Isaiah 48:7 · Bible study
Isaiah 48:7 Commentary: Why God ‘Creates’ New Events Now
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 48:7 shows God creating new events to prevent human pride. Study its original language, context, and theological significance for preaching and teaching.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God “creates” new events at the moment of revelation to prevent human pride in claiming prior knowledge.
- Key words: “created” (Niphal perfect ברא), emphasizes divine origin and novelty; “lest” (pen), shows the protective purpose of the concealment.
- Main debate: Whether “new things” refer only to deliverance from Babylon or also include eschatological New Covenant realities.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over history and His defense of His exclusive glory against human and idolatrous claims.
- Best use: Preaching on God’s uniqueness, the nature of divine revelation, and the call to humility before a God who works in ways we cannot anticipate.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’
WEB World English Bible 2000
They are created now, and not from of old. Before today, you didn’t hear them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
KJV King James Version 1769
They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Now they have been produced and not from that time, Yea, before the day, and thou hast not heard them, Lest thou say, `Lo, I have known them.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
they are created now, and not long ago; and before this day thou hast not heard them, lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
They are created now, and not of old: and before the day, when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say: Behold I knew them.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Ahora han sido criadas, no en días pasados; ni antes de este día las habías oído, porque no digas: He aquí que yo lo sabía.
Agora foram criadas, e não antes; e antes de hoje não as ouvistes; para que não viesses a dizer: Eis que eu já as sabia.
Elles se produisent à présent, et n’appartiennent point au passé;
Nun ist's geschaffen, und nicht vorlängst, und hast nicht einen Tag zuvor davon gehört, auf daß du nicht sagen könntest: Siehe, das wußte ich wohl.
Nu zijn zij geschapen, en niet van toen af, en voor dezen dag hebt gij ze ook niet gehoord; opdat gij niet misschien zeggen zoudt: Ziet, ik heb ze geweten.
Esse stanno per prodursi adesso, non da tempo antico; e, prima d’oggi non ne avevi udito parlare, perché tu non abbia a dire: “Ecco, io le sapevo”.
Teraz stworzone są, a nie onego czasu, o którycheś przed tym dniem nic nie słyszał, byś snać nie rzekł: Otom wiedział o tem.
Оно произошло ныне, а не задолго и не за день, и ты не слыхал о том, чтобы ты не сказал: "вот! я знал это".
這事是現今 造的，並非 從古就有；在今日 以先，你也未 曾聽見，免得 你說： 這事我早已知道了。
They have only now been effected, and not in the past: and before this day they had not come to your ears; for fear that you might say, I had knowledge of them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 48:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that verse 7 serves as the climax of God’s argument about His unique ability to declare future events. The verb “created” (Niphal perfect of ברא) is not used here for the original act of making the universe, but to highlight the absolute novelty and divine origin of the events God is now revealing. As Barnes notes, these events could no more be predicted from natural causes than an act of creation could be foreseen. Calvin similarly argues that God “created” these things “now” to prevent anyone from attributing them to fortune or human sagacity. The purpose clause, “lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them’”, reveals God’s concern to guard His glory against human pride. Both Gill and Wesley agree that the revelation is timed so that Israel cannot claim prior knowledge either from their own insight or from idols. The consensus, then, is that God deliberately withholds foreknowledge of these new acts until the moment of declaration, so that He alone receives credit for what only He can do.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal creation of events: The verb bara (create) normally denotes creation ex nihilo; the event itself is as novel as the original creation, wholly dependent on God’s will.
- Revelation or decree: Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret 'created' as 'decreed' or 'revealed'; the event was decreed from eternity but only now disclosed (Gill supports this reading).
- Prophetic announcement as creative act: Barnes and Calvin see the declaration itself as a creative act, bringing the event into certainty for the hearers.
- Typological of new creation in Christ: Keil and Delitzsch link the 'new things' to the New Testament age, seeing the redemption from Babylon as a type of the final redemption in Christ.
