Isaiah 48:4

4 I knew how stubborn you were. Your neck was as unbending as iron. Your forehead was as hard as 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 You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem. You say you depend on Israel's God. His name is The LORD Who Rules Over All. He says,

3 "Long ago I told you ahead of time what would happen. I announced it and made it known. Then all of a sudden I acted. And those things took place.

4 I knew how stubborn you were. Your neck was as unbending as iron. Your forehead was as hard as bronze.

5 So I told you those things long ago. Before they happened I announced them to you. I did it so you would not be able to say, 'My statues of gods did them. My wooden and metal gods made them happen.'

6 You have heard me tell you those things. Think about all of them. Won't you admit they have taken place? "From now on I will tell you about new things that will happen. I have not made them known to you before.