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Isaiah 48:1–5

Israel Refined for God’s Glory

48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

dwho are called by the name of Israel,

and ewho came from the waters of Judah,

fwho swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

For they call themselves after the holy city,

gand stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name.

“The former things hI declared of old;

they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;

then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

Because I know that iyou are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

hI declared them to you from of old,

before they came to pass I announced them to you,

lest you should say, j‘My idol did them,

my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’

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Isaiah 48:1–5 — The New International Version (NIV)

“Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob,

you who are called by the name of Israel

and come from the line of Judah,

you who take oaths in the name of the Lord

and invoke the God of Israel—

but not in truth or righteousness—

you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city

and claim to rely on the God of Israel—

the Lord Almighty is his name:

I foretold the former things long ago,

my mouth announced them and I made them known;

then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

For I knew how stubborn you were;

your neck muscles were iron,

your forehead was bronze.

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.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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.

For they call themselves of the holy city,

And stay themselves upon the God of Israel;

The Lord of hosts is his name.

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.

Because I knew that thou art obstinate,

And thy neck is an iron sinew,

And thy brow brass;

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.

Isaiah 48:1–5 — New Living Translation (NLT)

“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!’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

“Hear this, O house of Jacob,

Who are called by the name of Israel,

And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah;

Who swear by the name of the Lord,

And make mention of the God of Israel,

But not in truth or in righteousness;

For they call themselves after the holy city,

And lean on the God of Israel;

The Lord of hosts is His name:

“I have declared the former things from the beginning;

They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it.

Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

Because I knew that you were obstinate,

And your neck was an iron sinew,

And your brow bronze,

Even from the beginning I have declared it to you;

Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you,

Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them,

And my carved image and my molded image

Have commanded them.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — New Century Version (NCV)

The Lord says, “Family of Jacob, listen to me.

You are called Israel,

and you come from the family of Judah.

You swear by the Lord’s name

and praise the God of Israel,

but you are not honest or sincere.

You call yourselves people of the holy city,

and you depend on the God of Israel,

who is named the Lord All-Powerful.

Long ago I told you what would happen.

I said these things and made them known;

suddenly I acted, and these things happened.

I knew you were stubborn;

your neck was like an iron muscle,

and your head was like bronze.

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.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — American Standard Version (ASV)

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness (for they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; Jehovah of hosts is his name): I have declared the former things from of old; yea, they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them: suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; 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.

Isaiah 48:1–5 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Hear ye this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make mention of the God of Israel, not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they are named after the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel: Jehovah of hosts is his name. I have declared the former things long ago; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I caused them to be heard: I wrought suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass, 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.

Isaiah 48:1–5 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Listen to this, descendants of Jacob! 

You are given the name of Israel. 

You are descended from Judah.

You take oaths by the name of the Lord

You acknowledge the God of Israel, 

but you are not honest or sincere. 

You call yourselves ⸤citizens⸥ of the holy city. 

You depend on the God of Israel. 

His name is the Lord of Armies. 

From the beginning I revealed to you what would happen. 

These words came out of my mouth, 

and I made them known. 

Suddenly, I acted, and they happened. 

I know that you are stubborn. 

Like iron, you are hardheaded. 

Like bronze, nothing gets through your thick skull. 

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.” 

Isaiah 48:1–5 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

“Listen to this, house of Jacob—

those who are called by the name Israel

and have descended from Judah,

who swear by the name of Yahweh

and declare the God of Israel,

but not in truth or righteousness.

For they are named after the Holy City,

and lean on the God of Israel;

His name is Yahweh of Hosts.

I declared the past events long ago;

they came out of My mouth; I proclaimed them.

Suddenly I acted, and they occurred.

Because I know that you are stubborn,

and your neck is iron

and your forehead bronze,

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.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came forth from the loins of Judah;

who swear by the name of the Lord,

and invoke the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

For they call themselves after the holy city,

and lean on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name.

The former things I declared long ago,

they went out from my mouth and I made them known;

then suddenly I did them and they came to pass.

Because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

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.”

Isaiah 48:1–5 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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 the God of Israel,

but not in truth

and not in righteousness.

For they call themselves after the holy city,

and they lean on the God of Israel—

Yahweh of hosts is his name.

“I declared the former things from of old,

and they went out from my mouth.

And I announced them suddenly;

I acted, and they came to pass,

because I know 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 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.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

People of Jacob, listen to me.

You are called by the name of Israel.

You come from the family line of Judah.

You take oaths in the name of the Lord.

You pray to Israel’s God.

But you aren’t honest.

You don’t mean what you say.

You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem.

You say you depend on Israel’s God.

His name is The Lord Who Rules Over All. He says,

“Long ago I told you ahead of time what would happen.

I announced it and made it known.

Then all of a sudden I acted.

And those things took place.

I knew how stubborn you were.

Your neck was as unbending as iron.

Your forehead was as hard as bronze.

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.’

Isaiah 48:1–5 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel

And who came forth from the loins of Judah,

Who swear by the name of the Lord

And invoke the God of Israel,

But not in truth nor in righteousness.

“For they call themselves after the holy city

And lean on the God of Israel;

The Lord of hosts is His name.

“I declared the former things long ago

And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them.

Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Because I know that you are obstinate,

And your neck is an iron sinew

And your forehead bronze,

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.’


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