Isaiah 43:12 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 43:12 mean?

Isaiah 43:12 presents the people of Israel as witnesses to the LORD’s identity. They have experienced his words and his rescue, so they can speak from what they know when he says, “I am God.”

The word “witnesses” pictures people giving evidence about what they have seen and heard. After the challenge to other nations in verse 9, the LORD calls on Israel to testify about his actions among them. The mention of “no strange god” places those actions in a time when no foreign god was among them.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 43:12

• “shewed” — שָׁמַע (shamaʿ): This word often means “hear,” and in the form used here it can mean “cause to hear” or “make known.” The KJV’s “shewed” can therefore suggest an announcement rather than something seen.
• “strange” — זוּר (zur): This word can mean “foreign” or “belonging to another.” Here “strange god” refers to a foreign god, not a god described as odd.
• “witnesses” — עֵד (ʿed): This word means someone who gives testimony about what they know. The word gives the LORD’s address to Israel the feel of a public hearing.

Why Isaiah 43:12 matters

• The testimony concerns both words and actions. The LORD says he has “declared,” “saved,” and “shewed,” joining what he made known with the rescue he carried out.
• The witnesses are a people, not just one spokesperson. “Ye are my witnesses” addresses the group, and the verse places their shared history at the center of their testimony.
• The verse’s claim about the LORD is direct. The statement “that I am God” gives the point to which their testimony is directed.