Isaiah 48:3-13

3 "The former things ¹I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

4 Because I know that ²you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass,

5 ³I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ⁴'My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.'

6 "You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth ⁵I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.

7 They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, 'Behold, I knew them.'

8 You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that ⁶from before birth you were called a rebel.

9 ⁷"For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.

10 Behold, I have refined you, ⁸but not as silver; ⁹I have tried^[a] you in the furnace of affliction.

11 ¹⁰For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name^[b] be profaned? ¹¹My glory I will not give to another.

The Lord's Call to Israel

12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; ¹²I am the first, and I am the last.

13 My hand ¹³laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand ¹⁴spread out the heavens; ¹⁵when I call to them, they stand forth together.

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Isaiah 48:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 48

The prophecy of this chapter is concerning the deliverance and salvation of the Jews, and is addressed unto them; who are described by their natural descent and lineage, and by their hypocrisy in religious things, Isa 48:1,2. By their obstinacy and impudence, and by their proneness to idolatry, and to ascribe that to idols which belonged to God; which were the reasons why the Lord foretold all former things to them, before they came to pass, Isa 48:3-5. And for the same reasons also he declared unto them what should be hereafter, particularly the destruction of Babylon, and their deliverance by Cyrus, Isa 48:6-8. From which account of them it would clearly appear, that it was not for any merits of theirs, but for his own name's sake, for his own glory, that he chose them, purified, and saved them as gold tried in the fire, Isa 48:9-11. He observes his own perfections, his eternity and immutability, and power displayed in creation, to engage their faith in the promise of deliverance, Isa 48:12,13 and points out the deliverer Cyrus, a type of Christ, whom he loved, called, sent, and made him prosperous, Isa 48:14-16. Then he directs them to walk in his ways, with promises of peace and prosperity, Isa 48:17-19. And the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to go out of Babylon with joy, publishing wherever they came their redemption, and who would be supplied with all necessaries in their return to their own land; only it should be observed, that there was no peace or happiness for the wicked, Isa 48:20-22.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 15

1. Isaiah 41:26
2. [Exodus 32:9]
3. [See ver. 3 above]
4. See Jeremiah 44:15-17
5. See Isaiah 43:19
6. Isaiah 46:8
7. [Malachi 3:6]
8. [1 Peter 1:7]
9. [Deuteronomy 4:20; Ezek. 22:18, 20, 22]
10. Isaiah 43:25; Ezekiel 20:9
11. Isaiah 42:8
12. See Isaiah 41:4
13. Isaiah 51:13; [Psalms 102:25; Hebrews 1:10]
14. Isaiah 51:13; [Psalms 102:25; Hebrews 1:10]
15. [Isaiah 40:26]

Footnotes 2

[a]. Or I have chosen
[b]. Hebrew lacks my name

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.