Isaiah 48:9 kjv
For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
Isaiah 48:9 nkjv
"For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off.
Isaiah 48:9 niv
For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.
Isaiah 48:9 esv
"For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.
Isaiah 48:9 nlt
Yet for my own sake and for the honor of my name,
I will hold back my anger and not wipe you out.
Isaiah 48 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 48:9 | For my name’s sake will I defer my anger, and for my praise will I restrain it from thee, lest I cut thee off. | Explains divine patience for God's glory |
| Exodus 34:6-7 | The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness... | Describes God's character of forbearance |
| Numbers 14:18 | “The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will not… | Echoes God's merciful nature and restrained anger |
| Psalm 78:38-39 | But he, being merciful, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he often withheld his anger... | Highlights God's mercy despite Israel's rebellions |
| Psalm 103:8 | The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. | Reiterates God's characteristic of being slow to anger |
| Psalm 145:8 | The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. | Further affirmation of God's merciful character |
| Proverbs 14:29 | Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts his folly. | Contrasts human hasty temper with divine forbearance |
| Proverbs 15:18 | A hot-tempered person stirs up strife, but the one who is slow to anger quiets contention. | Emphasizes the peacemaking quality of forbearance |
| Proverbs 19:11 | Good sense makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. | Connects forbearance with wisdom and honor |
| Jeremiah 15:6 | “You say, ‘I have forsaken the LORD’; you persist in backsliding; therefore she will be silenced with the tongue… | Shows consequences when God ceases to defer anger |
| Jeremiah 17:13 | O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn aside from you will be writ… | Reinforces that forsaking God leads to destruction |
| Lamentations 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases! His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; gr… | Underscores the continuous nature of God's mercy |
| Daniel 9:9 | To the LORD our God belong mercy and forgiveness. We have rebelled against him. | Acknowledges God's mercy and humanity's rebellion |
| Joel 2:13 | Rend your hearts and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow… | Calls for repentance based on God's merciful nature |
| Jonah 4:2 | And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this exactly what I said when I was still in my country? Th… | Jonas' frustration with God's mercy on Nineveh |
| Micah 7:18 | Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression? He does not retain his anger forever… | Praises God's unique forgiving nature |
| Romans 2:4-5 | Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness… | Connects God's kindness and patience to repentance |
| Romans 3:23-25 | for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the r… | Links salvation to God's grace and Jesus' sacrifice |
| Romans 9:22-23 | What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of… | Discusses God's sovereignty in showing wrath and mercy |
| Ephesians 4:32 | Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. | Urges believers to mirror God's forgiveness |
| Colossians 3:12-13 | Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and… | Encourages emulation of God's attributes like patience |
| 1 Peter 3:20 | when the patience of God once waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that i… | Illustrates God's long-suffering before judgment |
| 2 Peter 3:9 | The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that a… | Highlights God's patience in fulfilling His promises |
| 1 John 4:9-10 | By this the love of God was made manifest in us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live… | Connects God's love to His sent Son and forgiveness |
| Revelation 14:6-7 | Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on… | Proclaims the eternal gospel, emphasizing God's judgment |
| Revelation 15:4 | Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are God. All nations will come and worship before… | Declares God's ultimate glory and worship |
| Deuteronomy 4:31 | (For the LORD your God is a merciful God), he will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with… | Emphasizes God's covenant faithfulness and mercy |
| 2 Chronicles 36:15 | The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on… | Shows God's repeated attempts to turn His people back |
Isaiah 48 verses
Isaiah 48 9 Meaning
The Lord, out of His own good pleasure and for His name's sake, shows patience and refrains from completely destroying His people, even though their actions merit judgment. This divine forbearance preserves them, not because of their inherent worthiness, but for His glory and the honor of His covenant.
Isaiah 48 9 Context
This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 48, a section where the prophet addresses the people of Israel, particularly those in exile. The immediate context is God revealing His identity as the unique and sovereign Lord, who foretells future events to demonstrate His divine power. God rebukes Israel for their stubbornness, idolatry, and failure to uphold His covenant. Despite their persistent disobedience, God declares that He will not utterly destroy them. Instead, for the sake of His own name and His glory, He exercises patience and restraint, preserving a remnant. This theme contrasts God's justice and holiness with His mercy and long-suffering love towards His chosen people, even in their unfaithfulness. The prophet is essentially communicating that God’s actions are motivated by His eternal purposes and His immutable character, rather than solely by the merits or demerits of His people.
