Isaiah 45:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by name and given you a title of honor, though you do not know me.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לְמַ֙עַן֙ עַבְדִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּחִירִ֑י וָאֶקְרָ֤א לְךָ֙ בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ אֲכַנְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי

Transliteration

For-maʿan my-servant yaʿăqōb and-yiśrāʾēl my-bĕḥîrî and-ʾeqrāʾ to-you in-your-name ʾăkannĕkā and-not yĕdaʿtānî

Grammar Details

• *maʿan*: conjunction - for the sake of/because of
• *yaʿăqōb*: proper noun - Jacob
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *bĕḥîrî*: masculine singular adjective with 1st person suffix - my chosen one
• *ʾeqrāʾ*: qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 1st person singular - I called
• *ʾăkannĕkā*: piel imperfect, 1st person singular with 2nd person suffix - I will name you/I will give you a title
• *yĕdaʿtānî*: qal perfect, 2nd masculine singular with 1st person suffix - you knew me

Word Meanings

• *bĕḥîrî*: my chosen one/my elect/my selected one
• *ʾeqrāʾ*: I called/I summoned/I named
• *ʾăkannĕkā*: I will name you/I will give you a title/I will surname you
• *yĕdaʿtānî*: you knew me/you recognized me/you acknowledged me

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My chosen, I have even called you by your name: I have given you a title of honor, though you have not known Me.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and that for Iacob my seruaunt sake, & for Israel my chosen. For I called the by yi name, and ordened the, or euer thou knewest me:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For Iaakob my seruants sake, and Israel mine elect, I will euen call thee by thy name and name thee, though thou hast not knowen me.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For Iacob my seruauntes sake, and for Israel my chosen, I called thee by thy name, and ordayned thee or euer thou knewest me.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  For the sake of my servant Jacob, And of Israel My chosen, I call also thee by thy name, I surname thee, And thou hast not known Me.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Because of Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have taken for myself, I have sent for you by name, giving you a name of honour, though you had no knowledge of me.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not submit to me.

Referenced Verses

• Acts 17:23 : 23 As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are worshiping in ignorance the very one I proclaim to you.
• Isa 41:8-9 : 8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.'
• Isa 44:1 : 1 But now listen, Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.
• Isa 44:28-45:1 : 28 I say of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and he will accomplish all that I please.' I say to Jerusalem, 'You will be rebuilt,' and to the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.' 1 This is what the LORD says to His anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut.
• Jer 50:17-20 : 17 Israel is a scattered sheep chased by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to gnaw at his bones was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. 18 Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'I will punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.' 19 I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the guilt of Israel will be sought, but there will be none; and the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive those I leave as a remnant.
• Matt 24:22 : 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.
• Mark 13:20 : 20 If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has shortened them.
• Rom 9:6 : 6 It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
• Rom 11:7 : 7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The chosen obtained it, but the rest were hardened.
• Gal 4:8-9 : 8 But in the past, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now, having come to know God—or rather, having been known by God—how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles, whose slaves you want to be once more?
• Eph 2:12 : 12 were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
• Isa 43:3-4 : 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
• Isa 43:14 : 14 This is what the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'For your sake, I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all of them, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.'
• Exod 19:5-6 : 5 Now, if you will carefully listen to My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations, for the whole earth is Mine. 6 You will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.
• 1 Thess 4:5 : 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.