The Meaning of Isaiah 44:21 Explained

Isaiah 44:21

KJV: Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

YLT: Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, For My servant thou art, I formed thee, a servant to Me thou art, O Israel, thou dost not forget Me.

Darby: Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art my servant; I have formed thee: thou art my servant, Israel; thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

ASV: Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

Discover Isaiah 44:21

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 44:21?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 44:21 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:21 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 44:21?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Remember  these, O Jacob  and Israel;  for thou [art] my servant:  I have formed  thee; thou [art] my servant:  O Israel,  thou shalt not be forgotten  of me. 

What does Isaiah 44:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This chiastic verse reiterates a theme from Deuteronomy , namely, remembering what God has revealed (cf. Deuteronomy 8:2; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 8:18; Deuteronomy 9:7). God called His people to remember the truths about Himself that this section of the book emphasizes: He is the only God who foretells and then creates history, and the idols of the nations are nothing. Bearing these truths in mind would enable Israel to fulfill her purpose in the world, namely, to be the Lord"s servant. The nation had not yet fulfilled that purpose, and the Lord would not forget her but would enable her to fulfill it. He would not cast her off.
"Within the immediate context the call to "remember" (21) forges a link with what has preceded: (i) the idolater has been busy "fashioning" (9-10 , 12) his idol, but Israel has been "fashioned" (21; NIV made) by the Lord; (ii) the idolater is bound to his idol (18-20), but Israel is the Lord"s bondman (servant; 21); (iii) the idolater prayed pathetically Save me (17), but to Israel the Lord says I have redeemed you (22-23); (iv) the idolater bowed to a block of wood/"tree stump" (bul "es; 19), but now every tree (kol "es) is summoned to rejoice in the Lord (23)." [1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 44:21-28 - The Promise Of Redemption
What divine comfort there is in these gracious words! Notwithstanding all their wanderings and sins, the Chosen People were Jehovah's elect race. Nothing could make Him forget them; He had redeemed them with the saving strength of His right hand. He could never forget them, but He would forget their sins. Their transgressions had melted into the blue azure of His love. If sought for, they could not be found. Nature was asked to be one great orchestra of praise. And notice that our redemption brings more glory to Jehovah than our undoing would.
In Isaiah 45:1-25 the people are assured that they would return from captivity, to rebuild Jerusalem and reinhabit the cities of Judah. They probably expected that their return would be marked by miracles as marvelous as those through which their fathers emerged from Egyptian bondage. But God never repeats Himself; and His purposes would work out through a heathen monarch, Cyrus, whom God was preparing as the executor of His purpose, Isaiah 44:28. "Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will." [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 44

1  God comforts the church with his promises
7  The vanity of idols
9  And folly of idol makers
21  He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence

What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:21 mean?

Remember these Jacob and Israel for My servant you [are] I have formed you servant My you [are] Israel not you will be forgotten by Me
זְכָר־ אֵ֣לֶּה יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֣י עַבְדִּי־ אָ֑תָּה יְצַרְתִּ֤יךָ עֶֽבֶד־ לִי֙ אַ֔תָּה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א תִנָּשֵֽׁנִי

זְכָר־  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
אֵ֣לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
יַעֲקֹ֔ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  and  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַבְדִּי־  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אָ֑תָּה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְצַרְתִּ֤יךָ  I  have  formed  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
עֶֽבֶד־  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
לִי֙  My 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אַ֔תָּה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
תִנָּשֵֽׁנִי  you  will  be  forgotten  by  Me 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָשָׁה  
Sense: to forget, deprive.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 44:21?

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