Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The idols are challenged not just to predict the future, but to act – to do either good or evil, showing any kind of power. This isn't just a passive test; it’s a demand for tangible proof of their divinity through active intervention in human affairs, highlighting their complete inability to do so.
Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a divine challenge issued by God, through Isaiah, to the idols and their worshippers. God has already shown His power by predicting future events and raising up Cyrus, but the idols remain silent and ineffective. God is taunting them, essentially daring them to do something—anything, good or bad—to prove they have any power at all. This dramatic confrontation aims to expose the idols' utter impotence in contrast to God's sovereign might.
The idols are challenged to do something incredible: reveal what's coming next. Why is this the ultimate test?
In Isaiah 41:23, God, through Isaiah, throws down a gauntlet to the idols and their worshippers. The challenge isn't just to do something amazing, but to predict something amazing.
Why Prediction is the Ultimate Test:
God demands that the idols prove they are more than mere statues or figments of human imagination by demonstrating foreknowledge. If they can't do this, their claims to divinity are exposed as empty.
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God doesn't just ask for prophecies; He also dares the idols to act – to do good or evil. What does this dual challenge reveal?
Isaiah 41:23 presents a two-pronged attack on the credibility of idols. First, they are challenged to predict the future. If they can't do that, then perhaps they can at least demonstrate power through action.
The Power to 'Do Good or Do Evil':
Ultimately, this challenge is designed to expose the utter impotence of the idols. They can neither predict nor act, proving they are not gods at all.
Whether the idols claim future knowledge or present power, the expected outcome for their worshippers is fear and astonishment. What does this reveal about human response to the divine?
The end of Isaiah 41:23 reveals the intended impact of the idols' supposed power: 'that we may be dismayed and terrified.' This highlights a crucial aspect of idolatry – its reliance on generating fear and awe through spectacle, rather than truth.
Fear vs. Faith:
The ultimate outcome of confronting false gods should be a realization of their fraud and a turning towards the one true God, who is the source of true comfort and hope, not terror.
Understand the original words
elohim · Hebrew Noun
The general term for supernatural beings or idols worshipped by pagan nations; in the Bible, this term is used to contrast the one true God with false objects of worship that are inherently powerless and non-existent.
This prophetic challenge to idols comes during the Babylonian exile, a time when God's people were questioning His power and faithfulness. The prophet, speaking on God's behalf, demands that the idols prove their divinity by predicting the future or performing great deeds, a feat only the true God, who had already declared His plans through prophets like Isaiah concerning Cyrus, could accomplish.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Hezekiah's Jerusalem withstands the siege of Sennacherib of Assyria. Isaiah assures the people of God's protection, highlighting Jerusalem's inviolability.
621 BC
Josiah's Religious Reform
King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law and initiates a sweeping religious reform, purging idolatry and centralizing worship in Jerusalem.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation
After defeating the Egyptians at Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, leading to the first deportation of Jewish exiles, including prominent figures.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation and Fall of Jerusalem
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged and captured by Nebuchadnezzar. The Temple is plundered, and a larger group of exiles, including Ezekiel, are taken to Babylon.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus of Persia begins his conquests, uniting the Medes and Persians and posing a growing threat to the Babylonian Empire.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire and paving the way for the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
This passage shows a similar challenge to the prophets of Baal to demonstrate their god's power by answering Elijah's prayer, highlighting the theme of divine power versus false deities.
Jeremiah 10:5This verse describes idols as unable to speak, walk, do good, or do evil, directly contrasting with the demand in Isaiah for gods to act and prove their divinity.
Isaiah 41:10This earlier verse in Isaiah reassures Israel not to fear, as God is with them, directly contrasting with the 'dismay and terror' the idols are challenged to produce.
Psalm 115:4-7This psalm mocks the idols of the nations, describing them as having mouths but not speaking, eyes but not seeing, and hands but not handling, underscoring their powerlessness, which is the very point Isaiah is making.
Isaiah 44:9-20This passage in Isaiah further elaborates on the foolishness of idol worship, detailing the creation and material nature of idols to emphasize their inability to perform any genuine divine act.
barnesIsaiah 41:23: "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together."
That we may know that ye are gods - The prediction of future events is the highest evidence of omniscience, and of course of divinity. In this passage it is admitted that if they could do it, it would prove that they were worthy of adoration; and it is demanded, that if they were gods they should be able to make such a predicti…
cambridgeIsaiah 41:23: "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together."
23 . do good, or do evil ] i.e. “do anything whatever, good or bad” ( Jeremiah 10:5 ; Zephaniah 1:12 ), give any sign of vitality or intelligence. that we may be dismayed ] Rather: that we may stare (in astonishment). (The same word in Isaiah 41:10 .)
The idols are challenged not just to predict the future, but to act – to do either good or evil, showing any kind of power. This isn't just a passive test; it’s a demand for tangible proof of their divinity through active intervention in human affairs, highlighting their complete inability to do so.
This verse is part of a divine challenge issued by God, through Isaiah, to the idols and their worshippers. God has already shown His power by predicting future events and raising up Cyrus, but the idols remain silent and ineffective. God is taunting them, essentially daring them to do something—anything, good or bad—to prove they have any power at all. This dramatic confrontation aims to expose the idols' utter impotence in contrast to God's sovereign might.
This verse is part of a divine challenge issued by God, through Isaiah, to the idols and their worshippers. God has already shown His power by predicting future events and raising up Cyrus, but the idols remain silent and ineffective. God is taunting them, essentially daring them to do something—anything, good or bad—to prove they have any power at all. This dramatic confrontation aims to expose the idols' utter impotence in contrast to God's sovereign might.
"Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified." — The idols are challenged not just to predict the future, but to act – to do either good or evil, showing any kind of power. This isn't just a passive test; it’s a demand for tangible proof of their…
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Last reviewed October 2026