Isaiah 48
48
1Listen to this, descendants of Jacob, called by the name of Israel, and who come from the lineage#48:1. “Lineage”: literally, “waters.” of Judah. Listen, you people who swear by the name of the Lord, or who invoke the God of Israel, but not truly or sincerely. 2You say you're from the “Holy City,” and claim you're trusting in the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord Almighty. 3I predicted long ago what was going to happen—I said it and let people know. Then suddenly I decided to act, and it all came true. 4I know how stubborn you are, with necks as unbending as iron and foreheads as hard as bronze. 5I predicted these things to you long ago, before they happened. I explained them to you so that you couldn't say “My idol did this,” or “My image and my metal god ordered this to happen.” 6You've heard all I predicted, and seen it happen. Won't you admit it? Now I'm going to tell you new things, secrets you don't know anything about. 7These are brand-new, not something from the past. Before today you won't have heard anything about them, so you can't say, “Oh yes, I know about that.”
8No, you've never heard that, and you've never known that! Nobody's told you about that before! I know how deviously you operate—you're called “rebels from birth”! 9But because of my nature#48:9. “Nature”: literally, “name.” I am delaying my punishment; and because of my reputation, I'm not going to destroy you. 10Look how I've refined you, but not like silver—I chose you in the furnace of trouble. 11The reason I'm doing this is because of who I am, yes, because of my very nature. I won't let my reputation be damaged—I won't let anyone else have it.
12Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, the one I called. Only I am God. I am the first, and I am the last. 13I laid the foundations of the earth with my own hands; I personally spread out the heavens. When I call the stars, they all take their positions.
14Everyone gather round and listen. Which of your “gods”#48:14. “Of your ‘gods’”: literally, “among you,” but the reference in context is clearly to idol. told you anything like this? The one the Lord loves will carry out the Lord's wishes against Babylon—he will attack the Babylonians. 15I myself have spoken. I have called him to do this, and he will be successful in what he does. 16Come close to me, and listen to this. From the very beginning I haven't spoken in secret; I am always there right when it happens. Now the Lord God and his Spirit has sent me to tell you this:
17This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God. I am the one who teaches you what is good for you, who leads you along the way you should go. 18If you had only listened carefully to what I told you! Then your blessings would have flowed like a river, and goodness would have washed over you like the waves of the sea. 19Your children, your descendants, would have been like all those grains of sand. They wouldn't have had to be destroyed, wiped out before me. 20Leave Babylon! Run away from Babylonia with happy shouts! Let everyone know, telling the whole earth, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!” 21They weren't thirsty when he led them through the desert—he made water come out of the rock for them. He split the rock open and water poured out.
22The wicked have no peace, says the Lord.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Isaiah 48
48
Israel’s Obstinacy
1“Hear this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel
And who come from the #Lit waters.seed of Judah,
You who swear [allegiance] by the name of the Lord
And invoke the God of Israel,
But not in truth (sincerity) nor in righteousness [with moral and spiritual integrity].
2For they call themselves [citizens of Jerusalem] after the holy city
And depend on the God of Israel;
The Lord of hosts is His name.
3I have declared the former things [which happened to Israel] in times past;
They went forth from My mouth and I proclaimed them;
Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4Because I know that you are obstinate,
And your neck is an iron tendon
And your brow is bronze [both unyielding],
5I have declared them to you long ago;
Before they came to pass I announced them to you,
So that you could not say, ‘My idol has done them,
And my carved image and my cast image have commanded them.’
6You have heard [these things foretold]; look at all this [that has been fulfilled].
And you, will you not declare it?
I proclaim to you [specific] new things from this time,
Even #Lit protected.hidden things which you have not known.
7They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word] and not long ago;
And before today you have not heard of them,
So that you will not say, ‘Oh yes! I knew them.’
8You have not heard, you have not known;
Even from long ago your ear has not been open.
For I [the Lord] knew that you [Israel] would act very treacherously;
You have been called a transgressor and a rebel from birth.
9For the sake of My Name I refrain from My wrath,
And for My praise I restrain Myself from you,
So that I do not cut you off.
10Indeed, I have refined you, but not as #The melting of silver requires a relatively low heat.silver;
I have tested and chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
11For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it [I refrain and do not completely destroy you];
For how can My Name be defiled and profaned [as it would if My chosen people were completely destroyed]?
And I will not give My glory to another [by permitting the worshipers of idols to triumph over you].
End of Captivity Promised
12“Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called;
I am He, I am the First, I am the Last.
13My hand founded and established the earth,
And My right hand spread out the heavens;
When I call to them, they stand together [in obedience to carry out My decrees].
14Assemble, all of you, and listen!
Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things?
The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon,
And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon].
15I, even I, have spoken; indeed, I have called Cyrus;
I have brought him, and will make his way successful.
16Come near to Me, listen to this:
From the beginning I have not spoken in secret,
From the time that it happened, I was there.
And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His [Holy] Spirit.”
17This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit),
Who leads you in the way that you should go.
18Oh, that you had paid attention to My commandments!
Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a [flowing] river,
And your righteousness [the holiness and purity of the nation] like the [abundant] waves of the sea.
19Your offspring would have been like the sand,
And your descendants [in number] like the grains of sand;
Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”
20Get out of Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans [who reign there]!
Declare with a voice of jubilation, proclaim this,
Send it out to the end of the earth;
Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
21They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts.
He made the waters flow out of the rock for them;
He split the rock and the waters flowed.
22“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.
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