Isaiah 48:7

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 48:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “They are created now, and not from of old; and before this day thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

They are created now, and not from of old; and before this day thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
Isaiah 48:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 48

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
7They are created now, and not from of old; and before this day thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“They are created now, and not from the beginning, &c.] Not that they were now done or brought into being, for as yet Cyrus was not born; though the raising of him up, and holding his right hand, and his executing the counsel of God, are spoken of as if they were already done, because of the certainty of them, (<234501>Isaiah 45:1,12 46:11). Aben Ezra interprets “created” by “decreed”; though these were not now decreed by God; for no new decrees are made by him; but those which were made by him of old were now revealed and made manifest by prophecy, which is the sense of the phrase; so Kimchi observes, “the time when they went out of the mouth of God is the time of their creation.” Thus in…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Not like natural results from existing causes, the events when they took place were like acts of creative power, such as had never before been "from the beginning." even before the day when--rather [MAURER], "And before the day (of their occurrence) thou hast not heard of them"; that is, by any human acuteness; they are only heard of by the present inspired announcement.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“They are created now - The Septuagint renders this, Νῦν γίνεται nun ginetai - ‘Done now;’ and many expositors interpret it in the sense that they are now brought into light, as if they were created. Aben Ezra renders it, ‘They are decreed and determined by me.’ Rosenmuller supposes that it refers to the revelation, or making known those things. Lowth renders it, ‘They are produced now, and not of old.’ Noyes, ‘It is revealed now, and not long ago.’ But the sense is probably this: God is saying that they did not foresee them, nor were they able to conjecture them by the contemplation of any natural causes. There were no natural causes in operation at the time the predictions were made,…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Created - Revealed to thee by me; brought to light, as things are by creation. Not - Heb. not from thence, not from these ancient times when other things were revealed to thee. Or - Heb. and (or, or, as this particle is frequently used) before this day. This day answers to now in the first clause: and seems to be added as an exposition of it. Before this time in which God hath revealed them to thee by my ministry. I knew - Either by thine own sagacity: or by the help of thine idols. Isaiah 48:8”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification