Isaiah — Chapter 48

Listen to this, O House of Jacob,Who bear the name IsraelAnd have issued from the watersawaters Emendation yields “loins.” of Judah,Who swear by the name of GOD And invoke the God of Israel—Though not in truth and sincerity—

For youbyou Heb. “they.” are called after the Holy Citycthe Holy City Emendation yields “the holy people.” And youdyou Heb. “they.” do lean on the God of Israel,Whose name is GOD of Hosts:

Long ago, I foretold things that happened,From My mouth they issued, and I announced them;Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Because I know how stubborn you are(Your neck is like an iron sinewAnd your forehead bronze),

Therefore I told you long beforehand,Announced things to you ere they happened—That you might not say, “My idol caused them,My carved and molten images ordained them.”

You have heard all this; look, must you not acknowledge it?eheard all this; look, must you not acknowledge it Meaning of Heb. uncertain. As of now, I announce to you new things,Well-guarded secrets you did not know.

Only now are they created, and not of old;Before todayfBefore today Meaning of Heb. uncertain. you had not heard them;You cannot say, “I knew them already.”

You had never heard, you had never known,Your ears were not opened of old.Though I know that you are treacherous,That you were called a rebel from birth,

For the sake of My name I control My wrath;To My own glory, I am patientgI am patient Meaning of Heb. uncertain. with you,And I will not destroy you.

See, I refine you, but not as silver;I test you in the furnace of affliction.

For My sake, My own sake, do I act—Lest [My name]h[My name] These words are supplied in some ancient versions; cf. v. 9. be dishonored!I will not give My glory to another.

Listen to Me, O Jacob,Israel, whom I have called:I am the One—I am the first,And I am the last as well.

My own hand founded the earth,My right hand spread out the skies.I call unto them, let them stand up.

Assemble, all of you, and listen!Who among youiyou Heb. “them.” foretold these things:“He whom GOD lovesShall work the divine will against Babylon,And, with divine might, against Chaldea”?jHe whom … Chaldea Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

I, I predicted, and I called him;I have brought him and he shall succeed in his mission.

Draw near to Me and hear this:From the beginning, I did not speak in secret;From the time anything existed, I was there.kthere I.e., I foretold it through prophets. “And now the Sovereign GOD has sent me, endowed with divine spirit.”lendowed with divine spirit Lit. “and His spirit.”

Thus said GOD your Redeemer,The Holy One of Israel:I the ETERNAL One am your God,Instructing you for your own benefit.Guiding you in the way you should go.

If only you would heed My commands!Then your prosperity would be like a river,Your triumph like the waves of the sea.

Your offspring would be as many as the sand,Their issue as many as its grains.mgrains Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Their name would never be cut offOr obliterated from before Me.

Go forth from Babylon,Flee from Chaldea!Declare this with loud shouting,Announce this,Bring out the word to the ends of the earth!Say: “GOD has redeemedJacob—God’s servant!”

They have known no thirst,Though they were led through parched places;[God] made water flow for them from the rock,Cleaving the rock so that water gushed forth.

There is no safety—said GOD—for the wicked.