Isaiah 48:1
in Isaiah 48“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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
KJV
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 48
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Hear ye this - This is an address to the Jews regarded as in Babylon, and is designed to remind them of their origin, and of their privileges as the descendants of Jacob, and having the name of Israel (compare the notes at Isa 43:1). And are come forth out of the waters of Judah - This metaphor is taken from a fountain which sends forth its streams of water, and the idea is, that they owed their origin to Judah, as the streams flowed from a fountain.
This site's exposition
Listen to this, O house of Jacob
on Isaiah 48:1-2
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob” turns the trial on the people. They “swear by the name of the LORD” as they “invoke the God of Israel”, and the charge follows, “but not in truth or righteousness”. The oath and the confession stand while truth and righteousness are absent.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He calls them the house of Jacob as not being worthy of the name of their forefather. Rather, "those called by the name Israel" are not really Israel, and those bearing that name are not called such here. And he adds, "and coming forth from the water of Judah." For they had nothing of the worthiness of the patriarchal soul, although they were descended from his fluid and bodily seed. For they were children only in the physical and carnal sense and not true children of the soul. But "Judah through the water" means the "kingly race" from David's line that in the days of the prophets remained in Jerusalem. They were those who, being not truly worthy of these names, used "Jacob" and "Israel" and "Judah" falsely; for they were those who praised the name of the Lord and made mention of the God of Israel with only their lips and mouth.… For they did "not" take their oaths "in truth" if they were [at the same time] consulting oracles. But they even thought they were being loyal to the city which was dedicated to God when, in fact, they were resisting God and performing this hypocrisy.
(Chapter 48, Verses 1 and following) Listen to this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and come from the waters of Judah: who swear in the name of the Lord, and remember the God of Israel, not in truth or justice. For they are called from the holy city: and they are established upon the Lord, the name of the God of Israel. These things I foretold to the Chaldeans and the Babylonians, and it is necessary for what I have spoken through my prophets to be fulfilled.
The Medieval Church1 voice
884. Hear these things, O house of Jacob. Here he promises the liberation of the people. And this is divided into two parts: in the first, he promises liberation; in the second, he describes the order of liberation, below: give ear, you islands (Isa 49:1). …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It was all in vain; for it was all a jest; it was not in truth and righteousness. Their hearts were not true nor right in these professions. Note, All our religious professions avail nothing further than they are made in truth and righteousness.
Called - Who are Israelites in name, but not in truth. Are come - From the lineage of your progenitor, Judah, as waters flow from a fountain. Swear - Who profess the true religion; (one act of religion being put for all) and call themselves by his name.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Hear ye this, O house of Jacob,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the waters of Judah--spring from the fountain of Judah (Nu 24:7; Judah has the "fountain" attributed to it, because it survived the ten tribes, and from it Messiah was to spring. swear by . . . 65:16). mention--in prayers and praises. not in truth-- (Jer 5:2;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
Are come forth out of the waters of Judah “Ye that flow from the fountain of Judah” - ממי mimmey, “from the waters.” Perhaps ממעי mimmeey, “from the bowels,” So many others have conjectured, or מני יהודה meni yehudah, or מיהודה meyhudah, “from Judah.” - Secker. But see Michaelis in Praelect, not. 22. And we have עין יעקב eyn yaakob, “the fountain of Jacob,” Deu 33:28, and ממקור ישראל mimmekor yishrael, “from the fountain of Israel,” Psa 68:27. Twenty-seven MSS. of Kennicott’s, six of De Rossi’s and two of my own, with six editions, have מימי meymey, “from the days;” which makes no good sense.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Hearken to this The two tribes destined to go in exile to Babylon.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׁמְעוּ־ | shimu- | listen to | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| זֹ֣את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| בֵּֽית־ | beit- | O house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֗ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| הַנִּקְרָאִים֙ | hanikraim | those [who] are called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣ם | beshem | by [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וּמִמֵּ֥י | umimei | and from [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| יְהוּדָ֖ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| יָצָ֑אוּ | yatzau | they came out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| הַֽנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים׀ | hanishbaim | those [who] swear | H7650 → | 186 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣ם | beshem | by [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וּבֵאלֹהֵ֤י | uvelohei | and <in> [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| יַזְכִּ֔ירוּ | yazkiru | they bring to remembrance | H2142 → | 230 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בֶאֱמֶ֖ת | veemet | in truth | H571 → | 127 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בִצְדָקָֽה׃ | vitzdakah | in righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
שִׁמְעוּ־listen to
shimu-H8085 →1159 times
זֹ֣אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
בֵּֽית־O house of
beit-H1004 →2046 times
יַעֲקֹ֗בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
הַנִּקְרָאִים֙those [who] are called
hanikraimH7121 →733 times
בְּשֵׁ֣םby [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וּמִמֵּ֥יand from [the] waters of
umimeiH4325 →581 times
יְהוּדָ֖הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
יָצָ֑אוּthey came out
yatzauH3318 →1067 times
הַֽנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים׀those [who] swear
hanishbaimH7650 →186 times
בְּשֵׁ֣םby [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וּבֵאלֹהֵ֤יand <in> [the] God of
uveloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
יַזְכִּ֔ירוּthey bring to remembrance
yazkiruH2142 →230 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
בֶאֱמֶ֖תin truth
veemetH571 →127 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
בִצְדָקָֽה׃in righteousness
vitzdakahH6666 →157 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 4:2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 65:16
Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles…
- Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
- Jeremiah 9:24
But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,”…
- 1 Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:17
Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
- Isaiah 65:16
Through
Psalms 68:26Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 33:28
So Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew.
- Deuteronomy 33:28
Through
Jeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
it leads to
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Jeremiah 4:2
and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
- Titus 1:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.