Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together!: These two lines and the first two of the previous verse are similar in structure since they both have three commands followed by the adverb together. In the previous verse Yahweh called the survivors of the nations to come to court. Now he invites them to present their case. Declare and present your case is literally “Declare and bring near.” There is no direct object in Hebrew here. Revised Standard Version adds the implied idea of your case for naturalness in English (also Revised English Bible). Bible en français courant supplies two objects: “Make your declaration and bring your proofs.” As in the previous verse, Good News Translation also makes explicit that this is a court setting, saying “Come and present your case in court.” Other possible models are “Come forward and tell the court your views [or, story]” or “… give the court your proofs.”

Let them take counsel together! renders a jussive verb in Hebrew after the two imperatives in the previous line. Translators may use another imperative verb here; for example, Revised English Bible says “consult together” (similarly Bible en français courant). Good News Translation continues making the court setting obvious by translating: “let the defendants consult one another.” In a court case the defendants are those who have been accused and who are to defend themselves. But adding the idea of “defendants” is saying more than the Hebrew text does. This line begins with a Hebrew conjunction that means “also.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Bible en français courant render it “even,” but most versions omit it.

Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old?: These two questions are parallel and synonymous. Both the pronouns this and it refer to Cyrus’ rise to power, so Yahweh is asking who predicted it long ago.

Was it not I, the LORD?: This rhetorical question answers the previous two questions. Only Yahweh predicted the present events. No one else was able to foresee them. For the three questions here compare 37.26; 41.26-27; and 44.7-8.

And there is no other god besides me: See the comments on Isa 45.5. This line and the next two give the reason why Yahweh alone predicted these things. It is because he is unique. There is no other god besides him.

A righteous God and a Savior: This line has two titles that describe Yahweh. The Hebrew word for righteous means he is just and victorious in this context (see the comments on 41.2, where the same Hebrew root is rendered “victory”). For Savior see 43.3. For this line Good News Translation has “the God who saves his people.” Good News Translation omits the idea of righteous (also New Jerusalem Bible). Revised English Bible is better with “victorious and able to save.” Contemporary English Version is also helpful with “I bring about justice and have the power to save.”

There is none besides me: Yahweh repeats for emphasis that there is no other god besides him.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• State and present your case,
take counsel together.
Who predicted this from ancient times?
Who foretold it long ago?
Was it not I, Yahweh?
There is no other god besides me.
I am a God of just victory and a Savior.
There is none other than me!

• State your case and present it,
consider it together.
Who foretold this from ancient times?
Who announced it long ago?
It was I, the LORD.
I alone am God.
I am a just and victorious God and a Savior.
There is none other than me!

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .