King James Version

Isaiah 41:2

Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

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Hebrew

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מִ֤יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.הֵעִיר֙heirwakeעוּרverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “wake”, a completed actionH5782to wake (literally or figuratively)(a-) wake(-n, up), lift up (self), [idiom] master, raise (up), stir up (self).מִמִּזְרָ֔חmimizrachfrom eastמִזְרָחpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from east”, the ordinary formH4217sunrise, i.e. the easteast (side, -ward), (sun-) rising (of the sun).צֶ֖דֶקtsedeqrightצֶדֶקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “right”, the ordinary formH6664the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity[idiom] even, ([idiom] that which is altogether) just(-ice), (un-)right(-eous) (cause, -ly, -ness).יִקְרָאֵ֣הוּyiqraehvcallקָרָאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “call”, an unfinished actionH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.לְרַגְל֑וֹleraglvoto footרֶגֶלpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to foot”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7272a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda[idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.יִתֵּ֨ןyitengiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “give”, an unfinished actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…לְפָנָ֤יוlefanayvto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…גּוֹיִם֙goyimGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.וּמְלָכִ֣יםumelakhimand kingמֶלֶךְconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “and king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.יַ֔רְדְּyardehave dominionרָדָהverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “have dominion”, an unfinished actionH7287to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off(come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r, over), take.יִתֵּ֤ןyitengiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “give”, an unfinished actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…כֶּֽעָפָר֙keafaras dustעָפָרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as dust”, the ordinary formH6083dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mudashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.חַרְבּ֔וֹcharbvoknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “knife”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.כְּקַ֥שׁkeqashas stubbleקַשׁpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as stubble”, the ordinary formH7179straw (as dry)stubble.נִדָּ֖ףnidafdriveנָדַףverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “drive”, a verb used as a describing wordH5086to shove asunder, i.e. dispersedrive (away, to and fro), thrust down, shaken, tossed to and fro.קַשְׁתּֽוֹqashtvobowקֶשֶׁתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bow”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7198a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris[idiom] arch(-er), [phrase] arrow, bow(-man, -shot).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; his sword maketh them as the dust, his bow as the driven stubble.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Who hath raised up one from the east, whom he calleth in righteousness to his foot? he giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; he giveth them as the dust to his sword, as the driven stubble to his bow.

Young’s Literal Translation

Who stirred up from the east a righteous one? He calleth him to His foot, He giveth before him nations, And kings He causeth him to rule, He giveth [them] as dust [to] his sword, As driven stubble [to] his bow.

World English Bible

Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

Darby Translation

Who raised up from the east him whom righteousness calleth to its foot? He gave the nations before him, and caused him to have dominion over kings; he gave them as dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow.

Douay-Rheims

Who hath raised up the just one from the east, hath called him to follow him? he shall give the nations in his sight, and he shall rule over kings: he shall give them as the dust to his sword, as stubble driven by the wind, to his bow.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; his sword maketh them as the dust, his bow as the driven stubble.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Who raised up righteousness from the east, and called it to his feet, so that it should go? shall appoint it an adversary of Gentiles, and shall dismay kings, and bury their swords in the earth, and cast forth their bows and arrows as sticks?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τίς ἐξήγειρεν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν δικαιοσύνην, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὴν κατὰ πόδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ πορεύσεται; δώσει ἐναντίον ἐθνῶν, καὶ βασιλεῖς ἐκστήσει· καὶ δώσει εἰς γῆν τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν, καὶ ὡς φρύγανα ἐξωσμένα τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν.