live, saith the Lord,' showing that they are equivalent expressions.
The word is gone out of my mouth - The Septuagint renders this, 'Righteousness shall proceed from my mouth, my words shall not return.' Lowth renders it, 'Truth is gone forth from my mouth; the word, and it shall not be revoked.' Jerome, 'The word of righteousness has gone forth from my mouth, and shall not return.' Rosenmuller accords with the interpretation a of Lowth. Probably the correct translation is 'righteousness' (that is, the righteous sentence, or purpose, where the word צדקה tsedâqâh is used in the sense of truth, see Isa 45:19), has gone out of my mouth, the word (that is, the promise), and it shall not return.' In this construction the י (y) before לא lo' has the force of a relative pronoun, and is to be referred to דבר dâbâr, 'the word.' The sense is, that God had spoken it, and that all which he has spoken shall certainly be fulfilled. The fact that the declaration has once passed his lips, is full proof that the purpose shall be accomplished. This is not to be understood of any promise which he had made before, but it is a solemn declaration which he now makes by the prophet.
That unto me every knee shall bow - To bow or bend the knee, is indicative of homage or adoration; and the idea is, that all should yet acknowledge him to be God (see the note at Rom 14:11). The ancient mode of offering adoration, or of paying homage, was to place the knee on the ground, and then slowly to incline the body until the head touched the earth. This is practiced now in eastern countries (compare Gen 41:43; Kg1 19:18; Ch2 6:13; Mat 27:29; Rom 11:4; Phi 2:10; Eph 3:14). The obvious and proper signification of this is, that the time would come when God would be everywhere acknowledged as the true God. It refers therefore to the future period of glory on the earth, when all people shall have embraced the true religion, and when idolatry shall have come to an end.
Every tongue shall swear - This expression is evidently taken from the practice of taking an oath of allegiance to a sovereign, and here means that all would solemnly acknowledge him to be the true God, and submit themselves to his government and will. See the phrase explained in the the note at Isa 19:18. That this refers to the Messiah and his times, is apparent from the fact that it is twice referred to by the apostle Paul, and applied by him to the Lord Jesus and his religion Rom 14:11; Phi 2:10. It is a glorious promise which remains yet to be fulfilled, and there is no promise in the Bible more certain than that this earth shall yet be filled with the knowledge of the true God. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| In righteousness - It is what I will faithfully perform. Return - Without effect. It is a metaphor from ambassadors, who sometimes return to their princes without any success in their business. Every tongue - Not only the Jews, but all nations. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I have sworn by myself - במימרי bemeymri, by my Word: and the word - פתגם pithgam, or saying, to distinguish it from the personal substantial Word meymra, mentioned before. See the Targum.
The word is gone out of my mouth "Truth is gone forth from my mouth; the word" - So the Septuagint distinguish the members of the sentence, preserving the elegance of the construction and the clearness of the sense. |
9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
18 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
24 As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,