Isaiah 48
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 48 of 66 | Day: 195 of 742
Date: August 25, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 48 occupies a singular place among the consolation prophecies. Nowhere else in chapters 40-48 is comfort so thoroughly interlaced with rebuke: the chapter promises redemption from Babylon in the same breath that it indicts the very people being redeemed. The opening summons, โHear this, O house of Jacobโ (ืฉืืขื ืืืช ืืืช ืืขืงื), addresses a people โwho swear by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel โ but not in truth and not in righteousnessโ (ืื ืืืืช ืืื ืืฆืืงื). Rashi identifies the audience precisely: the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, destined for the Babylonian exile โ spared Sennacheribโs deportation because they were called after the Holy City and, in Hezekiahโs days, leaned on the God of Israel, and therefore exiled later under Nebuchadnezzar, where a redemption through Cyrus awaited them. Radak presses the moral scandal underneath the opening charge: one who swears by the life of the king while rebelling against him deserves punishment, and Israel invokes the divine name with no fear of whether the oath is true or vain.
The chapterโs central argument is prophecy as proof, aimed squarely at a stubborn people. God declared โthe former thingsโ (ืืจืืฉืื ืืช) long in advance โ the downfall of Sennacherib, in the reading of Metzudat David and Radak, to which Rashi adds the redemption from Egypt โ and then โsuddenly I acted, and they came to pass.โ The reason for the advance notice is stated with startling bluntness: โBecause I knew that you are stubborn, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead bronzeโ (ืืืื ืืจืื ืขืจืคื ืืืฆืื ื ืืืฉื). Radak unpacks the anatomy of obstinacy: a neck of iron cannot turn back toward the One who calls, and a brazen forehead feels no shame before rebuke. Had the events arrived unannounced, Israel would have said โmy idol did them, my graven and molten image commanded them.โ Now God announces โnew things, hidden thingsโ (ืืืฉืืช ืื ืฆืืจืืช) โ the fall of Babylon โ created at this very moment and withheld until now, so that no one can claim โbehold, I knew them.โ
At the theological center of the chapter stands a doctrine unique in its severity: redemption comes not from Israelโs merit but for the sake of Godโs own name. โFor My nameโs sake I defer My angerโ (ืืืขื ืฉืื ืืืจืื ืืคื); Israel is refined โnot as silverโ but โin the furnace of afflictionโ (ืืืืจ ืขื ื), and Radak hears mercy inside the metallurgy โ a silversmith burns away every impurity until almost nothing remains, but God refines through exile and suffering without consuming the nation. The doubled cry โFor My sake, for My sake, I will actโ (ืืืขื ื ืืืขื ื ืืขืฉื) gives the reason its final form: โfor how should My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.โ Rashi and Radak explain alike: were Israel destroyed, the nations would conclude that their gods had prevailed over the God of Israel. The rebuked people is redeemed so that the Redeemerโs name remain unprofaned in the world.
Then the tone breaks into lament. โIf only you had listened to My commandments โ your peace would be like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the seaโ (ืืื ืืงืฉืืช ืืืฆืืชื ืืืื ืื ืืจ ืฉืืืื). Radak draws out the images: peace abundant as a riverโs flowing waters, divine kindness following wave upon wave without pause, offspring countless as the sand โ and, Radak adds on the chapterโs own terms, had Israel walked in the way God teaches โfor your benefit,โ there would have been no Babylon and no need of this rescue at all. Yet even the lament carries consolation: though Israel did not listen, โtheir name shall not be cut off nor destroyed from before Me.โ
