Isaiah 48

1 “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 [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 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;

5 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 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; and before today you didn’t sh'ma ·hear obey· them; lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

8 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 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.

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 kavod ·weighty glory· to another.

12 “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.

14 “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.

16 “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 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 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.”

20 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 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 Adonai, “for the wicked.”