What Does Isaiah 48:16 Mean?

“Come”

to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

near, with or among; often in general, to

“unto me hear”

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

this (often used adverb)

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“from the beginning”

the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)

“in secret”

a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)

“ye this I have not spoken”

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

“from the time”

time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

i

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

“that it was there am I and now the Lord”

the lord (used as a proper name of god only)

“GOD”

god

“hath sent”

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

“and his Spirit”

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the