The Meaning of Isaiah 48:9 Explained

Isaiah 48:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: For My name's sake I defer Mine anger, And My praise I restrain for thee, So as not to cut thee off.

Darby: For my name's sake I will defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain as to thee, that I cut thee not off.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 48:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Even though Israel had been prone to idolatry ( Isaiah 48:5) and had been congenitally rebellious ( Isaiah 48:8), God had not cast her off. Why? He had made commitments to be gracious to Israel, and to honor Himself in His dealings with her, so that the rest of the world would trust Him. The fact that God did not abandon Israel when He could have done so justly manifested His grace.

Context Summary

Isaiah 48:1-16 - The Obstinate And Insincere Rebuked
We are meant to be for God's praise and glory; but we may delay the realization of His high purpose. Our neck iron, our brow brass, we trust in idols and refuse to open our ear. It is necessary, therefore, to send us to Babylon, where, as in a furnace for silver, the dross and alloy are purged away. Many of us are in furnaces which have been rendered needful through our evil ways.
Notwithstanding our sins, God comes to the furnace mouth and chooses us there. For His own sake, His own sake, He does it that His name may not be polluted. He cannot give His glory to another. You cannot account for God's grace to you personally. He must have known all, from the first. Then dare to believe that the reason that prompted Him at the first will suffice to the end. He is not "the son of man that He should repent." He who was the first will be the last. Jesus is Omega as well as Alpha; the end as well as the beginning! Fear not! Revelation 1:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 48

1  God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinance, revealed his prophecies
9  He saves them for his own sake
12  He exhorts them to obedience, because of his power and providence
16  He laments their backwardness
20  He powerfully delivers his people out of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 48:9 mean?

For sake of My name I will defer My anger and [for] My praise I will restrain it from you so that not I do cut you off
לְמַ֤עַן שְׁמִי֙ אַאֲרִ֣יךְ אַפִּ֔י וּתְהִלָּתִ֖י אֶחֱטָם־ לָ֑ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הַכְרִיתֶֽךָ

לְמַ֤עַן  For  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
שְׁמִי֙  of  My  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אַאֲרִ֣יךְ  I  will  defer 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָרַךְ 
Sense: to be long, prolong.
אַפִּ֔י  My  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וּתְהִלָּתִ֖י  and  [for]  My  praise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תְּהִלָּה  
Sense: praise, song or hymn of praise.
אֶחֱטָם־  I  will  restrain  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָטַם  
Sense: to hold in, restrain.
לָ֑ךְ  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
לְבִלְתִּ֖י  so  that  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
הַכְרִיתֶֽךָ  I  do  cut  you  off 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.