Isaiah 48:16

Isaiah 48:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
• New International Version (NIV)“Come near me and listen to this: “From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.” And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there." And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me.”

Context of Isaiah 48:16

14Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things? The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon, And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon]. 15I, even I, have spoken; indeed, I have called Cyrus; I have brought him, and will make his way successful. Come near to Me, listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, From the time that it happened, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His [Holy] Spirit.” 17This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit), Who leads you in the way that you should go. 18Oh, that you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a [flowing] river, And your righteousness [the holiness and purity of the nation] like the [abundant] waves of the sea.

Isaiah 48:16 word by word

קִרְב֧וּ אֵלַ֣י שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֗את לֹ֤א מֵרֹאשׁ֙ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר דִּבַּ֔רְתִּי מֵעֵ֥ת הֱיוֹתָ֖הּ שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֲדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה שְׁלָחַ֖נִי וְרוּחֽוֹ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Comeקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• unto me, hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• ye this; I have not spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• in secretסֵ֫תֶרsêther sithrâh · secrecyH5643
• from the beginningרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: firstH7218
• from the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• I: and now the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• and his Spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• hath sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971

Cross-references for Isaiah 48:16

• Isaiah 48:3I have declared the former things [which happened to Israel] in times past; They went forth from My mouth and I proclaimed them; Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
• Isaiah 45:19I have not spoken in secret, In a corner of a land of darkness; I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain [with no benefit for yourselves].’ I, the Lord, speak righteousness [the truth—trustworthy, a straightforward correlation between deeds and words], Declaring things that are upright.
• John 18:20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where all the Jews habitually congregate; and I said nothing in secret.
• Isaiah 11:1Then a Shoot (the Messiah) will spring from the stock of Jesse [David’s father], And a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me To bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives And freedom to prisoners,
• Zechariah 2:8For thus says the Lord of hosts, “After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you—for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
• Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),
• John 3:34For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!
• John 20:21Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].”

Commentaries on Isaiah 48:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Come ye near unto me - After the word קרבו kirbu, "draw near," a MS. adds גוים goyim, "O ye nations;" which, as this and the two preceding verses are plainly addressed to the idolatrous nations, reproaching their gods as unable to predict future events, is probably genuine. Hear ye this "And hear ye this" - A MS. adds the conjunction, ושמעו vashimu ; and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate. I have not spoken in secret - The Alexandrine copy of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Come ye near unto me - (see Isaiah 48:14). I have not spoken in secret - (See the notes at Isaiah 45:19). The idea here is, that he had foretold the raising up of Cyrus, and his agency in delivering his people, in terms so plain that it could not be pretended that it was conjectured, and so clear that there was no ambiguity. From the time that it was, there am I - From the moment when the purpose was formed, and when it began to be accomplished, I was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 The Holy Spirit qualifies for service; and those may speak boldly, whom God and his Spirit send. This is to be applied to Christ. He was sent, and he had the Spirit without measure. Whom God redeems, he teaches; he teaches to profit by affliction, and then makes them partakers of his holiness. Also, by his grace he leads them in the way of duty; and by his providence he leads in the way of deliverance. God did not afflict them willingly. If…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16I have not spoken in secret: God's promises are clear, though they do not always specify how or when they will happen. And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit: The identity of the one sent is unclear. Isaiah might be referring to himself as a prophet inspired by the Spirit, speaking God's words to Israel. The connection with the spirit suggests it refers to the promised servant, the Messiah. The presence of the Spirit ensures the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. not ... in secret--(Is 45:19). Jehovah foretold Cyrus' advent, not with the studied ambiguity of heathen oracles, but plainly. from the time, &c.--From the moment that the purpose began to be accomplished in the raising up of Cyrus I was present. sent me--The prophet here speaks, claiming attention to his announcement as to Cyrus, on the ground of his mission from God and His Spirit. But he speaks not in his own person so much as in that of Messiah…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 48:16

• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Holy Spirit
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Saviour
• Trinity

Commentaries on Isaiah 48

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings