TRV
Translation
King James Version
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Listen to me, Ya'akov; Isra'el, whom I have called: I am he who is first; I am also the last.
Berean Standard Bible
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
American Standard Version
Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
World English Bible Messianic
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Heare me, O Iaakob and Israel, my called, I am, I am the first, and I am the last.
Young's Literal Translation
Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called one, I am He, I am first, and I am last;
See also
In the KJVVerse 18,627 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Isaiah 48 verses 9–15
9 ¶ For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
The deliverance of God's people out of their captivity in Babylon was a thing upon many accounts so improbable that there was need of line upon line for the encouragement of the faith and hope of God's people concerning it. Two things were discouraging to them - their own unworthiness that God should do it for them and the many difficulties in the thing itself; now, in these verses, both these discouragements are removed, for here is,
I. A reason why God would do it for them, though they were unworthy; not for their sake, be it known to them, but for his name's sake, for his own sake, Isa 48:9-11. 1. It is true they had been very provoking, and God had been justly angry with them. Their captivity was the punishment of their iniquity; and if, when he had them in Babylon, he had left them to pine away and perish there, and made the desolations of their country perpetual, he would only have dealt with them according to their sins, and it was what such a sinful people might expect from an angry God. "But," says God, "I will defer my anger" (or, rather, stifle and suppress it); "I will make it appear that I am slow to wrath, and will refrain from thee, not pour upon thee what I justly might, that I should cut thee off from being a people." And why will God thus stay his hand? For my name's sake; because this people was called by his name, and made profession of his name, and, if they were cut off, the enemies would blaspheme his name. It is for my praise; because it would redound to the honour of his mercy to spare and reprieve them, and, if he continued them to be to him a people, they might be to him for a name and a praise. 1. It is true they were very corrupt and ill-disposed, but God would himself refine them, and make them fit for the mercy he intended for them: "I have refined thee, that thou mightest be made a vessel of honour." Though he does not find them meet for his favour, he will make them so. And this accounts for his bringing them into the trouble, and continuing them in it so long as he did. It was not to cut them off, but to do them good. It was to refine them, but not as silver, or with silver, not so thoroughly as men refine their silver, which they continue in the furnace till all the dross is separated from it; if God should take that course with them, they would be always in the furnace, for they are all dross, and, as such, might justly be put away (Psa 119:119) as reprobate silver, Jer 6:30. He therefore takes them as they are, refined in part only, and not thoroughly. "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction, that is, I have made thee a choice one by the good which the affliction has done thee, and then designed thee for great things." Many have been brought home to God as chosen vessels and a good work of grace has been begun in them in the furnace of affliction. Affliction is no bar to God's choice, but subservient to his purpose. 3. It is true they could not pretend to merit at God's hand so great a favour as their deliverance out of Babylon, which would put such an honour upon them and bring them so much joy; therefore, says God, For my own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it, Isa 48:11. See how the emphasis is laid upon that; for it is a reason that cannot fail, and therefore the resolution grounded upon it cannot fall to the ground. God will do it, not because he owes them such a favour, but to save the honour of his own name, that that may not be polluted by the insolent triumphs of the heathen, who, in triumphing over Israel, thought they triumphed over the God of Israel and imagined their gods too hard for him. This was plainly the language of Belshazzar's revels, when he profaned the holy vessels of God's temple at the same time that he praised his idols (Dan 5:2, Dan 5:4), and of the Babylonians' demand (Psa 137:3), Sing us one of the songs of Zion. God will therefore deliver his people, because he will not suffer his glory to be thus given to another. Moses pleaded this often with God: Lord, what will the Egyptians say? Note, God is jealous for the honour of his own name, and will not suffer the wrath of man to proceed any further than he will make it turn to his praise. And it is matter of comfort to God's people that, whatever becomes of them, God will secure his own honour; and, as far as is necessary to that, God will work deliverance for them.
