Isaiah 48:4

4 because {I know} that you [are] obstinate, and your neck an iron sinew, 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.

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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 call themselves {after the holy city}, and they lean on the God of Israel-- Yahweh of hosts [is] his name.

3 "I declared the former things from {of old}, and they went out from my mouth. And I {announced} them suddenly; I acted, and they came [to pass],

4 because {I know} that you [are] obstinate, and your neck an iron sinew, and your forehead bronze.

5 And I declared [them] to you from of old; I { announced} [them] to you before they came [to pass] so that you would not say, 'My idol did them, and my image and my cast image commanded them.'

6 You have heard; see it all. And will you not declare [it]? I {announce} new things to you from this time and hidden things that you have not known.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "knowing me"