Isaiah 41 · Verse 28

Isaiah 41:28

For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

Isaiah 41:28, King James Version

Isaiah 41:28 in other translations

BSB	When I look, there is no one; there is no counselor among them; when I ask them, they have nothing to say.
WEB	When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word.
ASV	And when I look, there is no man: even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.
YLT	And I see that there is no man, Yea, of these that there is no counsellor, And I ask them, and they return word:
DARBY	And I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, — and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
BBE	And I saw that there was no man, even no wise man among them, who might give an answer to my questions.
Webster	For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

What does Isaiah 41:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

28. no counsellor--no one of the idolatrous soothsayers who could inform (Nu 24:14) those who consulted them what would take place. Compare "counsel of His messenger" (Is 44:26). when I asked--that is, challenged them, in this chapter.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28 Among them "Among the idols" - For ומאלה umeelleh, I read ומאלים umeellim, with the Septuagint, και απο των ειδωλων, "and from or among the idols. "See Exo 15:11; Isa 57:5. R. D. Kimchi has many good observations on this chapter. Bishop Lowth follows him in applying it to Abraham, and not to Cyrus; the whole being spoken in the past tense, which is not used, or rarely, in such a case for the future. Almost the whole of the rabbins understand it of Abraham. On Kimchi's plan, the following is a paraphrase. The righteous man - Abram, from the east - the land of his nativity, called the land of the children of the east, Gen 29:1. Brought him to his feet - Whithersoever his feet went, he preached righteousness and truth; as it is written, "There he proclaimed in the name of Jehovah," Gen 21:31. And he called it ויקראהו vaiyikraehu - that is, צרק tsedek, righteousness, to his feet, enabled him to hold it forth wherever he went. He called the nations - To leave their idols and worship him who made the universe. He taught them the way of righteousness, truth, and faith. Was there ever a prodigy like to this? A man who had been an idolater, rising up against all the nations of the earth, reproving their faith, and not fearing before them nor their kings! Who stirred up his heart to do this? Was it not the Lord? Gave the nations before him - And made him rule over kings - Chedorlaomer, and the kings which were with him: whom the Lord gave as dust to his sword, and stubble to his bow. He pursued them - He and his three hundred and eighteen servants. He passed safely - שלום shalom for בשלום beshalom, in safety; so said, because he lost not one of his men in this expedition. See Kimchi.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 41:21-29

There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 41:21-29 →

Isaiah 41:28 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאֵ֙רֶא֙ve.'E.re'and [when] I may lookH7200

וְאֵ֣יןve.'Einand there notH369

אִ֔ישׁ'Ish[is] a personH376

וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּהu.me.'E.lehand from theseH428

וְאֵ֣יןve.'Einand there notH369

יוֹעֵ֑ץyo.'Etz[is] a counselorH3289

וְאֶשְׁאָלֵ֖םve.'esh.'a.Lemand I will ask themH7592

וְיָשִׁ֥יבוּve.ya.Shi.vuand they may bring backH7725

דָבָֽר\׃da.Vara wordH1697

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 41:28

Isaiah 63:5
And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isaiah 50:2
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
Daniel 2:10-11
The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Isaiah 40:13-14
Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Daniel 5:8
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
Isaiah 59:16
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Daniel 4:7-8
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I beheld.
63:5; Da 2:10,11; 4:7,8; 5:8
answer. Heb. return.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Isaiah 41:27
The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
Isaiah 41:28
For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
Isaiah 41:29
Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Read all of Isaiah 41

Isaiah 41:28 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Miré, y no había ninguno; y pregunté de estas cosas, y ningún consejero hubo: preguntéles, y no respondieron palabra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et j’ai regardé, et il n’y avait personne – même parmi eux – et point de conseiller, pour leur demander, et avoir d’eux une réponse.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ich sah hin: und da war niemand, und unter diesen war kein Bescheidgeber, daß ich sie hätte fragen können, und sie mir Antwort gegeben hätten.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et vidi, et non erat neque ex istis quisquam qui iniret consilium, et interrogatus responderet verbum.