# Who announced this from the beginning, that we might know? Before this time, that we may say, 'He is in the right'?

Yahweh uses these rhetorical questions to mock the idols that the people worship. The implied answers are 1) that the idols have not done these things and 2) that Yahweh is the one who has done these things. The ellipsis in the second question can be filled in. Alternate translation: "None of the idols announced this from the beginning, that we might know. And none of them announced this before time, that we may say, 'He is in the right.'" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion]] and[[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis]])

# Before this time

The words "who announced this" are understood from the previous question. Alternate translation: "Who announced this before this time" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis]])

# Indeed none of them decreed it, yes, none heard your words

"Indeed, none of the idols decreed it. Indeed, no one heard you idols say anything"

