Isaiah 48:8

Isaiah 48:8 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.

King James Version KJV

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

American Standard Version ASV

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from of old thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou didst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

Bible in Basic English BBE

Truly you had no word of them, no knowledge of them; no news of them in the past had come to your ears; because I saw how false was your behaviour, and that your heart was turned against me from your earliest days.

Free Bible Version FBV

No, 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”!

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

Yet thou heardest them not, neither diddest know them, neither yet was thine eare opened of olde: for I knewe that thou wouldest grieuously transgresse: therefore haue I called thee a transgressour from the wombe.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

Yea, thou hast not heard, Yea, thou hast not known, Yea, from that time not opened hath thine ear, For I have known thou dealest treacherously, And 'Transgressor from the belly,' One is crying to thee.

World English Bible WEB

Yes, you didn’t hear. Yes, you didn’t know. Yes, from of old your ear was not opened, for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Yes, thou heardst not; yes, thou knewest not; yes, from that time that thy ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Thou hast neither heard, nor known, neither was thy ear opened of old. For I know that transgressing thou wilt transgress, and I have called thee a transgressor from the womb.

Translation for Translators T4T

I will tell you about things that you have never heard about or understood before. Even long ago you did not pay attention to me [IDM]. I know that you act very deceitfully/treacherously; you have rebelled against me since you first became a nation [MTY].

Study Highlights

Key words in the translations above are automatically highlighted. Names of God and Jesus are marked in purple, the Holy Spirit in orange, divine action verbs are underlined, and repeated key words are highlighted in yellow.

Enable Study Highlights

God & Jesus

Holy Spirit

Divine Actions

Repeated Words

Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 48:8

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Isaiah 48:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB גַּ֣ם לֹֽא שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ גַּ֚ם לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתָּ גַּ֕ם מֵ/אָ֖ז לֹא פִתְּחָ֣ה אָזְנֶ֑/ךָ כִּ֤י יָדַ֨עְתִּי֙ בָּג֣וֹד תִּבְגּ֔וֹד וּ/פֹשֵׁ֥עַ מִ/בֶּ֖טֶן קֹ֥רָא לָֽ/ךְ

גַּ֣ם gam H1571 also DirObjM

לֹֽא lôʼ H3808 not Part

שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ shâmaʻ H8085 to hear V-Qal-Perf-2ms

גַּ֚ם gam H1571 also DirObjM

לֹ֣א lôʼ H3808 not Part

יָדַ֔עְתָּ yâdaʻ H3045 to know V-Qal-Perf-2ms

גַּ֕ם gam H1571 also DirObjM

מֵ/אָ֖ז ʼâz H227 then Prep | Adv

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

פִתְּחָ֣ה pâthach H6605 to open V-Piel-Perf-3fs

אָזְנֶ֑/ךָ ʼôzen H241 ear N-fs | Suff

כִּ֤י kîy H3588 for Conj

יָדַ֨עְתִּי֙ yâdaʻ H3045 to know V-Qal-Perf-1cs

בָּג֣וֹד bâgad H898 to act treacherously V-Qal-Ptc

תִּבְגּ֔וֹד bâgad H898 to act treacherously V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

וּ/פֹשֵׁ֥עַ pâshaʻ H6586 to transgress Conj | V-Qal

מִ/בֶּ֖טֶן beṭen H990 belly Prep | N-fs

קֹ֥רָא qârâʼ H7121 to call V-Pual-Perf-3ms

לָֽ/ךְ Prep | Suff

Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.

Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 48:8

גַּ֣ם gam H1571 "also" DirObjM

Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.

Definition: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

Usage: Occurs in 661 OT verses. KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 19:9; 1 Samuel 14:21.

לֹֽא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.

שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ shâmaʻ H8085 "to hear" V-Qal-Perf-2ms

To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.

Definition: : hear v 1) to hear, listen to, obey 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to hear (perceive by ear) 1a2) to hear of or concerning 1a3) to hear (have power to hear) 1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to 1a5) to understand (language) 1a6) to hear (of judicial cases) 1a7) to listen, give heed 1a7a) to consent, agree 1a7b) to grant request 1a8) to listen to, yield to 1a9) to obey, be obedient 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound) 1b2) to be heard of 1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed 1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound 1d2) to sound aloud (musical term) 1d3) to make proclamation, summon 1d4) to cause to be heard n m 2) sound

Usage: Occurs in 1072 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. See also: Genesis 3:8; Exodus 32:18; Deuteronomy 27:9.

גַּ֚ם gam H1571 "also" DirObjM

Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.

לֹ֣א lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

יָדַ֔עְתָּ yâdaʻ H3045 "to know" V-Qal-Perf-2ms

The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.

Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.

גַּ֕ם gam H1571 "also" DirObjM

Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.

מֵ/אָ֖ז ʼâz H227 "then" Prep | Adv

This Hebrew word refers to a past time or place, often used to describe something that happened earlier. It can also be used as a conjunction to show a cause-and-effect relationship. In the Bible, it appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah.

