Isaiah 48:4

4 Because I know that you are stubborn, and your neck is iron^[a] and your forehead bronze,

Isaiah 48:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 48:4

Because I knew that thou art obstinate
Or "hard" ^F1, hard hearted, an obdurate and rebellious people, contradicting and gainsaying: and thy neck is as an iron sinew;
stiffnecked, inflexible, not compliant with the will of God, and his commands; unwilling to admit his yoke, and bear it: and thy brow brass;
impudent, not ashamed of sin, nor blushing at it, refusing to receive correction for it, having a whore's forehead. This the Lord knew and foreknew, and therefore declared before hand what would come to pass unto them; who otherwise would have had the assurance to have ascribed them to themselves, or their idols, and not to him.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 (hta hvq yk) "quod durus tu es", Pagninus, Montanus; "te durum esse", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vitringa.

Isaiah 48:4 In-Context

2 For they are named after the Holy City, and lean on the God of Israel; His name is Yahweh of Hosts.

3 I declared the past events long ago; they came out of My mouth; I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they occurred.

4 Because I know that you are stubborn, and your neck is iron and your forehead bronze,

5 therefore I declared to you long ago; I announced it to you before it occurred, so you could not claim: My idol caused them; my carved image and cast idol control them.

6 You have heard it. Observe it all. Will you not acknowledge it? From now on I will announce new things to you, hidden things that you have not known.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit is an iron sinew