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Yahweh Refines Stubborn Israel

48 Hear this, house of Jacob,
who are called by the name of Israel
    and came out from the waters of Judah,
who swear by the name of Yahweh,
    and invoke[a] the God of Israel,
but not in truth
    and not in righteousness.
For they call themselves after the holy city,[b]
    and they lean on the God of Israel—
        Yahweh of hosts is his name.
“I declared the former things from of old,[c]
    and they went out from my mouth.
And I announced[d] them suddenly;
    I acted,[e] and they came to pass,
because I know[f] that you are obstinate,
    and your neck an iron sinew,
    and your forehead bronze.
And I declared them to you from of old;
    I announced[g] them to you before they came to pass
so that you would not say, ‘My idol did them,
    and my image and my cast image commanded them.’
You have heard; see it all.
    And will you not declare it?
I announce[h] new things to you from this time
    and hidden things that[i] you have not known.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 48:1 Literally “cause to remember”
  2. Isaiah 48:2 Literally “from the city of the holiness”
  3. Isaiah 48:3 Literally “then”
  4. Isaiah 48:3 Literally “caused to hear”
  5. Isaiah 48:3 Or “did”
  6. Isaiah 48:4 Literally “knowing me”
  7. Isaiah 48:5 Literally “caused to hear”
  8. Isaiah 48:6 Literally “cause to hear”
  9. Isaiah 48:6 Or “and”

God’s Stubborn People

48 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob,
    you who are called by the name of Israel
    and born into the family of Judah.
Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
    and call on the God of Israel.
You don’t keep your promises,
    even though you call yourself the holy city
and talk about depending on the God of Israel,
    whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Long ago I told you what was going to happen.
    Then suddenly I took action,
    and all my predictions came true.
For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are.
    Your necks are as unbending as iron.
    Your heads are as hard as bronze.
That 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!’
You 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.

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