Isaiah 48 16

Isaiah 48:16 kjv

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.

Isaiah 48:16 nkjv

"Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me."

Isaiah 48:16 niv

"Come near me and listen to this: "From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there." And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.

Isaiah 48:16 esv

Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there." And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.

Isaiah 48:16 nlt

Come closer, and listen to this.
From the beginning I have told you plainly what would happen."
And now the Sovereign LORD and his Spirit
have sent me with this message.

Isaiah 48 verses

Isaiah 48 16 meaning

Isaiah 48:16 presents a divine address, beginning with an invitation to hear a clear and ancient truth: the speaker has not revealed his plans in secret but has been present and active from the very beginning of all things. The verse culminates in a complex declaration where "the Lord GOD, and his Spirit" are stated to have sent "me," prompting theological discussion on the identity of this 'sent one' and its implications for God's nature and methods of revelation. It underscores God's sovereignty, transparency in prophecy, and foreknowledge, pointing to a divinely commissioned agent.

Isaiah 48 16 Context

Isaiah 48 concludes the section known as the "Book of Consolidation" (Isaiah 40-48), where Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty and foreknowledge are emphasized to a disheartened exilic Israel. Throughout these chapters, God contrasts His unique ability to predict and accomplish future events—especially the rise of Cyrus and the return from Babylon—with the impotence of idols and the blindness of pagan deities. He repeatedly challenges Israel to recall these "former things" as proof of His exclusive Godhead. This verse acts as a profound personal declaration by God, confirming His continuous presence from the outset of history and then, surprisingly, shifts to introduce a divinely sent messenger. It re-establishes God's reliable and transparent revelation in contrast to the opaque pronouncements of false gods and encourages the exiles to trust in His upcoming deliverance.

Isaiah 48 16 Word analysis

• "Come ye near unto me" (קִרְב֤וּ אֵלַי֙ - qirbu elay), "hear ye this" (שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֔את - shim'u-zot): An imperative call to draw close and pay attention, underscoring the urgency and significance of the ensuing message. The speaker demands a direct and personal audience, inviting both understanding and assent. This reflects the prophetic convention of summoning hearers to receive a crucial message from God.
• "I have not spoken in secret" (לֹ֤א מֵרֹאשׁ֙ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֔רְתִּי - lo mero'sh basseter dibbarti): Declares Yahweh's open and transparent mode of revelation. "In secret" (baseter) denotes hiddenness or ambiguity, directly countering pagan divination or oracles which were often veiled. This is a polemic affirming God's clear communication, distinguishing His prophetic word from cryptic idol messages.
• "from the beginning" (מֵרֹאשׁ֙ - mero'sh): This term, echoing Gen 1:1, points to the primal time, the commencement of creation and history. It highlights God's eternal perspective and plans unfolding through time.
• "from the time that it was, there am I" (מֵעֵ֣ת הֱיוֹתָ֔הּ שָׁ֖ם אָ֑נִי - me'et heyotah sham ani): Emphasizes the speaker's omnipresence and eternal involvement in all events from their inception. This assertion of continuous presence and intimate knowledge of history belongs distinctly to Yahweh alone (cf. Isa 40:21). The 'it' refers to the foundational events or God's purposes that existed from the beginning.
• "and now" (וְעַתָּ֞ה - v'attah): Marks a shift, bringing the divine timeless statement into the current, pressing reality of Israel's situation. It signifies a fresh, immediate application or revelation based on the prior foundational truths.
• "the Lord GOD" (אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה - Adonai Yahweh): This composite name for God highlights His dual authority as sovereign Lord (Adonai) and the covenant-keeping, eternal God (Yahweh). These are the ones who commission the sent person.
• "and his Spirit" (וְרוּח֔וֹ - v'rucho): The Spirit of Yahweh, indicating divine empowering, inspiration, and active presence alongside Adonai Yahweh in the sending. This establishes the divine authority and enabling of the mission.
• "hath sent me" (שְׁלָחַ֙נִי֙ - shlachani): The verb shalach means "to send" or "to commission." The 'me' is the crux of the verse. Based on the earlier divine pronouncements by "I" ("I have not spoken in secret...there am I"), many scholars argue this "me" is not merely the prophet Isaiah. The "I" speaking claims eternal, divine characteristics, making it highly probable that the "me" being sent by the "Lord GOD and his Spirit" is also a divine figure, the pre-incarnate Messiah, the Servant of Yahweh who shares divine attributes, foreshadowing Christ being sent by the Father and the Spirit. Other interpretations suggest it is Isaiah speaking as God's mouth-piece, with a unique and profound commissioning, or the Servant in the context of his broader prophetic commission. The stronger connection to the divine claims in the preceding half of the verse pushes for a pre-existent divine speaker as the 'sent one'.

Isaiah 48 16 Bonus section

The remarkable shift in voice within Isa 48:16—from the divine "I" who was present from creation to the "me" who is sent by "the Lord GOD, and his Spirit"—is often referred to as the "Johannine Shift" by scholars because it closely parallels the way Jesus speaks of Himself in John's Gospel (e.g., existing before the world, then being sent by the Father and the Spirit). This highlights a fluidity in divine address and revelation not commonly found elsewhere in the Old Testament, suggesting an inter-personal dynamic within the Godhead. This verse represents one of the strongest Old Testament texts that hint at a plurality of persons within the divine being actively engaged in salvation, providing significant foundation for later Trinitarian theology. It showcases God's grand strategy: from eternal counsel, through open proclamation, to the actual sending of His appointed one.

Isaiah 48 16 Commentary

Isaiah 48:16 stands as a monumental statement concerning the nature and activity of God, particularly as viewed through a Christological lens. The verse starts with Yahweh, the speaker from the preceding context, reaffirming His clear, eternal presence and foreknowledge. He has consistently revealed His plans, distinguishing Himself from the cryptic and impotent deities of Babylon. The declaration "from the time that it was, there am I" asserts a claim of pre-existence and constant involvement in all of history from its inception, an attribute exclusive to the God of Israel.

The theological climax arrives with "and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me." The identity of "me" is intensely debated but carries profound implications. Given the preceding "I" claiming divine, eternal presence, many biblical scholars interpret this "me" as a distinct divine Person, specifically the pre-incarnate Christ or the Messiah, the ultimate Servant of Yahweh, commissioned jointly by God the Father (Lord GOD) and the Holy Spirit. This verse, therefore, offers a potent, albeit early, Old Testament foreshadowing of the Trinitarian nature of God: one divine "I" speaking eternal truths, who is then also the "me" sent by the Father and the Spirit. It emphasizes the divine counsel behind salvation and the collaborative work of the Godhead in sending the Redeemer. This underscores that salvation is a fully divine initiative, rooted in God's eternal counsel, and revealed openly and progressively through His chosen, Spirit-anointed messenger.