24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, H7121 I will answer; H6030 and while they are yet speaking, H1696 I will hear. H8085
And G2532 this G3778 is G2076 the confidence G3954 that G3739 we have G2192 in G4314 him, G846 that, G3754 if G1437 we ask G154 any thing G5100 according G2596 to his G846 will, G2307 he heareth G191 us: G2257 And G2532 if G1437 we know G1492 that G3754 he hear G191 us, G2257 whatsoever G3739 G302 we ask, G154 we know G1492 that G3754 we have G2192 the petitions G155 that G3739 we desired G154 of G3844 him. G846
And whiles I was speaking, H1696 and praying, H6419 and confessing H3034 my sin H2403 and the sin H2403 of my people H5971 Israel, H3478 and presenting H5307 my supplication H8467 before H6440 the LORD H3068 my God H430 for the holy H6944 mountain H2022 of my God; H430 Yea, whiles I was speaking H1696 in prayer, H8605 even the man H376 Gabriel, H1403 whom I had seen H7200 in the vision H2377 at the beginning, H8462 being caused to fly H3286 swiftly, H3288 touched H5060 me about the time H6256 of the evening H6153 oblation. H4503 And he informed H995 me, and talked H1696 with me, and said, H559 O Daniel, H1840 I am now come forth H3318 to give thee skill H7919 and understanding. H998 At the beginning H8462 of thy supplications H8469 the commandment H1697 came forth, H3318 and I am come H935 to shew H5046 thee; for thou art greatly beloved: H2532 therefore understand H995 the matter, H1697 and consider H995 the vision. H4758
I will arise G450 and go G4198 to G4314 my G3450 father, G3962 and G2532 will say G2046 unto him, G846 Father, G3962 I have sinned G264 against G1519 heaven, G3772 and G2532 before G1799 thee, G4675 And G2532 am G1510 no more G3765 worthy G514 to be called G2564 thy G4675 son: G5207 make G4160 me G3165 as G5613 one G1520 of thy G4675 hired servants. G3407 And G2532 he arose, G450 and came G2064 to G4314 his G1438 father. G3962 But G1161 when he G846 was yet G2089 a great way G3112 off, G568 his G846 father G3962 saw G1492 him, G846 and G2532 had compassion, G4697 and G2532 ran, G5143 and fell G1968 on G1909 his G846 neck, G5137 and G2532 kissed G2705 him. G846
And G2532 Cornelius G2883 said, G5346 Four G5067 days G2250 ago G575 I was G2252 fasting G3522 until G3360 this G5026 hour; G5610 and G2532 at the ninth G1766 hour G5610 I prayed G4336 in G1722 my G3450 house, G3624 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a man G435 stood G2476 before G1799 me G3450 in G1722 bright G2986 clothing, G2066 And G2532 said, G5346 Cornelius, G2883 thy G4675 prayer G4335 is heard, G1522 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are had in remembrance G3415 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316 Send G3992 therefore G3767 to G1519 Joppa, G2445 and G2532 call hither G3333 Simon, G4613 whose G3739 surname is G1941 Peter; G4074 he G3778 is lodged G3579 in G1722 the house G3614 of one Simon G4613 a tanner G1038 by G3844 the sea side: G2281 who, G3739 when he cometh, G3854 shall speak G2980 unto thee. G4671
Peter G4074 G3303 therefore G3767 was kept G5083 in G1722 prison: G5438 but G1161 prayer G4335 was G2258 made G1096 without ceasing G1618 of G5259 the church G1577 unto G4314 God G2316 for G5228 him. G846 And G1161 when G3753 Herod G2264 would G3195 have brought G4254 him G846 forth, G4254 the same G1565 night G3571 Peter G4074 was G2258 sleeping G2837 between G3342 two G1417 soldiers, G4757 bound G1210 with two G1417 chains: G254 and G5037 the keepers G5441 before G4253 the door G2374 kept G5083 the prison. G5438 And, G2532 behold, G2400 the angel G32 of the Lord G2962 came upon G2186 him, and G2532 a light G5457 shined G2989 in G1722 the prison: G3612 and G1161 he smote G3960 Peter G4074 on the side, G4125 and raised G1453 him G846 up, G1453 saying, G3004 Arise up G450 quickly. G1722 G5034 And G2532 his G846 chains G254 fell off G1601 from G1537 his hands. G5495 And G5037 the angel G32 said G2036 unto G4314 him, G846 Gird thyself, G4024 and G2532 bind on G5265 thy G4675 