Definition: 1) then, at that time 1a) temporal expressions 1a1) then (past) 1a2) then, if...then (future) 1a3) earlier 1b) logical expressions 1b1) in that case 1b2) that (being so)

Usage: Occurs in 133 OT verses. KJV: beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet. See also: Genesis 4:26; 1 Chronicles 22:13; Psalms 2:5.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

פִתְּחָ֣ה pâthach H6605 "to open" V-Piel-Perf-3fs

This verb means to engrave or carve, and is used in Exodus to describe the intricate carvings on the furniture of the tabernacle.

Definition: 1) to open 1a) (Qal) to open 1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to free 1c2) to loosen 1c3) to open, open oneself 1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)

Usage: Occurs in 133 OT verses. KJV: appear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave(-n), loose (self), (be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent. See also: Genesis 7:11; Psalms 39:10; Psalms 5:10.

אָזְנֶ֑/ךָ ʼôzen H241 "ear" N-fs | Suff

The Hebrew word for ear, referring to the body part or the ability to hear, is used in various contexts, including listening to God's voice in Psalm 40:6. It can also mean to uncover or reveal something, as in 1 Samuel 20:2.

Definition: : ear 1) ear, as part of the body 2) ear, as organ of hearing 3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation

Usage: Occurs in 179 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show. See also: Genesis 20:8; Psalms 40:7; Psalms 10:17.

כִּ֤י kîy H3588 "for" Conj

A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.

Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.

יָדַ֨עְתִּי֙ yâdaʻ H3045 "to know" V-Qal-Perf-1cs

The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.

בָּג֣וֹד bâgad H898 "to act treacherously" V-Qal-Ptc

To act treacherously means to be deceitful or unfaithful, as seen in Job 31:27-28, where Job denies acting treacherously. It involves covering or hiding one's true intentions, often to pillage or offend others.

Definition: 1) to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously 1a) (Qal) to act or deal treacherously, faithlessly, deceitfully, offend

Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend, transgress(-or), (depart), treacherous (dealer, -ly, man), unfaithful(-ly, man), [idiom] very. See also: Exodus 21:8; Isaiah 24:16; Psalms 25:3.

תִּבְגּ֔וֹד bâgad H898 "to act treacherously" V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

Definition: 1) to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously 1a) (Qal) to act or deal treacherously, faithlessly, deceitfully, offend

וּ/פֹשֵׁ֥עַ pâshaʻ H6586 "to transgress" Conj | V-Qal

To transgress means to break away from authority, like rebelling or revolting against God or others, as seen in Psalm 51:1. It involves intentional disobedience. This concept is key in understanding sin and guilt.

Definition: 1) to rebel, transgress, revolt 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rebel, revolt 1a2) to transgress 1b) (Niphal) to be rebelled against

Usage: Occurs in 37 OT verses. KJV: offend, rebel, revolt, transgress(-ion, -or). See also: 1 Kings 8:50; Isaiah 46:8; Psalms 37:38.

מִ/בֶּ֖טֶן beṭen H990 "belly" Prep | N-fs

This Hebrew word refers to the belly or womb, and is used to describe the seat of hunger, emotions, and even the depths of the afterlife. It is used in the Bible to describe the body and its functions. The KJV translates it as belly, body, or womb.

Definition: : abdomen 1) belly, womb, body 1a) belly, abdomen 1a1) as seat of hunger 1a2) as seat of mental faculties 1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.) 1b) womb

Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: belly, body, [phrase] as they be born, [phrase] within, womb. See also: Genesis 25:23; Psalms 22:10; Psalms 17:14.

קֹ֥רָא qârâʼ H7121 "to call" V-Pual-Perf-3ms

This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.

Definition: : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

Usage: Occurs in 689 OT verses. KJV: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 49:1; Judges 1:26.

לָֽ/ךְ "" Prep | Suff

Study Notes — Isaiah 48:8

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Isaiah 48:8 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 48:8
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 48:8
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 48:8
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 48:8
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8
Sermons on Isaiah 48:8

Context — Israel’s Stubbornness

6You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you. 7They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’

8You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.

9For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off. 10See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Psalms 58:3	The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.
2	Hosea 5:7	They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.
3	Jeremiah 6:10	To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
4	Ezekiel 16:3–5	and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one cared enough for you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day of your birth.
5	Malachi 2:11	Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
6	Isaiah 42:19–20	Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD? Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”
7	Matthew 13:13–15	This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
8	John 12:39–40	For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
9	Isaiah 50:5	The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
10	Jeremiah 3:7–11	I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD. And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than unfaithful Judah.

Isaiah 48:8 Summary

[Isaiah 48:8 tells us that we have a tendency to be spiritually deaf and rebellious against God, which is why we need His mercy and forgiveness. This is because, as it says in Psalm 51:5, we are born with a sinful nature. However, God is willing to forgive us and give us new life if we come to Him in repentance, as we see in Isaiah 1:18 and 1 John 1:9. By acknowledging our sinful nature and surrendering to God, we can begin to hear His voice and follow Him, as Jesus taught in John 10:27.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to have 'ears that have not been open' as mentioned in Isaiah 48:8?

