Isaiah 48

1 “Listen to this [hear and obey], O house [family, descendants] of Jacob, you who are called by the name [identity, character] of Israel, who have descended [come forth] from the line [lineage, heritage] of Judah, who swear [make a vow, pledge] by the name [reputation, authority] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], who invoke [call upon, appeal to] the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Israel— but not in truth [faithfulness, integrity] or righteousness [justice, moral uprightness]— word study 2 who indeed call yourselves [citizens, inhabitants] after the holy city [the Holy Place, Jerusalem] and lean [stay themselves, rely] on the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]; the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of covenant] of Hosts [the army of heaven, the commander of angels] is His name [His identity, character]. word study 3 I foretold [declared, predicted] the former things [events, prophecies] long ago [from the beginning, in the past]; they came out [went forth] of My mouth [lips, utterance] and I proclaimed [told, showed] them. Suddenly [without warning, quickly] I acted [did, made], and they came to pass [happened, were fulfilled]. word study 4 For I knew [from my knowledge, understanding] that you are stubborn [obstinate, severe]; your neck [back of the neck, a turning point] is iron [strong, unyielding] and your forehead [the prominent part of the face] is bronze [copper, hardened like metal]. word study 5 Therefore I declared [told, made known] it to you long ago [from the beginning, of old]; I announced [showed, predicted] it before it came to pass [happened, occurred], so that you could not claim [say, assert], ‘My idol [false god, carved image] has done this; my carved image [graven image, molten God] and molten god [metal image, object of worship] has ordained [commanded, decreed] it.’ word study 6 You have heard [with attention and obedience] these things; look at [behold, see and perceive] them all [everything, the entirety]. Will you not [is it not the case that you will not] acknowledge [declare, tell openly] them? From now [at this time, from this point on] on I will tell [declare, make known] you of new [recently created, fresh] things, hidden [secret, reserved] things unknown [not previously known, unperceived] to you. word study 7 They are created now [in this moment], and not [from the beginning, long ago] long ago; you have not heard [been informed, had knowledge] of them before [prior to, earlier than] today. So you cannot claim [say, affirm], ‘I already knew [was aware of, had understanding of] them!’ word study 8 You have never [previously] heard [listened, given attention]; you have never [fully] understood [known, comprehended]; for a long time [from of old, since the beginning] your ears [ability to hear, listen] have not been open [unlocked, receptive]. For I knew [was aware, had knowledge of] how deceitful [treacherously, unfaithfully] you are [have been, consistently]; you have been called [labeled, known as] a rebel [transgressor, one who breaks away] from birth [the womb, conception]. word study 9 For the sake of My name [My identity, honor, and character] I will delay [prolong, put off] My wrath [anger]; for the sake of My praise [a song of praise] I will restrain [hold back, stop] it, so that you will not be cut off [destroyed, severed from covenant]. word study 10 See [behold, look], I have refined [purified, tested] you, but not as [like] silver [precious metal]; I have tested [chosen, proven] you in the furnace [crucible, fiery trial] of affliction [suffering, hardship, trouble]. word study 11 For My own sake [because of who I am], My very own sake [for My reputation], I will act [do it, bring it to pass]; for how [in what way] can I let Myself be defamed [profaned, shamed]? I will not yield [give, surrender] My glory [honor, splendor] to another [someone else, a different one]. word study 12 Listen [hear and obey, give attention to] to Me, O Jacob [the father of the Israelites], and Israel [his descendants, the chosen people], whom I have called [summoned, invited]: I am He [the Eternal One, the self-existent God]; I am the first [the beginning, the origin], and I am the last [the end, the culmination]. word study 13 Surely My own [open, powerful] hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] founded [established, laid the foundation] the earth [land, ground], and My right hand [the right hand or side; the south] spread out [stretched, extended] the heavens [the visible universe, sky]; when I [emphatically, personally] summon [call out to, invite] them, they stand up [rise, take their position] together [united, in harmony]. word study 14 Come together [assemble, gather], all of you [everything, every person], and listen [hear, obey]: Which of the idols [false gods, pagan deities] has foretold [declared, told] these things [events, prophecies]? The LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] chosen ally [loved one, favorite] will carry out [do, perform] His desire [pleasure, will] against Babylon [the city of confusion, Babel], and His arm [strength, power] will be against the Chaldeans [the people of Chaldea, a region in Mesopotamia]. word study 15 I, even I [the one true God], have spoken [declared, commanded]; yes, I have called [summoned, appointed] him. I have brought [led, guided] him, and he will succeed [prosper, have a prosperous way] in his mission [undertakings, everything he attempts to do]. word study 16 Come near [draw close, approach] to Me and listen [hear and obey] to this: From the beginning [from the start, before all time] I have not spoken [communicated, revealed] in secret [hidden, mysterious]; from the time [when, at the moment] it happened [occurred, came to be], I was there [present, in existence].” And now [at this time, currently] the Lord [Adonai, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] has sent [dispatched, commissioned] me, accompanied [empowered, guided] by His Spirit [the divine breath, the Holy One]. word study 17 Thus says the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your Redeemer [the one who buys back, restores], the Holy One [set apart, sacred] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, and his descendants]: “I am the LORD [the supreme God, Elohim] your God [the one supreme God, who is your guide], who teaches [guides, instructs] you for your benefit [to profit, to gain], who directs [leads, guides] you in the way [the path, the journey] you should go [the road that is best for you]. word study 18 If only [you had truly listened, would that] you had paid attention [given ear, hearkened] to My commandments [laws, divine instructions], your peace [shalom, completeness, wellness] would have been like [as abundant as, flowing like] a river [a flood], and your righteousness [justice, virtue, moral integrity] like waves [heaps, abundant overflow] of the sea [the vast, unending, divine provision]. word study 19 Your descendants [seed, offspring] would have been as countless [as the grains of sand on the seashore] as the sand [round or whirling particles], and your offspring [children, produce] as numerous [like the dust, gravel] as its grains [individual grains on a beach]; their name [identity, honor, character] would never be cut off [destroyed, eliminated] or eliminated [destroyed, annihilated] from My presence [face, before Me].” word study 20 Leave [go out from, depart] Babylon [a city of confusion, mixing]! Flee [run away quickly, escape] from the Chaldeans [inhabitants of a region in Mesopotamia, known for wisdom and astrology]! Declare [tell, proclaim openly] it with a shout [cry, loud ringing cry] of joy [rejoicing, triumph], proclaim [announce, make known] it, let it go out [be heard, spread] to the ends [borders, edges] of the earth [land, territory], saying [speaking, uttering], “The LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] has redeemed [bought back, freed] His servant [one who serves, a bondservant] Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah]!” word study 21 They did not thirst [were not parched, experienced no dryness] when He led them through the deserts [desolation, barren lands]; He made water [refreshment, spiritual drink] flow for them from the rock [a rock or boulder; a refuge]; He split [cleaved, broke open] the rock, and water [life-giving fluid, spiritual nourishment] gushed out [poured forth, flowed abundantly]. word study 22 “There is [no existence of, none] no peace [shalom, completeness and wellness],” says the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], “for the [morally wrong, guilty] wicked [those who are against God].” word study