Isaiah 48
King James Version
48 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.
2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is his name.
3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.
4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
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.
9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
Isaiah 48
New Life Version
Israel Is Not Faithful in Following the Lord
48 “Hear this, O family of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who come from the seed of Judah. They make promises in the name of the Lord, and call upon the God of Israel, but not in truth or by what is right and good. 2 For they call themselves people of the holy city, and trust in the God of Israel. The Lord of All is His name. 3 I made known the things that would happen long ago. From My mouth My words went out. Then all at once I did what I said I would, and they came to pass. 4 I know that your heart is hard. Your neck is like iron, and your forehead is like brass. 5 So I made them known to you long ago. I told you before they happened, or else you might say, ‘My false god has done them. My objects of worship have made them happen.’ 6 You have heard, now look at all this. And will you say that you will not tell about it? I tell you new things from this time on, even hidden things which you have not known. 7 They are made now, not long ago. Before today you have never heard of them, or you would say, ‘See, I knew them.’ 8 You have not heard. You have not known. Even from long ago your ear has not been open, because I knew that you could not be trusted. You have been known to fight against the law and not obey from birth. 9 Because of My name I hold back My anger. For My praise I keep Myself from cutting you off. 10 See, I have tested you, but not as silver. I have tested you in the fire of suffering. 11 For My own good, for My own good, I will do this. For why should I allow My name to be put to shame? I will not give My shining-greatness to another.
God Will Take Israel Out of Trouble
12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I called. I am He. I am the first, and I am the last. 13 My hand put the earth in its place. And My right hand spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand together. 14 Gather together, all of you, and listen! Who among them has made these things known? The Lord loves him. He will do to Babylon what pleases him, and his arm will be against the Babylonians. 15 I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and he will do well. 16 Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret. From the time it came to be, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent me and His Spirit.”
17 The Lord Who bought you and saves you, the Holy One of Israel, says, “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to do well, Who leads you in the way you should go. 18 If only you had listened to My Laws! Then your peace would have been like a river and your right-standing with God would have been like the waves of the sea. 19 Your children’s children would have been like the sand. Those born to you would have been like the sand. Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before Me.”
20 Go out from Babylon! Run from the Babylonians! Call out for joy and let this be known to the end of the earth, saying, “The Lord has bought and set free His servant Jacob!” 21 They were not thirsty when He led them through the deserts. He made water flow out of the rock for them. He broke the rock, and the water flowed out. 22 “There is no peace for the sinful,” says the Lord.
Isaiah 48
English Standard Version
Israel Refined for God's Glory
48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,
(A)who are called by the name of Israel,
and (B)who came from the waters of Judah,
(C)who swear by the name of the Lord
and confess the God of Israel,
but not in truth or right.
2 For they call themselves after the holy city,
(D)and stay themselves on the God of Israel;
the Lord of hosts is his name.
3 “The former things (E)I declared of old;
they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;
then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
4 Because I know that (F)you are obstinate,
and your neck is an iron sinew
and your forehead brass,
5 (G)I declared them to you from of old,
before they came to pass I announced them to you,
lest you should say, (H)‘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)I announce to you new things,
hidden things that you have not known.
7 They are created now, not long ago;
before today you have never heard of them,
lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
8 You 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 (J)from before birth you were called a rebel.
9 (K)“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.
10 Behold, I have refined you, (L)but not as silver;
(M)I have tried[a] you in the furnace of affliction.
11 (N)For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,
for how should my name[b] be profaned?
(O)My glory I will not give to another.
The Lord's Call to Israel
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
I am he; (P)I am the first,
and I am the last.
13 My hand (Q)laid the foundation of the earth,
and my right hand (R)spread out the heavens;
(S)when I call to them,
they stand forth together.
14 “Assemble, all of you, and listen!
(T)Who among them has declared these things?
The Lord loves him;
(U)he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,
and his arm shall be against (V)the Chaldeans.
15 (W)I, even I, have spoken and called him;
I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.
16 (X)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 (Y)the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.
17 Thus 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 (Z)Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!
(AA)Then your peace would have been like a river,
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;
19 (AB)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.”
20 (AC)Go out from Babylon, flee from (AD)Chaldea,
declare this (AE)with a shout of joy, proclaim it,
send it out to the end of the earth;
say, (AF)“The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 (AG)They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
(AH)he made water flow for them from the rock;
he split the rock and the water gushed out.
22 (AI)“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 48:10 Or I have chosen
- Isaiah 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
