8 The LORD H3068 hath sworn H7650 by his right hand, H3225 and by the arm H2220 of his strength, H5797 Surely I will H518 no more give H5414 thy corn H1715 to be meat H3978 for thine enemies; H341 and the sons H1121 of the stranger H5236 shall not drink H8354 thy wine, H8492 for the which thou hast laboured: H3021
And they shall build H1129 houses, H1004 and inhabit H3427 them; and they shall plant H5193 vineyards, H3754 and eat H398 the fruit H6529 of them. They shall not build, H1129 and another H312 inhabit; H3427 they shall not plant, H5193 and another H312 eat: H398 for as the days H3117 of a tree H6086 are the days H3117 of my people, H5971 and mine elect H972 shall long enjoy H1086 the work H4639 of their hands. H3027 They shall not labour H3021 in vain, H7385 nor bring forth H3205 for trouble; H928 for they are the seed H2233 of the blessed H1288 of the LORD, H3068 and their offspring H6631 with them.
And so it was, when Israel H3478 had sown, H2232 that the Midianites H4080 came up, H5927 and the Amalekites, H6002 and the children H1121 of the east, H6924 even they came up H5927 against them; And they encamped H2583 against them, and destroyed H7843 the increase H2981 of the earth, H776 till thou come H935 unto Gaza, H5804 and left H7604 no sustenance H4241 for Israel, H3478 neither sheep, H7716 nor ox, H7794 nor ass. H2543 For they came up H5927 with their cattle H4735 and their tents, H168 and they came H935 H935 as H1767 grasshoppers H697 for multitude; H7230 for both they and their camels H1581 were without number: H4557 and they entered H935 into the land H776 to destroy H7843 it. And Israel H3478 was greatly H3966 impoverished H1809 because H6440 of the Midianites; H4080 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H2199 unto the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 62
Commentary on Isaiah 62 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 62
Isa 62:1-12. Intercessory Prayers for Zion's Restoration, Accompanying God's Promises of It, as the Appointed Means of Accomplishing It.
1. I—the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Isa 62:6, 7; Ps 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa 42:4; 50:7).
righteousness thereof—not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jer 23:6).
as brightness—properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Isa 60:19; 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pr 4:18).
lamp—blazing torch.
2. (Isa 11:10; 42:1-6; 49:7, 22, 23; 60:3, 5, 16).
new name—expression of thy new and improved condition (Isa 62:4), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isa 62:12; Isa 65:15; Re 2:17; 3:12).
3. (Zec 9:16)
in … hand of … Lord—As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare De 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him (Re 6:2; 19:12); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them (Isa 28:5; compare Mal 3:17).
4. be termed—be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee.
Hephzi-bah—(2Ki 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Isa 32:1): "my delight is in her."
Beulah—"Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Isa 54:4-6; Re 21:2, 4).
land … married—to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].
5. thy sons—rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Isa 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Isa 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Isa 54:5).
over the bride—in the possession of the bride (Isa 65:19; Jer 32:41; Zep 3:17).
6. I—Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah.
watchmen upon … walls—image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Isa 52:7, 8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Isa 21:6-11; 56:10; Eze 3:17; 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen.
ye that … mention … Lord—Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Isa 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Ps 119:49; Jer 14:21).
7. no rest—Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold … peace … not rest" (Isa 62:1); Messiah's watchmen (Isa 62:6, 7) imitate Him (Isa 62:1) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem (Ps 122:6; 51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church (Lu 18:1, 7; Ro 1:9).
a praise—(See on Isa 61:11; Zep 3:20).
8. sworn by … right hand—His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13).
sons of … stranger—Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Isa 65:21, 22).
9. eat … and praise—not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving.
drink it in … courts—They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple (De 12:17, 18; 14:23, &c.).
10. What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Isa 62:1) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Isa 62:7), and what Jehovah solemnly promised (Isa 62:8, 9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Isa 7:14; Isa 40:3; 52:10-12).
standard—for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Isa 49:22; 11:12).
11. salvation—embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9).
his work—rather, recompense (Isa 40:10).
12. Sought out—Sought after and highly prized by Jehovah; answering to "not forsaken" in the parallel clause; no longer abandoned, but loved; image from a wife (Isa 62:4; Jer 30:14).