Bible/Isaiah/48

Isaiah 48:8

48:7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
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.

KJV

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Yes, you didn’t hear; yes, you didn’t know; yes, from of old your ear was not opened: for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

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.

Yes, you heard not; yes, you knew not; yes, from that time that your ear was not opened: for I knew that you would deal very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb. ¶

48:9 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.

What does Isaiah 48:8 mean?

Isaiah 48:8 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ), יָדַע (yâdaʻ), אֹזֶן (ʼôzen). It connects to 8 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Yea,
thou
heardestשָׁמַעshâmaʻ/shaw-mah'/H8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
not;
yea,
thou
knewestיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
not;
yea,
from
that
time
that
thine
earאֹזֶןʼôzen/o'-zen/H241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
was
not
opened:פָּתַחpâthach/paw-thakh'/H6605to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve
for
I
knewיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
that
thou
wouldest
deal
veryבָּגַדbâgad/baw-gad'/H898to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage
treacherously,בָּגַדbâgad/baw-gad'/H898to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage
and
wast
calledקָרָאqârâʼ/kaw-raw'/H7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
a
transgressorפָּשַׁעpâshaʻ/paw-shah'/H6586to break away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel
from
the
womb.בֶּטֶןbeṭen/beh'-ten/H990the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything

Commentary on Isaiah 48:8

HENRY_FULL · Isaiah 48:8
ic">wanders out of the way of understanding, and when once he has left that good way he wanders endlessly. The way of religion is the way of understanding; those that are not truly pious are not truly intelligent; those that wander out of this way break the hedge which God has set, and follow the conduct of the world and the flesh; and they go astray like lost sheep. 2. The sinner at his rest, or rather his ruin: He shall remain ( quiescet — he shall rest, but not in pace — in peace ) in the congregation of the giants, the sinners of the old world, that were swept away by the deluge; to that destruction the damnation of sinners is compared, as sometimes to the destruction of Sodom, when they are said to have their portion in fire and brimstone. Or in the congregation of the damned, that are under the power of the second death. There is a vast congregation of damned sinners, bound in bundles for the fire, and in that those shall remain, remain for ever, who are shut out from the congregation of the righteous. He that forsakes the way to heaven, if he return not to it, will certainly sink into the depths of hell. 17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. Here is an argument against a voluptuous luxuri

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Isaiah 11:8

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. cockatrice: or, adders

Isaiah 43:3

For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Isaiah 43:4

Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. life: or, person

Isaiah 53:4

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. wounded: or, tormented stripes: Heb. bruise

Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 48:8.

Genesis 16:11

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. Ishmael: that is, God shall hear

Genesis 19:5

And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Genesis 20:8

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

Genesis 21:12

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 21:17

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Genesis 21:26

And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

Genesis 23:13

And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

Genesis 23:16

And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 48:8 say?

Isaiah 48:8 (King James Version) reads: "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."

Is Isaiah 48:8 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 48:8 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 48:8, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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