B T 2. Glory. The Branch, Yehovah. U 3. Inhabitants of Jerusalem: holy. U 4. Inhabitants of Jerusalem: cleansed. T 5,6. Glory. The marriage canopy.649-588 B.C.
2 In that day (i.e. after all the judgents) shall the Branch (i.e. Messiah. So the Chaldee paraphrase has it. Heb. zemach. Not the same word as in 11:1. See the Structure of "the Four Gospels" preceding the Structure of Matthew; and note the applcation of this expression to the Gospel of John and the notes there. Used there to connect the four Titles of Messiah: Matthew: the King [Zech.9:9 with Jer.23:5,6]. Mark: the Servant [Isa.42:1 with Zech3:8]. Luke: the Man [Zech.6:12]. John: Yehovah [Isa.40:9,10 with Isa.4:2].) Yehovah's Branch (i.e. Messiah) become for honour and for glory, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel (i.e. those who will have escaped destruction in the great tribuation. These could not be the "Church", for they are of "Israel"; and the blessings are the tempora blessings promised in 30:23, &c. Ezek.34:29. Joel 2:23-25. Amos 9:11-15, &c.).
3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called set apart ("holy", see Ex.3:5), even every one that is written down (or destined for life. Cp. Pss.69:28; 8:5,6. Mal.3:16) in Jerusalem:
4 When Jehovah shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have cast out (Heb. duah. Cp. 1:16; 6:7) the blood (put for blood-quiltiness) of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the blast of judgment (as in 11:4. Cp. 2 Thess.2:8. Heb. ruach), and by the blast of burning.
5 And Yehovah will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion (not merely over the Tabernacle as in the old Dispensation), and upon her convocations (see 1:13), a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for over all the glory shall be a canopy (Heb. chuppah, the marriage canopy).
6 And there shall be a pavilion for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
A V¹ 1-7. The Parable of the Vineyard. V² 8-30. The Parable interpreted.
V¹ W¹ i 1,2. The Vineyard. Yehovah's care. k 3,4. Requital by Vineyard. X 5. Yehovah's requital. Externals destroyed. X 6. Yehovah's requital. Internals wasted. W² i 7-. The Vineyard. Yehovah's care. k -7. Requital by Vineyard.
3 And now (referring to time), O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between Me and My vineyard.
4 What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in (or for) it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth bad grapes?
5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it (cp. Deut.28:23,24. Lev.26:19).
7 For the vineyard of Yehovah Sabaioth is the house of Israel (occ. 4 times in Isaiah; 5:7; 14:2; 46:3; 63:7. Note the introversion: "vineyard", "Israel", Judah", "pleasant plant"), and the men of Judah His pleasant plant:
and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression (fig., put for great and solemn emphasis, to attract our attention and impress our minds. Not a "pun" or a "play" on words); for righteousness, but behold a cry (see note above. The 2 lines may be Englished by "He looked for equity, but behold iniqity; for right but behold might " [as used in oppression and producing a "cry"]).
V² Y¹ 8. Woe. Crimination. Covetousness. Z¹ 9,10. Threatening. Desolation. Y² 11,12. Woe. Crimination. Excess. Z² 13-17. Threatening. Captivity. Y³ 18-23. Woe. Crimination. Iniquity. Z³ 24-30. Threatening. Destruction. Invasion.
8 Woe (fig.. "Woe" repeated 6 times in succession [vv.8,11,18,20,21,22]. Note the 6 subjects) to them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
9 “In My ears” said Yehovah Sabaoith (note the Ellipsis of the verb "to say". See instructive examples in Pss.109:5; 114:12. Isa.28:9. Jer.9:19, &c.), “Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.
10 Yes, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath (= aprox. 6 gal.), and the seed of an homer (aprox. 8 bushels) shall yield an ephah (about 3 pecks).
11 Woe to them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night (Heb. nephesh. Cp. 21:4 and 59:10. See Job 24:15, and 1 Sam.30:17), till wine inflame them!
12 And the harp, and the viol, the drum, and fife, and wine, are in their banquets: but they regard not the work of Yehovah, neither consider the operation of His hands.
Z³ l 13. Captivity. m 14,15. Judgment. Man abased. m 16. Judgment. Yehovah exhalted. l 17. Restoration.
13 Therefore My People are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheõl has enlarged her soul, and opened her mouth without measure (all these feminine pronouns mean that the nouns belong to Sheõl): and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoices, shall descend into it.
15 And the commoner shall be brought down, and the peer shall be humbled (see 2:11,17), and the eyes of the proud shall be humbled:
16 But Yehovah Sabaioth shall be exalted in judgment, and the mighty God that is set apart shall be sanctified in righteousness.
17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall foreigners eat.
18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity (which draws on sin by the load), and sin as it were with a cart rope (imples sin by the cart-load):
19 That say, ‘Let Him make speed (cp. Jer.17:15), and hasten His work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel (see 1:4 and Ps.71:22) draw nigh and come, that we may know it!’
