Christian Churches of God
No. F023
Commentary
on Isaiah:
Introduction
and Part 1
(Edition 1.0 20230925-20230925)
Chapters 1-4
Christian
Churches of God
PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606,
AUSTRALIA
E-mail: secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright © 2023
Wade Cox)
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Commentary
on Isaiah: Introduction and Part 1
Introduction
Isaiah (Yah (o) is
salvation or 'hosaias from the LXX (and 21 times in the NT). He is the first of
the Latter Prophets. The longer spelling current in the eight century BCE was
shortened and that form is found in the Elephantine Papyri (Cowley 5:16; 8:33; 9:21).
The name is similar to Joshua, Jesus, Hosea, and also
to Elisha (see Isaiah Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, pp. 731ff)).
The prophet
Isaiah, son of Amoz, was appointed by God to proclaim his message to Judah and
Jerusalem between 742 and 687 BCE (see OARSV n.). In this critical period the Northern Kingdom
was annexed to the Assyrian Empire (2Kgs. Ch. 17) and Judah survived as a
tributary state in its shadow (2Chr. 28:21).
Modern Revisionist
theory holds that Chapters 1-39 are attributed to Isaiah (Isa. 1) and that Chs.
40-66 come from the time of Cyrus of Persia (539 BCE) being judged to be from
historical background, literary style and theological emphases
(cf. OARSV Intro n.).
The First section
is considered to contain Isaiah's memoirs 1:1-12:6. The text then continues
with oracles against foreign and domestic enemies (13:1-23:18) followed by what
is termed the “Isaiah Apocalypse” (24:1-27:13). The Oracles are generally
concerned with Judah's intrigue with Egypt, its implications
and consequences (28:1-32:20). That is then followed by what are
considered to be post-exilic eschatological oracles (33:1-35:10). An
historical appendix is then considered to complete the pre-exilic section
(36:1-39:8) (see OARSV n.). It is thought that there is some rearranging of oracles
by post- exilic editors (OARSV n.). They assume that Isaiah seems to know the
works of his contemporaries, Amos, Hosea and Micah and
that in attacking social injustice is asserting Judah's tenuous relationship
with God. Indeed, the theme of all the latter prophets is to condemn Judah for
their abandonment of the laws of God and the Covenant as we see particularly in
Jeremiah and also in Ezekiel, which shows their long-term
rejection and their ultimate dispersion. (F024, F024xiv; F026ix, x, xi, xii).
Chapters 40-66 are
called, by modern revisionist scholars, Second Isaiah (or even Second and Third
Isaiah). They assume that it originated before the fall of Babylon (Oct. 29 539
BCE) to the armies of Cyrus King of Persia and during the generation following
(cf. OARSV n.). It is asserted that the anonymous author of the First (bipartite)
Section (Chs. 40-55) (or 40-48; 49-55) exults in joyful anticipation of exiled Judah’s
restoration to Palestine, for which Cyrus is God's Precipitating Agent (44:28).
It appears that modern revisionist scholars assume that God cannot issue
prophecy and that for a person to be named in prophecy it must have been an
aposteriori event, written after the person took the action God said he would
take, and not as prophecy. The rest of the OARSV introduction reflects this aposteriori
view of Isaiah and we will not canvas the view further. The same reasoning is
applied to Daniel. Not only did Daniel prophesy the main events of the
Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires but all that of the Greeks and the North
and South divisions (which were pointed out to Alexander when he went to
Jerusalem) and then the Roman Empire and also the Holy Roman Empires and now
the final Empire leading into the Wars of the End and the Return of Messiah (see
F027xiii).
We will examine these prophecies and outline all of
the activities to the Return of the Messiah and the Restoration of the Laws of
God and the Calendar for the Second Exodus (Chs. 65-66) (see Summary of Isaiah and also No. 156f).
What will be
apparent is that the prophecies given to Isaiah relate from the captivity and
removal of the Northern Kingdom ca. 722 to the Babylonian captivity and the
restoration of Judah and the execution of the Messiah and then to the
dispersion of Judah and the Restoration in the Last Days at the Return of
Messiah and the Second Exodus of Israel in its entirety over these coming
years. We will see that Isaiah is one of the greatest inspired texts of the
Bible and we will deal with the assumed divisions and rejection of inspired
prophecy by modern revisionist scholars, many of whom do not believe in the
inspiration of the Bible texts. Many claim that the OT was not written until
the Second Century BCE due to aposteriori reasoning.
Note that
Bullinger's dates in his commentary are based on faulty 19th century
timelines, which scholarship has improved over the twentieth and twenty-first
centuries. The timelines of the Kings of Judah and Israel are at Outline Timetable of the Age
(No. 272).
We will provide
the actual dates in the texts.
***
- Isaiah
by E.W.
Bullinger
THE STRUCTURE OF
THE BOOK AS A WHOLE.
(INTROVERSION)
Isaiah 1:1THE TITLE.
Isaiah 1:25; Isaiah 1:30. Exhortations: Reprehensory. Prophetic.
Isaiah 6:1-13. The VOICE From The TEMPLE. The SCATTERING.
Isaiah 7:1 - Isaiah 12:6 . HISTORIC. Events and Prophecies (AHAZ).
Isaiah 13:1- Isaiah 27:13. BURDENS. Alternated with ISRAEL''S Blessings.
Isaiah 28:1-Isaiah 35:10. WOES. Alternated with JEHOVAH''S Glories.
Isaiah 36:1 - Isaiah 39:8 . HISTORIC. Events and Prophecies (HEZEKIAH).
Isaiah 40:1-11. The VOICE From the WILDERNESS. The Gathering.
Isaiah 40:1 - Isaiah 66:24. Exhortations; Promissory. Prophetic.
For the Canonical
order and place of the Prophets, see Appdx-1, and p. 1207
For the
Chronological order of the Prophets, see Appdx-77.
For the
Inter-relation of the Prophetic Books, see Appdx-78.
For the Formula
of Prophetic utterance, see Appdx-82.
For the References
to the Pentateuch by the Prophets, see Appdx-92.
For the Quotations
and verbal allusions to Isaiah in the New Testament, see Ap. 80.
For the Evidence
of one Authorship, see Ap. 79.
For the
Inter-relation of the Minor (or Shorter) Prophets, see p. 1206.