II. Here is a proof that God could do it for them, though they were unable to help themselves and the thing seemed altogether impracticable. Let Jacob and Israel hearken to this, and believe it, and take the comfort of it. They are God's called, called according to his purpose, called by him out of Egypt (Hos 11:1) and now out of Babylon, a people whom with a distinguishing favour he calls by name, and to whom he calls. They are his called, for they are called to him, called by his name, and called his; and therefore he will look after them, and they may be assured that, as he will deliver them for his own sake, so he will deliver them by his own strength. They need not fear them, for, 1. He is God alone, and the eternal God (Isa 48:12): "I am he who can do what I will and will do what is best, he whom none can compare with, much less contend with. I am the first; I also am the last." Who can be too quick for him that is the first, or anticipate him? Who can be too hard for him that is the last, and will keep the field against all opposers, and will reign till they are all made his footstool? What room then is left to doubt of their deliverance when he undertakes it whose designs cannot but be well laid, for he is the first, and well executed, for he is the last. As for this God, his work is perfect. 2. He is the God that made the world, and he that did that can do any thing, Isa 48:13. Look we down? We see the earth firm under us, and feel it so; it was his hand that laid the foundation of it. Look we up? We see the heavens spread out as a canopy over our heads, and it was his hand that spread them, that spanned them, that stretched them out, and did it by an exact measure, as the workman sometimes metes out his work by spans. This intimates that God has a vast reach and can compass designs of the greatest extent. If the palm of his right hand (so the margin reads it) has gone so far as to stretch out the heavens, what will he do with his outstretched arm? Yet this is not all: he has not only made the heavens and the earth, and therefore he in whom our hope and help is omnipotent (Psa 124:8), but he has the command of all the hosts of both; when he calls them into his service, to go on his errands, they stand up together, they come at the call, they answer to their names: "Here we are; what wilt thou have us to do?" They stand up, not only in reverence to their Creator, but in a readiness to execute his orders: They stand up together, unanimously concurring, and helping one another in the service of their Maker. If God therefore will deliver his people, he cannot be at a loss for instruments to be employed in effecting their deliverance. 3. He has already foretold it, and, having infinite knowledge, so that he foresaw it, no doubt he has almighty power to effect it: "All you of the house of Jacob, assemble yourselves, and hear this for your comfort, Which among them, among the gods of the heathen, or their wise men, has declared these things, or could declare them?" Isa 48:14. They had no foresight of them at all, but those who consulted them were very confident that Babylon should be a lady for ever and Israel perpetual slave; and their oracles did not give them the least hint to the contrary, to undeceive them; whereas God by his prophets had given notice to the Jews, long before, of their captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem, as he had now likewise given them notice of their release (Isa 48:15): I, even I, have spoken; and he would not have spoken it if he could not have made it good: none could out-see him, and therefore we may be sure that none could outdo him. 4. The person is pitched upon who is to be employed in this service, and the measures are concerted in the divine counsels, which are unalterable. Cyrus is the man who must do it; and it tends much to strengthen our assurance that a thing shall be done when we are particularly informed how and by whom. It is not left at uncertainty who shall do it, but the matter is fixed. (1.) It is one whom God is well pleased in, upon this account, because he is designed for this service: The Lord has loved him (Isa 48:14); he has done him this favour, this honour, to make him an instrument in the redemption of his people and therein a type of the great Redeemer, God's beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased. Those God does a great kindness to, and has a great kindness for, whom he makes serviceable to his church. (2.) It is one to whom God will give authority and commission: I have called him, have given him a sufficient warrant, and therefore will bear him out. (3.) It is one whom God will by a series of providences lead to this service: "I have brought him from a far country, brought him to engage against Babylon, brought him step by step, quite beyond his own intentions." Whom God calls he will bring, will cause them to come (so the word is), to come at the call. (4.) It is one whom God will own and give success to. Cyrus will do God's pleasure on Babylon, that which it is his pleasure should be done and which he will be pleased with the doing of, though Cyrus has ends of his own to serve and has no regard either to the will of God or to his favour in the doing of it. His arm (Cyrus's army, and in it God's arm) shall come, and be upon the Chaldeans, to bring them down (Isa 48:14); for, if God call him and bring him, he will certainly make his way prosperous, Isa 48:15. Then we may hope to prosper in our way when we follow a divine call and guidance.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–15. Public domain.