What is clear: God alone is the source and revealer of these unprecedented events, and His timing of the revelation is designed to prevent human or idolatrous claims to foreknowledge.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| What are the 'new things'? | They are events initiated by God that could not be predicted from natural causes or earlier prophecies. | Some commentators (e.g., Barnes, Gill) focus on the deliverance from Babylon as the primary referent. Others (Keil and Delitzsch) include the New Testament age and the messianic redemption. |
| What does 'created now' mean? | The verb bara (create) emphasizes divine origin and the absolute novelty of the events. | Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret 'created' as 'decreed' or 'revealed'. Reformation commentators like Calvin see it as a creative act of God bringing the events into being. The literal sense of bara suggests creation ex nihilo, but the context may allow a metaphorical reading. |
| Why does God hide these things until now? | To prevent humans from claiming prior knowledge and to guard God’s glory. | Some emphasize the polemic against idols (the danger of attributing events to false gods). Others stress the human tendency to boast in sagacity. The two are not mutually exclusive, but different traditions prioritize one over the other. |
| Israel’s character in this passage | Israel is described as obstinate (verse 4) and treacherous (verse 8), necessitating this unusual method of revelation. | The Cambridge Bible notes that some scholars see the harshness of this passage as reflecting a later editorial hand (Ezekiel’s influence), while others argue it is consistent with Isaiah’s message. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 48 sits within a series of oracles where God argues His case against the nations and against His own people. The historical setting is the period leading up to the fall of Babylon (539 BC). God has predicted the rise of Cyrus (chapters 44, 45). Now He distinguishes between “former things” (prophecies already fulfilled, like the deliverance from Egypt and earlier events) and “new things” (the deliverance from Babylon and the subsequent restoration, and, as Keil and Delitzsch argue, the New Testament age of redemption).
The point of the distinction is to establish God’s sole divinity: if He announces events far in advance, no one can say an idol did them (verse 5); if He only announces them just before they happen, no one can claim they figured it out on their own (verse 7). The cultural background includes the prevalence of divination and claims of divine knowledge by Babylonian priests and the worship of idols. God’s challenge is that none of these could predict Cyrus. The verse uses the language of creation to emphasize that the new deliverance is as much a sovereign act as the original creation. The timing, “created now”, contrasts with the continuous duration of natural cause and effect; God brings something into existence ex nihilo, so to speak, in the realm of historical events. The Cambridge Bible notes the sharpness of the argument: former things were announced long beforehand lest Israel ascribe them to idols; new things are hidden till the last moment lest Israel claim they knew them all along. This double strategy leaves no room for human pride or idolatry.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants for Isaiah 48:7. The wording is consistent across the Hebrew tradition. Some critical scholars (Duhm, Cheyne, cited in the Cambridge Bible) have suggested that the verse, along with parts of the surrounding passage, may represent a later editorial addition. However, the majority of commentators treat the text as integral to the prophecy, and the sense is well established from the Masoretic Text.
Reception History
Jewish exegesis (Aben Ezra, Kimchi) interpreted the “creation” as God’s decree or the revelation of events previously hidden. In the Christian tradition, Reformation commentators like Calvin focused on the verse as a proof of God’s sole sovereignty in history; Calvin argued that God “created” these things to prevent anyone from attributing them to fortune. Later interpreters (Barnes, Gill, Wesley) connected the “new things” to the coming of Christ and the new covenant. The verse has been cited in debates about divine foreknowledge and human responsibility. It remains a key text for understanding God’s jealousy for His glory and His use of prophecy to authenticate His exclusive deity.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s Sovereignty in Creating New Things. The verb “created” (Niphal perfect) shows divine initiative. God alone brings events into being, independent of natural causes or human foresight.
- Human Pride in Claiming Foreknowledge. The “lest” clause targets the human tendency to take credit for perceiving God’s work. Israel is prone to say, “I knew that all along.”
- God’s Gracious Timing in Revelation. He hides things to protect His glory, yet He reveals them for our good. The timing of revelation, neither too early nor too late, proves that He, not human sagacity, is the source.