sandals. G4547 And G1161 so G3779 he did. G4160 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto him, G846 Cast G4016 thy garment G2440 about G4016 thee, G4675 and G2532 follow G190 me. G3427 And G2532 he went out, G1831 and followed G190 him; G846 and G2532 wist G1492 not G3756 that G3754 it was G2076 true G227 which G3588 was done G1096 by G1223 the angel; G32 but G1161 thought G1380 he saw G991 a vision. G3705 When G1161 they were past G1330 the first G4413 and G2532 the second G1208 ward, G5438 they came G2064 unto G1909 the iron G4603 gate G4439 that leadeth G5342 unto G1519 the city; G4172 which G3748 opened G455 to them G846 of his own accord: G844 and G2532 they went out, G1831 and passed on through G4281 one G3391 street; G4505 and G2532 forthwith G2112 the angel G32 departed G868 from G575 him. G846 And G2532 when Peter G4074 was come G1096 to G1722 himself, G1438 he said, G2036 Now G3568 I know G1492 of a surety, G230 that G3754 the Lord G2962 hath sent G1821 his G846 angel, G32 and G2532 hath delivered G1807 me G3165 out of G1537 the hand G5495 of Herod, G2264 and G2532 from all G3956 the expectation G4329 of the people G2992 of the Jews. G2453 And G5037 when he had considered G4894 the thing, he came G2064 to G1909 the house G3614 of Mary G3137 the mother G3384 of John, G2491 whose surname was G1941 Mark; G3138 where G3757 many G2425 were G2258 gathered together G4867 praying. G2532 G4336 And G1161 as Peter G4074 knocked at G2925 the door G2374 of the gate, G4440 a damsel G3814 came G4334 to hearken, G5219 named G3686 Rhoda. G4498 And G2532 when she knew G1921 Peter's G4074 voice, G5456 she opened G455 not G3756 the gate G4440 for G575 gladness, G5479 but G1161 ran in, G1532 and told how G518 Peter G4074 stood G2476 before G4253 the gate. G4440 And G1161 they said G2036 unto G4314 her, G846 Thou art mad. G3105 But G1161 she constantly affirmed G1340 that it was G2192 even so. G3779 Then G1161 said they, G3004 It is G2076 his G846 angel. G32 But G1161 Peter G4074 continued G1961 knocking: G2925 and G1161 when they had opened G455 the door, and saw G1492 him, G846 G2532 they were astonished. G1839
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 65
Commentary on Isaiah 65 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 65
Isa 65:1-25. God's Reply in Justification of His Dealings with Israel.
In Isa 64:9, their plea was, "we are all Thy people." In answer, God declares that others (Gentiles) would be taken into covenant with Him, while His ancient people would be rejected. The Jews were slow to believe this; hence Paul says (Ro 10:20) that Isaiah was "very bold" in advancing so unpopular a sentiment; he implies what Paul states (Ro 2:28; 9:6, 7; 11:1-31), that "they are not all (in opposition to the Jews' plea, Isa 64:9) Israel which are of Israel." God's reason for so severely dealing with Israel is not changeableness in Him, but sin in them (Isa 65:2-7). Yet the whole nation shall not be destroyed, but only the wicked; a remnant shall be saved (Isa 65:8-10, 11-16). There shall be, finally, universal blessedness to Israel, such as they had prayed for (Isa 65:17-25).
1. I am sought—Hebrew, "I have granted access unto Me to them," &c. (so Eze 14:3, "Should I be inquired of"; Eph 2:18).
found—Ro 10:20 renders this, "I was made manifest." As an instance of the sentiment in the clause, "I am sought," &c., see Joh 12:21; of the sentiment in this clause, Ac 9:5. Compare as to the Gentile converts, Eph 2:12, 13.
Behold me—(Isa 45:22).
nation … not called by my name—that is, the Gentiles. God retorts in their own words (Isa 63:19) that their plea as being exclusively "called by His name" will not avail, for God's gospel invitation is not so exclusive (Ro 9:25; 1:16).
2. spread out … hands—inviting them earnestly (Pr 1:24).
all … day—continually, late and early (Jer 7:13).
rebellious people—Israel, whose rebellion was the occasion of God's turning to the Gentiles (Ro 11:11, 12, 15).
way … not good—that is, the very reverse of good, very bad (Eze 36:31).