The Structure,
above, declares the unity of the book, and effectually disposes of the alleged
dual authorship and the hypothetical division of the book by modern critics
into two parts: the "former" part being chs. 1-39, the
"latter" part chs. 40-66. The "Voice", in Ch. Isaiah 40:1-11, is necessitated in order to complete the
"Correspondence" with Isa 6:1-13; and, if an hypothesis is admitted
on the one side, then it must be admitted on the other; and it is
hypothetically incredible that this dual reference to the "voice "
could have been the outcome of a dual authorship. For other evidence, see
Appdx-79, 80, and 82.
The DATE of the
book is given as in the days of
"Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah". In Ch. Isaiah 6:1 the prophecy there is given as being
"in the year that king Uzziah died".
According to
Appdx-50, p.59 (cp. Appdx-77),
Uzziah died in 649 B.C.
Historically,
Isaiah disappears from view after delivering the great prophecy of the
Babylonian Servitude (2 Kings 20:16-18 and Isaiah 39:1-). This was in the year 603 B.C.,
after Hezekiah''s illness at the close of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib
in Hezekiah''s fourteenth year (cp. Appdx-60, p. 60).
We have thus two
fixed dates, and between them a period of forty-six years, during which,
undoubtedly, "the Word of Jehovah came" through Isaiah, and "God
spake" by him.
Though this period
was covered and overlapped by the Prophet''s life, it was not the whole of the
period covered by the "vision", which goes far beyond the prediction
of the Babylonish Captivity.
Hezekiah lived for
fifteen years after his illness, dying therefore in 588 B. C. Manasseh, his
son, born in the third of the fifteen added years, succeeded in the same year
(588 B.C.).
How soon after his
accession the Manassean persecution began we are not told; but it is highly
improbable that a boy of twelve years would immediately commence the
horrible things of which we are told in 2 Kings 21:0 and 2 Chronicles 33:0.
The unutterable
"religious" practices that lie behind the descriptive words in these
chapters point clearly to some four or five years later, when Manasseh would be
sixteen or seventeen.
According to
Jewish tradition, Isaiah perished in the Manassean persecution; when, it is
said, he took refuge inside a hollow mulberry tree, which Manasseh ordered to
be sawn through. This may be referred to in Hebrews 11:37.
If we take the
fifth year of Manasseh (584 B.C.) as the date of Isaiah''s death (violent or
natural, we have no means of determining), then, from the "year that king
Uzziah died" (Isaiah 6:1, which forcibly suggests the terminus a
quo of the whole book) to this point, we have sixty-five years from the
commencement of the " visions" till the supposed date of his death
(649-584 B. C. - 65). See Appdx-77.
If Isaiah was
about the same age as Samuel, Jeremiah, and Daniel were, at the beginning of
their ministries, viz. 16-18, then we may conclude that the length of his life
was some 81-83 years.
There is no
evidence that "the Word of the LORD came" to Isaiah after the reign
of Hezekiah ended in 588 B.C., therefore the whole period covered by "the
vision " of Isaiah is sixty-one years (649-588 = 61).
From that year
onward till the thirteenth year of Josiah in 518 B.C., there
were seventy years during which God did not speak "by the prophets"
(588-518 = 70).
The chart of the
Prophets (see Appdx-77) shows that ISAIAH was contemporary with HOSEA from
649-611 B.C. = 38 years; with MICAH from 632-611 B.C. = 21 "; and with
NAHUM in the year 603 B. C. = 1 year.
TITLE. Book = Scroll. For its place in the Heb. Canon,
see Appdx-1 . For its relation to the other prophets,
see Appdx-78.
Isaiah = the salvation of Jehovah. For the
occurrences of his name in N.T., see Appdx-79. I. For quotations in the N.T.,
see Appdx-80. For the unity of the book as a whole, see
the Structure on p. 930, and Appdx-79.
******
Chapters 1:1-5:24
- Oracles against Rebellious Judah
Chapter 1
1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Sons have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. 3The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand.” 4Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. 5Why will you still be smitten, that you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil.7Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens. 8And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah. 10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12“When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts? 13Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.15When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 21How the faithful city has become a harlot, she that was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. 22Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Every one loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them. 24Therefore the Lord says, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will vent my wrath on my enemies, and avenge myself on my foes. 25I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. 26And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” 27Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. 28But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 29For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted; and you shall blush for the gardens which you have chosen. 30For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. 31And the strong shall become tow, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.
Intent of Chapter 1
1:1 Superscription. Vision of Isaiah (6:1-13);
Jer. Ch.1; Ezek. Chs. 1-3) identifies Isa. Chs. 1-39 as God's Message to Judah
through the prophet. Isaiah means The Lord (Yaho) gives Salvation. The text in
the days of etc. is considered possibly to be an editorial expansion (see OARSV
n.).
1:2-31 First
Series of Oracles – as a prologue.
vv. 2-3 A
poetic exhortation akin to God's assumed address to the Heavenly Host in
40:1-2, although unstated.
Sons Comp.
Jer. 3:19-22. The word Know here implies a deep identifying comprehension
of a right relationship with God.
This theme is recurrent with the prophets
(Jer. 1:5; Hos. 2:20; 4:1,6; 5:4).
1:4-9 An
appeal to a people that did not give heed to the devastation by Tiglath-Pileser
III (734-733 BCE; 7:1-2) or that of Sennacherib (701 BCE; 36:1) and Jerusalem's
isolation (daughter of Zion (Jer.4:29-31n.) (see also OARSV n.).
v. 4 Note
the poetic parallelism nation, people, offspring, sons. The expression Holy
One of Israel (5:19,24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11,12,15; 37:23), emphasises
God's unapproachable separateness which He has bridged by His election of
Israel as the vehicle for the Plan of Salvation (No. 001A) (see
also Nos. 001B, 001C), (see Hos. 8:1;
Jer. 3:20).
1:10-20 God's declaration re Judah.
God declares Judah's religious
superficiality (Am. 5:21-24; Jer. 6:20). Judah could repent and return (Jer.
7:5-7); the alternative is destruction (Jer. 7:22-34).
v. 10 Teaching
The Hebrew word here
is Torah frequently translated as law;
On Sodom and
Gomorrah see Gen. 18:16-19:28; Jer. 23:14; Ezek. 16:46-58.
v. 14 My
Soul a Hebrew idiom which in this context means “I” (comp.
Lev. 26:11,30).
Burden
see Jer.
23:33-40.
vv. 16-17 Comp.
