The Meaning of Isaiah 46:11 Explained

Isaiah 46:11

KJV: 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.

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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 46:11 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 46:11 mean?

Calling from the east a bird of prey from a country Far the man - who [executes] My counsel indeed I have spoken [it] also I will bring it to pass I have purposed [it] I will do it -
קֹרֵ֤א מִמִּזְרָח֙ עַ֔יִט מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָ֖ק אִ֣ישׁ [עצתו] (עֲצָתִ֑י) אַף־ דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ אַף־ אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה יָצַ֖רְתִּי אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה ס

קֹרֵ֤א  Calling 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
מִמִּזְרָח֙  from  the  east 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְרָח  
Sense: place of sunrise, east.
עַ֔יִט  a  bird  of  prey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַיִט  
Sense: bird of prey, a swooper.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  from  a  country 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מֶרְחָ֖ק  Far 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶרְחָק  
Sense: distant place, distance, far country.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
[עצתו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(עֲצָתִ֑י)  who  [executes]  My  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
אַף־  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙  I  have  spoken  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אַף־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה  I  will  bring  it  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יָצַ֖רְתִּי  I  have  purposed  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה  I  will  do  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation