# Isaiah 41.29

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-20 | updated: 2026-10-20 -->

**Book:** [Isaiah](/codex/isaiah/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 27. I am the first that saith unto Zion, Behold, behold them; and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. 28. And when I look, there is no man: even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.
>
> **29. Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought; their molten images are wind and confusion.** (Isaiah 41:27-29, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 27. I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem. 28. When I look, there is no man; even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask of them, can answer a word.
>
> **29. Behold, all of them, their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.** (Isaiah 41:27-29, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 27. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. 28. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. <sup>answer: Heb. return</sup>
>
> **29. Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.** (Isaiah 41:27-29, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 27. First to Zion, Behold, behold them, And to Jerusalem one proclaiming tidings I give, 28. And I see that there is no man, Yea, of these that there is no counsellor, And I ask them, and they return word:
>
> **29. 'Lo, all of them [are] vanity, Nought [are] their works, Wind and emptiness their molten images!'** (Isaiah 41:27-29, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- [H8414 - tohu](/codex/h8414-tohu/), *tohu*, Strong's H8414
- [H7307 - ruach](/codex/h7307-ruach/), *ruach*, Strong's H7307

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**People:**

- [Cyrus the Great](/codex/cyrus-the-great/), via [Isaiah 41.21-29](/codex/isaiah-41-21-29/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H8414 - tohu](/codex/h8414-tohu/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.