6 Therefore thou hast forsaken H5203 thy people H5971 the house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 because they be replenished H4390 from the east, H6924 and are soothsayers H6049 like the Philistines, H6430 and they please H5606 themselves in the children H3206 of strangers. H5237
I say G3004 then, G3767 G3361 Hath G683 God G2316 cast away G683 his G846 people? G2992 God forbid. G3361 G1096 For G1063 I G1473 also G2532 am G1510 an Israelite, G2475 of G1537 the seed G4690 of Abraham, G11 of the tribe G5443 of Benjamin. G958 God G2316 hath G683 not G3756 cast away G683 his G846 people G2992 which G3739 he foreknew. G4267 G2228 Wot ye G1492 not G3756 what G5101 the scripture G1124 saith G3004 of G1722 Elias? G2243 how G5613 he maketh intercession G1793 to God G2316 against G2596 Israel, G2474 saying, G3004
Stand H5975 now with thine enchantments, H2267 and with the multitude H7230 of thy sorceries, H3785 wherein H834 thou hast laboured H3021 from thy youth; H5271 if so be thou shalt be able H3201 to profit, H3276 if so be thou mayest prevail. H6206 Thou art wearied H3811 in the multitude H7230 of thy counsels. H6098 Let now the astrologers, H1895 H8064 the stargazers, H2374 H3556 the monthly H2320 prognosticators, H3045 stand up, H5975 and save H3467 thee from these things that shall come H935 upon thee.
So Ahaz H271 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to Tiglathpileser H8407 king H4428 of Assyria, H804 saying, H559 I am thy servant H5650 and thy son: H1121 come up, H5927 and save H3467 me out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Syria, H758 and out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 which rise up H6965 against me. And Ahaz H271 took H3947 the silver H3701 and gold H2091 that was found H4672 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and in the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and sent H7971 it for a present H7810 to the king H4428 of Assyria. H804
But king H4428 Solomon H8010 loved H157 many H7227 strange H5237 women, H802 together with the daughter H1323 of Pharaoh, H6547 women of the Moabites, H4125 Ammonites, H5984 Edomites, H130 Zidonians, H6722 and Hittites; H2850 Of the nations H1471 concerning which the LORD H3068 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Ye shall not go in H935 to them, neither shall they come in H935 unto you: for surely H403 they will turn away H5186 your heart H3824 after H310 their gods: H430 Solomon H8010 clave H1692 unto these in love. H157
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Behold, thou shalt sleep H7901 with thy fathers; H1 and this people H5971 will rise up, H6965 and go a whoring H2181 after H310 the gods H430 of the strangers H5236 of the land, H776 whither they go H935 to be among H7130 them, and will forsake H5800 me, and break H6565 my covenant H1285 which I have made H3772 with them. Then my anger H639 shall be kindled H2734 against them in that day, H3117 and I will forsake H5800 them, and I will hide H5641 my face H6440 from them, and they shall be devoured, H398 and many H7227 evils H7451 and troubles H6869 shall befall H4672 them; so that they will say H559 in that day, H3117 Are not these evils H7451 come H4672 upon us, because our God H430 is not among H7130 us?
And seest H7200 among the captives H7633 a beautiful H8389 H3303 woman, H802 and hast a desire H2836 unto her, that thou wouldest have her H3947 to thy wife; H802 Then thou shalt bring H935 her home H8432 to thine house; H1004 and she shall shave H1548 her head, H7218 and pare H6213 her nails; H6856 And she shall put H5493 the raiment H8071 of her captivity H7628 from off her, and shall remain H3427 in thine house, H1004 and bewail H1058 her father H1 and her mother H517 a full H3117 month: H3391 and after H310 that thou shalt go H935 in unto her, and be her husband, H1166 and she shall be thy wife. H802
There shall not be found H4672 among you any one that maketh his son H1121 or his daughter H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 or that useth H7080 divination, H7081 or an observer of times, H6049 or an enchanter, H5172 or a witch, H3784 Or a charmer, H2266 H2267 or a consulter H7592 with familiar spirits, H178 or a wizard, H3049 or a necromancer. H1875 H4191 For all that do H6213 these things are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD: H3068 and because H1558 of these abominations H8441 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 doth drive them out H3423 from before H6440 thee. Thou shalt be perfect H8549 with the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 For these nations, H1471 which thou shalt possess, H3423 hearkened H8085 unto observers of times, H6049 and unto diviners: H7080 but as for thee, the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath not suffered H5414 thee so to do.
And Israel H3478 abode H3427 in Shittim, H7851 and the people H5971 began H2490 to commit whoredom H2181 with the daughters H1323 of Moab. H4124 And they called H7121 the people H5971 unto the sacrifices H2077 of their gods: H430 and the people H5971 did eat, H398 and bowed down H7812 to their gods. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 2
Commentary on Isaiah 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Isa 2:1-22.
1. The inscription.
The word—the revelation.
2. Same as Mic 4:1. As Micah prophesied in Jotham's reign, and Isaiah in Uzziah's, Micah rests on Isaiah, whom he confirms: not vice versa. Hengstenberg on slight grounds makes Mic 4:1 the original.
last days—that is, Messiah's: especially the days yet to come, to which all prophecy hastens, when "the house of the God of Jacob," namely, at Jerusalem, shall be the center to which the converted nations shall flock together (Mt 13:32; Lu 2:31, 32; Ac 1:6, 7); where "the kingdom" of Israel is regarded as certain and the time alone uncertain (Ps 68:15, 16; 72:8, 11).
mountain of the Lord's house … in the top, &c.—the temple on Mount Moriah: type of the Gospel, beginning at Jerusalem, and, like an object set on the highest hill, made so conspicuous that all nations are attracted to it.
flow—as a broad stream (Isa 66:12).