Ex. 22:21-22. Am. 5:6-7.
v. 18 Reason as
arguing a case before a judge (Job. 23:7).
White for
Holiness. Scarlet – wickedness as the clothes of Babylon. (Rev. 17:4).
1:21-23 Lamentation
over Jerusalem
v. 21 harlot
(Jer. 3:6-10; Ezek. Chs. 16 and 23). Justice and Righteousness It is God
declaring the city as a harlot, not Isaiah. Where there was once justice and
righteousness now there are murderers.
v. 24 Mighty
One of Israel recalls Israel's patriarchal traditions (49:26; Gen. 49:24;
Psa.132:2,5).
v. 25 As
with lye – thoroughly
v. 26
Isaiah uses symbolic names (7:14; 8:1; 9:6; see also Jer. 33:16; Ezek. 48:35
n.). There will be a new creation as we also see in Am. 9:11; Rev. 3:12;
21:1-4.
From 1:24-31 we see the
Mighty One of Israel, the Lord of Hosts declare here the end purpose of the
prophecy which is the final restoration of Israel by repentance
and they are redeemed by justice, and the symbols of false religion and the
systems of Babylon and Baal worship shall be consumed by fire in the
restoration of Last Days (vv. 29-31). God then proceeds to give Isaiah
the prophetic oracles from Chs. 1-66 which details the sequence of the Plan of Salvation (No. 001A) from
beginning to end.
The text
from 1:14ff. rejecting Judah’s keeping of the New Moons and Sabbaths is a
rejection of their keeping of them in an unspiritual and unfit manner. It is
not a condemnation of the keeping of New Moons and Sabbaths etc. in their own
right, it is merely a rejection of the way they are being kept.
Chapter 2
1The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. 6For thou hast rejected thy people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of diviners from the east and of soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with foreigners. 7Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. 8Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. 9So man is humbled, and men are brought low—forgive them not! 10Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty. 11The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the pride of men shall be humbled; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. 12For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high; 13against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; 14against all the high mountains, and against all the lofty hills; 15against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; 16against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. 17And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the pride of men shall be brought low; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. 18And the idols shall utterly pass away. 19And men shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. 20In that day men will cast forth their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, 21to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. 22Turn away from man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?
Intent of Chapter 2
2:1 This word
concerns the Message of the Last Days (see
also Jer. 7:1; 11:1).
2:2-5 The New Age at the Return of the Messiah. The text involves the
elevation of Zion over the Last Days, and all the nations shall flow to the God
of the House of Jacob that He may teach them His ways and that they may walk in
his paths. At this time the Messiah will judge between the nations and shall
decide for many peoples. The nations will not participate in war, and they
shall be at peace over the whole world. This is the conclusion of the wars of
the end as we see from Rev. Chs. 10-22 (see F066 iii,
iv; v). This
is the Millennial Rule of the Messiah termed the age of peace (see also Mic.
4:1-4). v. 3 Law i.e. “teaching” or
“Torah” (1:10).
v. 4 The Millennial Age of Peace will follow the Law of God under the Judgment of the Messiah. It will involve the Restoration of Israel and the Laws of God all over the world and the restoration of God's Calendar (No. 156) as held at the Temple before its destruction (5:25; 30:27-28; see 65:17-66:24; Zech. 14:16-21; F038). The false calendar of Hillel will be utterly expunged, and doctrines of post Temple Judaism removed completely as we will see from the texts.
v. 5 paraphrased in Mic. 4:5.
2:6-22 The Day of the Lord
Seen as perhaps three stanzas (6-11; 12-17; 18-22). The first two have similar conclusions (11, 17). The third stanza is thought to have ended similarly as the present verse 22 is missing in the LXX and is grammatically corrupt (see also OARSV n.). The intent of the three conclusions is to reduce the opinion man has in himself. The three stanzas are to deride Judah and Levi's view in themselves and their corruption of the Law and the Testimony (which carries in into the text to 8:20), through foreigners and they now bow down to idols (v. 8) and hence the Terror of the Lord is to fall upon them, and they are humbled (in three stanzas).
2:6-11 Judgement on Idolatry
v. 6 Diviners were forbidden in Israel (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:27; Deut. 18:10-11; comp. 8:19; 1Sam. 28:8-25; Ezek. 13:9). The situation is what we are told of Uzziah's reign in 2Kgs. 15:1-7; 2Chr. Ch 26).
v.7 Judah’s prosperity (Deut.
17:16-17; 1Kgs. 10:14-29).
v. 11 In that day – The Day of the Lord in which He sends Messiah and the Host to subjugate the earth and God subdues the earth and manifests His Glory (see also 13:6; Am. 5:18-20; Jer. 17:16-18; Ezek. 30:3; Jl. 1-15).
2:12-17 Pride and
Punishment
v. 13 Lebanon, Bashan (Ezek.
27:5-6; Jer. 22:20). Due to the pride and idolatry and arrogance of Judah and
Levi, only the sons of Zadok will be allowed as priests in the Restored Temple
and the rest of Judah and Levi will be servers in wood and water in the Temple
under Messiah (F026ix,
x xi, xii).
v. 16 Ships of Tarshish the term may refer to the fact that the king has a fleet of the ships of Tarshish at sea with those of Hiram and they came every three years with massive wealth (1Kgs. 10:22 n.; Jer. 10:9 n.).
2:18-22
Judgment on Idolatry
v. 19 The caves they are to
enter refers to the texts in revelation in the Latter Days (Rev. 6:15) and the
Camp David's and Cheyanne Mountains of the world and not just to the masses of
limestone caves in the hills of Palestine. The idolatry of the nations
is to be expunged from the earth (see No. 141F).
