Isaiah 42:9
in Isaiah 42Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.
KJV
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
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This verse in Isaiah 42
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Behold, the former things are come to pass - That is, the former things which he had foretold. This is the evidence to which he appeals in proof that he alone was God, and this is the basis on which he calls upon them to believe that what he had predicted in regard to future things would also come to pass. He had by his prophets foretold events which had now been fulfilled, and this should lead them to confide in him alone as the true God.
This site's exposition
I will not yield My glory to another
on Isaiah 42:8-9
The speaker names Himself, I am the LORD, that is My name. He will not yield His glory to another or His praise to idols. The claim that follows is predictive, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things, the very test chapter 41 set the idols.
This site's exposition
now I declare new things
The verb for spring forth is used of plants breaking the soil, and the LORD names the new things while they are still seed. Barnes makes the former things already fulfilled the ground for trusting the new ones. The book returns to the pairing at 43:19 and 48:6.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 9) The things that were first, behold they have come, and new things I declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Sequitur, Quae prima fuerunt, ecce venerunt. Et est sensus: Quae locutus sum, quae per Moysen, Prophetasque pollicitus sum, universa completa sunt. Nunc autem annuntio vobis Evangelium, vocationem gentium, passionem Christi, novitatem fidei: ut quomodo priora cernitis rebus expleta, sic et ea quae nunc polliceor, credatis esse ventura.
"Behold, the first things," he says, "came to pass. But I proclaim new things, and before they arise, I will cause these things to be heard by you." Just as he says "the first things" would be fulfilled through my works, as I promised Abraham concerning his "seed," so indeed I acted. I fulfilled also those things foretold by Moses and the rest of the prophets; "now I promise to everyone what was proclaimed before" and to make them come to light through the prophecies, for "I caused these things to be heard by you."
When the prophet says, "See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them," he does not allow for us to disbelieve the word of the Savior in any respect. In fact, he is saying that, just as what was said from the beginning about his coming has been fulfilled, so also what he calls the "new things" will be shown to be true and will be revealed before they are made manifest. And what are these things? Our Lord Jesus Christ promised life in the age to come, namely, the life of incorruption, and holiness, and righteousness, the kingdom of heaven, the glorious participation in the spiritual goods, the fruits of gentleness, the reward of piety, the crown of love for him. May it be that we, too, attain this through his grace and loving-kindness.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And as to knowledge: the things that were first, etc., below: I foretold you of old (Isa 48:5). They also refer this to Darius.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Before they spring forth in the preaching of the gospel I tell you of them, under the type and figure of the former things." Note, The receipt of former mercies may encourage us to hope for further mercies; for God is constant in his care for his people, and his compassions are still new. The song of joy and praise which should be sung hereupon to the glory of God (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Behold, the former things are come to pass,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
GOD has often foretold things to come by the lips of His Prophets. I need not give you even a single specimen of the multitudes of instances in which events which could not have been guessed at—which, indeed, were highly improbable and unlikely—were nevertheless foretold by the Spirit of God through the Prophets and actually came to pass. The Lord claims this as a proof of His Godhead. It is His special prerogative to possess Omniscience, the knowledge of everything and, therefore, Prescience, or the knowledge of that which will happen in years to come.
GOD has often foretold things to come by the lips of His Prophets. I need not give you even a single specimen of the multitudes of instances in which events which could not have been guessed at—which, indeed, were highly improbable and unlikely—were nevertheless foretold by the Spirit of God through the Prophets and actually came to pass. The Lord claims this as a proof of His Godhead. It is His special prerogative to possess Omniscience, the knowledge of everything and, therefore, Prescience, or the knowledge of that which will happen in years to come. These are attributes of God, alone, and often He challenges idols to produce instances in which they have exercised foresight and predicted things to come. They had their oracles, which were the mimicry of prophecy, but they continually failed, whereas Jehovah's Word stood fast even in jots and tittles and thus His eternal Godhead was proven. The imitation of this attribute by the magicians and prophets of the false gods proved that they saw this to be an exclusive attribute of Deity and their perpetual confusion in their attempts proved, with equal clearness, that their mock deities did not possess it. I think it most admirable and it seems another instance of the foresight of the Holy Spirit, that the words of my text should stand where they do, for it may not be unknown to some of you that the modern critics, who always try, if they can, to tear the heart out of every text and are never satisfied until, like swine, they trample beneath their feet every cluster of Eshcol—these modern critics, I say, have dared to ascribe one part of the Book of Isaiah to a second Isaiah, as they call him, who wrote after the times of Christ.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
His praise from the end of the earth Perforce, when they see My mighty deeds for Israel, all the heathens (nations [Parshandatha, K’li Paz]) will admit that I am God.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹת | harishonot | the former [things] | H7223 → | 182 times |
| הִנֵּה־ | hineh- | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| בָ֑אוּ | vau | they have come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וַֽחֲדָשׁוֹת֙ | vachadashot | and new [things] | H2319 → | 53 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| מַגִּ֔יד | magid | [am] about to tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| בְּטֶ֥רֶם | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | 56 times |
| תִּצְמַ֖חְנָה | titzmachnah | they will spring up | H6779 → | 33 times |
| אַשְׁמִ֥יע | ʾashmi' | I will cause to hear [them] | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶתְכֶֽם׃ פ | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
הָרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹתthe former [things]
harishonotH7223 →182 times
הִנֵּה־there!
hineh-H2009 →843 times
בָ֑אוּthey have come
vauH935 →2568 times
וַֽחֲדָשׁוֹת֙and new [things]
vachadashotH2319 →53 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
מַגִּ֔יד[am] about to tell
magidH5046 →370 times
בְּטֶ֥רֶם<in> before
beteremH2962 →56 times
תִּצְמַ֖חְנָהthey will spring up
titzmachnahH6779 →33 times
אַשְׁמִ֥יעI will cause to hear [them]
ʾashmi'H8085 →1159 times
אֶתְכֶֽם׃ פ<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 43:19Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
it leads to
- Isaiah 48:6
You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- Revelation 21:5
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”
- Isaiah 41:18
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.
- Luke 3:4–5
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.
- Isaiah 48:6
Through
John 13:19I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that I am He.
it leads to
- Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed,…
- John 14:29
And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.
- Revelation 1:17–18
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
- Isaiah 43:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Isaiah
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1508: “The Philosophy of Promise” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 3:5.42:9; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.