If now we enquire, what this absolute quality of Jehovah's Deity really means, we may conveniently begin with His application of it to His Word. In ch. xli. He summons the other religions to exhibit predictions that are true to fact. _Who hath declared it on-ahead that we may know, or from aforetime that we may say, He is ssaddîq._[135] Here ssaddîq simply means _right_, _correct_, true to fact. It is much the same meaning in xliii. 9, where the verb is used of heathen predicters, _that they may be shown to be right_, or _correct_ (English version, _justified_). But when, in ch. xlvi., the word is applied by Jehovah to His own speech, it has a meaning, of far richer contents, than mere correctness, and proves to us that after all the Hebrew ssedheq was almost as versatile as the English "right." The following passage shows us that the righteousness of Jehovah's speech is its clearness, straightforwardness and practical effectiveness: _Not in secret have I spoken, in a place of the land of darkness_,--this has been supposed to refer to the remote or subterranean localities in which heathen oracles mysteriously entrenched themselves,--_I have not said to the seed of Jacob, In Chaos seek Me. I am Jehovah, a Speaker of righteousness, a Publisher of straight things. Be gathered and come, draw near together, O remnants of the nations. They know not that carry the log of their image, and pray to a god who does not save. Publish and bring near, yea, let them take counsel together. Who caused this to be heard of old? long since hath published it? Is it not I, Jehovah, and there is none else God beside Me; a God righteous and a Saviour, there is none except Me. Turn unto Me and be saved, all ends of Earth,_[136] _for I am God, and there is none else. By Myself have I sworn, gone forth from My mouth hath righteousness: a word and it shall not turn; for to Me shall bow every knee, shall swear every tongue. Truly in Jehovah, shall they say of Me, are righteousnesses and strength. To Him shall it come,_[137] _and shamed shall be all that are incensed against Him. In Jehovah shall be righteous and renowned all the seed of Israel_ (xlv. 19-25).