Isaiah 48 11

Isaiah 48:11 kjv

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.

Isaiah 48:11 nkjv

For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.

Isaiah 48:11 niv

For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.

Isaiah 48:11 esv

For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

Isaiah 48:11 nlt

I will rescue you for my sake ?
yes, for my own sake!
I will not let my reputation be tarnished,
and I will not share my glory with idols!

Isaiah 48 verses

Isaiah 48 11 meaning

Isaiah 48:11 proclaims God's unchanging and sovereign motivation for His actions: His own name and glory. Despite Israel's rebellion and unworthiness, God asserts that He will perform His redemptive work, specifically bringing them out of Babylonian exile, solely to uphold His reputation and majesty. He acts not because Israel merits it, but to prevent His holy name from being profaned among the nations and to ensure His unique glory is not diminished or attributed to false gods. This statement underscores God's absolute commitment to His own character and His sole prerogative as the one true God, distinct from any idols or human endeavors.

Isaiah 48 11 Context

Isaiah chapter 48 is part of the "Book of Consolation" (chapters 40-55), addressed to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. In this chapter, God continues His discourse by confronting Israel's stubbornness and idolatry (vv. 1-8). He reminds them that He alone is the true God who declares the future before it happens, demonstrating His unique sovereignty and power over all things. This serves as a polemic against the idols of Babylon, which are powerless and silent. God recounts His patience with His disobedient people, revealing His intent to refine them, not destroy them. Verse 11, then, serves as a pivotal explanation for why God is choosing to act to redeem and restore His people despite their unworthiness. His actions are not predicated on Israel's merit, but on the profound necessity of upholding His own character, preventing His name from being dishonored and His glory from being shared with any other. It reaffirms His consistent divine motive that transcends human performance, solidifying the promise of deliverance and the call to depart from Babylon.

Isaiah 48 11 Word analysis

• For my own sake, for my own sake: (לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי - l'ma'ani l'ma'ani)

  • This emphatic repetition immediately sets the tone and highlights the singular, divine motivation.
  • L'ma'an means "for the sake of," "on account of." Here, it directly attributes the action to God Himself.
  • Significance: It underscores God's self-sufficiency, His uninfluenced will, and the absolute priority of His honor. It rejects any notion that His actions are owed to human merit or manipulation.

• I do it, (אֶעֱשֶׂה - e'eseh)

  • This is the Qal imperfect, first person singular of asah, meaning "to do, to make, to act."
  • The imperfect tense here carries a sense of continuous or future action, indicating a decisive, certain, and ongoing commitment to action.
  • Significance: It conveys God's sovereign authority and determination to accomplish His purpose. His decision to act is firm and without question.

• for how should my name be profaned? (כִּי אֵיךְ יֵחָל שְׁמִי - ki 'eikh yehal sh'mi?)

  • Ki 'eikh: "For how?" or "How then?" This is a rhetorical question, expressing indignation or emphatic impossibility.
  • Yehal: The Nifal imperfect, third person masculine singular of halal which means "to profane, desecrate, defile." In the Nifal, it means "to be profaned, to be defiled."
  • Sh'mi: "My name." In the Bible, God's "name" represents His character, His revealed nature, His reputation, authority, and entire being. Profaning His name implies bringing it into disrepute or contempt, diminishing His glory in the eyes of others.
  • Significance: God is asserting that it is utterly inconceivable that His name, which embodies His holiness and unique identity, should be diminished. This underscores His jealousy for His character and His refusal to let it be trivialized or scoffed at by nations or false gods. It implies that not acting to save Israel would, paradoxically, lead to the profanation of His name, as it might appear He was unable or unwilling to save His chosen people.

• My glory I will not give to another. (וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן - u'khevodi l'acher lo 'etten)

  • U'khevodi: "And My glory." Kavod refers to God's inherent weight, majesty, honor, visible splendor, and awesome presence. It is the manifestation of His inherent greatness.
  • L'acher: "To another," meaning anyone or anything other than Himself, primarily referring to idols or false gods.
  • Lo 'etten: "I will not give." Natan means "to give, to place, to permit." The strong negation (lo) emphasizes God's resolute refusal.
  • Significance: This is a direct declaration of God's absolute uniqueness and His exclusive right to receive all worship and adoration. It directly opposes idolatry and polytheism prevalent in Babylon. It signifies that He will not permit any other entity—be it a human king, a foreign god, or even the chosen people themselves—to usurp or share the praise and honor that belong only to Him. His actions in redemption will distinctly point to Him alone as the source of salvation and power.

Isaiah 48 11 Bonus section

This verse offers a profound theological insight into God's primary motivation for all His actions, whether in judgment or salvation. It's often debated whether God's actions are for our good or for His own good (glory). This verse makes it clear that ultimately, God acts for His own glory, and precisely because He is glorified in doing so, His children also receive ultimate good. His holiness demands that He cannot share His unique identity and majesty. In the ancient world, a god's reputation was tied to the fate of its people; if Israel, the people of Yahweh, remained captive, it would suggest Yahweh was weak. God's act of redemption for His undeserving people thus powerfully showcases His strength and fidelity, affirming His transcendent nature. This concept sets the stage for understanding salvation not as something humanity earns, but as a grace-filled act initiated and accomplished by God solely to manifest His character to all creation.

Isaiah 48 11 Commentary

Isaiah 48:11 powerfully articulates the bedrock of God's redemptive activity: His uncompromised commitment to His own name and glory. Faced with a rebellious Israel, held captive and seemingly abandoned, God emphatically declares that His forthcoming acts of salvation are not a reward for their righteousness but a necessity for the integrity of His divine character. To allow His chosen people to remain in exile, under the sway of pagan powers, would risk His holy name being mocked and His unique glory attributed to the false gods of Babylon. Therefore, for His own sake alone, to vindicate His reputation among the nations and demonstrate His unparalleled power, He resolves to act. This verse serves as a crucial theological statement, emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty and underscoring that His covenant loyalty and saving grace are not conditional on human merit but are expressions of His own unchanging nature and purpose, setting Him apart as the one, incomparable God.