Isaiah 48 6

Isaiah 48:6 kjv

Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

Isaiah 48:6 nkjv

"You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them.

Isaiah 48:6 niv

You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? "From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.

Isaiah 48:6 esv

"You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.

Isaiah 48:6 nlt

You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled,
but you refuse to admit it.
Now I will tell you new things,
secrets you have not yet heard.

Isaiah 48 verses

Isaiah 48 6 meaning

Isaiah 48:6 presents God challenging Israel regarding their acknowledgment of His prophetic power, asserting that they have witnessed the fulfillment of past predictions. He then pivots to declare His unique ability to reveal "new things" and "hidden things" – future aspects of His plan that they have not previously known. This serves as both an indictment of their prior skepticism and a powerful testament to His singular sovereignty and absolute foreknowledge, distinguishing Him from all false gods.

Isaiah 48 6 Context

Isaiah 48 stands as a profound declaration of God's unmatched sovereignty and unique foreknowledge, especially contrasted with the impotent claims of the idols worshipped by the exiles in Babylon. Chapters 40-55, often called "Deutero-Isaiah," primarily address the exiled Israelites, offering comfort, hope, and reassurance of their coming redemption through the Persian king Cyrus, a specific prophecy given long before its fulfillment. Verses 1-5 accuse Israel of hearing but not genuinely heeding God's past prophecies and warnings, stubbornly persisting in idolatry and attributing events to idols. God reminds them that He foretold events of the past and delivered them from previous troubles, demonstrating His divine authority and capacity to control history. Verse 6 thus serves as a critical transition point: having proven His faithfulness in fulfilling past predictions, God now confidently declares He will announce "new things," further establishing His sole prerogative as the one true God who declares and brings to pass what was previously hidden. This prepares the audience for the revelations of restoration and a greater salvation yet to come.

Isaiah 48 6 Word analysis

• You have heard (שָׁמַעְתָּ, shamachta): A perfect tense verb, indicating a completed action. Israel has indeed heard God's proclamations through prophets concerning past events and His intentions. This is not a question but a statement of fact, acknowledging their direct exposure to divine revelation.
• see all this (רְאֵה כֻלָּהּ, re'eh kullāh): An imperative verb, a command to actively observe and discern the fulfillment of the prophecies. "All this" refers to the entire panorama of God's past declarations and their manifest outcomes, such as the deliverance from Egypt and Assyria, and soon, from Babylon. It's a call for their intellectual and spiritual acknowledgment.
• and will you not declare it? (וַהֲלוֹא תַּגִּידוּ, va-halō tūggîdû): A rhetorical question implying an expected affirmative answer. God expects them to testify to His faithfulness and power after witnessing His works. It is a direct challenge to their spiritual lethargy and reluctance to acknowledge God openly.
• From this time forward (מֵעַתָּה, mē‘attāh): This phrase signals a pivotal moment, marking a transition from previous revelations concerning the past and immediate future (like the Babylonian exile) to a disclosure of entirely fresh insights. It suggests a progressive unveiling of God's eternal plan.
• I announce to you (הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ, hishma‘tîkā): From the Hiphil stem of shama (to hear), meaning "to cause to hear," or "to proclaim." God Himself is the active revealer. This is a deliberate, personal disclosure from the Sovereign to His people.
• new things (חֲדָשׁוֹת, ḥadáshōth): Not merely renewals or slight variations, but something fundamentally fresh, unprecedented, and distinct from previous acts of salvation or judgment. This term often points toward the New Covenant and Messianic age.
• hidden things (נִצֻּרוֹת, nitstûrōth): A feminine plural participle, meaning "guarded," "kept secret," or "preserved." These are truths that have been concealed from human knowledge and understanding until God chooses the appropriate time for their revelation. They represent aspects of His plan that were not discernable through ordinary means or even prior prophecies.
• that you have not known (וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּם, wĕlō yĕda‘tām): Reinforces the complete novelty of these coming revelations. It emphasizes that this is a unique disclosure, highlighting their prior ignorance and magnifying God’s unique insight and power as the sole possessor of such knowledge.

• "You have heard; see all this; and will you not declare it?": This tripartite statement encapsulates God's past action, His demand for present recognition, and His expectation for future testimony. It serves as an internal divine courtroom, where Israel is both the defendant who heard but failed to properly declare, and the intended witness for God's glory.
• "From this time forward I announce to you new things, hidden things": This clause marks a distinct break from past predictions to a future realm of divine disclosure. The pairing of "new things" and "hidden things" strongly emphasizes the profound nature and the previously unrevealed character of God's impending actions and plans.
• "new things, hidden things that you have not known": This specific combination highlights that the coming revelations are not just novel but have been purposefully kept secret by God until the designated moment of disclosure. It underlines God's omniscient control over the unfolding of His divine narrative, distinguishing Him from any other power or deity.

Isaiah 48 6 Bonus section

This verse functions as a critical moment in the argument presented throughout Isaiah. It underscores the concept of progressive revelation, where God systematically unveils more of His character and redemptive plan over time. The "new things" and "hidden things" do not invalidate prior prophecies but rather build upon and surpass them, culminating in a deeper understanding of His ultimate purpose. This divine pattern is evident throughout Scripture, from the initial promises to Abraham to the fuller covenant given through Moses, then enhanced by prophetic foresight of the Messiah, and finally fully illuminated in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. The contrast with idolatry here is stark: while human-made gods require constant human intervention and provide no genuine foresight, the living God independently declares His plans and brings them to fruition, solidifying His unparalleled position as the author and finisher of history.

Isaiah 48 6 Commentary

Isaiah 48:6 stands as a monumental declaration of God’s absolute sovereignty and exclusive claim to divine foreknowledge, a direct challenge to the idols of Babylon. Having chastised Israel for their hard hearts and failure to properly acknowledge His past prophecies, which were declared and demonstrably fulfilled, God asserts that He is not finished revealing His plan. He now proclaims that "new things" and "hidden things" are about to be unveiled. These are not mere extensions of old revelations but truly unprecedented facets of His redemptive design, previously unknown to humanity. This often points beyond the immediate return from exile to the greater work of the Messiah, His covenant, and the New Creation. This divine foreknowledge distinguishes the LORD as the one true God, unlike any idol whose existence depends on human craft and cannot foretell even trivialities. The verse thus reassures His chosen people of His unwavering presence and progressive unfolding of His salvation, urging them to shift from a focus on the past and their unbelief, to a future grounded in His astonishing revelation. For example, just as Abraham was told of a promised land long before seeing it, and Moses revealed specific laws for a future nation, so God now hints at an even grander, previously unseen fulfillment, epitomized in Christ and His kingdom.