Isaiah 48 9

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 verses

Isaiah 48 9 meaning

God, in His boundless sovereignty and for the glory of His own holy name, deliberately restrains His righteous anger against the disobedient nation of Israel. His ultimate purpose in deferring their deserved judgment is to prevent their complete annihilation, thereby safeguarding His own praise and ensuring the fulfillment of His divine covenant and character, irrespective of their unfaithfulness.

Isaiah 48 9 Context

Isaiah chapter 48 forms a pivotal part of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-55), where God addresses the Israelite exiles in Babylon. In the preceding verses (48:1-8), God sharply confronts Israel, particularly the house of Jacob/Judah, for their deep-seated obstinacy, idolatry, and unfaithfulness. He explicitly calls them "stubborn," with an "iron sinew" neck and a "bronze forehead," indicating their spiritual hardness and refusal to heed Him. They are accused of proclaiming themselves as a holy people yet continually invoking the God of Israel falsely, relying on their rituals rather than a genuine relationship. God has, in earlier parts of the chapter, recounted past prophecies (such as the fall of Babylon and rise of Cyrus) to prove His unique power to declare "new things" before they happen, differentiating Him from false gods. Verse 9 then acts as a profound counterpoint: despite Israel's utter unworthiness and stiff-necked rebellion, God will not utterly destroy them. This restraint is not due to any merit found in Israel but is solely for God's own majestic name and glory, preserving the line through whom His ultimate redemptive plan, culminating in the Messiah, will be realized. The historical backdrop is the Babylonian Captivity, a period of severe chastening for Israel, yet marked by God's promise of future restoration, fundamentally driven by His own unwavering character and covenant faithfulness, not the behavior of His people. It is a powerful polemic against the arbitrary or self-serving actions of pagan deities; Yahweh’s actions are consistently rooted in His holy, unchanging nature and the commitments of His covenant.

Isaiah 48 9 Word analysis

• For My name's sake (לְמַעַן שְׁמִי, lema'an sh'mi): The Hebrew "shem" (שֵׁם) means "name" but encapsulates far more than just a title; it refers to God's entire being, character, reputation, authority, and revealed nature. God's actions here are fundamentally motivated by maintaining the integrity of who He is and what He has promised. His self-consistency and glory are at stake. It means God acts not based on human merit, but on His divine attributes and covenant loyalty.
• I defer (אַאֲרִיךְ, a'arikh): From the verb "arakh" (אָרַךְ), meaning "to make long," "prolong," or "extend." In this context, it signifies a deliberate, prolonged patience and delay of deserved punishment. It implies God's capacity for endurance and forbearance, holding back the immediate consequence of their sin. This is an active choice, not an oversight.
• My anger (אַפִּי, api): "Af" (אַף) literally means "nose" or "nostril," and colloquially, a "flaring of the nostrils" signifies intense anger. This refers to God's righteous wrath and indignation against sin, which is perfectly just and deserved given Israel's rebellion. It represents the full measure of His displeasure.
• for My praise (וְלִתְהִלָּתִי, v'lithilati): "Tehillah" (תְּהִלָּה) means "praise," "glory," "renown," or "acclaim." This phrase reiterates the core motivation: God's action ensures that He will be acknowledged and celebrated for His attributes, such as faithfulness, power, and mercy, rather than His character being brought into disrepute or His covenant perceived as broken due to Israel's destruction. It ties directly to His honor and reputation among the nations.
• I restrain it (אֶחֱטָם־לָךְ, echĕṭam-lakh): From the verb "chatam" (חָטַם), meaning "to muzzle," "to bridle," or "to stop." It is an active and decisive act of holding back, specifically applied to His anger. The suffix "לָךְ" (lakh - "for you") indicates that Israel is the beneficiary of this restraint, though not the cause. It signifies God's direct intervention to limit the destructive force of His own wrath.
• so that I do not cut you off (לְבִלְתִּי הַכְרִיתֶךָ, l'vilti hachritēka): "Karath" (כָּרַת) means "to cut off," "destroy," or "annihilate." This phrase specifies the crucial outcome and divine purpose: Israel's complete cessation or destruction is prevented. It secures their continued existence as a distinct people and confirms the enduring nature of God’s covenant with them, enabling the ultimate unfolding of His redemptive plan through them.

Isaiah 48 9 Words-group by words-group analysis

• For My name's sake I defer My anger; for My praise I restrain it: This segment powerfully communicates God's self-originating motivation. It's an internal, inherent drive stemming from His divine essence rather than an external trigger from humanity. God is the ultimate standard for His own actions. He delays judgment, not because of Israel's deservingness, but because of His own unwavering character, honor, and consistency with His declared covenant promises. This is a profound statement of divine self-sufficiency and holy intentionality in salvation.
• for you, so that I do not cut you off: This second segment reveals the tangible effect and protective outcome for Israel. While they are the beneficiaries of this divine restraint, they are not the basis for it. God preserves their physical and national existence, ensuring that despite their persistent rebellion and deservingness of complete judgment, they will not be entirely annihilated. This guarantees the lineage, the people, and the historical context necessary for the eventual arrival of the Messiah and the full establishment of God's kingdom. It signifies the ongoing grace and covenant keeping of God.

Isaiah 48 9 Bonus section

This verse establishes a crucial paradigm: divine action is often, and most profoundly, God-centered. It counters any anthropocentric view that posits human goodness or actions as the primary catalyst for God’s saving grace. The restraint of God's anger is an active, not passive, attribute. It demonstrates His omnipotence, as He actively governs even His own emotional responses in accordance with His holy will. The continued existence of Israel throughout history, despite facing numerous existential threats, serves as a testament to the fulfillment of this very promise, showing God’s unwavering commitment to His people and, by extension, to His word. The verse also implicitly points towards the cross, where God's wrath was ultimately poured out on Christ, thus restraining it from those who believe, securing both His name's sake (justice and love fully met) and His praise (the greatest act of redemption).

Isaiah 48 9 Commentary

Isaiah 48:9 encapsulates a fundamental theological truth: God’s salvation and preservation of His people are rooted in His own perfect character and purpose, not in human merit or performance. Addressed to an obstinate Israel, facing the consequences of exile, the verse is a divine assertion that their continued existence is an act of sovereign grace. God could justly annihilate them given their sin, yet He actively chooses to "defer" and "restrain" His rightful anger. This forbearance is a profound display of His patient and long-suffering nature. The dual phrases "for My name's sake" and "for My praise" powerfully affirm that God’s primary motivation is to uphold His own reputation, glory, and integrity as the covenant-keeping God. To destroy Israel completely would, from a human perspective, question His faithfulness and the efficacy of His promises. Therefore, to ensure His renown among the nations and demonstrate His unwavering commitment, He sustains them. This ultimately secures the continuation of His redemptive plan through history, laying the groundwork for the coming Messiah and the fulfillment of all His promises. It serves as a reminder that grace is unilaterally bestowed, emphasizing God’s divine prerogative and power over human failing.

• Example 1: A sculptor meticulously finishes a work despite flawed materials, not because the material is worthy, but because his own reputation for craftsmanship demands perfection.
• Example 2: A benevolent king commutes a deserved death sentence for a rebellious subject, not because the subject is innocent, but to showcase the king's magnanimity and uphold the stable order of his realm.