Isaiah 48:1-11 - Yahweh Refines Stubborn Israel
1 Hear this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and came out from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Yahweh, and {invoke} the God of Israel, [but] not in truth and not in righteousness. 2 For they call themselves {after the holy city}, and they lean on the God of Israel-- Yahweh of hosts [is] his name. 3 "I declared the former things from {of old}, and they went out from my mouth. And I {announced} them suddenly; I acted, and they came [to pass], 4 because {I know} that you [are] obstinate, and your neck an iron sinew, and your forehead bronze. 5 And I declared [them] to you from of old; I { announced} [them] to you before they came [to pass] so that you would not say, 'My idol did them, and my image and my cast image commanded them.' 6 You have heard; see it all. And will you not declare [it]? I {announce} new things to you from this time and hidden things that you have not known. 7 Now they are created, and not from {of old}, and before today, and you have not heard them so that you could not say, "Look! I knew them." 8 Neither have you heard, nor have you known, nor from {of old} has your ear been opened. For I knew you would deal treacherously, very treacherously, and you [are] called a rebel from [the] womb. 9 For the sake of my name I {refrain from} my anger, and [for] my praise I restrain [it] for you [so as] not to cut you off. 10 Look! I have refined you, but not like silver; I have chosen you in [the] furnace of misery. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake I do [it]; for why should it be defiled? And I will not give my glory to another."