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Aphrahat the Persian SageAD 345
DEMONSTRATIONS 17:7
No one should suppose that there is another God, either before or afterwards. He said, “From age to age,” just as Isaiah said, “I am the first and I am the last.” And after God had brought forth Adam from within his thought, he fashioned him, and breathed into him of his Spirit and gave him the knowledge of discernment so that he might discern good from evil and might know that God made him.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 12, 13 and following) Hear me, Jacob and Israel, whom I call. I am the first and the last. My hand also laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand measures the heavens: I have called them, and they will stand together. Gather yourselves and listen: who among them has declared these things? The Lord loved him: he will fulfill his will in Babylon and his arm in the Chaldeans. I, I have spoken and called him: I have brought him, and his way is made straight. Come to me and listen to these (Vulg. this): I did not speak in secret from the beginning; from the time before it happened, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit. LXX: Listen to me, Jacob and Israel, whom I call. I am the first, and I am forever: and my hand has founded the earth, and my right hand has established the heavens. I will call them, and they will stand together: and all will be gathered, and they will listen: Who has announced these to them? I, who am diligent, have carried out your will over Babylon, to remove the seed of the Chaldeans. I have spoken and I have called. I have brought him and made his way prosperous. Bring near to me, and hear these things: I did not speak in secret from the beginning, when it happened, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent me, and his spirit. To those to whom he had already spoken: Hear these things, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who have come forth from the waters of Judah, now he speaks to them again, Listen to me, Jacob and Israel, whom I call. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22). Therefore, He calls them the non-elect, because they had not yet received the Savior; but He refers to them as the called. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, who is alive and was dead. (Revelation 22); so that you may bring life back to the beginning, and the last to Him who died. He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and became obedient to the Father; He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2). My hand founded the earth. And it is also said in Proverbs: God, by His wisdom, founded the earth, and His right hand is the measure (Prov. III, 19), or He established the heavens or the sky, as the Septuagint translated. He calls the heavens to obey His command, and to declare His glory. But if the heavens obey the will of the Lord and run in their own order, why does the earth and ashes boast (Eccli. X) and not know its own fragility? Gather yourselves, all of you, and listen, whether heaven or all of creation or the entire multitude of Israel. What are the things that are commanded to be heard? Surely it signifies that which the Lord loves, no doubt Cyrus and Darius, who carried out the will of the Lord against Babylon, and exerted their power over the Chaldeans. And He himself spoke and called him by his name, and led him, and his path was made straight, so that no one dared to resist his strength. And he is provoking them to come and listen, and to know, through the Lord's prediction, that the king of the Persians and Medes is coming, who will overthrow Babylon and destroy the Chaldeans. And to announce this, the Prophet says that he is sent by the Lord and his spirit. This is according to the Hebrews and their opinion. However, according to Symmachus, who interpreted it, 'Who has declared these things to him?' refers to the one whom the Lord loves, who does his will in Babylon. And according to the Septuagint, 'to carry away the seed of the Chaldeans' is referred to the person of the Lord: the one who is truly loved by the Father, and who does all the will of the Father, and who overturns in Babylon, that is, in the confusion of this world, all the seed of the Chaldeans, which are interpreted as demons. He himself spoke and heard the Son, and brought him, who speaks to the believers: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened (Matthew 11:28). And hear these things that from the beginning were spoken in secret, that is, through the enigmas and mysteries of the Prophets, which were unknown to all previous generations. When all things were made by the Father, he was with him, who rejoiced, who even now says: I who have always been with the Father, and in the Father, and have never been without the Father, even now I speak (John 14); and according to the frailty of the assumed flesh, I say that the Lord God sent me and his spirit: and in a brief verse, the sacrament of the Trinity is revealed to us.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 48:12 delivers a profound divine declaration from Yahweh to His covenant people, "Jacob and Israel, my called." In this pivotal statement, God unequivocally reasserts His unique and eternal identity, proclaiming, "I am he; I am the first, I also am the last." This declaration serves as a foundational reminder of His absolute sovereignty, His timeless existence, and His unwavering faithfulness, intended to instill trust and obedience in a nation facing the challenges of exile and the temptations of idolatry.