Isaiah 46 · Verse 11

Isaiah 46:11

Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:11, King James Version

Isaiah 46:11 in other translations

BSB	I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
WEB	I call a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.
ASV	calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it.
YLT	Calling from the east a ravenous bird, From a far land the man of My counsel, Yea, I have spoken, yea, I bring it in, I have formed it, yea, I do it.
DARBY	calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
BBE	Sending for a bird of strong flight from the east, the man of my purpose from a far country; I have said it, and I will give effect to it; the thing designed by me will certainly be done.
Webster	Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yes, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also perform it.

What does Isaiah 46:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. ravenous bird--Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on Is 41:2; Is 41:25; Jr 49:22; Eze 17:3). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenophon, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit). executeth my counsel--(Is 44:28; 45:13). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief. purposed ... also do it--(Is 43:13).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east "Calling from the east the eagle" - A very proper emblem for Cyrus, as in other respects, so particularly because the ensign of Cyrus was a golden eagle, ΑΕΤΟΣ χρυσους, the very word עיט ayit, which the prophet uses here, expressed as near as may be in Greek letters. Xenoph. Cyrop. lib. 7 sub. init. Kimchi says his father understood this, not of Cyrus, but of the Messiah. From a far country "From a land far distant" - Two MSS. add the conjunction ו vau, ומארץ umeerets; and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 46:5-13

Here the folly of those who made idols, and then prayed to them, is exposed. How does the profuseness of idolaters shame the niggardliness of many who call themselves God's servants, but are for a religion which costs them nothing! The service of sin always costs a great deal. God puts it to them what senseless, helpless things idols are. Let, then, the Jews show themselves men, avoiding such abominations. Many…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 46:5-13 →

Isaiah 46:11 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.

קֹרֵ֤אko.Re'[one who] callsH7121

מִמִּזְרָח֙mi.miz.Rachfrom [the] eastH4217

עַ֔יִט'A.yita bird of preyH5861

מֵאֶ֥רֶץme.'E.retzfrom a land ofH776

מֶרְחָ֖קmer.ChakdistanceH4801

אִ֣ישׁ'isha man ofH376

עֲצָתִ֑יa.tza.tipurpose myH6098

אַף\־'af-alsoH637

דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙di.Bar.tiI have spokenH1696

אַף\־'af-alsoH637

אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה'a.vi.'E.nahI will bring itH935

יָצַ֖רְתִּיya.Tzar.tiI have plannedH3335

אַף\־'af-alsoH637

אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה\׃\ \ס'e.'e.Se.nahI will accomplish itH6213

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

Cross references for Isaiah 46:11

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Isaiah 14:24-27
The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Job 23:13
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Ephesians 1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Isaiah 41:2
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
Acts 5:39
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Psalms 119:24
Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Isaiah 48:14-15
All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
Ezra 1:2
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Isaiah 38:15
What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
Isaiah 44:28-45:6
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. …
Jeremiah 50:45
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Calling.
13:2-4; 21:7-9; 41:2,25; 45:1-6; Jer 50:29; 51:20-29
a ravenous bird.Or, "an eagle," a very proper emblem for Cyrus, says Bp. Lowth, as in other respects, so particularly because the ensign of Cyrus was a golden eagle, [aetos chrusous,] the very word {ayit,} which the prophet uses here, expressed as near as may be in Greek letters.
Eze 39:4
the man.
44:28; 45:13; 48:14,15; Ezr 1:2; Ps 76:10; Ac 4:28
that executeth my counsel. Heb. of my counsel.
Ps 119:24; *marg:
I have spoken.
14:24-27; 38:15; Nu 23:19; Job 23:13; Jer 50:45; Ac 5:39; Eph 1:11
Eph 3:11

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

Context

Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Isaiah 46:11
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
Isaiah 46:12
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:

Read all of Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Que llamo desde el oriente al ave, y de tierra lejana al varón de mi consejo. Yo hablé, y lo haré venir: he lo pensado, y también lo haré.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	appelant du levant un oiseau de proie, d’un pays lointain l’homme de mon conseil. Oui, je l’ai dit, et je ferai que cela arrivera; je me le suis proposé, et je l’effectuerai.
German Elberfelder 1871	der ich einen Raubvogel rufe von Osten her, aus fernem Lande den Mann meines Ratschlusses. Ich habe geredet, und werde es auch kommen lassen; ich habe entworfen, und werde es auch ausführen. -
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Vocans ab oriente avem, et de terra longinqua virum voluntatis meæ: et locutus sum, et adducam illud; creavi et faciam illud.