Isaiah 48:8 kjv
Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
Isaiah 48:8 nkjv
Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb.
Isaiah 48:8 niv
You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.
Isaiah 48:8 esv
You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel.
Isaiah 48:8 nlt
"Yes, I will tell you of things that are entirely new,
things you never heard of before.
For I know so well what traitors you are.
You have been rebels from birth.
Isaiah 48 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 48:8 | "You have not heard or known, nor from ancient times | "From before the times you speak, He exists. |
| your ear was not opened. I knew that you would surely deal | Your rebellion against God is long-standing. | |
| treacherously, and were a rebel from the womb." | ||
| Jeremiah 2:2 | "Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, | Reminds Israel of God's intimate knowledge of their |
| ‘Thus says the Lord: “I remember the faithfulness of your | loyalty from their early history as a nation. | |
| youth, The love of your nuptials, Your following Me in | ||
| the wilderness..." | ||
| Jeremiah 5:11 | "For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt | Details their persistent treachery and rebellion. |
| very treacherously with Me," says the Lord." | ||
| Ezekiel 20:5-7 | "Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day I chose | God’s choice and their immediate turning to idols. |
| Israel, I raised My hand to the descendants of the house | ||
| of Jacob. I made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt... | ||
| Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the | ||
| abominations before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves | ||
| with the idols of Egypt. But they rebelled against Me and | ||
| were not willing to listen to Me..." | ||
| John 6:64 | "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus | Jesus’ awareness of unbelief within His own group. |
| knew from the beginning who those were who did not | ||
| believe, and who would betray Him." | ||
| Acts 1:25 | "...to take the place in this ministry and apostleship | The selection of Judas, who had an early failure. |
| from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to | ||
| his own place.”" | ||
| Romans 3:23 | "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," | Universal sinfulness acknowledged by God. |
| Romans 9:11 | "...though they were not yet born and had done nothing | God's foreknowledge and sovereign election. |
| either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of | ||
| election might continue, not because of works but | ||
| because of His call—" | ||
| Psalm 139:4 | "Before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know | God’s comprehensive knowledge of individuals. |
| it altogether." | ||
| Psalm 51:5 | "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did | Acknowledgment of inherited sinfulness. |
| my mother conceive me." | ||
| 1 Peter 1:20 | "He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but | Christ's foreknowledge and role in God’s plan. |
| was made manifest in these last times for the sake of you | ||
| 3" | ||
| Hebrews 4:13 | "No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked | God's absolute omniscience and awareness of all |
| and exposed before the eyes of him to whom we must give | things, including human intentions. | |
| account." | ||
| Ephesians 1:4 | "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the | God's predestined choice in Christ. |
| world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." | ||
| Genesis 17:7 | "I will establish my covenant between me and you and | God's covenantal relationship established early. |
| your offspring after you throughout their generations, | ||
| to be a God to you and to your offspring after you." | ||
| Deuteronomy 31:27 | "For I know your rebellion and your stubborn neck. | Moses’ understanding of Israel’s persistent sin. |
| Behold, even when I am alive with you today, you have been | ||
| rebellious against the Lord..." | ||
| Isaiah 1:4 | "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, | Depicts Israel as a nation deeply marked by sin. |
| offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They | ||
| have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One | ||
| of Israel, they are utterly estranged." | ||
| Jeremiah 11:18 | "The LORD has shown me and I perceived it; then you made | Jeremiah's discernment of the people’s plots. |
| known their deeds to me." | ||
| Proverbs 6:32 | "He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it | Adultery is linked to a lack of wisdom/understanding. |
| destroys himself is doing that." | ||
| Isaiah 42:18 | "Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see." | God’s call for sensory awareness and perception. |
| Isaiah 46:9-10 | "remember the former things of old; for I am God, and | God’s declaration of His unchanging plan from old. |
| there is no other God; there is no one like me, | ||
| declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient | ||
| times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall | ||
| stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’" | ||
| Romans 8:29 | "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be | God's foreknowledge leading to predestination. |
| conformed to the image of his Son..." |
Isaiah 48 verses
Isaiah 48 8 Meaning
This verse emphasizes God's sovereignty and His understanding of Israel's history from its very beginning. It highlights that His actions are not reactive but informed by a deep knowledge of their transgressions, from past rebellion to their current state, implying that their sinfulness is not a surprise to Him. Therefore, God’s present actions are not a result of His being deceived but a planned consequence for their repeated disobedience.
