4 For I knew how stubborn you were;

your neck muscles were iron,

your forehead was bronze.

5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;

before they happened I announced them to you

so that you could not say,

‘My images brought them about;

my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’

4 Because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

5 I declared them to you from of old,

before they came to pass I announced them to you,

lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,

my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’

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.

4 For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are.

Your necks are as unbending as iron.

Your heads are as hard as bronze.

5 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!’

4 I knew you were stubborn;

your neck was like an iron muscle,

and your head was like bronze.

5 So a long time ago I told you about these things;

I told you about them before they happened

so you couldn’t say, ‘My idols did this,

and my wooden and metal statues made these things happen.’

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; 5 therefore I have declared it to thee from of old; before it came to pass I showed it thee; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass, 5 so I have long ago declared them to thee; before they came to pass I caused thee to hear them; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, or my molten image hath commanded them.

4 I know that you are stubborn. 

Like iron, you are hardheaded. 

Like bronze, nothing gets through your thick skull. 

5 That is why I revealed to you what would happen long ago. 

I told you about them before they happened. 

⸤I did this⸥ so you couldn’t say, 

“My gods have done these things. 

My carved idols and my metal idols 

have commanded them to happen.” 

4 Because I know that you are stubborn,

and your neck is iron

and your forehead bronze,

5 therefore I declared to you long ago.

I announced it to you before it occurred,

so you could not claim, ‘My idol caused them;

my carved image and cast idol control them.’

4 Because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

5 I declared them to you from long ago,

before they came to pass I announced them to you,

so that you would not say, “My idol did them,

my carved image and my cast image commanded them.”

4 because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck an iron sinew,

and your forehead bronze.

5 And I declared them to you from of old;

I announced 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.’

4 I knew how stubborn you were.

Your neck was as unbending as iron.

Your forehead was as hard as bronze.

5 So I told you those things long ago.

Before they happened I announced them to you.

I did it so you would not be able to say,

‘My statues of gods did them.

My wooden and metal gods made them happen.’

4 “Because I know that you are obstinate,

And your neck is an iron sinew

And your forehead bronze,

5 Therefore I declared them to you long ago,

Before they took place I proclaimed them to you,

So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them,

And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’