Isaiah

Isaiah 41:26–29

²⁶Who has declared this from the beginning,

so that we may know,

and from times past,

so that we may say: ‘He was right’?

No one announced it, no one foretold it,

no one heard your words.

²⁷I was the first to tell Zion:^d

‘Look, here they are!’

And I gave to Jerusalem

a herald of good news.

²⁸When I look, there is no one;

there is no counselor among them;

when I ask them,

they have nothing to say.

²⁹See, they are all a delusion;

their works amount to nothing;

their images are as empty as the wind.’’

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Who	מִֽי־	mî-	Interrogative	H4310 who?
has declared	הִגִּ֤יד	hig·gîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
from the beginning	מֵרֹאשׁ֙	mê·rōš	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
so that we may know	וְנֵדָ֔עָה	wə·nê·ḏā·‘āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H3045 know
and from times past	וּמִלְּפָנִ֖ים	ū·mil·lə·p̄ā·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H6440 face, before
so that we may say	וְנֹאמַ֣ר	wə·nō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural	H559 utter, say
He was right	צַדִּ֑יק	ṣad·dîq	Adjective - masculine singular	H6662 just, righteous
No	אֵין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one announced it	מַגִּ֗יד	mag·gîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
no one	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
foretold it	מַשְׁמִ֔יעַ	maš·mî·a‘	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H8085 hear
no	אֵין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one heard	שֹׁמֵ֖עַ	šō·mê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8085 hear
your words	אִמְרֵיכֶֽם׃	’im·rê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H561 something said

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I was the first to tell	רִאשׁ֥וֹן	ri·šō·wn	Adjective - masculine singular	H7223 former, first, chief
Zion	לְצִיּ֖וֹן	lə·ṣî·yō·wn	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6726 Zion
Look	הִנֵּ֣ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
here they are	הִנָּ֑ם	hin·nām	Interjection; third person masculine plural	H2005 lo! behold
And I gave	אֶתֵּֽן׃	’et·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
to Jerusalem	וְלִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם	wə·lî·rū·šā·lim	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
a herald of good news	מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר	mə·ḇaś·śêr	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H1319 bear tidings

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When I look	וְאֵ֙רֶא֙	wə·’ê·re	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - first person common singular	H7200 see
there is no	וְאֵ֣ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one	אִ֔ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
there is no	וְאֵ֣ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
counselor	יוֹעֵ֑ץ	yō·w·‘êṣ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3289 advise, counsel
among them	וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּה	ū·mê·’êl·leh	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
when I ask them	וְאֶשְׁאָלֵ֖ם	wə·’eš·’ā·lêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H7592 ask, inquire
they have nothing to say	וְיָשִׁ֥יבוּ	wə·yā·šî·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
See	הֵ֣ן	hên	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
all	כֻּלָּ֔ם	kul·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all
a delusion	אָ֥וֶן	’ā·wen	Noun - masculine singular	H205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
their works	מַעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם	ma·‘ă·śê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4639 deed, work
amount to nothing	אֶ֖פֶס	’e·p̄es	Noun - masculine singular	H657 the two extremities
their images	נִסְכֵּיהֶֽם׃פ	nis·kê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H5262 drink-offering
are as empty	וָתֹ֖הוּ	wā·ṯō·hū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
as the wind	ר֥וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit