This chapter relates solely to Jerusalem - here called Ariel (see the note at Isaiah 29:1). It is not immediately connected with the preceding or the following chapters, though it is not improbable they were delivered about the same time. At what time this was delivered is not known, though it is ev... [ Continue Reading ]
WO - (compare the note at Isaiah 18:1). TO ARIEL - There can be no doubt that Jerusalem is here intended. The declaration that it was the city where David dwelt, as well as the entire scope of the prophecy, proves this. But still, it is not quiet clear why the city is here called “Ariel.” The margin... [ Continue Reading ]
YET I WILL DISTRESS ARIEL - The reference here is doubtless to the siege which God says Isaiah 29:3 he would bring upon the guilty and formal city. AND THERE SHALL BE HEAVINESS AND SORROW - This was true of the city in the siege of Sennacherib, to which this probably refers. Though the city was del... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL CAMP AGAINST THEE - That is, I will cause an army to pitch their tents there for a siege. God regards the armies which he would employ as under his control, and speaks of them as if he would do it himself (see the note at Isaiah 10:5). ROUND ABOUT - (כדוּר _kadûr_). As in a circle; that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALT SPEAK OUT OF THE GROUND - (see the note at Isaiah 8:19). The sense here is, that Jerusalem, that had been accustomed to pride itself on its strength I would be greatly humbled and subdued. Its loud and lofty tone would be changed. It would use the suppressed language of fear and alarm as i... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER - These verses Isaiah 29:5, Isaiah 29:7 contain a beautiful description of the destruction of the army of Sennacherib. Though they had laid the plan of a regular siege; though the city, in itself, would not be able to hold out against them, and all was alarm and conscious imbecility within;... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BE VISITED - This is an address to the mighty army of the Assyrian. Such transitions are not uncommon in the writings of Isaiah. His eye seems to have been directed in vision to the hosts of Sennacherib, and to their sudden dispersion and destruction Isaiah 29:5, and by a sudden, but not... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MULTITUDE OF ALL THE NATIONS - The Assyrians, and their allied hosts. AND HER MUNITION - Her fortresses, castles, places of strength 2 Samuel 5:7; Ecclesiastes 9:14; Ezekiel 19:9. SHALL BE AS A DREAM OF A NIGHT VISION - In a dream we seem to see the objects of which we think as really as wh... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL EVEN BE ... - This is a most striking figure representing the earnest desire of the Assyrian to possess the city of Jerusalem, and his utter disappointment. The comparison is elegant and beautiful in the highest degree. It is performed up to great perfection; and is perfectly suited to illu... [ Continue Reading ]
STAY YOURSELVES - Thus far the prophet had given a description of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, and of his sudden overthrow. He now turns to the Jews, and reproves their stupidity, formality, and hypocrisy; and the remainder of the chapter is occupied with a statement of the prevalence of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD HATH POURED OUT UPON YOU - The word rendered ‘hath poured out’ (נסך _nâsak_) is usually referred to the act of pouring out a libation, or drink-offering in worship Exodus 30:9; Hosea 9:4; Isaiah 30:1. Here it means that Yahweh had, as it were, “drenched them” (Septuagint, πεπότικε _pe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE VISION OF ALL - The vision of all the prophets; that is, all the revelations which God has made to you (see the note at Isaiah 1:1). The prophet refers not only to his own communications, but to those of his contemporaries, and of all who had gone before him. The sense is, that although they... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE BOOK IS DELIVERED ... - That is, they are just as ignorant of the true nature and meaning of the revelations of God as a man is of the contents of a book who is utterly unable to read.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THE LORD SAID - This verse, with the following, is designed to denounce the divine judgment on their formality of worship. They kept up the forms of religion, but they witcheld the affections of their hearts from God; and he, therefore, says that he will proceed to inflict on them exemplar... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL PROCEED TO DO - Hebrew, ‘I will add to do;’ that is, I will do it. FOR THE WISDOM OF THEIR WISE MEN SHALL PERISH - I will bring calamity upon them which shall baffle all the skill and wisdom of their wise men. SHALL BE HID - That is, shall not appear; shall vanish. It shall not be sufficien... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO THEM THAT SEEK DEEP ... - That is, who attempt to conceal their “real” intentions under a plausible exterior, and correct outward deportment. This is most strikingly descriptive of the character of a hypocrite who seeks to conceal his plans and his purposes from the eyes of people and of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY YOUR TURNING OF THINGS UPSIDE DOWN - Your perversion of all things. They had no just views of truth. They deemed mere formality to be all that was required. They attempted to conceal their plans even from Yahweh; and everything in the opinions and practice of the nation had become perverted a... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT NOT YET A VERY LITTLE WHILE - The idea here is, ‘you have greatly perverted things in Jerusalem. The time is at hand when there shall be “other” overturnings - when the wicked shall be cut off, and when there shall be poured out upon the nation such judgments that the deaf shall hear, and the... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THE DEAF HEAR THE WORDS OF THE BOOK - They who now have the law and do not understand it, the people who seem to be deaf to all that God says, shall hear and understand it. SHALL SEE OUT OF OBSCURITY ... - That is, the darkness being removed, they shall see clearly the truth of God, and disce... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEEK - The word ‘meek’ usually refers to those who are patient in the reception of injuries, but the Hebrew word used here (ענוים _‛__ănâviym_) means properly the oppressed, the afflicted, the unhappy Psalms 9:13; Psalms 10:12, Psalms 10:17; Proverbs 3:34; Isaiah 11:4. It involves usually the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE TERRIBLE ONE - The violent one (עריץ _‛__ârı̂yts_), the oppressor, who had exercised cruelty over them. This, I suppose, refers to the haughty among the Jews themselves; to those who held offices of power, and who abused them to oppress the poor and needy. AND THE SCORNER - (see Isaiah 28:... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT MAKE A MAN AN OFFENDER - literally, ‘who cause a man to sin’ (מחטיאי _machăṭı̂y'ēy_); that is, who hold a man to be guilty, or a criminal. Lowth renders this singularly enough: ‘Who bewildered the poor man in speaking.’ Grotius supposes it means, ‘Who on account of the word of God, that is,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE - In consequence of the happy change which shall take place in the nation when the oppressor shall be removed Isaiah 29:20, and when the poor and the meek shall rejoice Isaiah 29:19, and the ignorant shall be instructed Isaiah 29:18, Jacob shall not be ashamed of his descendants as he was... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HE SEETH HIS CHILDREN - The sense is, ‘he shall not be ashamed of his sons, for he shall see them henceforward walking in the ways of piety and virtue.’ THE WORK OF MY HANDS - That is, this change Isaiah 29:17 by which the nation will be reformed, will be produced by the agency of God hims... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ALSO THAT ERRED IN SPIRIT - (see Isaiah 29:9). SHALL LEARN DOCTRINE - When” this would occur the prophet does not state. It “may” be intended to denote the times of Hezekiah; or the times subsequent to the captivity; or possibly it may refer to the times under the Messiah. All that the prophet... [ Continue Reading ]