Isaiah 48:4

4 For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are 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 even though you call yourself the holy city and talk about depending on the God of Israel, whose name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

3 Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true.

4 For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze.

5 That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’

6 You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled, but you refuse to admit it. Now I will tell you new things, secrets you have not yet heard.