Isaiah 45:11
in Isaiah 45Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “How dare you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
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This verse in Isaiah 45
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"He who made the things that will be," therefore, the things that were to be done, he willed them to be spoken of as if done, because these things which come about changeably in time, he has made firm with the unchangeable eternity of his …
This site's exposition
question Me about My sons
on Isaiah 45:11-13
In verse 11 the LORD asks who would “question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands”. Verse 12 restates the creation claim. Verse 13 returns to Cyrus, who “will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward.”
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
(Verse 9 and following) Woe to those who contradict their maker, a pot made of clay, and say to the one who formed them, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no hands.' Woe to those who say to their father, 'What are you begetting?' or to their mother, 'What are you in labor with?' This is what the Lord says, the Holy One of Israel, and its maker: Ask me about the things to come, concerning my children, and about the work of my hands, give me orders.
There is no doubt that human wills cannot resist the will of God, "who has done whatsoever he pleased in heaven and on earth," and who has even "formed the things that are to come." Nor can the human will prevent [God] from doing what he wills, seeing that even with human wills, he does what he wills, when he wills to do it.
How do we think, except as in the way that the prophet also foretells of God, that he has done the things that are going to be? For he does not say, "Who will do the things that are going to be, but "who did the things that are going to be." Therefore, [God] both did them and is going to do them. For neither have they been done if he did not do them, nor are they going to be done if he will not do them. Therefore, [God] did them by predestining them; he is going to do them by working.
By predestination God indeed foreknew that which he himself was going to do. Thus it was said, "He has made that which shall be." Furthermore, [God] can foreknow even those things that he himself does not do, such as whatever sins there may be. There are certain things that are sins and at the same time punishment for sins, so that it is written, "God delivered them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting." This is not the sin of God, however, but the judgment of God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
863. Thus says the Lord. Here he sets out the utility of the liberator. And first, as to the liberation of the Jews; second, as to the conversion of the gentiles: for thus says the Lord (Isa 45:18). Concerning the first, he does three things. …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
A challenge given to the worshippers of idols and their doom read, and satisfaction given to the worshippers of the true God and their comfort secured, with an eye to the Mediator, who is made of God to us both righteousness and sanctification,
Be earnest in your requests, and confident in your expectations, as far as both are guided by and grounded upon the promise." We may not strive with our Maker by passionate complaints, but we may wrestle with him by faithful and fervent prayer.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Ask . . . command--Instead of striving with Me in regard to My purposes, your wisdom is in prayer to ask, and even command Me, in so far as it is for My glory, and for your real good (Mr 11:24;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Ask me of things to come “And he that formeth the things which are to come” - I read ויוצר veyotser, without the ו vau suffixed; from the Septuagint, who join it in construction with the following word, ὁ ποιησας τα επερχομενα. “Do ye question me.” - תשאלוני tishaluni, Chald. recte; praecedit ת tau; et sic forte legerunt reliqui Intt. - Secker. “The Chaldee has, more properly, תשאלוני tishaluni, with a ת tau preceding; and thus the other interpreters probably read.” The learned bishop therefore reads the passage thus: - “Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel; And he that formeth the things which are to come; Do ye question me concerning my children? And do ye give me directions concerning the work of my hands?”
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Thus saith the Lord - This verse is designed still further to illustrate the general subject referred to in this chapter, and especially to show them, that instead of complaining of his designs, or of finding fault with his sovereignty, it was their privilege to inquire respecting his dealings, and even to ‘command’ him. He was willing to be inquired of, and to instruct them in regard to the events which were occurring. And his Maker - (See the note at Isa 43:1).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Woe to him who says to a father, “What do you beget?” He thinks that he has more pity on the son than his father.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
I made the earth and gave it to whoever pleased Me [lit. was straight in My eyes].
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. 5 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
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֧ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| קְד֥וֹשׁ | kedoosh | [the] holy [one] of | H6918 → | 116 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְיֹצְר֑וֹ | veyotzero | and [the] [one who] formed it | H3335 → | 62 times |
| הָאֹתִיּ֣וֹת | haotiyot | the coming [things] | H857 → | 21 times |
| שְׁאָל֔וּנִי | shealuni | ask me | H7592 → | 171 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּנַ֛י | banai | children my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פֹּ֥עַל | poal | [the] work of | H6467 → | 37 times |
| יָדַ֖י | yadai | hands my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| תְּצַוֻּֽנִי׃ | tetzavuni | you command me | H6680 → | 494 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֧רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
קְד֥וֹשׁ[the] holy [one] of
kedooshH6918 →116 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְיֹצְר֑וֹand [the] [one who] formed it
veyotzeroH3335 →62 times
הָאֹתִיּ֣וֹתthe coming [things]
haotiyotH857 →21 times
שְׁאָל֔וּנִיask me
shealuniH7592 →171 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּנַ֛יchildren my
banaiH1121 →4930 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
פֹּ֥עַל[the] work of
poalH6467 →37 times
יָדַ֖יhands my
yadaiH3027 →1618 times
תְּצַוֻּֽנִי׃you command me
tetzavuniH6680 →494 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
Jeremiah 33:3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- 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.
- Jeremiah 29:12
Through
Isaiah 48:17Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.
it leads to
- Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
- Psalms 25:12
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.
- Psalms 32:8
Through
Mark 11:24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Matthew 21:22
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ADMONITION AND GRACE 14:45; Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 68:1.2; Augustine of Hippo, PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 10; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Fulgentius of Ruspe, LETTER 9:8.7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.