Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Isaiah 48
Israel Called to Listen
Hear this, Jacob’s house,
you called by Israel’s name, who came from Judah’s waters,
who swear by the LORD’s name and invoke Israel’s God,
but not in truth or righteousness.
They call themselves citizens of the holy city
and lean on Israel’s God—
the LORD of hosts is his name.
“The former things I announced long ago;
they went out from my mouth, and I made them heard.
Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
I knew you were stubborn,
your neck an iron sinew, your forehead bronze.
So I told you long ago;
before it happened I made you hear,
lest you say, ‘My idol did these things;
my carved image and cast image commanded them.’
You have heard; now look at it all.
Will you not declare it?
From now on I tell you new things,
hidden things you have not known.
They are created now, not long ago;
before today you had not heard of them,
lest you say, ‘Look, I knew them already.’
You had not heard, you had not known;
your ear had not been opened long ago.
For I knew you would betray, betray;
from the womb you were called a rebel.
For my name’s sake I delay my anger;
for my praise I restrain it toward you,
so I do not cut you off.
Look, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake I act.
How could my name be profaned?
I will not give my glory to another.
Listen to me, Jacob, Israel whom I called!
I am he; I am first, and I am last.
My hand founded the earth;
my right hand spread out the heavens.
When I call them, they stand together.
Gather, all of you, and hear!
Who among them announced these things?
The LORD loves him; he will fulfill his purpose against Babylon,
and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.
I, I have spoken; I have called him.
I have brought him, and his way will succeed.
Come near me and hear this:
from the beginning I have not spoken in secret;
from the time it came to be, I was there.”
And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.
The LORD, your Redeemer, Israel’s Holy One, says:
“I am the LORD your God,
teaching you what benefits you,
guiding you in the way you should go.
If only you had listened to my commandments!
Your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Your offspring would have been like sand,
your descendants like its grains;
their name would never have been cut off
or destroyed from my presence.”
Go out from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans!
With a joyful shout declare this, make it heard;
carry it to earth’s ends:
“The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
They did not thirst when he led them through wastelands;
he made water flow for them from rock.
He split rock, and water gushed out.
“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.