3 A people H5971 that provoketh me to anger H3707 continually H8548 to my face; H6440 that sacrificeth H2076 in gardens, H1593 and burneth incense H6999 upon altars of brick; H3843
Fill G4137 ye G5210 up G4137 then G2532 the measure G3358 of your G5216 fathers. G3962 Ye serpents, G3789 ye generation G1081 of vipers, G2191 how G4459 can ye G5343 escape G575 the damnation G2920 of hell? G1067 Wherefore, G1223 G5124 behold, G2400 I G1473 send G649 unto G4314 you G5209 prophets, G4396 and G2532 wise men, G4680 and G2532 scribes: G1122 and G2532 some of G1537 them G846 ye shall kill G615 and G2532 crucify; G4717 and G2532 some of G1537 them G846 shall ye scourge G3146 in G1722 your G5216 synagogues, G4864 and G2532 persecute G1377 them from G575 city G4172 to G1519 city: G4172 That G3704 upon G1909 you G5209 may come G2064 all G3956 the righteous G1342 blood G129 shed G1632 upon G1909 the earth, G1093 from G575 the blood G129 of righteous G1342 Abel G6 unto G2193 the blood G129 of Zacharias G2197 son G5207 of Barachias, G914 whom G3739 ye slew G5407 between G3342 the temple G3485 and G2532 the altar. G2379 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 All G3956 these things G5023 shall come G2240 upon G1909 this G5026 generation. G1074
Then he said H559 unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 Is it a light thing H7043 to the house H1004 of Judah H3063 that they commit H6213 the abominations H8441 which they commit H6213 here? for they have filled H4390 the land H776 with violence, H2555 and have returned H7725 to provoke me to anger: H3707 and, lo, they put H7971 the branch H2156 to their nose. H639 Therefore will I also deal H6213 in fury: H2534 mine eye H5869 shall not spare, H2347 neither will I have pity: H2550 and though they cry H7121 in mine ears H241 with a loud H1419 voice, H6963 yet will I not hear H8085 them.
For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and the children H1121 of Judah H3063 have only done H6213 evil H7451 before H5869 me from their youth: H5271 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have only provoked me to anger H3707 with the work H4639 of their hands, H3027 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 For this city H5892 hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger H639 and of my fury H2534 from the day H3117 that they built H1129 it even unto this day; H3117 that I should remove H5493 it from before my face, H6440 Because of all the evil H7451 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and of the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 which they have done H6213 to provoke me to anger, H3707 they, their kings, H4428 their princes, H8269 their priests, H3548 and their prophets, H5030 and the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem. H3389 And they have turned H6437 unto me the back, H6203 and not the face: H6440 though I taught H3925 them, rising up early H7925 and teaching H3925 them, yet they have not hearkened H8085 to receive H3947 instruction. H4148 But they set H7760 their abominations H8251 in the house, H1004 which is called H7121 by my name, H8034 to defile H2930 it. And they built H1129 the high places H1116 of Baal, H1168 which are in the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 to cause their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire unto Molech; H4432 which I commanded H6680 them not, neither came H5927 it into my mind, H3820 that they should do H6213 this abomination, H8441 to cause Judah H3063 to sin. H2398
An altar H4196 of earth H127 thou shalt make H6213 unto me, and shalt sacrifice H2076 thereon thy burnt offerings, H5930 and thy peace offerings, H8002 thy sheep, H6629 and thine oxen: H1241 in all places H4725 where I record H2142 my name H8034 I will come H935 unto thee, and I will bless H1288 thee. And if thou wilt make H6213 me an altar H4196 of stone, H68 thou shalt not build H1129 it of hewn stone: H1496 for if thou lift up H5130 thy tool H2719 upon it, thou hast polluted H2490 it.
Notwithstanding they would not hear, H8085 but hardened H7185 their necks, H6203 like to the neck H6203 of their fathers, H1 that did not believe H539 in the LORD H3068 their God. H430 And they rejected H3988 his statutes, H2706 and his covenant H1285 that he made H3772 with their fathers, H1 and his testimonies H5715 which he testified H5749 against them; and they followed H3212 H310 vanity, H1892 and became vain, H1891 and went after H310 the heathen H1471 that were round about H5439 them, concerning whom the LORD H3068 had charged H6680 them, that they should not do H6213 like them. And they left H5800 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and made H6213 them molten images, H4541 even two H8147 calves, H5695 and made H6213 a grove, H842 and worshipped H7812 all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and served H5647 Baal. H1168 And they caused their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 and used H7080 divination H7081 and enchantments, H5172 and sold H4376 themselves to do H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707
They provoked him to jealousy H7065 with strange H2114 gods, with abominations H8441 provoked they him to anger. H3707 They sacrificed H2076 unto devils, H7700 not to God; H433 to gods H430 whom they knew H3045 not, to new H2319 gods that came H935 newly H7138 up, H935 whom your fathers H1 feared H8175 not. Of the Rock H6697 that begat H3205 thee thou art unmindful, H7876 and hast forgotten H7911 God H410 that formed H2342 thee. And when the LORD H3068 saw H7200 it, he abhorred H5006 them, because of the provoking H3708 of his sons, H1121 and of his daughters. H1323
And thou shalt make H6213 an altar H4196 to burn H4729 incense H7004 upon: of shittim H7848 wood H6086 shalt thou make H6213 it. A cubit H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof; foursquare H7251 shall it be: and two cubits H520 shall be the height H6967 thereof: the horns H7161 thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 the top H1406 thereof, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 thereof; and thou shalt make H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439 And two H8147 golden H2091 rings H2885 shalt thou make H6213 to it under the crown H2213 of it, by the two H8147 corners H6763 thereof, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 of it shalt thou make H6213 it; and they shall be for places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal. H1992 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold. H2091 And thou shalt put H5414 it before H6440 the vail H6532 that is by the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715 before H6440 the mercy seat H3727 that is over the testimony, H5715 where I will meet H3259 with thee. And Aaron H175 shall burn H6999 thereon sweet H5561 incense H7004 every morning: H1242 when he dresseth H3190 the lamps, H5216 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it. And when Aaron H175 lighteth H5927 the lamps H5216 at even, H6153 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it, a perpetual H8548 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD H3068 throughout your generations. H1755 Ye shall offer H5927 no strange H2114 incense H7004 thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, H5930 nor meat offering; H4503 neither shall ye pour H5258 drink offering H5262 thereon. And Aaron H175 shall make an atonement H3722 upon the horns H7161 of it once H259 in a year H8141 with the blood H1818 of the sin offering H2403 of atonements: H3725 once H259 in the year H8141 shall he make atonement H3722 upon it throughout your generations: H1755 it is most H6944 holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068
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).