20 Woe to them that are calling evil good, and good evil; that give out darkness for light, and light for darkness; that give out bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (fig., put for themselves, or their own view of matters)
22 Woe to them that are mighty men to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
23 Which justify a lawless one for a bribe, and take away the righteous of the righteous ones from them!
24 Therefore as the fire devoures the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of Yehovah Sabaioth (see 1:10), and despised the saying (or spoken word) of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore is the anger of Yehovah kindled against His People, and He has stretched forth [in judgment] His hand against them, and has smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were as the sweepings the streets.
For all this (cp. the fivefold consequences of Isa.5:25; 9:12,17,21; 10:4: with the fivefold cause in Lev.26:14,18,21,24,28) His anger is not turned away, but His hand remains stretched out.
26 And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss for [as men call bees] them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:
29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yes, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the skies thereof.”
B A 1. The Vision. (General). B n 2-4. The Seraphs. o 5. The Prophet. (Defiled). n 6. A Seraph. o 7. The Prophet. (Cleansed). A 8-. The Voice. (Particular). B p -8. The Messenger. "Then said I". q 9,10. Answer and Message. p 11-. Thee Messenger. :Then said I". q -11-13. Answer and Promise.
6)
1 In the year that king Uzziah (contrast this leprous king with the glorious king of v.5) died (in a seperate house. This completes the contrast. See 2 Chron.26:21) I saw (Heb. rã’ãh = to see clearly. As in v.6; 21:6,7. Not the same word as in 1:1; 13:1) also Yehovah sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.
2 Above it (i.e. the throne) stood the seraphims (= burning ones. No Article. Celestial beings, named but unexplained. Name used of the serpents [Num.21:6] because of the burning effect prodced by them, just as nãchãsh was used of a snake because of its shining skin [Num.21:9], as well as the shining one of Gen.3:1. See Gen. 3:1. Num.21:6,9. Sept reads "and seraphs stood round about Him"): each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.
3 And one cried to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy (holy = set apart or seperate.See Ex.3:5. Fig., put for intense and solemn emphais. Cp. the threefold blessing of Num.6:34-26 and Rev.4:8, a threefold unity), is Yehovah Sabaioth: the whole earth is full of His glory.”
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke (what causes smoke?).
5 Then said I, “Woe is me! for I am dumb (or lost.The essence of true conviction is a concern for what I am, not for what I have done or not done); because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen (cp. Job 42:5) the King (contrast "king Uzziah, v.1), Yehovah Sabaioth.”
6 Then flew (cp. "ran" [Luke 15:20]) one of the burning ones to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar (see Ex.25:38; 37:23. Num.4:9):
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, “Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin covered” (Heb. kãphar = to cover, and thus, here, atone. See Ex.29:33. Not the same word as in 1:25; 4:4 ).
8 Also I heard the voice of Yehovah (see the Structure of the Book of Isaiah. This is the voice from the Temple concerning the "sscattering", corresponding with 40:3,6, which is the voice from the wilderness concering the "gathering"), saying, “Whom shall I send (this was not Isaiah's original commission to prophecy, but his special commission for this great dispensational prophecy. Chapters 1-5 form a general introduction to the whole Book ), and who will go for Us?” (see Gen.1:26; 3:22; 11:7)
Then said I, “Here am I; send me.” (a minister of fire. There is a job that must be done)
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this People, ‘You all hear indeed, but understand not; and you all see indeed, but perceive not.’
10 Declare (or foretell) that the heart of this People will be fat (Isaiah could do no more. A common Hebrew idiom. This prophecy is of the deepest import in Israel's history. Written down 7 times [7 = spiritual completeness, or perfection. Matt.13:14. Mark 4:12. Luke 8:10. John 12:40. Acts 28:26,27. Rom.11:8]. Solemnley quoted in 3 great dispensational crises:- (1) By Christ [Matt.13:14], as coming from Yehovah on the day a council was held to "destroy Him"; (2) By Christ, as coming from Messiah in His glory [John 12:40,41] after council was taken to "put Him to death" [John 11:53, and cp. 12:37]; (3) By Paul, as comingfrom the Holy Spirit when, after a whole day's conference, they "believed not" [Acts 28:25-27]), and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn (or return), and be healed.” (Just in time to be blinded by the Anti-Christ!)
11 Then said I, “Yehovah, how long?” (for answer see Rom.11:25)
And He answered, “Until the cities be desolate for want of inhabitant, and the houses without mankind, and the ground (or soil) be utterly desolate (see 1:7),
12 And Yehovah have removed mankind far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land (= apostacy, not one follower left. See 1:4).
13 Still, there is in it [the land] a tenth part; and it [the tenth part] shall again be swept away; yet, as with the terebinth and oak, whose life remains in them when felled, the set aprt seed will be the life thereof. (This is no "interpolation"; it is necessary to complete the Structure. His Truth shall go marching on! See Luke 12:47-49)
C C¹ 7:1-9. Confederacy (Syria and Israel). (Particular). "It shall not stand" (v.7) D¹ 7:10 - 8:8. Divine Intoposition (7,10). THE VIRGIN'S SON. C² 8:9,10. Confederacy. (General). "It shall be brought to nothing." D² 8:11 - 9:7. Divine Introposition. IMMANUEL. C³ 9:8 - 10:32. Confederacy. (Yehovah's). Particular. "I will punish." D³ 10:33 - 12:6. Divine Interposition. THE SON OF DAVID.
