Isaiah Chapter 48 · Verse 12
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Original Language Analysis
שְׁמַ֤ע
Hearken
H8085
שְׁמַ֤ע
Hearken
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
1 of 12
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל
and Israel
H3478
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל
and Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
4 of 12
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
מְקֹרָאִ֑י
my called
H7121
מְקֹרָאִ֑י
my called
Strong's:
H7121
Word #:
5 of 12
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
הוּא֙
H1931
הוּא֙
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
7 of 12
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
רִאשׁ֔וֹן
I am he I am the first
H7223
רִאשׁ֔וֹן
I am he I am the first
Strong's:
H7223
Word #:
9 of 12
first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)
Cross References
Isaiah 41:4Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.Isaiah 44:6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.Revelation 22:13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.Revelation 1:8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Isaiah 55:3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.Isaiah 43:11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.Isaiah 46:3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:Isaiah 49:1Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.Deuteronomy 32:39See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
Historical Context
For exiles feeling abandoned, God's claim to be 'first and last' assured that He hadn't forgotten them - the same God who began covenant relationship would complete it. This sustained remnant hope through centuries until Christ.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' claim to be 'first and last' prove His deity and fulfill Isaiah's prophecies?
- What comfort does God's sovereignty over beginning and end provide for your current circumstances?
Analysis & Commentary
The titles 'I am he; I am the first, I also am the last' anticipate Revelation 22:13 where Jesus claims this divine title. The 'Alpha and Omega' language establishes God's eternality and sovereignty over all history from inception to consummation. This self-designation appears repeatedly in Isaiah (41:4, 44:6), creating unique divine signature that Jesus appropriates.