Isaiah 48 8 Context
This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 48, which is a significant part of the "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-66). This section often addresses the people of Israel, who are in exile in Babylon. God is speaking directly to Israel, rebuking them for their persistent sinfulness and lack of faith, even in the face of His powerful declarations about Himself as the one true God who foreknows all things. The broader context of chapter 48 involves God contrasting Himself with the idols of Babylon, highlighting His unique ability to predict future events and calling Israel to repent and come out of their sin. This verse serves as a foundation for God's further arguments in the chapter, emphasizing that their unfaithfulness has always been known to Him, not as a cause for surprise, but as part of His ultimate plan to bring glory to His name through judgment and eventual restoration.
Isaiah 48 8 Word Analysis
I (אָנֹכִי - anokhi): The first-person singular pronoun, emphatic. Directly asserts God’s identity and personal involvement.
heard (שָׁמַעְתָּ - shamáʿta): Second person masculine singular perfect tense of שָׁמַע (shama). Means to hear, listen, obey. Here, it implies not just auditory reception but understanding and obedience.
nor (גַּם־לֹא - gam-lō): A double negative, strengthening the denial of hearing or knowing. Emphasizes Israel’s profound spiritual deafness.
knew (יָדַעְתָּ - yādaʿta): Second person masculine singular perfect tense of יָדַע (yadaʿ). Means to know, understand, be acquainted with. Refers to intimate, experiential knowledge, which Israel failed to apply.
neither (גַּם־לֹא - gam-lō): Again, a reinforcing negative.
from ancient times (מִקֶּדֶם - miqqédem): Literally "from the front" or "from the east," extended to mean from a very remote past, from the beginning. It signifies that Israel’s history, including its flaws, is deeply rooted in time.
your ear (אָזְנֶךָ - 'óznéḵā): Second person masculine singular with a suffixed preposition (בֶּ֫רֶךְ - ázen, 'ear'). The "ear" symbolizes receptivity, willingness to learn, and obedience.
was not opened (לֹא־פֻתְּחָה - lō-puttaḥâ): Passive Niphal participle of פָּתַח (patach), "to open." It means it was not opened; implies a state of closed-off receptivity.
I knew (יָדַעְתִּי - yādaʿtî): First person singular perfect tense of יָדַע (yadaʿ). God’s perfect, foreknowing knowledge.
you would surely deal treacherously (כִּי־יָדַעְתִּי כִּ֥י בּוֹגֵ֥ד תִּבְגּ֑וֹד - kî yādaʿtî kî bogēd tivgōd): Lit. "for I knew that betrayer you will betray." The repetition of the root "to betray" (בגד - bāgad) intensifies the certainty and nature of their sin – betrayal.
and were (וְאַתָּ֣ה - wə'attâ): "And you." Introduces the second clause, pointing to Israel as the subject.
a rebel (אַשְׁמָה - 'ashmâ): Means guilt, iniquity, fault. It's personified here as being defined by guilt or sinfulness.
from the womb (מֵרָחֶם - merāḥem): Literally "from the womb." It signifies that their rebellious nature was present from the earliest point of their existence as a nation or individuals, suggesting inherent corruption or inherited sin.
Words-group analysis:
- "You have not heard or known, nor from ancient times your ear was not opened": This collective phrase emphasizes a historical pattern of spiritual blindness and deafness in Israel, suggesting that their present state of disbelief is not an anomaly but a consistent characteristic from their very beginnings.
- "I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and were a rebel from the womb": This powerful combination highlights God's perfect foreknowledge of Israel’s ingrained, persistent propensity to betray and rebel. It positions their sin not as accidental or recent, but as an intrinsic and long-standing trait, known by God from their genesis.
Isaiah 48 8 Bonus Section
The concept of being "rebel from the womb" resonates with the theological understanding of original sin or inherited sinfulness found elsewhere in Scripture, notably in Psalm 51:5 ("Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"). This does not imply a deterministic view where individuals are doomed without recourse, but rather that humanity, including Israel, has a fallen nature from its origins that is predisposed to sin. God's foreknowledge here serves as a basis for His prophetic word, illustrating His capacity to speak truth about human nature and history, which the people stubbornly refuse to acknowledge or internalize.
Isaiah 48 8 Commentary
God’s statement in Isaiah 48:8 reveals His comprehensive knowledge, not just of future events, but of the inherent character and historical actions of His people, Israel. He preempts any notion that He might be unaware of their transgressions or that their stubborn disobedience could surprise Him. The phrase "rebel from the womb" is particularly striking, indicating a deep-seated tendency towards rebellion present from the nation's inception, a condition that God was fully aware of from the very start of their covenantal relationship. This awareness is not accusatory in a way that would imply God was fooled; rather, it underpins His righteous judgment and His sovereign ability to bring about His purposes despite their ingrained sinfulness. It underscores that His judgment is not a reaction but a consequence foreseen and permitted within His grander redemptive plan. This intimate knowledge of their past and present allows Him to speak with undeniable authority, calling them to recognize Him as the unique, all-knowing God.