Isaiah 48:1 kjv
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.
Isaiah 48:1 nkjv
"Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the LORD, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness;
Isaiah 48:1 niv
"Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the LORD and invoke the God of Israel? but not in truth or righteousness?
Isaiah 48:1 esv
Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.
Isaiah 48:1 nlt
"Listen to me, O family of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel
and born into the family of Judah.
Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the LORD
and call on the God of Israel.
You don't keep your promises,
Isaiah 48 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 48:2 | "Who call themselves by the name of Israel and swear by the Lord of hosts" | Jacob and God's covenants |
| Isaiah 48:3 | "I have declared from the first what the outcome would be" | God's sovereignty and prophecy |
| Isaiah 48:4 | "Because I know how stubborn you are and that your neck is a stubborn arc" | Israel's rebellion |
| Isaiah 48:5 | "I have told you these things from the beginning" | Prophetic warnings |
| Isaiah 48:6 | "You have heard and seen all this. Will you not testify to it?" | Bearing witness to God |
| Isaiah 48:7 | "Now they are created, and not from the first; before today, I did not speak of them" | God's new acts |
| Isaiah 48:8 | "You have never heard, you have never known; from of old your ear was not opened" | Spiritual deafness |
| Isaiah 48:10 | "I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction" | Purification by suffering |
| Isaiah 48:11 | "For my own sake, my own sake, I will act" | God's glory and faithfulness |
| Isaiah 48:12 | "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called!" | Calling and election |
| Isaiah 48:13 | "My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens" | God as Creator |
| Isaiah 48:14 | "All of you, come together, and listen!" | Invitation to listen |
| Isaiah 48:15 | "I myself have spoken, moreover I have brought it to pass" | God's power and plan |
| Isaiah 48:16 | "Come near to me, hear this: from the first I have not spoken in secret" | Openness of God's truth |
| Isaiah 48:17 | "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" | God as Redeemer |
| Isaiah 48:18 | "Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!" | Obedience and blessing |
| Isaiah 48:19 | "Your descendants would have been like the sand" | Fruitfulness of obedience |
| Isaiah 48:20 | "Go out from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing" | Exodus and liberation |
| Isaiah 48:21 | "When they thirsted, he led them through the deserts" | God's provision and guidance |
| Isaiah 48:22 | "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked." | Wickedness and lack of peace |
| Jeremiah 6:16 | "Stand by the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths" | Seeking God's ways |
| John 1:1 | "In the beginning was the Word" | Christ as the Word |
| John 5:39 | "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life" | Importance of scripture |
| Acts 4:12 | "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." | Christ as the only Savior |
| 1 John 2:4 | "Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar" | Knowing God through obedience |
| Revelation 13:8 | "And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." | God's foreknowledge |
Isaiah 48 verses
Isaiah 48 1 Meaning
The Lord declares that He reveals His will and actions beforehand. Those who claim to be God's people but act without seeking Him are practicing deception and have not learned from God's established ways.
Isaiah 48 1 Context
This verse is part of a larger prophecy in Isaiah 40-55, often called "Deutero-Isaiah." This section addresses the exiles in Babylon, assuring them of God's impending deliverance and return to Jerusalem. Isaiah 48 specifically contrasts God's faithfulness and predictive power with the stubbornness and spiritual deafness of Israel. The prophet calls out those who claim to follow God but live hypocritically, living according to their own will rather than God's commands. This chapter emphasizes God's unique ability to foretell events and His ultimate sovereignty over history, all aimed at His glory and the salvation of His people.
Isaiah 48 1 Word Analysis
- "Hear" (Shema - שמע): A fundamental Hebrew verb, meaning to listen, heed, obey. It implies active engagement, not just passive hearing. It is central to Israel's identity and covenant relationship (Deuteronomy 6:4).
- "ye": Plural form, addressing the entire community of Israel.
- "inhabitants of Jerusalem": Specifically targets the remnant in Jerusalem, the religious and political center.
- "of the house of Jacob": Refers to the descendants of Jacob, emphasizing their lineage and identity as God's chosen people.
- "which are called by the name of Israel": Reinforces their identity as God's covenant people, claiming the name bestowed upon Jacob by God Himself.
- "and are come forth out of the waters of Judah": This phrase can be interpreted in several ways:
- Literally, coming from the region of Judah, which was geographically watered.
- Symbolically, emerging from a state of impurity or sin, with "waters" often representing judgment or cleansing. It could also refer to a spiritual birth or renewal.
- "which swear by the name of the Lord": They outwardly profess allegiance to the God of Israel, making oaths and vows in His name. This highlights the outward appearance of piety.
- "and make mention of the God of Israel": Further emphasis on their verbal confession and remembrance of God.
- "not in truth": This is the crucial qualification. Their outward actions and pronouncements do not match their inner reality or genuine devotion. Their worship and claims are superficial.
- "nor in righteousness": Their actions do not align with God's commands or a life of justice and moral uprightness.
Isaiah 48 1 Bonus Section
The expression "swear by the name of the Lord" carried significant weight in ancient Israel. To swear falsely or lightly by God's name was a grave sin (Exodus 20:7). Here, however, the issue is not necessarily a false oath, but the context of their relationship with God. They swear by Him, implying dependence, yet their subsequent actions (or lack thereof) betray the sincerity of that oath. The contrast with "not in truth, nor in righteousness" highlights a disconnect between their claimed identity as Israel and their actual behavior. This calls for a searching examination of what it truly means to be named by God and to acknowledge Him.
Isaiah 48 1 Commentary
This verse functions as a direct indictment of a faith that is all profession and no practice. God addresses "the house of Jacob," those who bear the name "Israel" and swear by the Lord. The irony is profound: they claim identity and loyalty through oaths and mention of God's name, yet this allegiance is "not in truth" nor "in righteousness." This means their outward acts of worship and claimed devotion are empty, hollow displays. They are spiritually hypocritical. God desires a deep, inner truth and corresponding righteous actions, not merely ritualistic or verbal affirmations. This is a timeless principle: true faith is demonstrated through honest living and obedience, not just outward religious performance. It speaks to a spiritual condition where the covenant name is used without the corresponding covenant commitment.