The Meaning of Isaiah 48:1 Explained

Isaiah 48:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And from the waters of Judah came out, Who are swearing by the name of Jehovah, And of the God of Israel make mention, Not in truth nor in righteousness.

Darby: Hear ye this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make mention of the God of Israel, not in truth, nor in righteousness.

ASV: Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 48:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 48:1-16 - The Obstinate And Insincere Rebuked
We are meant to be for God's praise and glory; but we may delay the realization of His high purpose. Our neck iron, our brow brass, we trust in idols and refuse to open our ear. It is necessary, therefore, to send us to Babylon, where, as in a furnace for silver, the dross and alloy are purged away. Many of us are in furnaces which have been rendered needful through our evil ways.
Notwithstanding our sins, God comes to the furnace mouth and chooses us there. For His own sake, His own sake, He does it that His name may not be polluted. He cannot give His glory to another. You cannot account for God's grace to you personally. He must have known all, from the first. Then dare to believe that the reason that prompted Him at the first will suffice to the end. He is not "the son of man that He should repent." He who was the first will be the last. Jesus is Omega as well as Alpha; the end as well as the beginning! Fear not! Revelation 1:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 48

1  God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinance, revealed his prophecies
9  He saves them for his own sake
12  He exhorts them to obedience, because of his power and providence
16  He laments their backwardness
20  He powerfully delivers his people out of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 48:1 mean?

Hear this house of Jacob who are called by the name of Israel and from the wellsprings of Judah have come forth who swear of Yahweh and of the God of Israel make mention [But] not in truth or in righteousness
שִׁמְעוּ־ זֹ֣את בֵּֽית־ יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַנִּקְרָאִים֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִמֵּ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יָצָ֑אוּ הַֽנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים ׀ יְהוָ֗ה וּבֵאלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יַזְכִּ֔ירוּ לֹ֥א בֶאֱמֶ֖ת וְלֹ֥א בִצְדָקָֽה

שִׁמְעוּ־  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
זֹ֣את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
בֵּֽית־  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יַעֲקֹ֗ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
הַנִּקְרָאִים֙  who  are  called 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְּשֵׁ֣ם  by  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וּמִמֵּ֥י  and  from  the  wellsprings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
יָצָ֑אוּ  have  come  forth 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
הַֽנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים ׀  who  swear 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּבֵאלֹהֵ֤י  and  of  the  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יַזְכִּ֔ירוּ  make  mention 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
לֹ֥א  [But]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בֶאֱמֶ֖ת  in  truth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
בִצְדָקָֽה  in  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.