Bible Strands
Isaiah 48:7
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God addresses Israel/Judah through the prophet, contrasting His fresh revelation with their claim of prior knowledge. He speaks at a moment of confrontation, interrupting their presumption that they have already grasped His purposes.
The words — נִבְרְאוּ (niv.re.'U) carries the literal sense “they have been created,” paired with עַתָּה ('a.tah) meaning “now.” This pairing anchors the verse’s claim in immediate divine action rather than ancient tradition.
The thread — The declaration of newly created things echoes Isaiah 48:6’s promise of hidden matters and Isaiah 48:8’s indictment of hardened rebellion. The motif of God revealing what was previously unknown recurs in Isaiah 42:9 and 43:18–19.
Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment that divine revelation originates from God’s present initiative, not human memory. It asks the reader to abandon claims of prior understanding and submit to what God is actively bringing into view.
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
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.