Isaiah 48:4-19
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 48
4Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron tendon And your forehead bronze, 5Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my cast metal image have commanded them.’ 6You have heard; look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you new things from this time, Hidden things which you have not known. 7They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them, So that you will not say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ 8You have not heard, you have not known. Even from long ago your ear has not been open, Because I knew that you would deal very treacherously; And you have been called a rebel from birth. 9For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off. 10Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. 12'Listen to Me, Jacob, Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. 13Assuredly My hand founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together. 14Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he will carry out His good pleasure against Babylon, And His arm will be against the Chaldeans. 15I, yes I, have spoken; indeed I have called him, I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful.
18If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19Your descendants would have been like the sand, And your offspring like its grains; Their name would never be eliminated or destroyed from My presence.'
King James Version
Chapter 48
4Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 48
4Because I know that you are stubborn, and your neck is iron and your forehead bronze, 5therefore I declared to you long ago. I announced it to you before it occurred, so you could not claim, ‘My idol caused them; my carved image and cast idol control them.’ 6You have heard it. Observe it all. Will you not acknowledge it? From now on I will announce new things to you, hidden things that you have not known. 7They have been created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today, so you could not claim, ‘I already knew them!’ 8You have never heard; you have never known; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew that you were very treacherous, and were known as a rebel from birth. 9I will delay my anger for the sake of my name, and I will restrain myself for your benefit and for my praise, so that you will not be destroyed. 10Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11I will act for my own sake, indeed, my own, for how can I be defiled? I will not give my glory to another. 12"Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, the one called by me: I am he; I am the first, I am also the last. 13My own hand founded the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summoned them, they stood up together. 14All of you, assemble and listen! Who among the idols has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he will accomplish his will against Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans. 15I—I have spoken; yes, I have called him; I have brought him, and he will succeed in his mission. 16Approach me and listen to this. From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time anything existed, I was there." And now the Lord God has sent me and his Spirit.
17This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who leads you in the way you should go.
18If only you had paid attention to my commands. Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
New Living Translation
Chapter 48
4For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. 5That 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!’ 6You 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. 7They are brand new, not things from the past. So you cannot say, ‘We knew that all the time!’
8'Yes, I will tell you of things that are entirely new, things you never heard of before. For I know so well what traitors you are. You have been rebels from birth.
9Yet for my own sake and for the honor of my name, I will hold back my anger and not wipe you out.
10I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
11I will rescue you for my sake — yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols!
12'Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! I alone am God, the First and the Last.
13It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order.'
16Come closer, and listen to this. From the beginning I have told you plainly what would happen.' And now the Sovereign Lord and his Spirit have sent me with this message.
17This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.
18Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea.
19Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore — too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name.'
English Standard Version
Chapter 48
4Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass, 5 I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ 6"You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. 7They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ 8You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9 "For my name 's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. 10Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another. 12"Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. 13My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together. 14"Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken and called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way. 16 Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there." And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit. 17Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. 18 Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; 19 your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me."New International Version
Chapter 48
4For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze. 5Therefore 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.’
6You 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.
7They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’
8You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.
9For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.
10See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.
12"Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.
13My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.
14"Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The Lord’s chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against the Babylonians.
15I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission.
16"Come near me and listen to this: "From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there." And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.
17This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
18If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.
New King James Version
