Isaiah 48:4

4 For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze.

Isaiah 48:4 in Other Translations

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

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

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

4 I know you're a bunch of hardheads, obstinate and flint-faced,

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

4 I know that you are stubborn. Like iron, you are hardheaded. Like bronze, nothing gets through your thick skull.

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

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 who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel— the LORD Almighty is his name:

3 I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

4 For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze.

5 Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, ‘My images brought them about; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’

6 You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 9:9; Deuteronomy 31:27
• 2. S Exodus 32:9; S Deuteronomy 9:27; Acts 7:51
• 3. Ezekiel 3:9