Isaiah 48:1

“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses the house of Jacob, those called by the name of Israel and descended from Judah, at the moment He commands them to hear His forthcoming declaration.

The words — שִׁמְעוּ (shim.'u) means listen to, and נִקְרָאִים (nik.ra.'Im) means those who are called.

The thread — The demand for sworn oaths grounded in truth and righteousness echoes Jeremiah 4:2, while the appeal to the name of Israel recalls the patriarchal renaming in Genesis 32:28 and the liturgical invocation of the fountain of Israel in Psalms 68:26.

Why it lands — The text demands that religious identity and ritual invocation be matched by internal truth and righteousness, rather than functioning as empty labels.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 4:2 and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
Psalms 68:26 Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
Isaiah 65:16 Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles will be forgotten and hidden from My sight.
Jeremiah 5:2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
Jeremiah 7:9 Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,
Matthew 15:8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
Genesis 35:10 And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.