Isaiah 48

1Hear these [words], ye house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of Juda, who swear by the name of the Lord God of Israel, making mention [of it, but] not with truth, nor with righteousness;

2maintaining also the name of the holy city, and staying themselves on the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name. The former things I have already declared;

3and they have proceeded out of my mouth, and it became well known; I wrought suddenly, and [the events] came to pass.

4I know that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy forehead brazen.

5And I told thee of old what [should be] before it came upon thee; I made it known to thee, lest thou shouldest say, [My] idols have done [it] for me; and shouldest say, [My] graven and molten images have commanded me.

6Ye have heard all this, but ye have not known: yet I have made known to thee the new things from henceforth, which are coming to pass, and thou saidst not,

7Now they come to pass, and not formerly: and thou heardest not of them in former days: say not thou, Yea, I know them.

8Thou hast neither known, nor understood, neither from the beginning have I opened thine ears: for I knew that thou wouldest surely deal treacherously, and wouldest be called a transgressor even from the womb.

9For mine own sake will I shew thee my wrath, and will bring before thee my glorious acts, that I may not utterly destroy thee.

10Behold, I have sold thee, [but] not for silver; but I have rescued thee from the furnace of affliction.

11For mine own sake I will do [this] for thee, because my name is profaned; and I will not give my glory to another.

12Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I call; I am the first, and I endure for ever.

13My hand also has founded the earth, and my right hand has fixed the sky: I will call them, and they shall stand together.

14And all shall be gathered, and shall hear: who has told them these things? Out of love to thee I have fulfilled thy desire on Babylon, to abolish the seed of the Chaldeans.

15I have spoken, I have called, I have brought him, and made his way prosperous.

16Draw nigh to me, and hear ye these words; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: when it took place, there was I, and now the Lord, [even] the Lord, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17Thus saith the Lord that delivered thee, the Holy One of Israel; I am thy God, I have shewn thee how thou shouldest find the way wherein thou shouldest walk.

18And if thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, [then] would thy peace have been like a river, and thy righteousness as a wave of the sea.

19Thy seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of thy belly as the dust of the ground: neither now shalt thou by any means be utterly destroyed, neither shall thy name perish before me.

20Go forth of Babylon, thou that fleest from the Chaldeans: utter aloud a voice of joy, and let this be made known, proclaim it to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath delivered his servant Jacob.

21And if they shall thirst, he shall lead them through the desert; he shall bring forth water to them out of the rock: the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow forth, and my people shall drink.

22There is no joy, saith the Lord, to the ungodly.