Isaiah 48:17
“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Isaiah 48 confronts Israel's stubbornness and reminds them that God foretold events to prove He alone is God, even as He pledges to teach and lead them home from exile.
What Does Isaiah 48:17 Mean?
Isaiah 48:17 presents God as both Redeemer and Teacher who guides His people for their own good. The LORD names Himself in layered titles -- "thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" -- before describing what He does: He teaches "to profit" and leads "by the way that thou shouldest go." The God who buys back His people from bondage is also the one who patiently instructs them how to live.
The phrase "teacheth thee to profit" reveals the aim of God's instruction: it is not arbitrary or burdensome but genuinely beneficial, aimed at the well-being of the one being taught. In a chapter that rebukes Israel for stubbornness -- a neck like "an iron sinew" -- this verse is gentle and hopeful, showing that God's correction flows from His desire to lead them rightly. The image of being led "by the way that thou shouldest go" recalls a shepherd guiding a flock or a parent guiding a child along a safe path. Redemption and guidance belong together: the One who rescues also directs. For the reader, this means God's commands are not against us but for us, the wisdom of a Redeemer who knows the road and walks it with us.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew ga'al describes a kinsman-redeemer who buys back what was lost; lamad means to teach or train, picturing patient instruction for the learner's benefit.
Cross References
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
- Psalm 32:8
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
- Isaiah 30:21
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.”
- John 16:13
Application
Trust that God's instruction is for your good; the One who redeems you also teaches you the way that leads to true profit and life.