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Selected Verse: Isaiah 48:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 48:3	Strong Concordance	I have declared [05046] the former things [07223] from the beginning [0227]; and they went forth [03318] out of my mouth [06310], and I shewed [08085] them; I did [06213] them suddenly [06597], and they came to pass [0935].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
former--things which have happened in time past to Israel (Isa 42:9; Isa 44:7-8; Isa 45:21; Isa 46:10). suddenly--They came to pass so unexpectedly that the prophecy could not have resulted from mere human sagacity.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

former--things which have happened in time past to Israel (Isa 42:9; Isa 44:7-8; Isa 45:21; Isa 46:10).

suddenly--They came to pass so unexpectedly that the prophecy could not have resulted from mere human sagacity.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
I have declared the former things - That is, in former times I have predicted future events by the prophets, which have come to pass as they were foretold. Though the fulfillment might have appeared to be long delayed, yet it came to pass at the very time, showing it to be an exact fulfillment of the prophecy. The design of thus referring to the former predictions is, to remind them of their proneness to disregard his declarations, and to recall to their attention the fact that all that he said would be certainly accomplished. As a people, they had been prone to disbelieve his word. He saw that the same thing would take place in Babylon, and that there also they would disbelieve his prophecies about raising up Cyrus, and restoring them to their own land. He therefore endeavors to anticipate this, by reminding them of their former unbelief, and of the fact that all that he had foretold in former times had come to pass. From the beginning - In regard to this, and the meaning of the phrase, 'the former things, see the notes at Isa 41:22; Isa 43:9. The phrase. 'former things,' refers to the things which precede others; the series, or order of events. I did them suddenly - They came to pass at an unexpected time; when you were not looking for them, and when perhaps you were doubting whether they would occur, or were calling in question the divine veracity. The idea is, that God in like manner would, certainly, and suddenly, accomplish his predictions about Babylon, and their release from their captivity.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
After this summons, and description of those who are summoned, the address of Jehovah begins. "The first I have long ago proclaimed, and it has gone forth out of my mouth, and I caused it to be heard. I carried it out suddenly, and it came to pass. Because I knew that thou art hard, and thy neck an iron clasp, and thy brow of brass; I proclaimed it to thee long ago; before it came to pass, I caused thee to hear it, that thou mightest not say, My idol has done it, and my graven image and molten image commanded it." The word הראשׁנות in itself signifies simply priora; and then, according to the context, it signifies prius facta (Isa 46:9), or prius praedicta (Isa 43:9), or prius eventura (Isa 41:22; Isa 42:9). In the present passage it refers to earlier occurrences, which Jehovah had foretold, and, when the time fixed for their accomplishment arrived, which He had immediately brought to pass. With a retrospective glance at this, we find plural masc. suffixes (cf., Isa 41:27) used interchangeably with plural fem. (cf., Isa 48:7 and Isa 38:16); the prophet more frequently uses the sing. fem. in this neuter sense (Isa 41:20; Isa 42:23, etc.), and also, though very rarely, the sing. masc. (Isa 45:8). On gı̄d, a band, a sinew, but here a clasp (cf., Arab. kaid, a fetter), see Psychology, p. 233. Nechūshâh is a poetical equivalent for nechōsheth, as in Isa 45:2. The heathen cravings of Israel, which reached into the captivity, are here presupposed. Hengstenberg is mistaken in his supposition, that the prophet's standpoint is always anterior to the captivity when he speaks in condemnation of idolatry. We cannot draw any conclusion from the character of the community that returned, with regard to that of the people of the captivity generally. The great mass even of Judah, and still more of Israel, remained behind, and became absorbed into the heathen, to whom they became more and more assimilated. And does not Ezekiel expressly state in Eze 20:30., that the golah by the Chaboras defiled themselves with the same abominations of idolatry as their fathers, and that the prevailing disposition was to combine the worship of Jehovah with heathenism, or else to exchange the former altogether for the latter? And we know that it was just the same with the exiles in Egypt, among whom the life and labours of Jeremiah terminated. Wherever the prophet speaks of פשׁעים and רשׁעים, these names invariably include a tendency or falling away to Babylonian idolatry, to which he describes the exiles as having been addicted, both in Isa 66:17 and elsewhere.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

