The Meaning of Isaiah 48:13 Explained

Isaiah 48:13

KJV: Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

YLT: Also, My hand hath founded earth, And My right hand stretched out the heavens, I am calling unto them, they stand together.

Darby: Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread abroad the heavens: I call unto them, they stand up together.

ASV: Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Mine hand  also hath laid the foundation  of the earth,  and my right hand  hath spanned  the heavens:  [when] I call  unto them, they stand up  together. 

What does Isaiah 48:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God is also the Creator who maintains control over His creation. As such He can create history as well as the cosmos. Isaiah referred to creation in Isaiah 40:12-14; Isaiah 40:22; Isaiah 40:26; Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24; and Isaiah 45:12; Isaiah 45:18.

Context Summary

Isaiah 48:1-16 - The Obstinate And Insincere Rebuked
We are meant to be for God's praise and glory; but we may delay the realization of His high purpose. Our neck iron, our brow brass, we trust in idols and refuse to open our ear. It is necessary, therefore, to send us to Babylon, where, as in a furnace for silver, the dross and alloy are purged away. Many of us are in furnaces which have been rendered needful through our evil ways.
Notwithstanding our sins, God comes to the furnace mouth and chooses us there. For His own sake, His own sake, He does it that His name may not be polluted. He cannot give His glory to another. You cannot account for God's grace to you personally. He must have known all, from the first. Then dare to believe that the reason that prompted Him at the first will suffice to the end. He is not "the son of man that He should repent." He who was the first will be the last. Jesus is Omega as well as Alpha; the end as well as the beginning! Fear not! Revelation 1:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 48

1  God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinance, revealed his prophecies
9  He saves them for his own sake
12  He exhorts them to obedience, because of his power and providence
16  He laments their backwardness
20  He powerfully delivers his people out of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 48:13 mean?

Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth and My right hand has stretched out the heavens [when] call I to them they stand up together
אַף־ יָדִי֙ יָ֣סְדָה אֶ֔רֶץ וִֽימִינִ֖י טִפְּחָ֣ה שָׁמָ֑יִם קֹרֵ֥א אֲנִ֛י אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יַעַמְד֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו

אַף־  Indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
יָדִי֙  My  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יָ֣סְדָה  has  laid  the  foundation 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָסַד 
Sense: to found, fix, establish, lay foundation.
אֶ֔רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וִֽימִינִ֖י  and  My  right  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
טִפְּחָ֣ה  has  stretched  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: טָפַח 
Sense: to extend, spread, trip, take quick little steps.
שָׁמָ֑יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
קֹרֵ֥א  [when]  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יַעַמְד֥וּ  they  stand  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
יַחְדָּֽו  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.