Isaiah 48:17
in Isaiah 48Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Jehovah thy God, who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
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This verse in Isaiah 48
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Thy Redeemer - (see the notes at Isa 41:14; Isa 43:1). Which teacheth thee to profit - Teaching you what things will most conduce to your welfare. The reference hero is chiefly to the afflictions which they suffered in Babylon. Which leadeth thee - I am thy conductor and guide. God taught them, as he does his people now, by his Providence, his revealed word, and his Spirit, the way in which they ought to go. It is one of his characteristics that he is the guide and director of his people.
This site's exposition
Thus says the LORD your Redeemer
on Isaiah 48:17-19
“Thus says the LORD your Redeemer” opens with the covenant intention. Verse 18 turns to lament, “If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river”. Verse 19 extends the loss, “as countless as the sand”, the promise to Abraham’s line forfeited.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He says, "I AM your God." This "I AM" means "I am the beginning." He explained all this to the all-wise Moses saying "I am the one who is." For he as Lord is truly the God of everything. Those things that are brought into being by him are said to be "beings" also and to share in the source of being.… Again he works in them a steadfast thinking and a well-established mind that they can see God to be truly existing in nature. To these he reveals his glory so that they are not carried away by deceitful voices.
(Verse 17, 18 and following) Thus says the Lord, your holy Redeemer, the God of Israel: I am the Lord your God, teaching you what is profitable, leading you in the way you should go. Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like sand, and the offspring of your womb like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The authority of the one commanding ought to move us to observe the commandments of God. He is of great authority, because by His wondrous wisdom He governs us. Whence Isaiah says: "I am the Lord, teaching you profitable things, governing you in the way …
892. Second, where it says, thus says the Lord, he sets out the reason for their captivity, showing on the part of God, ready help: that teach, against their ignorance, and that govern you in the way, of works, against the weakness of their working: …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Teacheth - Who from time to time have made known to thee, all necessary doctrines; which, if observed by thee, would have been infinitely profitable to thee, both for this life and that to come. So that it is not my fault, but thine own, if thou dost not profit.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Here is the good work which God undertakes to fulfil in them. He that is their Redeemer, in order to that, will be, (1.) Their instructor: " I am thy God that teaches thee to profit, that is, teaches thee such things as are profitable for thee, things that belong to thy peace." By this God shows himself to be a God in covenant with us, by his teaching us ( Heb. viii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer,....
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֧ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| גֹּאַלְךָ֖ | goalkha | redeemer your | H1350 → | 104 times |
| קְד֣וֹשׁ | kedoosh | [the] holy [one] of | H6918 → | 116 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲנִ֨י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | [am] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| מְלַמֶּדְךָ֣ | melamedkha | [who] teaches you | H3925 → | 85 times |
| לְהוֹעִ֔יל | lehoil | to profit | H3276 → | 23 times |
| מַדְרִֽיכֲךָ֖ | madrikhakha | [who] leads you | H1869 → | 62 times |
| בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ | bederekh | in [the] way | H1870 → | 707 times |
| תֵּלֵֽךְ׃ | telekh | [which] you will go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֧רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
גֹּאַלְךָ֖redeemer your
goalkhaH1350 →104 times
קְד֣וֹשׁ[the] holy [one] of
kedooshH6918 →116 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֲנִ֨יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָ֤ה[am] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙God your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
מְלַמֶּדְךָ֣[who] teaches you
melamedkhaH3925 →85 times
לְהוֹעִ֔ילto profit
lehoilH3276 →23 times
מַדְרִֽיכֲךָ֖[who] leads you
madrikhakhaH1869 →62 times
בְּדֶ֥רֶךְin [the] way
bederekhH1870 →707 times
תֵּלֵֽךְ׃[which] you will go
telekhH1980 →1546 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
Psalms 32:8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Psalms 33:18
Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion
- Psalms 25:8–10
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way.
- Matthew 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- Proverbs 8:10–11
Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Through
Psalms 25:12Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:23
The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey.
- Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
- John 7:17
If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.
- Psalms 37:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 4:3.48:17-19; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.