This phrase suggests a spiritual deafness, where one is unable to hear or understand God's voice, similar to what is described in Ezekiel 12:2, where the people have eyes that see but do not perceive, and ears that hear but do not listen.

How can we be considered 'deceitful' and 'rebels from birth' as stated in Isaiah 48:8?

According to Psalm 51:5, we are born with a sinful nature, and as a result, we are prone to rebellion against God, which is why we need salvation through Jesus Christ, as described in Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23.

Is God's statement in Isaiah 48:8 meant to condemn us, or is there hope for us?

While the verse does highlight our sinful nature, it is also a call to repentance and acknowledgment of our need for God's mercy and forgiveness, as seen in Isaiah 1:18, where God invites us to come and reason with Him, and in 1 John 1:9, where He promises to forgive our sins if we confess them.

How does this verse relate to our ability to hear and understand God's voice today?

Isaiah 48:8 reminds us that our ability to hear God's voice is dependent on our willingness to listen and surrender to Him, as Jesus taught in John 10:27, where He says that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.

Reflection Questions

What are some ways in which I have been 'deaf' to God's voice in my life, and how can I become more attentive to His leading?
In what areas of my life am I prone to rebellion against God, and how can I surrender those areas to Him?
What does it mean to be 'called a rebel from birth', and how does this truth impact my understanding of my need for salvation?
How can I cultivate a greater awareness of my sinful nature and my need for God's mercy and forgiveness?

Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 48:8

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened,.... This, as Kimchi rightly observes, is said by way of reproof; showing that they were so far from

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 48:8

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; the same thing is repeated again and again, because this was so illustrious a proof of the infinite power and providence of the God of Israel, and so clear and full a discovery of the vanity of idols. Yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened; Heb. yea, from then (of which phrase see the foregoing verse) thine ear was not opened, i.e. thou didst not hear, to wit, from me; I did not reveal these things unto thee; for so this phrase of opening the ear is understood, . I knew that thou wouldest deal treacherously; I knew all these cautions were necessary to cure thine infidelity and apostacy. Wast called, to wit, justly and truly; or, thou wast indeed such a person; to be called put for to be, as we have oft noted.

Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8

Isaiah 48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time [that] thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.Ver. 8. Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not.] "Yea," so oft used here, is very emphatic, and showeth how hardly sinners are borne down, and made to believe plain truths where they are prepossessed with conceits to the contrary. And wast called a transgressor from the womb.] Ever since thou madest and worshippedst a golden calf in the wilderness, and art still as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever thy fathers were.

Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 48:8

8. Yea, thou heardest not &c.] Better: Thou hast neither heard nor known, nor was thine ear opened beforehand. The verbal form for “was opened” is properly transitive. It is used, however, in ch. Isaiah 60:11 of gates standing open, and in Son 7:13 of the opening of a flower. The LXX. reads “I opened,” and this gives a better sense, the assertion being not that Israel’s ear refused to open, but that Jehovah had not opened it, i.e. had not given a revelation. A similar conception of revelation, though with a different verb, in ch. Isaiah 22:14; 1 Samuel 9:15; with the same verb, in ch. Isaiah 50:5. that thou wouldest deal very treacherously] Rather: that thou art utterly treacherous. a transgressor] a rebel. Such has been the character of Israel as revealed in its past history; it would have abused the knowledge if the predictions had been made earlier.

Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 48:8

Yea, thou heardest not - This verse is designed to show not only that these events could not have been foreseen by them, but that when they were actually made known to them, they were stupid, dull, and incredulous.

Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 48:8

8. Thou knewest not — The phrases in this verse are each and all of them denials of the boast, “Behold, I knew them.” Tried all his life by the subtle and culpable habit of un-faith in the Jews, the

Sermons on Isaiah 48:8

	Sermon	Description
	Free Grace Salvation by James Bourne	James Bourne preaches about the profound message of salvation by grace, emphasizing the hopelessness of sinners under conviction and the necessity of understanding God's mercy and
	Few Find the Way to Life - Part 6 by Zac Poonen	This sermon emphasizes the importance of living a life of purity and truth, following Jesus wholeheartedly, and desiring to be in His presence at all times. It challenges believers
	(New Wine in New Wineskins) 10. Overcoming the Spirit of the Antichrist by Zac Poonen	Zac Poonen emphasizes the urgency of recognizing the spirit of the Antichrist that has infiltrated Christendom, warning that we are in the final moments before the Antichrist's eme
	The Relationship of Authority and Control by J. Hampton Keathley III	J. Hampton Keathley III delves into the relationship between authority and control, emphasizing that authority involves the responsibility and right to direct others and establish
	We've Forgotten How to Blush by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the state of God's people in Israel during a time of rebellion and turning away from the truth. He references Jeremiah 5:1-3, where God chall
	Have You Been Circumcised? by Anton Bosch	Anton Bosch delves into the significance of circumcision in the Old Testament as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, emphasizing that while it was not a condition for e
	The Voice of Jeremiah (Continued) Iv by T. Austin-Sparks	T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the peril of self-interest in his sermon 'The Voice of Jeremiah (Continued) IV', drawing from the experiences of Baruch and Jeremiah. He highlights how