Isaiah 48:1-18

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came forth from the loins of Judah; who swear by the name of the Lord, and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.

2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and lean on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is his name.

3 The former things I declared long ago, they went out from my mouth and I made them known; then suddenly I did them and they came to pass.

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

5 I declared them to you from long ago, before they came to pass I announced them to you, so that you would not say, "My idol did them, my carved image and my cast image commanded them."

6 You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forward I make you hear 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, so that you could not say, "I already 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 deal very treacherously, and that from birth you were called a rebel.

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

10 See, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.

11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for why should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

12 Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.

13 My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand at attention.

14 Assemble, all of you, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.

15 I, even I, have spoken and called him, I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.

16 Draw near to me, hear this! From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there. And now the Lord God has sent me and his spirit.

17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own good, who leads you in the way you should go.

18 O that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your prosperity would have been like a river, and your success like the waves of the sea;

Isaiah 48:1-18 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Cn: Heb [waters]
• [b]. Cn: Heb [with]
• [c]. Gk Old Latin: Heb [for why should it]