Isaiah 48:5
in Isaiah 48Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
therefore I have declared it to thee from of old; before it came to pass I showed it thee; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
KJV
I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
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This verse in Isaiah 48
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd then from this, he draws the reason: I foretold; as if to say: that you were prone to idolatry, I foretold, lest you ascribe my benefits to idols: I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread (Hos 2:5).
This site's exposition
I foretold the former things long ago
on Isaiah 48:3-5
“I foretold the former things long ago” carries on the argument from prediction. Verse 4 gives the reason, “your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze”, the stubbornness Moses names in Israel. Verse 5 states the purpose, so that Israel could not claim, “My idol has done this”.
This site's exposition
My idol has done this
Henry sets out the test. Had the idols brought the deliverance, their own prophets would have foretold it, and only the prophets of the LORD did. Aquinas compares Hosea 2, where Israel credits her lovers with her bread.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
These words would not be of any help to you if you had not been already warned. Nevertheless, dwelling in my loving-kindness, I still bear witness and distinguish you from those assembled in Babylon and the Chaldeans about to attack you. Open your eyes! As you see the foretold destruction taking hold when the warriors come from Babylon, you will know with understanding that God has told you these things would happen and you can call on his help when the predicted end strikes. These things are available to you from my words.
(Verse 3, 4 and following) I announced the former things long ago, they went out from my mouth, and I made them heard. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your forehead is bronze. I foretold them to you long ago, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, 'My idols did these things, and my carved images and molded idols commanded them.' You have heard; see all this. And will you not declare it?
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But they would now be for ever precluded from saying this; for, if the idols had done it, the prophets of the idols would have foretold it; but, the prophets of the Lord having foretold it, it was no doubt the power of the Lord that effected it.
I have even from the beginning declared it to thee,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I have even from the beginning declared it to thee - He had foretold future events, so that they had abundant demonstration thai he was the true God, and so that they could not be under a mistake in regard to the source of their deliverances from danger. Mine idol hath done them - The idols and molten images had not foretold these events and when they came to pass, it could not, therefore, be pretended that they had been produced by idols.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאַגִּ֤יד | vaagid | and I declared [them] | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לְךָ֙ | lekha | to you | ||
| מֵאָ֔ז | meaz | from then | H227 → | 141 times |
| בְּטֶ֥רֶם | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | 56 times |
| תָּב֖וֹא | tavo' | it came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ | hishma'tikha | I proclaimed to you | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| תֹּאמַר֙ | tomar | you should say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| עָצְבִּ֣י | ʾatzebi | idol my | H6090 → | |
| עָשָׂ֔ם | ʾasam | it did them | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וּפִסְלִ֥י | ufisli | and carved image my | H6459 → | 31 times |
| וְנִסְכִּ֖י | veniski | and molten image my | H5262 → | 64 times |
| צִוָּֽם׃ | tzivam | it commanded them | H6680 → | 494 times |
וָאַגִּ֤ידand I declared [them]
vaagidH5046 →370 times
לְךָ֙to you
lekha
מֵאָ֔זfrom then
meazH227 →141 times
בְּטֶ֥רֶם<in> before
beteremH2962 →56 times
תָּב֖וֹאit came
tavo'H935 →2568 times
הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָI proclaimed to you
hishma'tikhaH8085 →1159 times
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
תֹּאמַר֙you should say
tomarH559 →5305 times
עָצְבִּ֣יidol my
ʾatzebiH6090 →
עָשָׂ֔םit did them
ʾasamH6213 →2628 times
וּפִסְלִ֥יand carved image my
ufisliH6459 →31 times
וְנִסְכִּ֖יand molten image my
veniskiH5262 →64 times
צִוָּֽם׃it commanded them
tzivamH6680 →494 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
Isaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Psalms 33:11
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
- Ephesians 1:9–11
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Isaiah 43:13
Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Proverbs 19:21
Through
Isaiah 48:3I foretold the former things long ago; they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
it leads to
- Isaiah 42:9
Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
- Isaiah 41:22
“Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.
- Joshua 21:45
Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.
- Isaiah 42:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.