Chapter 3
1For,
behold, the Lord, the Lord of
hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole
stay of bread, and the whole stay of water; 2the mighty man and the
soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, 3the
captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skilful magician
and the expert in charms. 4And I will make boys their princes, and
babes shall rule over them. 5And the people will oppress one
another, every man his fellow and every man his neighbor; the youth will be
insolent to the elder, and the base fellow to the honorable. 6When a
man takes hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: “You have a
mantle; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your
rule”; 7in that day he will speak out, saying: “I will not be a
healer; in my house there is neither bread nor mantle; you shall not make me
leader of the people.” 8For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen;
because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. 9Their partiality
witnesses against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide
it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil upon themselves. 10Tell
the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of
their deeds. 11Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what
his hands have done shall be done to him. 12My people—children are
their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead
you, and confuse the course of your paths. 13The Lord has taken his place to contend, he
stands to judge his people. 14The Lord
enters into judgment with the elders and
princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of
the poor is in your houses. 15What do you mean by crushing my
people, by grinding the face of the poor?” says the Lord God of hosts. 16The Lord said: Because the daughters of
Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their
eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet; 17the Lord
will smite with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. 18In
that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and
the crescents 19the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; 20the
headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21the
signet rings and nose rings; 22the festal robes, the mantles, the
cloaks, and the handbags; 23the garments of gauze, the linen
garments, the turbans, and the veils. 24Instead of perfume there
will be rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set
hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; instead of
beauty, shame. 25Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty
men in battle. 26And her gates shall lament and mourn; ravaged, she
shall sit upon the ground.
Intent of
Chapter 3
3:1-15 God
decrees anarchy for Jerusalem.
3:1-7 Removal of the key men sees
society break down.
v. 1 Stay and staff all
the economic resources essential to the support of life down to food and drink,
and the stability which comes from the functionaries of vv. 2-3 as the key
roles deemed necessary for the continuance of the state.
v. 4 The inexperienced and unfit will
rule.
3:5-6 As we see now in these latter days civil unrest will become open
violence and the society collapses into anarchy in all sectors. The politicians
are corrupt, and the people love to have it so. They refuse to act until it is
too late.
3:8-12 This is commentary on
vv. 1-7.
Like Judah in the text Israel's and
the world's willful and brazen sin and contravention of the Laws of God (L1)
has ruined the people and billions will die as the majority died from this time
onwards.
3:13-15 God will judge the corrupt Judges,
the elders the primary administrators of justice (Ex. 19:7; Jos. 20:4; Deut.
21:19-21) and princes of His people as royal appointees (1Kgs. 4:2; 2Kgs. 10:1;
Jer. 34:19).
Vineyards (see 5:1-7; Nos. 001B and 001C).
3:16-4:1 The Humiliation of
Jerusalem's and Israel's Women (Am. 4:1-3).
3:18-24 is a detailed expansion of v. 17.
Israel's wars. as a result of sin, have decimated the
male population over the years and forced the females to resort to desperate measures
to preserve themselves and their respect. See 3:16-4:1 re “our reproach.”
The religious of Israel's society
continued in brazen sin until God sent them into captivity and they refused to
repent. They went into three captivities, one to the Assyrians, in two phases
(east and then west of the Jordan), and the second to Babylon (No. 250B) and the third to the
Romans (No. 298) with many intervening
disasters and yet they refused to learn. In the Twentieth Century they faced
two world wars and a Holocaust and still they did not repent and in the Last
Days they will face the Wars of the Fifth Trumpet and the deaths of billions
and then the War of the Sixth Trumpet as WWIII (No. 141C) and
a second Holocaust and still they will not repent. As we go on in the text, we
will see what God has determined the result will be.
4:1 is correctly a continuation of
the situation brought about by the sins and wars of Chapter 3 and its effect on
the women of the nations.
Chapter 4
1And seven
women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own
bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away
our reproach.” 2In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious,
and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of
Israel. 3And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be
called holy, every one who has been recorded for life
in Jerusalem, 4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a
spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5Then the Lord will create over the whole site of
Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of
a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy and a
pavilion. 6It will be for a shade by day from the heat, and for a
refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
Intent of Chapter 4
4:2-6 Jerusalem’s
restoration under the Great Exodus (Chs. 65:17-66:24; Zech 14:16-21).
4:2 Branch (11:1; Jer. 23:5). The righteous remnant (or Holy Seed (see 6:9-13; Am. 9:1-15). Comp. 3:10 and Messiah as Branch (11:1; Jer. 23:5); Fruit of the Land as return to paradise and the restoration of Eden which is where it was. (see also the Golden Jubilee (No. 300).
4:3 Recorded for Life comp. Ex. 32:32; Mal.
3:16; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 20:12,15.
v. 5 Smoke and Flaming Fire
These are the signs of God's presence and protection as it was at Sinai and in
the Wilderness among His people (Ex. 13:21-22; 40:34-38).
We see the Plan of God was to run
full cycle to the Restoration of the Last Days under Messiah for the Millennial
system. We will now unfold the story over the text of Isaiah which will show
the Plan of God in all its complexity and brilliance (see also No. 001A).
Bullinger’s Notes
on Chs. 1-4 (for KJV)
Chapter 1
The vision of Isaiah. This is the
title of the whole book.
he saw = he saw in vision.
Hebrew. chaza , to gaze on, as in Isaiah 2:1 ; Isaiah 13:1 . Not the same word as in Isaiah 6:1 , Isaiah 6:6 ; Isaiah 21:6 , Isaiah 21:7 ; but Jehovah was the speaker. Isaiah's voice and pen, but
Jehovah's words (Isaiah 1:2 ).
concerning Judah and Jerusalem. This
is the subject of the book. It is not concerning the
or the: nor to other nations, except as they come in contact
with "Judah and Jerusalem". Its theme is the salvation of the
nation by Jehovah through judgment and grace, as being "life from the
dead". (Romans 11:15 ). It is addressed to those who look for Messiah (Isaiah 8:17 ; Isaiah 45:22 ) and those who "wait for Him" (Isaiah 8:17 ; Isaiah 25:9 ; Isaiah 26:8 ; Isaiah 33:2 .
Uzziah ( 2Ch
26:1-23649 BC).
Jotham (2 Chronicles
27:1-9 .
Ahaz (2 Chronicles
28:1-27 ).
and. The absence of conjunctions
between these names, and the Hebrew accents attached to them, seem to indicate
that some of them reigned for a time jointly. App-50 .
Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:0 :1 Â-32:33, and Isaiah 36:0 :1 Â-39:8).
