The Meaning of Isaiah 44:5 Explained

Isaiah 44:5

KJV: One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

YLT: This one saith, For Jehovah I am, And this calleth himself by the name of Jacob, And this one writeth with his hand, 'For Jehovah,' and by the name of Israel surnameth himself.

Darby: One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand: I am Jehovah's, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

ASV: One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Discover Isaiah 44:5

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 44:5?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 44:5 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:5 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 44:5?

What is the context of Isaiah 44:5?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

One shall say, I [am] the LORD'S; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.

What does Isaiah 44:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In that day it will be an honor to be a member of the nation of Israel (cf. Psalm 87:4-6), not a dishonor (cf. Isaiah 43:28; Ezekiel 36:19-20). Many people will come to Yahweh because of His blessing on Israel. It is difficult to know whether the "ones" mentioned here are Israelites or Gentiles. Some will even write their identification with Yahweh on their hands. The Mosaic Law forbade the Israelites from disfiguring their bodies ( Leviticus 19:28). These Israelites will not be living under the Mosaic Law, which Jesus Christ ended. Besides, these names may not be permanent disfigurements. This was a practice of some people in the ancient world who wanted to make their commitment to some individual prominent (cf. Deuteronomy 6:8). A soldier sometimes wrote the name of his commander on his hand, a slave bore the name of his master, and a devotee did the same with the name of his god. This is probably not a reference to people taking the mark of the Lamb and His Father during the Tribulation ( Revelation 7:3; Revelation 14:1). That mark will appear on the foreheads of the144 ,000. Moreover, the Tribulation will not be when people will honor the Israelites. That will follow, in the Millennium.

The Israelites would be God"s witnesses ( Isaiah 44:6-8), but the idols have no true witnesses ( Isaiah 44:9-20). This is the climactic section of Isaiah 42:10 to Isaiah 44:22, "God"s purposes for His servants." God"s claims ( Isaiah 44:6-8) contrast with the folly of idolatry and the worldview from which it springs ( Isaiah 44:9-20). God"s initiative contrasts with human initiative.

Context Summary

Isaiah 44:1-11 - "besides Me There Is No God"

What gracious promises are given throughout Scripture, not only to God's children, but to their seed! Here the thirsty soul, longing for love, sympathy, God, is promised an abundant supply. See John 4:13-14; Revelation 22:17. But notice the extreme beauty of the further response, which shall be made by the young followers of our Lord:

One shall say, I am the Lord's, Isaiah 44:5. What ecstasy such a declaration causes to a parent's heart! Young friends, do not be satisfied till you have confessed Christ. Say, I am the Lord's. Another shall write on his hand, unto the Lord; that is, he shall dedicate his hand to do God's work in the world. Oh, to write a similar declaration on every member of our body! Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; that is, shall write these words on a blank sheet of paper, and his own name beneath them.

Again we have the conflict with the idols of the heathen, Isaiah 44:6-11. But what chance have their votaries when confronted by the glad and assured testimony of those who have seen the King in His beauty! [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 44:5 mean?

This [one] will say Yahweh's' I [am] and this [one] will call [himself] by the name of Jacob and this [one] will write [with] his hand Yahweh's and by the name of Israel name [himself] -

זֶ֤ה יֹאמַר֙ לַֽיהוָ֣ה אָ֔נִי וְזֶ֖ה יִקְרָ֣א בְשֵֽׁם־ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְזֶ֗ה יִכְתֹּ֤ב יָדוֹ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וּבְשֵׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יְכַנֶּֽה פ

זֶ֤ה	This [one]
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
יֹאמַר֙	will say
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לַֽיהוָ֣ה	Yahweh's'
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אָ֔נִי	I [am]
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular Root: אֲנִי Sense: I (first pers.
וְזֶ֖ה	and this [one]
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
יִקְרָ֣א	will call [himself]
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: קָרָא Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְשֵֽׁם־	by the name
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: שֵׁם Sense: name.
יַעֲקֹ֑ב	of 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.
וְזֶ֗ה	and this [one]
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
יִכְתֹּ֤ב	will write
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: כָּתַב Sense: to write, record, enrol.
יָדוֹ֙	[with] his hand
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular Root: יָד Sense: hand.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה	Yahweh's
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּבְשֵׁ֥ם	and by the name
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: שֵׁם Sense: name.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	of 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.
יְכַנֶּֽה	name [himself]
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: כָּנָה Sense: to title, surname, be surnamed, give an epithet or cognomen, give a flattering title.
פ	-
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 44:5?

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Similar Scriptures for Isaiah 44:5

		Nehemiah 9:38-29 [2]
		Deuteronomy 26:17-19 [2]
		Galatians 6:16 [2]
		Psalms 116:16 [2]
		Micah 4:2 [2]
		Jeremiah 50:5 [2]
		Exodus 13:9 [2]
		Zechariah 13:9 [2]
		Zechariah 8:20-23 [2]
		2 Corinthians 8:5 [2]
		1 Peter 2:9 [2]
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