Isaiah 48

1Hear this, house of Jacob, those called by Israel's name who came forth from Judah's waters, who swear by Yahweh's name and profess the God of Israel, yet not in truth nor in righteousness.

2For they are called from the holy city and rely on the God of Israel; Yahweh of hosts is his name.

3I proclaimed the former things from the beginning; they came from my mouth, and I made them hear—suddenly I acted, and they came about.

4Because I knew that you are stubborn, your neck an iron sinew, and your forehead bronze.

5I announced it to you from the start; before it arrived I made you hear of it, lest you say, "My idol has done them, my carved image and my molten image have commanded them."

6You have heard; behold all this—and will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from now, even hidden ones, which you did not know.

7Now they are created, not from of old; before today you had not heard them, lest you say, "Behold, I knew them."

8Indeed, you did not hear; indeed, you did not know; indeed, from then your ear was not opened, for I knew that you would deal very treacherously and were called a transgressor from the womb.

9For my name's sake I will delay my anger, and for my praise I will hold back for your sake, lest I cut you off.

10See, I refined you but not with silver; I chose you in the furnace of affliction.

11For my sake, for my sake, I will act, for how could my glory be profaned? I will not give my glory to another.

12Listen to me, Jacob and Israel, whom I call: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

13Indeed, my hand founded the earth, and my right hand spanned the heavens; when I call to them, they stand together.

14Gather together, all of you, and listen: who among them has declared these things? He whom Yahweh loves will perform his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

15I myself have spoken; I have also called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.

16Come near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it was, there I am. Now the Lord Yahweh has sent me, and his Spirit.

17Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who guides you in the way you should go.

18If only you had heeded my commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

19Your seed would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your body like its gravel; his name would not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

20Go out from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans; with a voice of joy declare this, proclaim it to the ends of the earth; say, Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob.

21They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made waters flow from the rock for them; he split the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

22There is no peace, says Yahweh, for the wicked.