Isaiah 48:4

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

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 of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth from my mouth, and I showed them; I did [them] suddenly, and they came to pass.

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

5 I have even from the beginning declared [it] to thee; before it came to pass I showed [it] thee: lest thou shouldst say, My idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare [it]? I have showed ye new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.