The Meaning of Isaiah 48:5 Explained

Isaiah 48:5

KJV: 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.

YLT: And I declare to thee from that time, Before it cometh I have caused thee to hear, Lest thou say, 'Mine idol hath done them, And my graven image, And my molten image did command them.

Darby: so I have long ago declared them to thee; before they came to pass I caused thee to hear them; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, or my molten image hath commanded them.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 48:5 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 48:5 mean?

and Even I have declared [it] to you from then 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
וָאַגִּ֤יד לְךָ֙ מֵאָ֔ז בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ פֶּן־ תֹּאמַר֙ עָצְבִּ֣י עָשָׂ֔ם וּפִסְלִ֥י וְנִסְכִּ֖י צִוָּֽם

וָאַגִּ֤יד  and  Even  I  have  declared  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לְךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
מֵאָ֔ז  from  then 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: אָז  
Sense: then, at that time.
בְּטֶ֥רֶם  Before 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb
Root: טֶרֶם  
Sense: before, not yet, before that.
תָּב֖וֹא  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ  I  proclaimed  [it]  to  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תֹּאמַר֙  you  should  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עָצְבִּ֣י  My  idol 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָצָב  
Sense: idol, image.
עָשָׂ֔ם  has  done  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וּפִסְלִ֥י  and  my  carved  image 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: פֶּסֶל  
Sense: idol, image.
וְנִסְכִּ֖י  and  my  molded  image 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶסֶךְ 
Sense: drink offering, libation, molten image, something poured out.
צִוָּֽם  have  commanded  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.