Five-point outline
- The Contrast: Former Things vs. New Things. Former things were announced long beforehand; new things (like deliverance from Babylon) are announced almost at the moment of fulfillment.
- The Means: Divine Creation. These events are “created now”, not evolved from existing causes but brought into being by God’s word.
- The Hindrance: Human Obstinacy (verse 4). Israel’s iron neck and bronze brow require that God use both long-range prophecy and sudden revelation to pierce their stubbornness.
- The Purpose: Guarding God’s Glory. The phrase “lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them’” shows that God’s purpose is to prevent humans from stealing credit.
- The Application: Our Response. Humble trust in God’s sovereign plan, recognizing that we cannot figure out His ways by our own wisdom.
Illustration hooks
- Hindsight bias. After a major event, people often say “I knew it all along.” This verse exposes that tendency and shows why God sometimes keeps His plans hidden until the last moment.
- A surprise gift. When you receive a gift you never expected, you appreciate the giver more. If you had guessed it beforehand, the gratitude would be less. God’s “new things” function like a gift that could not be anticipated.
- A tested student. A teacher who gives a pop quiz wants to see what the student actually knows, not what they could look up. God’s sudden revelation tests whether Israel will acknowledge Him as the source.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God sometimes hide His plans from us, even when we pray for guidance?
- How can we avoid the pride of acting as if we can predict God’s next move?
- If God is sovereign over all events, why does He care so much about whether humans take credit?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of God’s courtroom case. He is showing why He alone is God. The startling claim is that He creates new events on the spot, so that no one can say they knew them beforehand. How does this change how we view God’s work in our lives?
Discussion questions
- Read verse 7. What does it mean that these things are “created now”? What difference does the timing make?
- Why would God be concerned that people might say, “I knew them”? What does this reveal about human nature?
- How does this verse connect to the “former things” described in verses 3, 6? What is the contrast?
- In what situations do you find yourself wanting to claim insight or credit for God’s work in your own life or in your church?
- How does this passage challenge the modern tendency to rely on our own reasoning and plans rather than on God’s direction?
- What comfort is there in knowing that God can bring about utterly new events that we could not have predicted or engineered?
- How might this truth shape the way you pray about an uncertain future?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the new events God predicts are like acts of creation: they could not be foreseen by any natural cause or human sagacity. The fall of Babylon was so entirely God's own work that no one could claim they knew it would happen. Only God could foretell what only God could bring about.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the prophet describes events completely beyond human foresight or experience, so that no one can attribute them to luck or human strength. The people had not heard these things before, meaning the outcome is a direct revelation from God, not something they could have learned or predicted. This leaves no room to credit anyone but God alone.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that these verses take a harsher stance toward Israel than the rest of Second Isaiah, with a judgmental tone more like Ezekiel. The unusual argument about prophecy hides new events until the last moment, which some scholars assign to a later editor, though the difficulties may be overstated given parallels elsewhere.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes stress that God brings these events into being now, not long ago, and they were never announced beforehand. This prevents anyone from claiming they already knew what God was doing. The point is to humble human pride
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the word "created" here does not mean something newly brought into being. It refers to God's eternal decrees now being revealed through prophecy, so that Israel cannot claim they knew these things by their own wisdom or insight.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the events described were not natural results from existing causes but acts of creative power unlike anything before. Human acumen could never have foreseen them; they became known only through the present inspired announcement.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch resolve the tension between former and new prophecies by placing the prophet’s standpoint in the midst of the exile. From this vantage he can look back at earlier predictions preparing for Cyrus, yet also announce entirely new revelations—the redemption, glorification, and new creation—that had never been heard before, preserving the unity of the book.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the gap between the Jews' impressive religious profession and their actual condition. They carry all the outward marks of God's people — name, lineage, oaths, and claims on the holy city — yet none of it is genuine. Their worship is a show, and God sees the iron neck and brass brow underneath.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley underscores that the revelation comes directly from God as something entirely new, not derived from ancient times, human intelligence, or the help of idols. The things now made known were not accessible before this day.