The chapter closes by closing an era. โGo out from Babylon, flee from Chaldeaโ (ืฆืื ืืืื ืืจืื ืืืฉืืื) is the climactic command of the entire Babylon-Cyrus cycle that began in chapter 40 โ the announcement, to be carried โto the ends of the earth,โ that God has redeemed His servant Jacob. Radak notes that the flight implies no fear, for they leave openly and with song; the haste is pure eagerness. The departure is painted in Exodus colors โ no thirst in the wastelands, water gushing from the split rock โ and Radak candidly registers the puzzle that Ezra records no such miracles at the actual return, an observation that lets the verse reach beyond one return toward redemption itself. The final line, โThere is no peace, says the Lord, for the wickedโ (ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืจ ืืณ ืืจืฉืขืื), which Rashi applies to Nebuchadnezzar and his seed, seals the section: from chapter 49 onward the prophet turns from Babylon and Cyrus to Zion and her comfort.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 48
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืฉืึดืึฐืขืึผึพืึนึฃืืช ืึผึตึฝืืชึพืึทืขึฒืงึนึื ืึทื ึผึดืงึฐืจึธืึดืืึ ืึผึฐืฉืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผืึดืึผึตึฅื ืึฐืืึผืึธึื ืึธืฆึธึืืึผ ืึทึฝื ึผึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืขึดึฃืืโื ืึผึฐืฉืึตึฃื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผืึตืืึนืึตึคื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืึทืึฐืึผึดึืืจืึผ ืึนึฅื ืึถืึฑืึถึืช ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึดืฆึฐืึธืงึธึฝืื
English:
Listen to this, O House of Jacob,Who bear the name IsraelAnd have issued from the watersawaters Emendation yields โloins.โ of Judah,Who swear by the name of GOD And invoke the God of IsraelโThough not in truth and sincerityโ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฝืึพืึตืขึดึคืืจ ืึทืงึผึนึืึถืฉืึ ื ึดืงึฐืจึธึืืึผ ืึฐืขึทืึพืึฑืึนืึตึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ื ึดืกึฐืึธึืืึผ ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืฉืึฐืึฝืึนืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
For youbyou Heb. โthey.โ are called after the Holy Citycthe Holy City Emendation yields โthe holy people.โ And youdyou Heb. โthey.โ do lean on the God of Israel,Whose name is GOD of Hosts:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึธืจึดึฝืืฉืึนื ืึนืชึ ืึตืึธ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝื ืึดืึผึทึืึฐืชึผึดื ืึผืึดืคึผึดึฅื ืึธืฆึฐืึืึผ ืึฐืึทืฉืึฐืึดืืขึตึื ืคึผึดืชึฐืึนึฅื ืขึธืฉืึดึืืชึดื ืึทืชึผึธืึนึฝืื ึธืื
English:
Long ago, I foretold things that happened,From My mouth they issued, and I announced them;Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึดืึผึทืขึฐืชึผึดึื ืึผึดึฅื ืงึธืฉืึถึื ืึธึืชึผึธื ืึฐืึดึคืื ืึผึทืจึฐืึถืึ ืขืืจึฐืคึผึถึืึธ ืึผืึดืฆึฐืึฒืึธึ ื ึฐืืึผืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
Because I know how stubborn you are(Your neck is like an iron sinewAnd your forehead bronze),
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึธืึทืึผึดึคืื ืึฐืึธึ ืึตืึธึื ืึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถื ืชึผึธืึืึนื ืึดืฉืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึดึืืึธ ืคึผึถืึพืชึผึนืืึทืจึ ืขืืฆึฐืึผึดึฃื ืขึธืฉืึธึื ืึผืคึดืกึฐืึดึฅื ืึฐื ึดืกึฐืึผึดึื ืฆึดืึผึธึฝืื
English:
