The Meaning of Isaiah 46:10 Explained

Isaiah 46:10

KJV: 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:

YLT: Declaring from the beginning the latter end, And from of old that which hath not been done, Saying, 'My counsel doth stand, And all My delight I do.'

Darby: 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;

ASV: declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Isaiah 46:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 46:1-13 - God's Salvation Shall Not Tarry
Here is a startling contrast! Babylon is broken up. An invading army of stern monotheists have slain the idolatrous priests at their altars and are engaged in carrying out the idols for the bonfire. And as the Jewish remnant is witnessing the extraordinary spectacle, they are reminded that their God does not require to be borne. Nay, on the contrary He has borne His people from the earliest days and will continue to bear them till the heavens have passed away.
The contrast is a perpetual one. Some people carry their religion; others are carried by it. Some are burdened by minute prescriptions and an external ritual; others yield themselves to God, to be borne by Him in old age as they were in the helplessness of childhood. They are persuaded that He will bear them "as a man doth bear His son," in all the way that they go, until they come to the prepared place. See Deuteronomy 1:31; Isaiah 63:9. God immediately responds to a trust like that, and His salvation does not tarry. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 46

1  The idols of Babylon could not save themselves
3  God saves his people to the end
5  Idols are not comparable to God for power
12  Or present salvation

What do the individual words in Isaiah 46:10 mean?

Declaring from the beginning the end and from ancient times [things] that not are [yet] done Saying My counsel shall stand and all My pleasure I will do
מַגִּ֤יד מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙ אַחֲרִ֔ית וּמִקֶּ֖דֶם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ נַעֲשׂ֑וּ אֹמֵר֙ עֲצָתִ֣י תָק֔וּם וְכָל־ חֶפְצִ֖י אֶעֱשֶֽׂה

מַגִּ֤יד  Declaring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙  from  the  beginning 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: רֵאשִׁית  
Sense: first, beginning, best, chief.
אַחֲרִ֔ית  the  end 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.
וּמִקֶּ֖דֶם  and  from  ancient  times 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  [things]  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נַעֲשׂ֑וּ  are  [yet]  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֹמֵר֙  Saying 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עֲצָתִ֣י  My  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
תָק֔וּם  shall  stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חֶפְצִ֖י  My  pleasure 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֵפֶץ  
Sense: delight, pleasure.
אֶעֱשֶֽׂה  I  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.