Isaiah 48
1. 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.
2. For they call * themselves of the holy city, and stay * themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.
3. I have declared * the former things from the beginning; and they went forth * out of my mouth, and I shewed * them; I did * them suddenly, and they came to pass * .
4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5. 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.
6. Thou hast heard * , see * all this; and will not ye declare * it? I have shewed * thee new things from this time,even hidden things * , and thou didst not know * them.
7. They are created * now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest * them not; lest thou shouldest say * , Behold, I knew * them.
8. Yea, thou heardest * not; yea, thou knewest * not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened * : for I knew * that thou wouldest deal very * treacherously * , and wast called * a transgressor * from the womb.
9. For my name's sake will I defer * mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain * for thee, that I cut thee not off * .
10. Behold, I have refined * thee, but not with silver; I have chosen * thee in the furnace of affliction.
11. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do * it: for how should my name be polluted * ? and I will not give * my glory unto another.
12. Hearken * unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called * ; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation * of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned * the heavens: when I call * unto them, they stand up * together.
14. All ye, assemble * yourselves, and hear * ; which 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.
15. I, even I, have spoken * ; yea, I have called * him: I have brought * him, and he shall make his way prosperous * .
16. Come * ye near * unto 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.
17. 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 * .
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:
19. Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off * nor destroyed * from before me.
20. Go ye forth * of 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.
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 clave * the rock also, and the waters gushed out * .
22. There is no peace, saith * the LORD, unto the wicked.