After this summons, and description of those who are summoned, the address of Jehovah begins. "The first I have long ago proclaimed, and it has gone forth out of my mouth, and I caused it to be heard. I carried it out suddenly, and it came to pass. Because I knew that thou art hard, and thy neck an iron clasp, and thy brow of brass; I proclaimed it to thee long ago; before it came to pass, I caused thee to hear it, that thou mightest not say, My idol has done it, and my graven image and molten image commanded it." The word הראשׁנות in itself signifies simply priora; and then, according to the context, it signifies prius facta (Isa 46:9), or prius praedicta (Isa 43:9), or prius eventura (Isa 41:22; Isa 42:9). In the present passage it refers to earlier occurrences, which Jehovah had foretold, and, when the time fixed for their accomplishment arrived, which He had immediately brought to pass. With a retrospective glance at this, we find plural masc. suffixes (cf., Isa 41:27) used interchangeably with plural fem. (cf., Isa 48:7 and Isa 38:16); the prophet more frequently uses the sing. fem. in this neuter sense (Isa 41:20; Isa 42:23, etc.), and also, though very rarely, the sing. masc. (Isa 45:8). On gı̄d, a band, a sinew, but here a clasp (cf., Arab. kaid, a fetter), see Psychology, p. 233. Nechūshâh is a poetical equivalent for nechōsheth, as in Isa 45:2. The heathen cravings of Israel, which reached into the captivity, are here presupposed. Hengstenberg is mistaken in his supposition, that the prophet's standpoint is always anterior to the captivity when he speaks in condemnation of idolatry. We cannot draw any conclusion from the character of the community that returned, with regard to that of the people of the captivity generally. The great mass even of Judah, and still more of Israel, remained behind, and became absorbed into the heathen, to whom they became more and more assimilated. And does not Ezekiel expressly state in Eze 20:30., that the golah by the Chaboras defiled themselves with the same abominations of idolatry as their fathers, and that the prevailing disposition was to combine the worship of Jehovah with heathenism, or else to exchange the former altogether for the latter? And we know that it was just the same with the exiles in Egypt, among whom the life and labours of Jeremiah terminated. Wherever the prophet speaks of פשׁעים and רשׁעים, these names invariably include a tendency or falling away to Babylonian idolatry, to which he describes the exiles as having been addicted, both in Isa 66:17 and elsewhere.

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¹⁰ Declaring [05046] the end [0319] from the beginning [07225], and from ancient times [06924] the things that are not yet done [06213], saying [0559], My counsel [06098] shall stand [06965], and I will do [06213] all my pleasure [02656]:

²¹ Tell [05046] ye, and bring them near [05066]; yea, let them take counsel [03289] together [03162]: who hath declared [08085] this from ancient time [06924]? who hath told [05046] it from that time? have not I the LORD [03068]? and there is no God [0430] else beside [01107] me; a just [06662] God [0410] and a Saviour [03467]; there is none [0369] beside [02108] me.

⁷ And who, as I, shall call [07121], and shall declare [05046] it, and set it in order [06186] for me, since I appointed [07760] the ancient [05769] people [05971]? and the things that are coming [0857], and shall come [0935], let them shew [05046] unto them.
⁸ Fear [06342] ye not, neither be afraid [07297] [07297]: have not I told [08085] thee from that time [0227], and have declared [05046] it? ye are even my witnesses [05707]. Is there [03426] a God [0433] beside [01107] me? yea, there is no God [06697]; I know [03045] not any.

⁹ Behold, the former things [07223] are come to pass [0935], and new things [02319] do I declare [05046]: before they spring forth [06779] I tell [08085] you of them.

⁹ Let all the nations [01471] be gathered [06908] together [03162], and let the people [03816] be assembled [0622]: who among them can declare [05046] this, and shew [08085] us former things [07223]? let them bring forth [05414] their witnesses [05707], that they may be justified [06663]: or let them hear [08085], and say [0559], It is truth [0571].

²² Let them bring them forth [05066], and shew [05046] us what shall happen [07136]: let them shew [05046] the former things [07223], what they be, that we may consider [07760] [03820] them, and know [03045] the latter end [0319] of them; or declare [08085] us things for to come [0935].

¹⁷ They that sanctify [06942] themselves, and purify [02891] themselves in the gardens [01593] behind [0310] one [0259] tree in the midst [08432], eating [0398] swine's [02386] flesh [01320], and the abomination [08263], and the mouse [05909], shall be consumed [05486] together [03162], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

³⁰ Wherefore say [0559] unto the house [01004] of Israel [03478], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Are ye polluted [02930] after the manner [01870] of your fathers [01]? and commit ye whoredom [02181] after [0310] their abominations [08251]?

² I will go [03212] before [06440] thee, and make [03474] the crooked places [01921] straight [03474] [03474]: I will break in pieces [07665] the gates [01817] of brass [05154], and cut in sunder [01438] the bars [01280] of iron [01270]:

⁸ Drop down [07491], ye heavens [08064], from above [04605], and let the skies [07834] pour down [05140] righteousness [06664]: let the earth [0776] open [06605], and let them bring forth [06509] salvation [03468], and let righteousness [06666] spring up [06779] together [03162]; I the LORD [03068] have created [01254] it.

²³ Who among you will give ear [0238] to this? who will hearken [07181] and hear [08085] for the time to come [0268]?

²⁰ That they may see [07200], and know [03045], and consider [07760], and understand [07919] together [03162], that the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] hath done [06213] this, and the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478] hath created [01254] it.

¹⁶ O Lord [0136], by these things men live [02421], and in all these things is the life [02416] of my spirit [07307]: so wilt thou recover [02492] me, and make me to live [02421].

⁷ They are created [01254] now, and not from the beginning; even before [06440] the day [03117] when thou heardest [08085] them not; lest thou shouldest say [0559], Behold, I knew [03045] them.

²⁷ The first [07223] shall say to Zion [06726], Behold [02009], behold [02009] them: and I will give [05414] to Jerusalem [03389] one that bringeth good tidings [01319].

⁹ Behold, the former things [07223] are come to pass [0935], and new things [02319] do I declare [05046]: before they spring forth [06779] I tell [08085] you of them.

⁹ Remember [02142] the former things [07223] of old [05769]: for I am God [0410], and there is none else; I am God [0430], and there is none [0657] like [03644] me,