Verse 2
Hear, heavens. Figure of speech Apostrophe . App-6 . Reference
to Pentateuch ( App-92 ). It commences like the Song
of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1 . See notes, p. 283), and is the commentary on it. Note the
connection of the two books, Isaiah the necessary sequel to Deuteronomy. This
verse was put on the title-page of early English
Bibles, claiming the right of all to hear what Jehovah hath spoken.
for. Note the reason given.
the Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
hath spoken: i.e.,
articulately. Not Isaiah. All modern criticism is based on
the assumption that it is a human book: and that prediction is human
impossibility (which we grant); and this ends in a denial of inspiration
altogether. Against this God has placed 2 Peter 1:21 .
spoken. Jehovah is the Eternal One:
"Who was, and is, and is to come". Hence, His words are, like
Himself, eternal; and prophecy relates to the then present as well as
to the future ; and may have a praeterist and
a futurist interpretation, as well as a now present application to
ourselves.
brought up. Compare Exodus 4:22 ; Deuteronomy 14:1 ; Deuteronomy 32:6 , Deuteronomy 32:18 , Deuteronomy 32:20 .
children = sons.
rebelled. Hebrew. pash'a . App-44 .
knoweth. Put by Figure of
speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for all
that that knowledge implies.
not know. Compare Jeremiah 8:7 . All Israel's trouble came from the truth of this
indictment. Compare Luke The trouble will all be removed when Isaiah 54:13 ; Isaiah 60:16 are fulfilled. Jeremiah 31:34 .Jeremiah 11:9 . Compare Jeremiah 9:23 ,
My People. Some codices, with
Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and My people".
Verse 4
Ah. Figure of speech Ecphonesis . Note the four exclamatory descriptions,
and see note on "gone away", below.
sinful. Hebrew. chata . App-44 .
sinful nation. Note the Figures of
speech Apostrophe, Synonymia and Anabasis in verses: Isaiah 1:4 , Isaiah 1:5 . Contrast Exodus 19:6 . Deuteronomy 7:6 ; Deuteronomy 14:2 , Deuteronomy 14:21 .
laden = heavily burdened.
iniquity. Hebrew 'avah. App-44 .
of = consisting of. Genitive of
Apposition. App-17 .
corrupters. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:5 ).
forsaken. Apostasy in disposition.
Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:20 ; Deuteronomy 31:16 ). App-92 . Occurs in the "former"
portion here, Isaiah 1:28 ; Isaiah 6:12 ; Isaiah 7:16 ; Isaiah 10:3 (leave), 14 (left); Isaiah 17:2 , Isaiah 17:9 ; Isaiah 18:6 (left); Isaiah 27:10 ; Isaiah 32:14 , and in the "latter" portion, Isaiah 41:17 ; Isaiah 49:14 ; Isaiah 54:6 ; Isaiah 55:7 ; Isaiah 58:2 ; Isaiah 60:15 ; Isaiah 62:4 , Isaiah 62:12 ; Isaiah 65:11 . App-79 .
the Hebrew. Jehovah. (with 'eth) =
Jehovah Himself ( App-4 ). Not the same as in
verses: Isaiah 1:2 , Isaiah 1:9 , Isaiah 1:10 , Isaiah 1:20 .
provoked = despised, blasphemed.
Reference to Pentateuch ( App-92 ). An old Mosaic word
(Numbers 14:11 , Numbers 14:23 ; Numbers 16:30 . Deuteronomy 31:20 ). Apostasy in words (see note above).
the Holy One of Israel. Occurs
twenty-five times in Isaiah: twelve times in the "former" portion (Isaiah 1:4 ; Isaiah 5:19 , Isaiah 5:24 ; Isaiah 10:20 ; Isaiah 12:6 ; Isaiah 17:7 ; Isaiah 29:19 ; Isaiah 30:11 , Isaiah 30:12 , Isaiah 30:15 ; Isaiah 31:1 ; Isaiah 37:23 ,:); and thirteen times in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 41:14 , Isaiah 41:16 , Isaiah 41:20 ; Isaiah 43:3 , Isaiah 43:14 ; Isaiah 45:11 ; Isaiah 47:4 ; Isaiah 48:17 ; Isaiah 49:7 ; Isaiah 54:5 ; Isaiah 55:5 ; Isaiah 60:9 , Isaiah 60:14 ). Outside Isaiah it is used by Himself once (2 Kings 19:22 first occurrence); three times in the Psalms ( Isa 71:22 ;
Isa 89:18 ).
gone away backward. Apostasy in act.
See note on Isaiah 1:4 , and notice the threefold apostasy in this verse.
Verse 5
Why. ? Figure
of speech Erotesis App-6
Verse 6
wounds. Note the Figure of speech Synonymia Hebrew
singular, as are the other two.
ointment = oil.
Verse 7
desolate. Occurs in
"former" portion here, Isaiah 6:11 ; Isaiah 17:9 ; Isaiah 33:8 ; and in the "latter" portion, Isaiah 49:8 , Isaiah 49:19 ; Isaiah 54:1 , Isaiah 54:3 ; Isaiah 61:4 , Isaiah 61:4 ; Isaiah 62:4 .
your cities. Some codices, with
Syriac, read "and your cities".
land = soil.
strangers = foreigners, or apostates.
Hebrew. zur. See note on Proverbs 5:3 (not the same word as in Isaiah 2:6 ).
Verse 8
cottage = a booth, made of reeds.
Compare Job 27:18 .
a lodge. A platform on four poles,
sheltered by leaves or sacking. Left to the weather at the close of harvest.
Verse 9
Except, &c. The first passage in
Isaiah quoted in N.T. (Romans 9:29 ).
very
small. Hebrew. kim'at. See note on Proverbs 5:14 .
as Sodom. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 19:1-29 . Deuteronomy 29:23 .) Compare Isaiah 3:9 , for the reason.
Verse 10
rulers of: i.e.
rulers who ruled as in Sodom.
the law. Reference to whole Pentateuch.
Twelve times in Isaiah (Isaiah 1:10 ; Isaiah 2:3 ; Isaiah 5:24 ; Isaiah 8:16 , Isaiah 8:20 ; Isaiah 24:5 ; Isaiah 30:9 , &c.
people of: i.e.
people who acted as the people in Gomorrah acted.
Verse 11
To what purpose, &c. Figure of
speech Synathraesmos , in verses: Isaiah 1:11-15 . Also Figure of speech Hypotyposis ,
for emphasis, in describing the hollowness of mere religious observances (as
when Christ was on earth. Compare John 2:6 , John 2:7 with Isaiah 14:16 ). Matthew 15:3-8 .
saith the LORD. The Hebrew fut.
of 'amar ( = y', omar), combined with a Divine title, is
used thrice in the so-called "former "portion of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:11 , Isaiah 1:18 ; Isaiah 33:10 ), and six times in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 40:1 , Isaiah 40:25 ; Isaiah 41:21 , Isaiah 41:21 ; Isaiah 66:9 ). Elsewhere only in Psalms 12:6 , while the past tense is frequently used (see App-92 ).
