Isaiah 57:16

Verse Isaiah 57:16. For I will not contend for ever] The learned have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose on the latter part of this verses which they suppose to be very obscure. After all their labours upon it, I think the best and easiest explication of it is given in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which I presume are exactly parallel to it, and very clearly express the same sentiment.

"But he in his tender mercy will forgive their sin

And will not destroy them;

Yea, oftentimes will he turn away his wrath,

And will not rouse up his indignation:

For he remembereth that they are but flesh,

A breath that passeth, and returneth not."

Psalms 78:38-19.

"He will not always contend

Neither will he for ever hold his wrath:

As a father yearneth towards his children,

So is JEHOVAH tenderly compassionate towards them

that fear him:

For he knoweth our frame;

He remembereth that we are but dust."

Psalms 103:9; Psalms 103:13.

In the former of these two passages the second line seems to be defective both in measure and sense. I suppose the word אותם otham, them, is lost at the end; which seems to be acknowledged by the Chaldee and Vulgate, who render as if they had read ולא ישחית אותם velo yaschith otham. - L.

For the spirit] רוח ruach, the animal life.

And the souls] נשמות neshamoth, the immortal spirits. The Targum understands this of the resurrection. I will restore the souls of the dead, i.e., to their bodies.