Therefore I told you long beforehand,Announced things to you ere they happenedโThat you might not say, โMy idol caused them,My carved and molten images ordained them.โ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืฉืึธืึทึคืขึฐืชึผึธึฝ ืึฒืึตืึ ืึผึปืึผึธึืึผ ืึฐืึทืชึผึถึื ืึฒืึฃืึนื ืชึทืึผึดึืืืึผ ืึดืฉืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึดึคืืึธ ืึฒืึธืฉืืึนืชึ ืึตืขึทึืชึผึธื ืึผื ึฐืฆึปืจึืึนืช ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึธึฝืื
English:
You have heard all this; look, must you not acknowledge it?eheard all this; look, must you not acknowledge it Meaning of Heb. uncertain. As of now, I announce to you new things,Well-guarded secrets you did not know.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืขึทืชึผึธึคื ื ึดืึฐืจึฐืืึผึ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึตืึธึื ืึฐืึดืคึฐื ึตืึพืึืึนื ืึฐืึนึฃื ืฉืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึธึื ืคึผึถืึพืชึผึนืืึทึืจ ืึดื ึผึตึฅื ืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึดึฝืืื
English:
Only now are they created, and not of old;Before todayfBefore today Meaning of Heb. uncertain. you had not heard them;You cannot say, โI knew them already.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึผึทึฃื ืึนึฝืึพืฉืึธืึทึืขึฐืชึผึธ ืึผึทึื ืึนึฃื ืึธืึทึืขึฐืชึผึธ ืึผึทึื ืึตืึธึื ืึนืึพืคึดืชึผึฐืึธึฃื ืืืึฐื ึถึืึธ ืึผึดึคื ืึธืึทึืขึฐืชึผึดืึ ืึผึธืึฃืึนื ืชึผึดืึฐืึผึืึนื ืึผืคึนืฉืึตึฅืขึท ืึดืึผึถึืึถื ืงึนึฅืจึธื ืึธึฝืึฐื
English:
You had never heard, you had never known,Your ears were not opened of old.Though I know that you are treacherous,That you were called a rebel from birth,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึทึคืขึทื ืฉืึฐืึดืึ ืึทืึฒืจึดึฃืืึฐ ืึทืคึผึดึื ืึผืชึฐืึดืึผึธืชึดึื ืึถืึฑืืืึพืึธึืึฐ ืึฐืึดืึฐืชึผึดึื ืึทืึฐืจึดืืชึถึฝืึธื
English:
For the sake of My name I control My wrath;To My own glory, I am patientgI am patient Meaning of Heb. uncertain. with you,And I will not destroy you.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึดื ึผึตึฅื ืฆึฐืจึทืคึฐืชึผึดึืืึธ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึฐืึธึืกึถืฃ ืึผึฐืึทืจึฐืชึผึดึืืึธ ืึผึฐืึฅืึผืจ ืขึนึฝื ึดืื
English:
See, I refine you, but not as silver;I test you in the furnace of affliction.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึทืขึฒื ึดึงื ืึฐืึทืขึฒื ึดึื ืึถืขึฑืฉืึถึื ืึผึดึฃื ืึตึฃืืึฐ ืึตืึธึื ืึผืึฐืืึนืึดึื ืึฐืึทืึตึฅืจ ืึนืึพืึถืชึผึตึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
For My sake, My own sake, do I actโLest [My name]h[My name] These words are supplied in some ancient versions; cf. v. 9. be dishonored!I will not give My glory to another.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืฉืึฐืึทึคืข ืึตืึทืึ ืึทึฝืขึฒืงึนึื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึฐืงึนืจึธืึดึื ืึฒื ึดืึพืืึผืึ ืึฒื ึดึฃื ืจึดืืฉืึืึนื ืึทึืฃ ืึฒื ึดึฅื ืึทืึฒืจึฝืึนืื
English:
Listen to Me, O Jacob,Israel, whom I have called:I am the OneโI am the first,And I am the last as well.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึทืฃึพืึธืึดืึ ืึธึฃืกึฐืึธื ืึถึืจึถืฅ ืึดืืึดืื ึดึื ืึดืคึผึฐืึธึฃื ืฉืึธืึธึืึดื ืงึนืจึตึฅื ืึฒื ึดึื ืึฒืึตืืึถึื ืึทืขึทืึฐืึฅืึผ ืึทืึฐืึผึธึฝืื
English:
My own hand founded the earth,My right hand spread out the skies.I call unto them, let them stand up.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึดืงึผึธืึฐืฆึคืึผ ืึปืึผึฐืึถืึ ืึผึฝืฉืึฐืึธึืขืึผ ืึดึฅื ืึธืึถึื ืึดืึผึดึฃืื ืึถืชึพืึตึืึผึถื ืึฐืึนืึธึฃื ืึฒืึตืึืึน ืึทืขึฒืฉืึถึคื ืึถืคึฐืฆืึนึ ืึผึฐืึธืึถึื ืึผืึฐืจึนืขึืึน ืึผึทืฉืึฐืึผึดึฝืืื
English:
Assemble, all of you, and listen!Who among youiyou Heb. โthem.โ foretold these things:โHe whom GOD lovesShall work the divine will against Babylon,And, with divine might, against Chaldeaโ?jHe whom โฆ Chaldea Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึฒื ึดึฅื ืึฒื ึดึื ืึผึดืึผึทึืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึทืฃึพืงึฐืจึธืืชึดึืื ืึฒืึดืึนืชึดึืื ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืึดึฅืืึท ืึผึทืจึฐืึผึฝืึนื
