Isa. 48 God reproveth their hypocrisy and obstinacy by his prophecies, Isa. 48:1–8. He spareth them for his name’s sake, and that they may learn to know him aright, Isa. 48:9–11. God’s powerful salvation a motive to obedience, Isa. 48:12–15. God lamenteth their backwardness, Isa. 48:16–19.

Hear ye this, what I am now going to say against thee, that thou mayst be assured that that great deliverance which I have determined and declared to give time is not for thy own sake, but for my name’s sake.

For; or, as others render it, and this particle frequently signifies, Though. And so this is added as a great aggravation of their want and neglect of truth and righteousness.

I have declared the former things from the beginning; those things which have formerly come to pass, which I punctually foretold from time to time before they came to pass; whereby I gave you full proof of my Godhead. They came to pass; what my mouth foretold my hand effected.

Because I knew: therefore I gave thee the more and clearer demonstrations of my Divine nature and providence, because I knew thou wast an unbelieving and perverse nation, that would not easily nor willingly be convinced.

I foretold these things, that it might be evident that they were the effects of my counsel, and not of thine idols, as I knew thou wast very inclinable to believe.

Thou hast heard, see all this; as thou hast heard all these things from my mouth, from time to time, so now I advise thee to see, i.e. seriously to consider them, and to lay them to heart.

They are created now, i.e. revealed unto thee by me; brought to light, as things are by creation. Things are frequently said to be made or done in Scripture, when they are declared or manifested. Job 5:3, I cursed, i.e. I pronounced it cursed. Ps. 2:4, That thou mightest be justified, i.e.

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; the same thing is repeated again and again, because this was so illustrious a proof of the infinite power and providence of the God of Israel, and so clear and full a discovery of the vanity of idols.

For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger: and although thou dost justly deserve my hottest anger and most dreadful judgments, which also, if thou repentest not, I will in due time inflict; yet at present I will spare thee, and deliver thee out of captivity, not for thy sake, be it known to thee,…

I have refined thee; or, I will refine thee. Although I will not cut thee off, or utterly destroy thee, as I now said; yet I will put thee into the furnace, not to consume thee, but to purify thee from that dross which cleaveth to thee, and needs such afflictions to purge it away.

Will I do it; this great work of delivering my people out of Babylon. My name is here fitly supplied, both out of Isa. 48:9, where it is expressed, and out of the following clause of this verse, where he saith, my glory, which is equivalent to it.

Israel my called; whom I have called out of the world to be my peculiar people, to serve, and glorify, and enjoy me; and therefore you of all others have least cause to forsake me, or to follow after idols.

Hath spanned; or, doth span, i. e. mete out the heavens with a span, as the phrase is, Isa. 40:12, although that be expressed there in other Hebrew words. Or, hath spread them out with its palm, or like a palm, when the hand is stretched out.

All ye; ye Jews, to whom he addressed his speech, Isa. 48:12, and continueth his speech, Isa. 48:16–17;c. Assemble; I challenge you all to answer what I have said before, and am now going to say again.

I, even I; both the foreknowledge and the execution of this great achievement cannot be ascribed to idols, but to me only. He shall make his way prosperous; God will give him good success in this undertaking. Here is a sudden change of the person from I to he, which is very usual.

Come ye near unto me, that you may the better hear me, as it follows. A speech of God after the manner of men. I have not spoken in secret; I have not smothered the counsel and word of God, but have plainly and publicly declared it. unto you; or, I have openly revealed my mind to you.

Which teacheth thee to profit; which from time to time have made known unto thee, not vain and frivolous things, but all necessary and useful doctrines; which, if believed and observed by thee, would have been infinitely profitable to thee, both for this life and that to come.

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! the failure hath not been on my part, but on thine: I gave thee my counsels and commands, but thou hast neglected and disobeyed them, and that to thy own great disadvantage.

Thy seed also had been as the sand, to wit, for multitude, according to my promise made to Abraham; whereas now I have, for thy sins, made thee to know my breach of promise, as is said. Num. 14:34, and greatly diminished thy numbers.

Go ye forth of Babylon: the imperative is here, as it is very frequently, put for the future, Ye shall go forth, &c. for this is not so much a command as a promise; although this form of speech may be the rather used to intimate that it was their duty to go forth, as well as God’s promise to carry…

This is part of the matter which the Jews are obliged to declare to all people, as they have opportunity, to wit, that God took the same care of them in their return from Babylon to Canaan, which was through many dry and desolate places, as he did in their march from Egypt to Canaan.

God having in the next foregoing verses foretold, that peace and blessed deliverance which he would certainly give to his servant Jacob, Isa. 48:20, he here adds an explication and limitation of this mercy, and declareth that wicked men should not enjoy the benefit of this mercy; where, by the…