Verse 12
to appear, &c. Reference to
Pentateuch. See note (Exodus 23:15 ).
tread = trample, and thus profane.
Hebrew. ramas. Ezekiel 26:11 ; Ezekiel 34:18 . Daniel 8:7 , Daniel 8:10 .
Verse 13
oblations. Hebrew. minchah
= gift-offering. App-43 .
is = itself [is].
assemblies = convocations.
Hebrew. mikra'. Reference to Pentateuch ( App-92
); out of twenty-three occurrences, twenty occur in Pentateuch. Occurs only
here, Isaiah 4:5 , and Nehemiah 8:8 (in a later sense "reading"), outside the
Pentateuch. Not kahal . See note on Genesis 28:3 ; Genesis 49:6 ; and App-92 .
I cannot away with. Hebrew. yakol =
to be able. Here = "I am not able [to endure, or
put up with]". The Figure of speech Ellipsis must be thus
supplied.
iniquity = vanity. (Not the same word
as Isaiah 1:4 .) Hebrew. 'aven. App-44 .
iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Hebrew
"iniquity and assembly". Figure of speech Hendiadys = your
vain assembly.
Verse 14
My soul = I (very emph.)
Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .
Figure of speech Anthropopatheia . App-6 .
Verse 15
And when = Even when.
spread forth your hands. Put by Figure
of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for "pray", in which hands
are spread forth.
make many prayers = multiply your
prayers.
blood. Put by Figure of
speech Metonymy (of Effect), for the acts which shed the blood.
Verse 16
evil. Heb ra 'a . App-44 .
Verse 17
fatherless. widow. Put by Figure of
speech Synecdoche (of Species), for all kinds of helpless and
bereaved persons.
Verse 18
let us reason together = let us put
the matter right, or settle the matter. It means the putting an end to all reasoning, rather than an
invitation to commence reasoning.
sins. Hebrew. chata .
App-44 .
though. Some codices, with one early
printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "yea, though".
Verse 20
for the mouth of the LORD, &c . This sets the seal on this book
as a whole, uniting all its parts. It Occurs in the "former"
portion (Isaiah 1:20 ), and in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 40:5 , and Isaiah 58:14 ). Compare Isaiah 21:17 ; Isaiah 22:25 ; Isaiah 24:3 ; Isaiah 25:8 . See App-79 .
Verse 21
is = [is it that she].
Verse 22
wine = liquor, or drink.
Hebrew. saba' . App-27 .
Verse 23
Thy princes, &c . Figure
of speech Hermeneia . Interpreting the
Figures of speech Hypocatastasis in Isaiah 1:22 .
princes are rebellious. Sarim sorerim , not a "pun", but the Figure of speech Paronomasia (
App-6 ), for solemn emphasis. It may be Englished "thy rulers are unruly".
gifts = rewards, or bribes.
Verse 24
The Lord. Hebrew. Adon.
App-4 .
the mighty One of Israel. Peculiar to
Isaiah. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:24 ). App-92 . Compare Isaiah 49:26 ; Isaiah 60:16 .
Verse 25
turn My hand :
i.e. repeat the judgment (Isaiah 1:27 )
thee: i.e. the city (verses: Isaiah 1:21 , Isaiah 1:26 , Isaiah 1:27 ).
purge = refine. Compare Isaiah 1:16 ; Isaiah 6:7
tin: i.e. alloy.
Verse 26
judges as a t the
first. Reference to Pentateuch Exodus 18:16-26 .
faithful. Compare Isaiah 1:21 .
Verse 27
redeemed = delivered
Hebrew. paddah.
her converts = they that return of
her.
Verse 28
transgressors = rebels, App-44 .
Verse 29
oaks: the trees resorted to for
idolatrous worship (Isaiah 57:5 ; Isaiah 65:3 ; Isaiah 66:17 . 2 Kings 16:4 ; 2 Kings 17:10 . Ezekiel 6:13 ).
chosen. Hebrew. bachar. Occurs
four times in the "former" portion (here, Isaiah 7:15 , Isaiah 7:16 ; Isaiah 14:1 , and sixteen times in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 40:20 ; Isaiah 41:8 , Isaiah 41:9 , Isaiah 41:24 , Isaiah 43:10 , Isaiah 44:1 , Isaiah 44:2 ; Isaiah 48:10 ; Isaiah 49:7
; Isaiah 56:4 ; Isaiah 58:5 , Isaiah 58:6 ; Isaiah 65:12 ; Isaiah 66:3 , Isaiah 66:4 , Isaiah 66:4 ).
Verse 30
be = become.
leaf. Some codices (one in margin),
with four early printed editions, Septuagint, Syr, and Vulgate, read
"Leaves" (plural)
Verse 31
the strong. Hebrew. hason . Occurs only here, and Amos 2:9 .
the maker of it = his work (whatever
it be): i.e. the idols (doubtless the 'asherahs.
App-42 ).
Chapter 2
Verse 1
The word that = That which.
Compare Micah 4:1-3 , written seventeen years later.
saw = saw in vision See note on Isaiah 1:1 .
concerning Judah, &c. The
repetition of Isaiah 1:1 shows that Isa 1 is to be regarded as a summary Introduction
to the whole book,
Verse 2
in the last days: i.e.
the days of Messiah.
mountain of the LORD'S house. Psalms 24:3 . Compare Psalms 68:15 . See note on Ezekiel 28:16 . the LORD'S = Jehovah's. App-4 .
all nations. Figure of
speech Synecdoche (of Genus) = many from all nations.
flow = stream. Same word as in Jeremiah 31:12 .
Verse 3
people = peoples.
go up. Note the Figure of
speech Zeugma . The second verb must be
supplied (enter into).
to the house = "[and enter] into
the house", &c The "and" is read in some codices, with two
early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.
God. Hebrew. Elohim.
paths. Hebrew. orah Occurs
in the "former" portion here, Isaiah 3:12 , &c. and in the "latter" portion, Isaiah 40:14 ; Isaiah 41:3 .
the law = law (no Art.) See note
on Isaiah 1:10 .
Verse 4
swords. spears. Put by Figure of
speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for all kinds of weapons; while
plowshares and pruning-hooks put by the same Figure,
for all implements of peace. The signs are Figures, but the things signified
are literal.