English:
I, I predicted, and I called him;I have brought him and he shall succeed in his mission.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 16
Hebrew:
ืงึดืจึฐืึงืึผ ืึตืึทึฃื ืฉืึดืึฐืขืึผึพืึนึืืช ืึนึคื ืึตืจึนืืฉืึ ืึผึทืกึผึตึฃืชึถืจ ืึผึดืึผึทึืจึฐืชึผึดื ืึตืขึตึฅืช ืึฑืืึนืชึธึืึผ ืฉืึธึฃื ืึธึื ึดื ืึฐืขึทืชึผึธึื ืึฒืึนื ึธึงื ืึฑืึนืึดึื ืฉืึฐืึธืึทึื ึดื ืึฐืจืึผืึฝืึนืย {ืค}
English:
Draw near to Me and hear this:From the beginning, I did not speak in secret;From the time anything existed, I was there.kthere I.e., I foretold it through prophets. โAnd now the Sovereign GOD has sent me, endowed with divine spirit.โlendowed with divine spirit Lit. โand His spirit.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 17
Hebrew:
ืึผึนืึพืึธืึทึงืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึนืึทืึฐืึธึ ืงึฐืึฃืึนืฉื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึฒื ึดึจื ืึฐืึนืึธึคื ืึฑืึนืึถึืืึธึ ืึฐืึทืึผึถืึฐืึธึฃ ืึฐืืึนืขึดึืื ืึทืึฐืจึดึฝืืึฐืึธึ ืึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถืึฐ ืชึผึตืึตึฝืึฐื
English:
Thus said GOD your Redeemer,The Holy One of Israel:I the ETERNAL One am your God,Instructing you for your own benefit.Guiding you in the way you should go.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 18
Hebrew:
ืึฅืึผื ืึดืงึฐืฉืึทึืึฐืชึผึธ ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืึบืชึธึื ืึทืึฐืึดึคื ืึทื ึผึธืึธืจึ ืฉืึฐืืึนืึถึืึธ ืึฐืฆึดืึฐืงึธืชึฐืึธึ ืึผึฐืึทืึผึตึฅื ืึทืึผึธึฝืื
English:
If only you would heed My commands!Then your prosperity would be like a river,Your triumph like the waves of the sea.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 19
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฐืึดึคื ืึทืืึนืึ ืึทืจึฐืขึถึืึธ ืึฐืฆึถืึฑืฆึธืึตึฅื ืึตืขึถึืืึธ ืึผึดืึฐืขึนืชึธึืื ืึนืึพืึดืึผึธืจึตึงืช ืึฐึฝืึนืึพืึดืฉืึผึธืึตึื ืฉืึฐืึืึน ืึดืึผึฐืคึธื ึธึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Your offspring would be as many as the sand,Their issue as many as its grains.mgrains Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Their name would never be cut offOr obliterated from before Me.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 20
Hebrew:
ืฆึฐืึฃืึผ ืึดืึผึธืึถืึฎ ืึผึดืจึฐืึฃืึผ ืึดืึผึทืฉืึฐืึผึดืืึ ืึผึฐืงึฃืึนื ืจึดื ึผึธึื ืึทืึผึดึคืืืึผ ืึทืฉืึฐืึดึืืขืึผึ ืึนึืืช ืืึนืฆึดืืึืึผืึธ ืขึทืึพืงึฐืฆึตึฃื ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึดืึฐืจึืึผ ืึผึธืึทึฅื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืขึทืึฐืึผึฅืึน ืึทืขึฒืงึนึฝืื
English:
Go forth from Babylon,Flee from Chaldea!Declare this with loud shouting,Announce this,Bring out the word to the ends of the earth!Say: โGOD has redeemedJacobโGodโs servant!โ
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 21
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึนึฃื ืฆึธืึฐืึืึผ ืึผืึฝืึณืจึธืืึนืชึ ืืึนืึดืืึธึื ืึทึฅืึดื ืึดืฆึผึืึผืจ ืึดืึผึดึฃืื ืึธึืืึน ืึทืึผึดึจืึฐืงึทืขึพืฆึืึผืจ ืึทืึผึธืึปึืืึผ ืึธึฝืึดืื
English:
They have known no thirst,Though they were led through parched places;[God] made water flow for them from the rock,Cleaving the rock so that water gushed forth.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 22
Hebrew:
ืึตึฃืื ืฉืึธืึืึนื ืึธืึทึฅืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึธืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดึฝืืืย {ืค}
English:
There is no safetyโsaid GODโfor the wicked.
โถCommentaries (1)