(33) This important group of discourses is the chief monument of Isaiah's activity in the early years of Sennacherib's reign. The negotiations with Egypt which preceded the revolt of 701 form the historical thread on which the prophecies are strung, and by the help of the prophet's vivid allusions... [ Continue Reading ]
In a single image of great beauty the prophet describes the picturesque situation of the city, the tone of its society, and its ripeness for judgment. Samaria, with its ramparts and white terraced streets crowning the summit of a low hill, which rises in the middle of a fertile valley (1 Kings 16:24... [ Continue Reading ]
The fate of the drunkards of Ephraim. On the luxury and debauchery of Samaria, see Amos 3:12; Amos 3:15; Amos 4:1; Amos 6:1; Amos 6:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason for the woe of Isaiah 28:1. Render: BEHOLD JEHOVAH HATH A MIGHTY AND STRONG ONE, LIKE A TEMPEST OF HAIL, A DESTROYING STORM; LIKE A FLOW OF MIGHTY OVERFLOWING WATERS, WHICH CASTS DOWN TO THE EARTH WITH VIOLENCE. _a mighty and strong one_ i.e. the Assyrian, Jehovah's instrument (ch. Isaia... [ Continue Reading ]
The verb _shall be trodden_is in the plural number. Apparently the prophet intended to include in its subject both the images of Isaiah 28:1; but his thoughts were diverted by the other figure which is developed in Isaiah 28:4. In the Hebr. the order is: WITH THE FEET SHALL BE TRODDEN DOWN THE PROUD... [ Continue Reading ]
Render: AND THE FADING FLOWER OF HIS GLORIOUS BEAUTY, WHICH IS ON THE HEAD OF THE FAT VALLEY (Isaiah 28:1), SHALL BE LIKE THE EARLY FIG BEFORE THE FRUIT-HARVEST, &c. These "early figs," which might be found in the end of June, several weeks before the proper fig-season (in August), were esteemed a g... [ Continue Reading ]
_a crown of glory_ no longer a "crown of pride," as Isaiah 28:1_; Isaiah 28:3_. _diadem of beauty_ The word _çěphîrâh_(diadem) occurs again only in Ezekiel 7:7; Ezekiel 7:10 (where, however, the sense is disputed). It probably denotes a "ring or circlet. _the residue_( REMNANT) _of his people_ The... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah Himself the true glory of His people; a Messianic pendant to the foregoing picture of Samaria's fall. The phrase _in that day_points as usual to the indefinite future of the Messianic age, not to the day of the judgment on North Israel. Whether the "remnant of His people" denotes the survivo... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah is not only the beauty of the redeemed nation, but the source of all civic and martial virtues. _a spirit of judgment_ The same phrase (but with a different meaning) occurs in ch. Isaiah 4:4. "Spirit" is used here as in ch. Isaiah 11:2. _to him that sitteth in judgment_ (or "over the judgme... [ Continue Reading ]
_the priest and the prophet_ Better: PRIEST AND PROPHET. These are specially mentioned as the spiritual leaders of the people, who opposed Isaiah in the name of Jehovah, and backed up the plans of the politicians with the pretended authority of Divine revelation. _swallowed up of wine_ Perhaps, "co... [ Continue Reading ]
For _vomit_and _filthiness_, read FILTHY VOMIT.... [ Continue Reading ]
The retort of the revellers to Isaiah's recriminations. The meaning is: "Who are we that we should thus be lectured by this man? Are we newly-weaned infants, &c.?" (cf. R.V.). _Whom will he teach knowledge?_expresses the injured self-consciousness of the priests; _whom will he make to understand doc... [ Continue Reading ]
The occasion of this remarkable encounter was probably a feast held to celebrate the renunciation of allegiance to Assyria. Isaiah has surprised the drunkards over their cups and administered some such rebuke as we read in Isaiah 28:7. (On the excesses that often accompanied sacrificial meals, see 1... [ Continue Reading ]
The topers proceed to mock, in stammering drunken tones, the excited utterance and the wearisome iterations of the prophet's teaching. Translate with R.V. (marg.) FOR IT IS PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT … RULE UPON RULE … HERE A LITTLE, THERE A LITTLE. The Hebr. is a series of monosyllables (_çav lâ-çâv çav... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah parries the gibe with a terrible threat. Jehovah is about to employ a more uncouth language, to which their mocking description will fully apply, viz., the harsh barbarous accents of the Assyrian invaders. _stammering lips_ either "stammerings of lip" or "stammerers of lip" (cf. the Greek us... [ Continue Reading ]
_To whom he said_ Rather: HE WHO SAID TO THEM. The verse reproduces the tenor and aim of all Isaiah's teaching (cf. Isaiah 28:16; ch. Isaiah 30:15). He had sought to point out the true way of rest for the exhausted nation by abstinence from the spirited foreign policy advocated by the anti-Assyrian... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the word of the Lord was_ Render: AND ( SO) THE WORD OF JEHOVAH SHALL BE all that they had scoffingly said about Isaiah's message (Isaiah 28:10), a monotonous, intolerable, yet unavoidable, succession of judgments (cf. Isaiah 28:19). _that they might … backward_ THAT THEY MAY GO AND STUMBLE BA... [ Continue Reading ]