3. continually—answering to "all the day" (Isa 65:2). God was continually inviting them, and they continually offending Him (De 32:21).
to my face—They made no attempt to hide their sin (Isa 3:9). Compare "before Me" (Ex 20:3).
in gardens—(See on Isa 1:29; Isa 66:17; Le 17:5).
altars of brick—Hebrew, "bricks." God had commanded His altars to be of unhewn stone (Ex 20:25). This was in order to separate them, even in external respects, from idolaters; also, as all chiselling was forbidden, they could not inscribe superstitious symbols on them as the heathen did. Bricks were more easily so inscribed than stone; hence their use for the cuneiform inscriptions at Babylon, and also for idolatrous altars. Some, not so well, have supposed that the "bricks" here mean the flat brick-paved roofs of houses on which they sacrificed to the sun, &c. (2Ki 23:12; Jer 19:13).
4. remain among … graves—namely, for purposes of necromancy, as if to hold converse with the dead (Isa 8:19, 20; compare Mr 5:3); or, for the sake of purifications, usually performed at night among sepulchres, to appease the manes [Maurer].
monuments—Hebrew, "pass the night in hidden recesses," either the idol's inmost shrines ("consecrated precincts") [Horsley], where they used to sleep, in order to have divine communications in dreams [Jerome]; or better, on account of the parallel "graves," sepulchral caves [Maurer].
eat swine's flesh—To eat it at all was contrary to God's law (Le 11:7), but it much increased their guilt that they ate it in idolatrous sacrifices (compare Isa 66:17). Varro (On Agriculture, 2.4) says that swine were first used in sacrifices; the Latins sacrificed a pig to Ceres; it was also offered on occasion of treaties and marriages.
broth—so called from the "pieces" (Margin) or fragments of bread over which the broth was poured [Gesenius]; such broth, made of swine's flesh, offered in sacrifice, was thought to be especially acceptable to the idol and was used in magic rites. Or, "fragments (pieces) of abominable foods," &c. This fourth clause explains more fully the third, as the second does the first [Maurer].
is in—rather, literally, "is their vessels," that is, constitute their vessels' contents. The Jews, in our Lord's days, and ever since the return from Babylon, have been free from idolatry; still the imagery from idolatrous abominations, as being the sin most loathsome in God's eyes and that most prevalent in Isaiah's time, is employed to describe the foul sin of Israel in all ages, culminating in their killing Messiah, and still rejecting Him.
5. (Mt 9:11; Lu 5:30; 18:11; Jude 19). Applicable to the hypocritical self-justifiers of our Lord's time.
smoke—alluding to the smoke of their self-righteous sacrifices; the fire of God's wrath was kindled at the sight, and exhibited itself in the smoke that breathed forth from His nostrils; in Hebrew the nose is the seat of anger; and the nostrils distended in wrath, as it were, breathe forth smoke [Rosenmuller] (Ps 18:8).
6. written before me—"it is decreed by Me," namely, what follows (Job 13:26), [Maurer]; or, their guilt is recorded before Me (compare Da 7:10; Re 20:12; Mal 3:16).
into … bosom—(Ps 79:12; Jer 32:18; Lu 6:38). The Orientals used the loose fold of the garment falling on "the bosom" or lap, as a receptacle for carrying things. The sense thus is: I will repay their sin so abundantly that the hand will not be able to receive it; it will need the spacious fold on the bosom to contain it [Rosenmuller]. Rather it is, "I will repay it to the very person from whom it has emanated." Compare "God did render the evil of the men of Shechem upon their heads" (Jud 9:57; Ps 7:16) [Gesenius].
7. Their sin had been accumulating from age to age until God at last repaid it in full.
mountains—(Isa 57:7; Eze 18:6; 20:27, 28; Ho 4:13).
their—"Your" had preceded. From speaking to, He speaks of them; this implies growing alienation from them and greater distance.
work—the full recompense of their work (so Isa 49:4).
8. new wine—as if some grapes having good wine-producing juice in them, be found in a cluster which the vinedresser was about to throw away as bad, and one saith, &c.
blessing—that is, good wine-producing juice (compare Jud 9:13; Joe 2:14).
so—God will spare the godly "remnant," while the ungodly mass of the nation shall be destroyed (Isa 1:9; 6:13; 10:21; 11:11, 12-16).
my servants—the godly remnant. But Horsley, "for the sake of my servant, Messiah."