Verse 5
house of Jacob. Generally
has regard to the natural seed of Jacob, while Israel has regard to the
spiritual. See notes on Gen 33:28 ; Genesis 43:6 ; Genesis 45:26 , Genesis 45:28 . The expression occurs nine times in Isaiah, six
before Isaiah 40:0 : (Isaiah 2:6 , Isaiah 2:6 ; Isaiah 8:17 ; Isaiah 10:20 ; Isaiah 14:1 ; Isaiah 29:22 ), and three after Isaiah 40:0 : (Isaiah 46:3 ; Isaiah 48:1 ; Isaiah 58:1 ). See App-79 .
Verse 6
Therefore. Or, For.
replenished: or, full of divinations.
from the east. Especially diviners
and mediums from an evil spirit (an ob). Compare Leviticus 19:31 ; Leviticus 20:6 . Deuteronomy 18:11 . 1 Samuel 28:3-7 ; and below, Isaiah 8:9 ; Isaiah 19:3 ; Isaiah 29:4 , where ob occurs.
soothsayers. Reference to
Pentateuch Leviticus 19:26 (observe times). Deuteronomy 18:10 , Deuteronomy 18:14 (observers of times). Same word in all four cases.
Hebrew. 'anan. Occurs only here in the
"former" portion, and only in Isaiah 57:3 (sorceress) in the "latter" portion.
please themselves = join hands with.
children = young children.
strangers. Hebrew. nakar =
unknown persons; hence, foreigners.
Verse 8
idols = nothings. Reference to
Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:1 .Deuteronomy
17:14-19; Deuteronomy 17:14-19 ). App-92 .
Verse 9
mean man. Hebrew. 'addm. App-14 . Contrasting
great man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 . society's
extremes
Verse 10
fear = dread. Compare 2 Thessalonians
1:9 , 2 Thessalonians
1:10 .
Verse 11
lofty = proud. Note the Figure of
speech Synonymia to impress us with the far-reaching object and
effect of Jehovah's dealings in "the day of the LORD", recorded in
verses: Isaiah 2:11-17 . Hebrew. gabah. Same word as "high" (Isaiah 2:15 ), and "loftiness" (Isaiah 2:17 ). Not the same word as "lofty" (Isaiah 2:12 ).
humbled = -lowered. Note the Figure
of speech Synonymia , in Isaiah 2:11 and Isaiah 2:17 . Hebrew. shaphal. Same word as "brought low"
(Isaiah 2:12 ), "made low" (Isaiah 2:17 ). Hebrew = each shall be, &c.
and. Note the Figure of
speech Polysyndeton ( App-6).
haughtiness. Hebrew. rum. Same
word as "lofty" (Isaiah 2:12 ), "high" (verses: Isaiah 2:13 , Isaiah 2:14 ).
men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh. App-14 .
bowed down = brought low. Hebrew. sliahah. Same
word as in Isaiah 2:17 .
exalted. Hebrew. sagab. Same
word as in Isaiah 2:17 .
Verse 12
the day of the LORD. This is the
first of twenty occurrences. In sixteen it is simply " y6m
Jehovah " (Isaiah 13:6 , Isaiah 13:9 . Ezekiel 13:5 .Joel 1:15 ; Joel 2:1 , Joel 2:11 ; Joel 2:3 , Joel 2:14 (Hebrews 4:14 ). Amos 5:18 , Amos 5:20 . Obadiah 1:15 .Zephaniah 1:7 , Zephaniah 1:14 , Zephaniah 1:14 .Malachi 4:5; Malachi 4:5 ). In four passages it is with Lamed (= L)
prefixed = for or to :
viz. Isaiah 2:12 .Ezekiel 30:3 .Zechariah 14:1 ; Zechariah 14:17 = a day known to Jehovah. In other places it is
combined with other words, such as "wrath", "vengeance". In
the N.T. it occurs four times: viz. 1 Thessalonians
5:2 . 2 Thessalonians
2:2 (see note). 2 Peter 3:10 . Revelation 1:10 (see note). Thus the expression is stamped with the number
"four" (see App-10 ); for "the day of
the LORD" is the day when everything done will be to abase man and exalt
Jehovah. Now it is "man's day" (1 Corinthians 4:3 , see note), when man exalts himself, and bows God out of
the world He has created.
the LORD of hosts. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
proud = arrogant.
Hebrew. ga'ah. Note the Figure of speech Synonymia .
lofty = haughty. Hebrew ( rum). Same word as "haughtiness"
(verses: Isaiah 2:11 , Isaiah 2:17 ), "high" (verses: Isaiah 2:13 , Isaiah 2:14 ). Note the Figure of speech Synonymia .
and. Note the Figure of
speech Polysyndeton ( App-6), emphasizing each of the details in
verses: Isaiah 2:11-18 ,
lifted up = self-satisfied. Hebrew. nas'a .
Same as verses: Isaiah 2:13 , Isaiah 2:14 .
brought low. Hebrew. shaphal . Same word as "humbled" (Isaiah 2:11 ). Note the Figure of speech Synonymia .
Verse 13
high. Hebrew. rum.
Same word as "haughtiness"
(verses: Isaiah 2:11 , Isaiah 2:17 ); "lofty"(Isaiah 2:12 ); "high" (Isaiah 2:14 ).
Verse 15
high . Hebrew. gabah. Same word as "lofty" (Isaiah 2:11 ); "loftiness" (Isaiah 2:17 ).
Verse 16
ships of Tarshish. Occurs in the
"former"portion only here and Isaiah 23:1 , Isaiah 23:14 ; and in the "latter" portion only in Isaiah 60:9 .
Tarshish. See note on 1 Kings 10:22 .
pleasant = desirable.
Verse 17
loftiness. Hebrew. gabah. Same
word as "lofty" (Isaiah 2:11 ).
made low. Hebrew. shaphal . Same word as "humbled" (v Isaiah 2:11 ), "brought low" (Isaiah 2:12 ).
Verse 21
tops = fissures or crevices.
Compare Revelation 6:12-17 .
Verse 22
Cease ye = Let go.
breath, &c. Hebrew. neshamah ( App-16 ). Occurs twice in the "former" portion (Isaiah 2:22 ; Isaiah 30:33 ) and twice in the "latter "portion (Isaiah 42:5 ; Isaiah 57:16 , "soul"). App-79 :
Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 2:7 ).
for wherein. ? Figure
of speech Erotesis , for emphasis.
accounted of = reckoned on.
