Yesaya 44:7

44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! ¹ 

Let him announce it and explain it to me –

since I established an ancient people – ² 

let them announce future events! ³ 

Yesaya 59:19

59:19 In the west, people respect ⁴  the Lord’s reputation; ⁵ 

in the east they recognize his splendor. ⁶ 

For he comes like a rushing ⁷  stream

driven on by wind sent from the Lord. ⁸ 

[44:7]  ¹ tn Heb “let him call” or “let him proclaim” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “Let him stand up and speak.”

[44:7]  ² tc The Hebrew text reads, “from (the time) I established an ancient people, and the coming things.” Various emendations have been proposed. One of the options assumes the reading מַשְׁמִיעִים מֵעוֹלָם אוֹתִיּוֹת (mashmi’im me’olam ’otiyyot); This literally reads “the ones causing to hear from antiquity coming things,” but more idiomatically would read “as for those who predict from antiquity what will happen” (cf. NAB, NEB, REB). The emendation directs the attention of the reader to those who claim to be able to predict the future, challenging them to actually do what they claim they can do. The MT presents Yahweh as an example to whom these alleged “predictors of the future” can compare themselves. Since the ancient versions are unanimous in their support of the MT, the emendations should be set aside.

[44:7]  ³ tn Heb and those things which are coming let them declare for themselves.”

[59:19]  ⁴ tc Heb “fear.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read “see.”

[59:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “and they fear from the west the name of the Lord.”

[59:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “and from the rising of the sun his splendor.”

[59:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “narrow”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “pent-up.”

[59:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “the wind of the Lord drives it on.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh) could be translated “breath” here (see 30:28).