Isaiah 48 9 Word analysis
- For (כִּי - ki): Means "because," "for the sake of," or introduces a reason. It signals the explanation for God's actions.
- my name’s (לְמַעַן שְׁמִי - ləma‘an śəmî): "for the sake of My name."
- name (שֵׁם - śēm): Refers to God’s reputation, character, honor, and glory. His name encompasses all that He is.
- for the sake of (לְמַעַן - ləma‘an): Indicates purpose or reason.
- will I defer (אַאֲרִיךְ - ’a’ărîḵ): From the root אָרַךְ (’āraḵ), meaning "to be long," "to delay," or "to be slow." Here it signifies God delaying His wrath.
- my anger (אַפִּי - ’appî): "My anger" or "my fury." It signifies the divine judgment and displeasure against sin.
- and (וְ - wə): A conjunction connecting the preceding clause with the following one.
- for (וּלְתְהִלָּתִי - ûləṯəhilâṯî): "and for My praise."
- praise (תְהִלָּה - ṯəhilâ): Means "praise," "glory," or "celebration." God acts so that His praiseworthiness will be manifest.
- will I restrain (וָאֶחֱטָם - wā’eḥĕṭām): "and I will restrain" or "I will seal." This implies God holding back His judgment, preventing it from being fully expressed.
- restrain (חָתַם - ḥāṯam): Can mean to seal, shut up, or muzzle. Here, it metaphorically means to suppress or hold back.
- from thee (מִמְּךָ - mimməḵā): "from you" (masculine singular). Refers to Israel.
- lest (מַעַן — see לְמַעַן - ma‘an): Here functioning as a conjunction indicating purpose, often translated as "so that not" or "lest." It shows the consequence if God did not restrain His anger.
- I cut thee off (וַאֲמִיתֶךָ - wā’əmîṯəḵā): "and I put you to death" or "I cause you to die."
- cut off / put to death (מוּת - mûṯ): Indicates complete destruction, eradication, or destruction of existence.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For my name’s sake... for my praise": This pairing emphasizes that God's ultimate motivation is His own intrinsic glory and the testimony of His character. His redemptive and patient actions magnify His attributes.
- "will I defer my anger, and... will I restrain it": The repetition highlights the active, conscious decision of God to hold back judgment. It’s not an absence of emotion, but a controlled withholding of righteous wrath.
- "lest I cut thee off": This phrase starkly outlines the potential consequence of God’s anger unleashed. The alternative to His forbearance is complete annihilation.
Isaiah 48 9 Bonus section
The concept of God acting "for His name's sake" is recurrent in Scripture. It signifies that God is bound by His own covenant promises and character. His faithfulness is not dependent on man's faithfulness but on His own unchanging nature. The prophet’s message underscores that God's dealings with Israel, even in discipline, are always aimed at their ultimate restoration and His own eternal glory. This includes the eventual coming of the Messiah, whose work would perfectly satisfy God's justice and magnify His mercy, thereby vindicating His name in the highest possible way.
Isaiah 48 9 Commentary
Isaiah 48:9 reveals a core theological truth: God's mercy and long-suffering are deeply rooted in His own nature and glory, not in human merit. The people of Israel had repeatedly proven themselves unworthy of God’s continued favor. They were prone to idolatry, disobedience, and rebellion. Yet, God declared that He would hold back His full anger and prevent their utter destruction. Why? Not because they earned it, but for "my name’s sake" and "for my praise." God's reputation, His honor, and the integrity of His covenant commitments were the driving force behind His patience. To utterly destroy His people would have, in a sense, misrepresented His true character of love, mercy, and faithfulness to the nations. This verse is a profound reminder that God’s forbearance is a testament to His enduring grace and His ultimate purpose to glorify Himself through His redemptive plan, which involves preserving a people for Himself. The withholding of His anger prevents final judgment, allowing for repentance and the eventual fulfillment of His promises. This restraint is not unlimited, however, as repeated rebellion can eventually exhaust divine patience.