48 Hear
ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and
are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of
the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor
in righteousness. 2 For
they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God
of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name. 3 I
have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth
out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came
to pass. 4 Because
I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy
brow brass; 5 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. 6 Thou
hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee
new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know
them. 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. 8 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. 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. 10 Behold,
I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace
of affliction.
11
For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should
my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel,
my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation
of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto
them, they stand up together. 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear;
which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he
will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have
called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this;
I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was,
there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. 17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit,
which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments!
then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of
the sea: 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand,
and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should
not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. 20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from
the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even
to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 21 And they thirsted not when he led them
through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them:
he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. 22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto
the wicked.