3. If the curse foretold against Israel has been literally fulfilled, so shall the promised blessing be literal. We Gentiles must not, while giving them the curse, deny them their peculiar blessing by spiritualizing it. The Holy Ghost shall be poured out for a general conversion then (Jer 50:5; Zec 8:21, 23; Joe 2:28).
from Jerusalem—(Lu 24:47) an earnest of the future relations of Jerusalem to Christendom (Ro 11:12, 15).
4. judge—as a sovereign umpire, settling all controversies (compare Isa 11:4). Lowth translates "work," "conviction."
plowshares—in the East resembling a short sword (Isa 9:6, 7; Zec 9:10).
5. The connection is: As Israel's high destiny is to be a blessing to all nations (Ge 12:3), let Israel's children walk worthy of it (Eph 5:8).
6. Therefore—rather, "For": reasons why there is the more need of the exhortation in Isa 2:5.
thou—transition to Jehovah: such rapid transitions are natural, when the mind is full of a subject.
replenished—rather, filled, namely, with the superstitions of the East, Syria, and Chaldea.
soothsayers—forbidden (De 18:10-14).
Philistines—southwest of Palestine: antithesis to "the east."
please themselves—rather, join hands with, that is, enter into alliances, matrimonial and national: forbidden (Ex 23:32; Ne 13:23, &c.).
7. gold—forbidden to be heaped together (De 17:17). Solomon disobeyed (1Ki 10:21, 27).
horses … chariots—forbidden (De 17:16). But Solomon disobeyed (1Ki 20:26). Horses could be used effectively for war in the plains of Egypt; not so in the hilly Judea. God designed there should be as wide as possible a distinction between Israel and the Egyptians. He would have His people wholly dependent on Him, rather than on the ordinary means of warfare (Ps 20:7). Also horses were connected with idolatry (2Ki 23:11); hence His objection: so the transition to "idols" (Isa 2:8) is natural.
8. (Ho 8:4). Not so much public idolatry, which was not sanctioned in Uzziah's and Jotham's reign, but (see 2Ki 15:4, 35) as private.
9. mean—in rank: not morally base: opposed to "the great man." The former is in Hebrew, Adam, the latter, ish.
boweth—namely, to idols. All ranks were idolaters.
forgive … not—a threat expressed by an imperative. Isaiah so identifies himself with God's will, that he prays for that which he knows God purposes. So Re 18:6.
10. Poetical form of expressing that, such were their sins, they would be obliged by God's judgments to seek a hiding-place from His wrath (Re 6:15, 16).
dust—equivalent to "caves of the earth," or dust (Isa 2:19).
for fear, &c.—literally, "from the face of the terror of the Lord."
11. lofty looks—literally, "eyes of pride" (Ps 18:27).
humbled—by calamities. God will so vindicate His honor "in that day" of judgments, that none else "shall be exalted" (Zec 14:9).
12. Man has had many days: "the day of the Lord" shall come at last, beginning with judgment, a never-ending day in which God shall be "all in all" (1Co 15:28; 2Pe 3:10).
every—not merely person, as English Version explains it, but every thing on which the nation prided itself.
13. cedars … oaks—image for haughty nobles and princes (Am 2:9; Zec 11:1, 2; compare Re 19:18-21).
Bashan—east of Jordan, north of the river Jabbok, famous for fine oaks, pasture, and cattle. Perhaps in "oaks" there is reference to their idolatry (Isa 1:29).
14. high … hills—referring to the "high places" on which sacrifices were unlawfully offered, even in Uzziah's (equivalent to Azariah) reign (2Ki 15:4). Also, places of strength, fastnesses in which they trusted, rather than in God; so
15. tower … wall—Towers were often made on the walls of cities.
fenced—strongly fortified.
16. Tarshish—Tartessus in southwest Spain, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir, near Gibraltar. It includes the adjoining region: a Phœnician colony; hence its connection with Palestine and the Bible (2Ch 9:21). The name was also used in a wide sense for the farthest west, as our West Indies (Isa 66:19; Ps 48:7; 72:10). "Ships of Tarshish" became a phrase for richly laden and far-voyaging vessels. The judgment shall be on all that minister to man's luxury (compare Re 18:17-19).
pictures—ordered to be destroyed (Nu 33:52). Still to be seen on the walls of Nineveh's palaces. It is remarkable that whereas all other ancient civilized nations, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome, have left monuments in the fine arts, Judea, while rising immeasurably above them in the possession of "the living oracles," has left none of the former. The fine arts, as in modern Rome, were so often associated with polytheism, that God required His people in this, as in other respects, to be separate from the nations (De 4:15-18). But Vulgate translation is perhaps better, "All that is beautiful to the sight"; not only paintings, but all luxurious ornaments. One comprehensive word for all that goes before (compare Re 18:12, 14, 16).
17. Repeated from Isa 2:11, for emphatic confirmation.
18. idols—literally, "vain things," "nothings" (1Co 8:4). Fulfilled to the letter. Before the Babylonian captivity the Jews were most prone to idolatry; in no instance, ever since. For the future fulfilment, see Zec 13:2; Re 13:15; 19:20.
19. The fulfilment answers exactly to the threat (Isa 2:10).
they—the idol-worshippers.
caves—abounding in Judea, a hilly country; hiding-places in times of alarm (1Sa 13:6).
shake … earth—and the heavens also (Heb 12:26). Figure for severe and universal judgments.
20. moles—Others translate "mice." The sense is, under ground, in darkness.
bats—unclean birds (Le 11:19), living amidst tenantless ruins (Re 11:13).
22. The high ones (Isa 2:11, 13) on whom the people trust, shall be "brought low" (Isa 3:2); therefore "cease from" depending on them, instead of on the Lord (Ps 146:3-5).