Isaiah 48:4-5
Isaiah 48:1-11 The Message (MSG)
“And now listen to this, family of Jacob, you who are called by the name Israel: Who got you started in the loins of Judah, you who use GOD’s name to back up your promises and pray to the God of Israel? But do you mean it? Do you live like it? You claim to be citizens of the Holy City; you act as though you lean on the God of Israel, named GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. For a long time now, I’ve let you in on the way I work: I told you what I was going to do beforehand, then I did it and it was done, and that’s that. I know you’re a bunch of hardheads, obstinate and flint-faced, So I got a running start and began telling you what was going on before it even happened. That is why you can’t say, ‘My god-idol did this.’ ‘My favorite god-carving commanded this.’ You have all this evidence confirmed by your own eyes and ears. Shouldn’t you be talking about it? And that was just the beginning. I have a lot more to tell you, things you never knew existed. This isn’t a variation on the same old thing. This is new, brand-new, something you’d never guess or dream up. When you hear this you won’t be able to say, ‘I knew that all along.’ You’ve never been good listeners to me. You have a history of ignoring me, A sorry track record of fickle attachments— rebels from the womb. But out of the sheer goodness of my heart, because of who I am, I keep a tight rein on my anger and hold my temper. I don’t wash my hands of you. Do you see what I’ve done? I’ve refined you, but not without fire. I’ve tested you like silver in the furnace of affliction. Out of myself, simply because of who I am, I do what I do. I have my reputation to keep up. I’m not playing second fiddle to either gods or people.
Isaiah 48:4-5 King James Version (KJV)
Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
Isaiah 48:4-5 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron sinew And your forehead bronze, Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them, And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’
Isaiah 48:4-5 New Century Version (NCV)
I knew you were stubborn; your neck was like an iron muscle, and your head was like bronze. So a long time ago I told you about these things; I told you about them before they happened so you couldn’t say, ‘My idols did this, and my wooden and metal statues made these things happen.’
Isaiah 48:4-5 American Standard Version (ASV)
Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; therefore I have declared it to thee from of old; before it came to pass I showed it thee; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
Isaiah 48:4-5 New International Version (NIV)
For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, ‘My images brought them about; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
Isaiah 48:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’
Isaiah 48:4-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron tendon And your brow is bronze [both unyielding], I have declared them to you long ago; Before they came to pass I announced them to you, So that you could not say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my cast image have commanded them.’
Isaiah 48:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’
Isaiah 48:4-5 The Passion Translation (TPT)
I knew you were stubborn. Your neck is like a rod of iron, and you’re as hard-hearted as brass! Long ago I told you these things. Long before they happened I proclaimed them so you would never be able to say, ‘My idols did this; my wood and metal idols decreed it!’
Isaiah 48:4-5 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass, I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’