Isaiah 48

1 “Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by the LORD’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness—

“Sh'ma ·Hear obey· this, house of Jacob [Supplanter], you who are called by the name of Israel [God prevails], and have come out of the waters of Judah [Praised]. You swear by Adonai’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel [God prevails], but not in truth, nor in righteousness

2 for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; the LORD of Armies is his name.

(for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel [God prevails]; Adonai Tzva'ot [Yahweh Commander of heaven’s armies] is his name):

3 I have declared the former things from of old. Yes, they went out of my mouth, and I revealed them. I did them suddenly, and they happened.

I have declared the former things from of old; yes, they went out of my mouth, and I sh'ma ·heard obeyed, declared· them. I did them suddenly, and they happened.

4 Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow bronze;

Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow bronze;

5 therefore I have declared it to you from of old; before it came to pass I showed it to you; lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them. My engraved image and my molten image has commanded them.’

therefore I have declared it to you from of old; before it came to pass I sh'ma ·heard obeyed, declared· it to you; lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, and my engraved image, and my molten image, has enjoined them.’

6 You have heard it. Now see all this. And you, will not you declare it? “I have shown you new things from this time, even hidden things, which you have not known.

You have sh'ma ·hear obey· it; see all this. And you, won’t you declare it? “I have sh'ma ·hear obey, declared· you new things from this time, even hidden things, which you have not known.

7 They are created now, and not from of old. Before today, you did not hear them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

They are created now, and not from of old; and before today you didn’t sh'ma ·hear obey· them; lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

8 Yes, you did not hear. Yes, you did not know. Yes, from of old your ear was not opened, for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

Yes, you didn’t sh'ma ·hear obey·; yes, you didn’t know; yes, from of old your ear was not opened: for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

9 For my name’s sake, I will defer my anger, and for my praise, I hold it back for you so that I do not cut you off.

For my name’s sake, I will defer my anger, and for my tehilah ·praise song· I hold it back for you, so that I don’t cut you off.

10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I will do it; for how would my name be profaned? I will not give my glory to another.

For my own sake, for my own sake, I will do it; for how would my name be profaned? I will not give my kavod ·weighty glory· to another.

12 “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.

“Sh'ma ·Hear obey· me, O Jacob [Supplanter], and Israel [God prevails] my called: I am he; I am the first, I am also the last.

13 Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. when I call to them, they stand up together.

Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand up together.

14 “Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves will do what he likes to Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.

“Assemble yourselves, all of you, and sh'ma ·hear obey·; who among them has declared these things? He whom Adonai 'ahav ·affectionately loves· will do what he likes to Babylon [Confusion], and his arm will be against the Chaldeans [Descendants of Loving-kindness].

15 I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him and he shall make his way prosperous.

I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

16 “Come near to me and hear this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord GOD has sent me with his Spirit.

“Come near to me and sh'ma ·hear obey· this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord Adonai has sent me, with his Spirit.

17 The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.

Adonai, your Redeemer, the haKadosh Isra'el [the Holy One of God prevails] says: “I am Adonai your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.

18 Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Oh that you had listened to my mitzvot ·instructions·! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

19 Your offspring also would have been as the sand and the descendants of your body like its grains. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”

Your offspring also would have been as the sand, and the descendants of your body like its grains. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”

20 Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of joyful shouting announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth; say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”

Leave Babylon [Confusion]! Flee from the Chaldeans [Descendants of Loving-kindness]! With a voice of singing sh'ma ·hear obey, declare· this, tell it even to the end of the earth: say, “Adonai has redeemed his servant Jacob [Supplanter]!”

21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He also split the rock and the waters gushed out.

They didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He split the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

22 “There is no peace”, says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

“There is no peace,” says Adonai, “for the wicked.”