9. seed—"the holy seed" (Isa 6:13), a posterity from Jacob, designed to repossess the Holy Land, forfeited by the sin of the former Jews.
my mountains—Jerusalem and the rest of Judea, peculiarly God's (compare Isa 2:2; 11:9; 14:32).
it—the Holy Land.
elect—(Isa 65:15, 22).
10. Sharon—(See on Isa 33:9; Isa 35:2).
Achor—meaning "trouble"; a valley near Jericho, so called from the trouble caused to Israel by Achan's sin (Jos 7:24). "The valley of Achor," proverbial for whatever caused calamity, shall become proverbial for joy and prosperity (Ho 2:15).
11. holy mountain—Moriah, on which the temple was.
troop—rather "Gad," the Babylonian god of fortune, the planet Jupiter, answering to Baal or Bel; the Arabs called it "the Greater Good Fortune"; and the planet Venus answering to Meni, "the Lesser Good Fortune" [Gesenius, Kimchi, &c.]. Tables were laid out for their idols with all kinds of viands, and a cup containing a mixture of wine and honey, in Egypt especially, on the last day of the year [Jerome].
drink offering—rather, "mixed drink."
number—rather, "Meni"; as goddess of fortune she was thought to number the fates of men. Vitringa understands Gad to be the sun; Meni the moon, or Ashtaroth or Astarte (1Ki 11:33).
12. number—"doom" you. Alluding to the "number," as Meni (Isa 65:11) means. Retribution in kind, the punishment answering to the sin (compare 2Ch 36:14-17).
I called, ye … not answer—"I called," though "none had called" upon Me (Isa 64:7); yet even then none "answered" (Pr 1:24). Contrast with this God and His people's mutual fellowship in prayer (Isa 65:24).
13. eat—enjoy all blessings from me (So 5:1).
hungry—(Am 4:6; 8:11). This may refer to the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, when 1,100,000 are said to have perished by famine; thus Isa 65:15 will refer to God's people without distinction of Jew and Gentile receiving "another name," namely, that of Christians [Houbigant]. A further fulfilment may still remain, just before the creation of the "new heavens and earth," as the context, Isa 65:17, implies.
14. howl—(Isa 15:2; Mt 8:12).
15. curse—The name of "Jew" has been for long a formula of execration (compare Jer 29:22); if one wishes to curse another, he can utter nothing worse than this, "God make thee what the Jew is!" Contrast the formula (Ge 48:20) [Maurer].
my chosen—the elect Church, gathered from Jews and Gentiles, called by "another name," Christians (Ac 11:26). However (see on Isa 65:13), as "My chosen," or "elect," in Isa 65:9, refers to the "seed of Jacob," the believing Jews, hereafter about to possess their land (Isa 65:19, 22), are ultimately meant by "My chosen," as contrasted with the unbelieving Jews ("ye"). These elect Jews shall be called by "another," or a new name, that is, shall no longer be "forsaken" of God for unbelief, but shall be His "delight" and "married" to Him (Isa 62:2, 4).
thee—unbelieving Israel. Isaiah here speaks of God, whereas in the preceding sentences God Himself spake. This change of persons marks without design how completely the prophet realized God with him and in him, so that he passes, without formally announcing it, from God's words to his own, and vice versa, both alike being from God.
16. That he—rather, "he who," &c.
blesseth, &c.—(Ps 72:17; Jer 4:2).
God of truth—very God, as opposed to false gods; Hebrew, Amen: the very name of Messiah (2Co 1:20; Re 3:14), faithful to His promises (Joh 1:17; 6:32). Real, substantial, spiritual, eternal, as opposed to the shadowy types of the law.
sweareth, &c.—God alone shall be appealed to as God (Isa 19:18; De 6:13; Ps 63:11).
troubles—that is, sins, provocations [Lowth]. Rather, calamities caused by your sins; so far from these visiting you again, the very remembrance of them is "hid from Mine eyes" by the magnitude of the blessings I will confer on you (Isa 65:17, &c.). [Maurer].
