Isaiah Chapter 48 · Verse 15
I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
Original Language Analysis
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי
I even I have spoken
H1696
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי
I even I have spoken
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
3 of 8
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אַף
H637
אַף
Strong's:
H637
Word #:
4 of 8
meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though
קְרָאתִ֑יו
yea I have called
H7121
קְרָאתִ֑יו
yea I have called
Strong's:
H7121
Word #:
5 of 8
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
הֲבִיאֹתִ֖יו
him I have brought
H935
הֲבִיאֹתִ֖יו
him I have brought
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
6 of 8
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Cross References
Joshua 1:8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.Psalms 45:4And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Historical Context
Cyrus's unprecedented success - conquering from India to Egypt in 29 years - seemed impossible, yet God promised and delivered. His religious tolerance policy allowing Jewish return was anomalous for ancient conquerors, requiring divine intervention.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's personal agency ('I, even I') in raising Cyrus encourage you about His control of current world events?
- What 'impossibilities' must you trust God to orchestrate for His redemptive purposes?
Analysis & Commentary
The emphatic 'I, even I, have spoken' and 'I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous' establishes direct divine agency in Cyrus's success. The repeated first-person pronouns stress that God personally, actively controls history - not abstract fate or human achievement. This undergirds confidence that what God decrees will certainly come to pass.