There is again a _literary_connexion with what precedes; although the passage is probably a summary of an independent discourse. The prophet's aim is to impress on his opponents the disastrous consequences of persisting in their scoffing attitude towards himself and his message.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye scornful men_ Better: SCOFFING MEN. The "scoffer" (_lêç_, a word almost confined to Pss. and Prov.) represents the last degree of ungodliness, open contempt of religion. The phrase here is applied to worldly politicians, who form their plans in defiance of Jehovah's revealed will (cf. Isaiah 28:... [ Continue Reading ]
There is but one true ground of confidence Jehovah's revealed purpose with regard to Zion. _Behold, I lay_ Strictly: BEHOLD, I AM HE THAT HATH LAID (for the Hebr. construction cf. ch. Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 38:5). The figure of the verse requires little explanation; it is illustrated by the massive an... [ Continue Reading ]
Thé first half of the verse continues Isaiah 28:16. In order to build on this foundation, it is necessary that political conduct be conformed to the eternal principles of the Divine government; these are "judgment" and "righteousness" (see on Isaiah 1:21), which are here compared to the builder's _l... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Isaiah 28:15. _shall be disannulled_ lit. "smeared over" (cf. Genesis 6:14) i.e. "cancelled," "obliterated." The verb is the technical word for expiate (as e.g. Isaiah 22:14), and although it is nowhere else in the O.T. used exactly as here, the sense is supported by Syriac usage, and an alte... [ Continue Reading ]
_From the time that it goeth forth_ Render as R.V. AS OFTEN AS IT PASSETH THROUGH (1 Samuel 18:30). _it shall take you_ AWAY] The judgment will be a protracted visitation (like the repeated blows of a "scourge") and will continue till ever yone of the conspirators has been carried away. _it shall b... [ Continue Reading ]
A proverbial expression for the intolerable situation which the politicians are preparing for themselves and their country.... [ Continue Reading ]
The "strangeness" of Jehovah's work (Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 10:12) consists in his fighting with the foreigners against his own people. The historical allusions are to David's victories over the Philistines in the vicinity of Jerusalem; see 2 Samuel 5:20 f.; 1 Chronicles 14:11 f. (Baal-Perazim); 2 Samu... [ Continue Reading ]
A final appeal to the "scoffers" (Isaiah 28:14), based on the irreversible decision of Jehovah. _be ye not mockers_ DO NOT PLAY THE SCOFFER. _lest your bands be made strong_ i.e. "lest ye be firmly bound and delivered up for execution." _a consumption, even determined_ AN EXTERMINATION AND A DECI... [ Continue Reading ]
A parable derived from husbandry. The motive of its insertion in this place was probably the different treatment meted out to Samaria and to Jerusalem. The precise point of the analogy is somewhat uncertain; but perhaps we may interpret the thought as follows. There are two parts. The first (Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
The introduction to the parable; cf. ch. Isaiah 32:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
_all day_ i.e. CONTINUALLY (R.V.), "uninterruptedly." The emphasis of the question lies on this word. _to sow_is an awkward addition and may be a gloss. If genuine the sense must be paraphrased "seeing he has the intention of sowing." _doth he open … ground_ Trans. DOTH HE ( CONTINUALLY) OPEN AND... [ Continue Reading ]
Ploughing is followed by sowing.... [ Continue Reading ]
_fitches_(R.V. marg. BLACK CUMMIN [_Nigella sativa_) and _cummin_[_Cuminum sativum_ are both mentioned only in this passage. Note the different methods of sowing; SCATTER (of the fitches), SOW (of the cummin), PLANT (of wheat and barley). The planting of wheat, &c. in rows is a mark of the most care... [ Continue Reading ]
All this is done in obedience to an inherited, almost instinctive, wisdom, which rests ultimately on Divine inspiration. See Isaiah 28:29; and Sir 7:15 ("husbandry which the Most High hath ordained"). Verg. _Georg._I. 147. _to discretion_ TO RIGHT, i.e. "right, or orderly, method." The word is that... [ Continue Reading ]
_with a threshing_instrument] the sledge (_ḥârûç_). _a cart wheel_ the wheel of a threshing wagon (_-ǎgâlâh_).... [ Continue Reading ]
Threshing is not bruising. Three methods of threshing are alluded to. (_a_) Beating with a rod or flail (cf. Judges 6:11; Ruth 2:17). (_b_) Treading with the feet of cattle (Deuteronomy 25:4; Micah 4:13; but see on Isaiah 28:28). (_c_) Drawing a heavy wooden sledge, with sharp stones or iron spikes... [ Continue Reading ]
Transl. IS BREAD ( CORN) CRUSHED? NAY, HE DOES NOT KEEP THRESHING IT PERPETUALLY, &c. If the text be right, the sentence continues "and rolling his wagon-wheels and horses over it, &c." But the mention of "horses" as employed in agriculture is suspicious, and a better sense is gained if, with Duhm,... [ Continue Reading ]
To Isaiah there is something very impressive in the peasant's subtle yet unpretentious knowledge of his craft; he is like a part of nature, and his wisdom seems a direct emanation from the infinite Wisdom to which all things owe their being (cf. Isaiah 28:26). _which is wonderful … working_ WONDERF... [ Continue Reading ]