17. As Caleb inherited the same land which his feet trod on (De 1:36; Jos 14:9), so Messiah and His saints shall inherit the renovated earth which once they trod while defiled by the enemy (Isa 34:4; 51:16; 66:22; Eze 21:27; Ps 2:8; 37:11; 2Pe 3:13; Heb 12:26-28 Re 21:1).
not be remembered—See on Isa 65:16, note on "troubles"; the words here answer to "the former … forgotten," &c. The former sorrows of the earth, under the fall, shall be so far from recurring, that their very remembrance shall be obliterated by the many mercies I will bestow on the new earth (Re 21:4-27).
18. rejoice for ever … Jerusalem—(Isa 51:11). "Everlasting joy … Zion." Spiritually (1Th 5:16).
19. (Isa 62:5).
weeping … no more—(Isa 25:7, 8; 35:10; Re 7:17; 21:4), primarily, foretold of Jerusalem; secondarily, of all the redeemed.
20. The longevity of men in the first age of the world shall be enjoyed again.
thence—from that time forward.
infant of days—that is, an infant who shall only complete a few days; short-lived.
filled … days—None shall die without attaining a full old age.
child … die … hundred years—that is, "he that dieth an hundred years old shall die a mere child" [Lowth].
sinner … hundred … be accursed—"The sinner that dieth at an hundred years shall be deemed accursed," that is, his death at so early an age, which in those days the hundredth year will be regarded, just as if it were mere childhood, shall be deemed the effect of God's special visitation in wrath [Rosenmuller]. This passage proves that the better age to come on earth, though much superior to the present will not be a perfect state; sin and death shall have place in it (compare Re 20:7, 8), but much less frequently than now.
21. (See on Isa 62:8; Am 9:14).
22. They shall not experience the curse pronounced (Le 26:16; De 28:30).
tree—among the most long-lived of objects in nature. They shall live as long as the trees they "plant" (compare Isa 61:3, end of verse; Ps 92:12).
enjoy—Hebrew, "consume," "wear out"; they shall live to enjoy the last of it (Isa 62:9).
23. bring forth for trouble—literally, "for terror," that is, "They shall not bring forth children for a sudden death" (Le 26:16; Jer 15:8).
seed … blessed—(Isa 61:9).
offspring with them—(Ho 9:12). "Their offspring shall be with themselves" [Maurer]; not "brought forth" only to be cut off by "sudden death" (see the parallel clause).
24. Contrast Isa 64:7, "none … calleth," &c.; and see on Isa 65:12, "I called, ye did not answer." Maurer translates, "They shall hardly (literally, "not yet") call, when (literally, "and") I will answer; they shall be still speaking, when I will hear" (Ps 32:5; Da 9:20, 21).
25. (See on Isa 11:6).
and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock—(See on Isa 11:7).
and dust—rather, "but dust," &c. The curse shall remain on the serpent [Horsley], (Ge 3:14; Mic 7:17). "To lick the dust" is figurative of the utter and perpetual degradation of Satan and his emissaries (Isa 49:23; Ps 72:9). Satan fell self-tempted; therefore no atonement was contrived for him, as there was for man, who fell by his temptation (Jude 6; Joh 8:44). From his peculiar connection with the earth and man, it has been conjectured that the exciting cause of his rebellion was God's declaration that human nature was to be raised into union with the Godhead; this was "the truth" concerning the person of the Son of God which "he abode not in"; it galled his pride that a lower race was to be raised to that which he had aspired to (1Ti 3:6). How exultingly he might say, when man fell through him, "God would raise manhood into union with Himself; I have brought it down below the beasts by sin!" At that very moment and spot he was told that the seed of the abhorred race, man, should bruise his head (1Jo 3:8). He was raised up for this, to show forth God's glory (Ex 9:16; Ro 9:17). In his unfallen state he may have been God's vicegerent over the earth and the animal kingdom before man: this will account for his assuming the form of a serpent (Ge 3:1). Man succeeded to that office (Ge 2:19, 20), but forfeited it by sin, whence Satan became "prince of this world"; Jesus Christ supplants the usurper, and as "Son of man" regains the lost inheritance (Ps 8:4-8). The steps in Satan's overthrow are these: he is cast out, first, from heaven (Re 12:7-9) on earth; next, he is bound a thousand years (Re 20:2, 3); finally, he is cast into the lake of fire for ever (Re 20:10).
the serpent's meat—(See on Isa 11:8).
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain—(See on Isa 11:9).