King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
Complete Jewish Bible:
If only you would heed my mitzvot! Then your peace would flow on like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Berean Standard Bible:
If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
American Standard Version:
Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
O that{H3863} thou hadst hearkened{H7181} to my commandments{H4687}! then had thy peace{H7965} been as a river{H5104}, and thy righteousness{H6666} as the waves{H1530} of the sea{H3220}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Deuteronomy 5:29
- O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Isaiah 66:12
- For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon [her] sides, and be dandled upon [her] knees.
Psalms 81:13
- Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways!
Psalms 81:16
- He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Deuteronomy 32:29
- O that they were wise, [that] they understood this, [that] they would consider their latter end!
Psalms 119:165
- ¶ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Luke 19:41
- ¶ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
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Commentary for Isaiah 48:18
Isaiah 48:18 is part of the larger corpus of the Book of Isaiah, which is a complex work containing prophecies delivered over a long period, traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah. This particular verse falls within a section of the book (chapters 40-55) often referred to as "Second Isaiah" or "Deutero-Isaiah," which is characterized by themes of comfort and restoration for the Israelites, who were experiencing the hardships of the Babylonian exile.
In the historical context, the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE) was a period when many Jews were taken captive and deported from their homeland to Babylon. This event was seen as a punishment from God for the people's disobedience and idolatry. The verse in question reflects the prophet's lament over what might have been had the people listened to God's commandments.
The text of Isaiah 48:18 expresses a deep yearning for what could have been if the Israelites had obeyed God's laws. It uses powerful metaphors to convey the blessings that would have followed obedience: "thy peace been as a river" suggests a consistent and life-giving flow of peace, while "thy righteousness as the waves of the sea" implies an abundance of righteousness, as countless and rhythmic as ocean waves. The verse speaks to the themes of obedience leading to blessings, the importance of heeding God's commandments, and the profound consequences of disobedience, which in this case resulted in exile and suffering. It also reflects the prophet's role as a messenger of God, conveying both judgment and the potential for restoration and peace. The imagery of flowing water (river) and the vastness of the sea conveys a sense of the boundless blessings that God is ready to bestow upon His people if they choose the path of righteousness.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3863
There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לוּא
Transliteration: lûwʼ
Pronunciation: loo
Description: or לֻא; or לוּ; a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!; if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that). - Strong's Number: H7181
There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָשַׁב
Transliteration: qâshab
Pronunciation: kaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken; attend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard. - Strong's Number: H4687
There are 177 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִצְוָה
Transliteration: mitsvâh
Pronunciation: mits-vaw'
Description: from צָוָה; a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law); (which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept. - Strong's Number: H7965
There are 208 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלוֹם
Transliteration: shâlôwm
Pronunciation: shaw-lome'
Description: or שָׁלֹם; from שָׁלַם; safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace; [idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] wholly. - Strong's Number: H5104
There are 109 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָהָר
Transliteration: nâhâr
Pronunciation: naw-hawr'
Description: from נָהַר; a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity; flood, river. - Strong's Number: H6666
There are 150 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צְדָקָה
Transliteration: tsᵉdâqâh
Pronunciation: tsed-aw-kaw'
Description: from צָדַק; rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity); justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness). - Strong's Number: H1530
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גַּל
Transliteration: gal
Pronunciation: gal
Description: from גָּלַל; something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves); billow, heap, spring, wave. - Strong's Number: H3220
There are 339 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָם
Transliteration: yâm
Pronunciation: yawm
Description: from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south; sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).