Isaiah 48

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, [but] not in truth, nor in righteousness.

Hear these [words], ye house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of Juda, who swear by the name of the Lord God of Israel, making mention [of it, but] not with truth, nor with righteousness;

2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

maintaining also the name of the holy city, and staying themselves on the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name. The former things I have already declared;

3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth from my mouth, and I showed them; I did [them] suddenly, and they came to pass.

and they that have proceeded out of my mouth, and it became well known; I wrought suddenly, and [the events] came to pass.

4 Because I knew that thou [art] obstinate, and thy neck [is] an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

I know that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy forehead brazen.

5 I have even from the beginning declared [it] to thee; before it came to pass I showed [it] thee: lest thou shouldst say, My idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

And I told thee of old what [should be] before it came upon thee; I made it known to thee, lest thou shouldest say, [My] idols have done [it] for me; and shouldest say, [My] graven and molten images have commanded me.

6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare [it]? I have showed ye new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

Ye have heard all this, but ye have not known: yet I have made known to thee the new things from henceforth, which are coming to pass, and thou saidst not,

7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardst them not; lest thou shouldst say, Behold, I knew them.

Now they come to pass, and not formerly: and thou heardest not of them in former days: say not thou, Yea, I know them.

8 Yes, thou heardst not; yes, thou knewest not; yes, from that time [that] thy ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

Thou hast neither known, nor understood, neither from the beginning have I opened thine ears: for I knew that thou wouldest surely deal treacherously, and wouldest be called a transgressor even from the womb.

9 For my name's sake will I defer my anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

For mine own sake will I shew thee my wrath, and will bring before thee my glorious acts, that I may not utterly destroy thee.

10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Behold, I have sold thee, [but] not for silver; but I have rescued thee from the furnace of affliction.

11 For my own sake, [even] for my own sake, will I do [it]: for how should [my name] be profaned? and I will not give my glory to another.

For mine own sake I will do [this] for thee, because my name is profaned; and I will not give my glory to another.

12 Hearken to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I [am] he; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last.

Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I call; I am the first, and I endure for ever.

13 My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: [when] I call to them, they stand up together.

My hand also has founded the earth, and my right hand has fixed the sky: I will call them, and they shall stand together.

14 All ye, assemble yourselves and hear; who among them hath declared these [things]? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm [shall be on] the Chaldeans.

And all shall be gathered, and shall hear: who has told them these things? Out of love to thee I have fulfilled thy desire on Babylon, to abolish the seed of the Chaldeans.

15 I, [even] I, have spoken, yes, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

I have spoken, I have called, I have brought him, and made his way prosperous.

16 Come ye near to me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the LORD God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Draw nigh to me, and hear ye these words; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: when it took place, there was I, and now the Lord, [even] the Lord, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God, who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldst go.

Thus saith the Lord that delivered thee, the Holy One of Israel; I am thy God, I have shewn thee how thou shouldest find the way wherein thou shouldest walk.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

And if thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, [then] would thy peace have been like a river, and thy righteousness as a wave of the sea.

19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like its gravel; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

Thy seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of thy belly as the dust of the ground: neither now shalt thou by any means be utterly destroyed, neither shall thy name perish before me.

20 Go ye forth from Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it [even] to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

Go forth of Babylon, thou that fleest from the Chaldeans: utter aloud a voice of joy, and let this be made known, proclaim it to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath delivered his servant Jacob.

21 And they thirsted not, [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he cleaved the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

And if they shall thirst, he shall lead them through the desert; he shall bring forth water to them out of the rock: the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow forth, and my people shall drink.

22 [There is] no peace, saith the LORD, to the wicked.

There is no joy, saith the Lord, to the ungodly.