48:1 came out from the waters of Judah Chapters 40–48 refers to Judah as Jacob and Israel regularly (see 43:1), but only here are those names explicitly linked with Judah. The use of all three titles may hint at a reunited Israel.

invoke the God of Israel Israel’s greatest sin was not simply abandoning Yahweh to serve other gods. The sin was in elevating the worship of other gods alongside worship of Yahweh. Even though such worship was explicitly forbidden by the Law (Exod 20:2–6), Israel continued to nominally serve Yahweh alongside the gods of the surrounding nations (1 Kgs 11:1–8; 2 Kgs 23:4). The prophets’ condemnation of idolatry should be understood in this context of polytheistic worship: it included Yahweh, but did not give Him the exclusive worship He required.

48:3 I declared the former things from of old Yahweh’s sovereignty and power is proven by prophecy. He challenged the foreign idols to prove that they had also predicted accurately in Isa 41:22. Yahweh also stresses the fulfillment of the former things in 42:9 and the imminent fulfillment of new things as in v. 6.

48:4 because I know that you are obstinate The proof of past prophecy was necessary due to the people’s stubbornness.

and your forehead bronze Compare Ezek 3:7–9, where God admits that His people are stubborn and have hard foreheads. He gives Ezekiel an equally hard forehead so that he can stand up to them.

48:5 My idol did them Yahweh’s announcement was meant to prevent them from mistakenly attributing any events to the power or prediction of their idols.

48:6 I announce new things to you from this time and hidden things God’s past faithfulness should encourage Israel to have faith in what He says will happen in the future. Isaiah 43:19 implies the new thing being announced is the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. However, the emphasis on the immediate timing of the announcement in v. 7 suggests another option, such as the commissioning of the individual Servant in ch. 49.

48:8 you are called a rebel Israel’s persistent rebellion in turning away from Yahweh is a recurring theme throughout the history of Israel as a nation in the books of Exodus, Numbers, Judges, and 1–2 Kings. Ezek 16:3 and Jer 7:24–26 also emphasize the early rebellion of Israel.

48:9 For the sake of my name I refrain from my anger God’s compassion toward Israel in restraining His anger is for His sake, not theirs. God desires to preserve a people that will praise Him; His actions to save them will magnify His glory (see Isa 43:25; Mal 3:6).

48:10 Look! I have refined you The punishment of invasion and exile is compared to the smelting process designed to remove impurities from fine metals like silver. The refining should remove the impurity of their past sins and restore their relationship with God (see Isa 1:22, 25).

48:11 I will not give my glory to another Yahweh alone deserves the credit for the salvation He has planned in vv. 6–7. See note on v. 9.

48:12 the first; also I am the last An appeal to His unique divinity (see note on 41:22).

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48:13 founded the earth Yahweh’s creative power is frequently summarized with references to setting the earth on its foundations and spreading out the heavens (see Job 38:4; Prov 8:29; Isa 51:13; Psa 102:25).

48:14 Who among them declared these things? Yahweh asks if any of their idols predicted Cyrus’ rise as He has (see Isa 41:26).

Yahweh loves him Referring to Cyrus (see 41:2; 45:1).

48:15 I have brought him Not only did Yahweh predict Cyrus’ rise, He specifically ordained His rise in order to put him in a position to release the exiles (see 45:1–4).

48:16 I have not spoken in secrecy from the beginning Yahweh has made His will clear from the beginning, even if some of the details of His plan to rescue Israel have remained hidden (see v. 6 and note).

the Lord Yahweh has sent me and his Spirit The first-person speaker in vv. 15–16a is Yahweh Himself. The speaker switches here without warning, as God is now referred to in the third person and the speaker refers to himself in the first person. The speaker may be the prophet, or it may be the Servant of Yahweh called by God in 49:1–3, who is also the first-person speaker in that passage.

48:17 leads you Yahweh provided His Law to guide them in the ways of right living. In 2:5, the nations beg Yahweh to teach them His ways.

48:18 you had listened attentively to my commandments Neither the judgment of exile nor the invasion would have been necessary if Israel had kept the commandments and held up their end of the covenant agreement. The appeal is to the Mosaic covenant, especially the image of peaceful prosperity promised in the blessing of Deut 28:1–14.

prosperity would have been like a river Peace is related to obedience and righteousness. See Isa 48:22 and note.

48:19 offspring would have been like the sand Yahweh alludes to the Abrahamic covenant, where He promised Abraham descendants as numerous as stars and sand (Gen 22:17).

It would not be cut off, and its name “Name” has an idiomatic sense of legacy or reputation. Cutting off the name of a people or family meant all the members were dead and no one was left to carry on the legacy or memory of the family (see Jer 11:19).

48:20 Go out from Babylon The exodus from Babylon is reminiscent of the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 12–15).

Proclaim it with a shout of rejoicing Contrasts with the exodus from Egypt, which occurred in haste and at night (Exod 12:31–42). The joyfulness of the departure from Babylon also contrasts with the fearfulness of the exodus from Egypt (Exod 14:10).

Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob The culmination of Yahweh’s promises to redeem (see Isa 43:1).

48:21 when he led them through the deserts The renewal of life in the desert symbolized by the presence of water is a familiar motif in Isaiah’s oracles of restoration (see 35:6; 44:3; compare Psa 105:41).

he made water flow from the rock for them God’s miraculous provision for the exiles on this second exodus will match the miraculous provision of the earlier exodus (see Exod 17:1–7).

48:22 There is no peace,” says Yahweh This statement is repeated in Isa 57:21; it may serve here as a refrain ending the section of chs. 40–48. That section began with a call for comfort and ends with this statement that peace and righteousness are connected (see v. 18).