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 48:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological truths with maximum impact. The opening "Hearken unto me" is a direct and emphatic Imperative, serving as an urgent command that demands immediate and focused attention from the audience, thereby underscoring the gravity and authority of the divine speaker. The address "O Jacob and Israel" is a classic form of Appellation or Direct Address, personally calling out to the nation and reinforcing their unique, enduring covenant relationship with God. The phrase "I am he" is a powerful Divine Self-Declaration (or ego eimi in Greek theological terms), an assertion of absolute identity and unparalleled uniqueness, resonating deeply with the foundational "I AM" statements found throughout the Old Testament. Most significantly, the declaration "I am the first, I also am the last" is a quintessential example of Merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting or opposite parts are used to represent the whole. By stating "first" and "last," God encompasses all of time and existence, signifying His eternality, His comprehensive sovereignty, and His absolute pre-eminence over all things, from creation to consummation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 48:12 is a cornerstone declaration of God's essential nature, affirming His timelessness, self-existence, and ultimate authority over all creation and history. It reveals a God who is not bound by the constraints of His own creation or the flow of human history but stands outside and above them, orchestrating all things according to His sovereign and eternal will. This profound truth provides immense comfort and stability to His people, assuring them that their future, even amidst the trials of exile and uncertainty, is firmly held in the hands of the One who was, and is, and is to come. It also powerfully underscores His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant, as the very One who initiated the relationship with "Jacob and Israel" is also the One who possesses the power and purpose to bring it to its promised and glorious fulfillment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, Isaiah 48:12 offers an anchor of unwavering truth in a world characterized by relentless change, profound uncertainty, and often overwhelming chaos. To truly grasp and internalize that God is "the first and the last" means understanding that our lives are not random occurrences or products of mere chance, but are held securely within the purposeful, eternal, and sovereign plan of an omnipotent God. This liberating truth invites us to relinquish anxiety, surrender control, and trust implicitly in His ultimate authority over all circumstances, both personal and global. It calls us to active, obedient listening ("Hearken unto me") to His revealed Word, recognizing that His commands, promises, and guidance are rooted in His unchanging, eternal character. Our worship is immeasurably enriched by a deeper understanding of His boundless nature, fostering a profound sense of awe, reverence, and humility for the One who transcends all time and space, yet intimately calls us "my called." In Him, we discover our true origin, our ultimate purpose, and our secure destiny, providing a steadfast hope that endures through every trial and triumph.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "I am he" mean in this context?
Answer: The phrase "I am he" (Hebrew: ani hu) is a profound and exclusive declaration of God's unique, self-existent, and incomparable identity. It asserts that Yahweh is the one and only true God, fundamentally distinct from all false gods, idols, and created beings. It emphasizes His absolute singularity, His uncreated nature, and His unparalleled power and authority. This declaration echoes the divine name "I AM THAT I AM" revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, signifying that God is eternally present, utterly self-sufficient, and the ultimate, unchanging reality. It is a powerful affirmation against polytheism and any attempt to equate God with created things.
How does the declaration "I am the first, I also am the last" relate to God's sovereignty?
Answer: This declaration signifies God's absolute and comprehensive sovereignty over all creation, all of history, and all of existence. As "the first," God is the absolute originator and initiator of all things, pre-existing and bringing everything into being from nothing. He is the prime mover and ultimate cause. As "the last," He is the ultimate end, the one who brings all things to their appointed conclusion, their final consummation, and ultimate judgment. This comprehensive statement means that God encompasses all of time and reality, from its absolute beginning to its absolute end, demonstrating His complete control, perfect foreknowledge, and ultimate purpose for all things. It assures His people that He is actively working out His divine plan from eternity past to eternity future, as powerfully articulated in passages like Isaiah 46:9-10.
Why does God address Israel as "my called" in this verse?
Answer: Addressing Israel as "my called" (Hebrew: qârâʼ) emphasizes their unique and privileged status as God's chosen people, set apart by His divine initiative and sovereign purpose. Despite their history of disobedience, idolatry, and their current state of exile, God reaffirms their enduring covenant relationship. This serves as a powerful reminder of His unwavering faithfulness to His promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and assures them that their identity, existence, and future are still inextricably tied to His divine election. It provides a foundational basis for hope, restoration, and a renewed call to obedience. It highlights that their calling is not based on their merit or performance, but solely on God's gracious and sovereign choice.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 48:12 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. The declaration "I am he; I am the first, I also am the last" is a divine title that unequivocally points to the absolute deity and eternality of God the Father in the Old Testament. Strikingly, this very same title is repeatedly and emphatically applied to Jesus in the New Testament, firmly establishing His co-equality and co-eternality with the Father. In the book of Revelation, the resurrected and glorified Christ declares, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore" (Revelation 1:17-18). Later in the same book, He proclaims, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13). This direct appropriation of Yahweh's unique and exclusive title to Jesus signifies that He is not merely a prophet, a king, or a created being, but God incarnate, the one through whom all things were created and by whom all things hold together and consist (Colossians 1:16-17). Just as God was "the first" to initiate creation and "the last" to bring about its consummation in the Old Testament, so Jesus Christ, as the eternal Son, is the Alpha and Omega of salvation history, the one who initiates and perfectly completes our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is the ultimate "called" of God, the true Israelite, embodying perfect obedience and fulfilling all of God's covenant promises to His people through His sinless life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection (Romans 5:19).