Isaiah 48:3

3 That which happened, I have already declared many days ago; and it went forth out of my mouth, and I published it; I did it suddenly, and it came to pass.

Isaiah 48:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 48:3

I have declared the former things from the beginning
From the time of their first ancestors, from the time of Abraham their father, to whom was declared what should befall his posterity; that they should sojourn in Egypt, be afflicted there, and come out from thence with great substance; that they be brought into the land of Canaan, and the inhabitants of it being driven out before them, ( Genesis 15:13-18 ) . And they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them;
they were told to Abraham by word of mouth; they were shown to him in prophecy: I did them suddenly, and they came to pass;
for very quickly these things began to take place, even in Abraham's time; for his seed being a stranger in a land not theirs, and afflicted near four hundred years, must be reckoned from the birth of Isaac; and all which exactly came to pass as was foretold; not one thing which the Lord had spoken of failed; all was punctually fulfilled, ( Joshua 21:45 ) .

Isaiah 48:3 In-Context

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who call yourselves by the name of Israel, those that are come forth out of the waters of Judah, those who swear by the name of the LORD and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

2 For they call themselves of the holy city and stay themselves upon the God of Israel. The LORD of the hosts is his name.

3 That which happened, I have already declared many days ago; and it went forth out of my mouth, and I published it; I did it suddenly, and it came to pass.

4 Because I know that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow bronze;

5 I have already declared it many days ago; before it came to pass I showed it to thee: lest thou should say, My idol has done it, my graven image, and my molten image, has commanded these things.