Compare Psalms 146:3 , Psalms 146:4 .Jeremiah 17:5 .
Chapter 3
Verse 1
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos , for emphasis. the
the LORD of hosts. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
stay. staff. Note the Figure of
speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. mash'en (masculine); mish'an (feminine)
bread. water. Put by Figure of
speech Synecdoche (of Species), for all kinds of food.
Verse 2
prudent = diviner: i.e.
the king. Compare Proverbs 16:10 .
ancient = elder.
Verse 3
honourable man = eminent or highly
respected man.
cunning artificer = skilled in arts.
eloquent orator = skilled in
magnetism.
Verse 4
children = youths, or boys.
babes = with caprice. Not the same
word
Verse 5
child = a youth, or a boy. as
in Isaiah 3:12 .
Verse 6
clothing. Put by Figure of
speech Synecdoche (of Species), for all necessaries.
be = become.
Verse 7
swear. Hebrew "lift up [the hand]":
i.e. swear. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 14:22 .Exodus 6:8 . Numbers 14:30 . Deuteronomy 32:40 ). App-92 .
Verse 8
ruined = overthrown.
the eyes of His glory = His glorious
presence, "eyes" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy , for the person as manifested.
Verse 9
shew = expression.
witness = testify.
declare. hide it not = have declared.
have not hidden.
Sodom. See Isaiah 1:9 , Isaiah 1:10 .
their soul = them (emphatic).
Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
Verse 10
the righteous = a righteous one.
Verse 11
Woe. Figure of
speech Maledictio. App-6 .
the wicked, &c. = a lawless evil
one ( ra'a', App-44 .), [it shall not be
well]. Hebrew. rasha'.
hands. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of
Cause), for what is done with them.
given him = done to him.
Verse 12
children = little ones.
destroy = have swallowed up.
Verse 13
people = peoples.
Verse 14
of. Genitive of Relation ( App-17 .) = taken from.
poor = oppressed. Hebrew. 'ani .
Verse 15
beat = crush.
saith = is the oracle of. the Lord.
Verse 16
daughters. Compare the "kine of
Bashan" (Amos 4:1 ).
their. Hebrew masculine. Often used of women who act as men.
Verse 17
the LORD* .
One of the 134 places where, in the primitive text, the Sopherim
say they changed Jehovah to Adonai.
secret parts ;
or, nakedness.
Verse 18
bravery = finery.
ornaments = metal crescent-shaped
discs.
cauls = caps. Old French
" cale ".
their round tires like the moon =
round crescent-shaped headbands.
Verse 19
chains = pendants.
mufflers = light face-veils.
Verse 20
bonnets = headdress.
Hebrew. pe'er. Not therefore peculiar to the "latter"
portion of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:10 ) as alleged.
ornaments = anklets.
headbands = girdles. Compare Isaiah 49:18 .
tablets = scent bottles. Hebrew
houses of the soul; nephesh, used in the sense of breath.
earrings = amulets.
Verse 21
nose jewels. Worn in Palestine
to-day.
Verse 22
changeable suits, &c .
= robes: i.e. state or gala dresses.
wimples = a neck binding (Old
English),
crisping pins = reticules or purses.
Verse 23
glasses = mirrors (of polished
metal).
fine linen = underclothing.
hoods = turbans.
vails = long flowing vails.
Verse 24
sweet smell = perfume.
stink = rottenness, or stench.
rent = a rope,
well set hair = richly plaited hair.
stomacher = sash or girdle, often worked
in silk and gold. Still worn in Palestine.
girding of sackcloth = girding with a
rope.
burning = branding.
Verse 25
mighty = might. Some codices, with
Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "mighty ones".
Verse 26
gates = entrances.
mourn. Occurs in "former" portion here, Isaiah 19:8 (as adjective); Isaiah 24:4 , Isaiah 24:7 ; Isaiah 33:9 ; and in the "latter" portion, Isaiah 57:18 (as noun); Isaiah 60:20 (as noun); Isaiah 61:2 , s(as adjective); Isaiah 66:10 .
Chapter 4
Verse 1
And. The Figure of
speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) links this
verse on to the preceding chapter.
Verse 2
in that day. Not emphatic, or at the beginning of the
verse.
the Branch: i.e.
Messiah. So the Chaldee paraphrase has it.
Hebrew. zemach. Not the same word as in Isaiah 11:1 . See the Structure of "the Four Gospels"
preceding the Structure of MATTHEW; and note the application of this expression
to the Gospel of JOHN and the notes there. Used there to connect the four
Titles of Messiah: MATTHEW: the King (Zechariah 9:9 with Jeremiah 23:5 , Jeremiah 23:6 ). MARK: the Servant (Isaiah 42:1 with Zechariah 3:8 ). LUKE: the MAN (Zechariah 6:12 ). JOHN: JEHOVAH (Isaiah 40:9 , Isaiah 40:10 , with Isaiah 4:2 ).
of the LORD = Jehovah's Branch: i.e. Messiah. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
be = become. beautiful and glorious =
for honour and for glory.
the earth = the land.
escaped of Israel: i.e.
those who will have escaped destruction in the great tribulation. These could
not be the "Church", for they are of "Israel"; and the
blessings are the temporal blessings promised in Isaiah 30:23 , &c. Ezekiel 34:29 . Joel 2:23-25 .Amos 9:11-15 , &c.
Verse 3
holy . See note on Exodus 3:5 .
among the living = written down or
destined for life. Compare Psalms 69:28 ; Psalms 87:5 , Psalms 87:6 . Malachi 3:16 .
the lord* = Jehovah.
purged = cast out. Hebrew duah.
Compare Isaiah 1:16 .
blood. Put by Figure of speech, Metonymy (of
Effect), for blood-guiltiness.
spirit = blast, as in Isaiah 11:4 . Compare 2 Thessalonians
2:8 . Hebrew. ruach .
Verse 5
every dwelling place of mount
Zion. Not merely over the Tabernacle as in the old Dispensation.
assemblies = convocation.
Hebrew. mikra . Reference to Pentateuch. See
note on Isaiah 1:13 .
upon = over.
a defence = a canopy. Hebrew. chuppah , the marriage canopy. Not translated
"defence" elsewhere. Occurs only here, Psalms 19:5 , and Joel 2:16 . Compare Isaiah 62:4 .
Verse 6
tabernacle = pavilion.
q