7)
631-630 B.C.
1 And it came to pass in the days of (see Gen.14:1) Ahaz (= possessor. For the history explaining this prophecy see 2 Kings 15:37-16:5) the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria (= firm. See 2 Kings 16:5-9), and Pekah (= open-eyed. His was the last prosperous reign in Israel. It began in the last year of Uziah, king of Judah.) the son of Remaliah (repeated for emphasis in vv.1,4,5,9. A muderer [2 Kings 15:25]), king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it (cp. 2 Kings 16:5).
2 And it was told the house of David (not to Ahaz only, but to the house which had recieved the promise of Yehovah's protection [2 Sam.7), saying, “Syria is confederate with Ephraim” (the leading tribe, put by fig., for the rest of the 10 tribes. Someties called "Samaria" [1 Kings 16:24]). And his heart (i.e. Ahaz) was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind (Heb. ruãch).
3 Then said Yehhovah to Isaiah, “Go forth now to meet Ahaz, you, and Shear-jashub your son (= the remnant shall return), at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;
4 And say to him, ‘Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted because of the two tails of these smoking firebrands (cp. Amos 4:11. Zech.3:2. Not like the stump of Judah [6:13]), consisting of the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,
6 ‘Let us go up against Judah, and terrify it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal’ (i.e. Rezin, king of Syria):
7 Thus says Adonai Yehovah, ‘It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
8 For through the head of Syria is Damascus (which is soon to be spoiled), and the head of Damascus is Rezin (a firebrand soon to be quenched. He was the last independant of Syria); yet within sixty-five years shall Ephraim be broken (to be made up thus: Ahaz 14 + Hezekiah 29 + Manasseh 22 = 65 [13 x 5]. Fulfilled in 567-6 B.C.), shall no more be a people (but Judah shall return [6:13].
9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If you all will not believe, know that you all shall not be established.’ ’ ” (note the fig., to emphasis and attract attention to the importance of the sentence. May be Englished thus: "If you all will not trust, you all shall not be trusted". Or, have no belief...find no relief; or, will not understand...shall not surely stand; or, no confiding...no abiding. Verse 17 shows that Ahaz did not trust. See "shall call" [v.14])
D¹ E 7:10-17. The Son. F 7:18-25. Assyrian Invasion. E 8:1-4. The Son. F 8:5-8. Assyrian Invasion.
E G 10,11. The Sign offered. H 12. Ahaz. Refusal of Sign. G 13-16. The Sign given. H 17. Ahaz. Prophecy concerning him.
10 Moreover (it seems as though Isaiah wanted to see what Ahaz would say to v.9) Yehovah spoke added again to Ahaz (this identifies the words with Yehovah Himself, and not merely with Isaiah. It shows the vast importance of the coming prophecy), saying,
11 “Ask you a sign of Yehovah Elohim (Heb. ’õth, a present visible token or pledge, as in Gen.1:14. Ex.4:8,9; 12:13; and especially 8:18. Cp. Hezekiah's sign [38:7]); ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” (Ahaz was not limited, and therefore without excuse)
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask (he had already made up his mind to appeal to Assyria, and had probably sent messengers t Tiglath-Pilesar [2 Kings 16:7. 2 Chron.28:16]. His self-hardening is masked by his apparently pious words), neither will I tempt Yehovah Himself.”
13 And he (i.e. Yehovah by the prophet; thus identifying Hmself with this important prophecy) said, “Hear you all now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you all weary my Elohim also?
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a damsel (Heb. the virgin: i.e. some definate well-known damsel, whose identity was then unmistakable, though unknown to us. See Matt.1:21-23. Luke 1:31. The Hebrew for virgin [in our technical sense] is bethulah, and occ. 50 times. Its first occ. is Gen.24:16, where, compared with v.43, it shows that while every Bethulah is indeed an Almah, yet not every Almah is a Bethulah. The prophecy does not lose its Messianic character, for Mary, in whom it was fulflled, is designated by the same holy inspiring Spirit as "parthenos" [not gune]. As a sign to Ahaz this damsel was almah. As a sign, when the prophecywas fulfilled [or filled full], it was Mary, the parthenos or virgin) is pregnant and bears a son (the two words occur together only here, Gen.16:11, and Judg.13:5,7; and v.12 shows that birth was imminent. Perhaps the Almah was "Abi" [2 Kings 18:2. 2 Chron.29:1], but the son was not necessarily Hezekiah), and shall call his name Immanuel (= "God [El] with us". Most codices give it as two words).
15 Curds (see Gen.18:8. Deut.32:14, &c.) and honey shall he eat, up to the time of his knowing (i.e. the prophecy shall come to pass while still a babe. See v.16) to refuse the evil, and choose the good (see 1:29).
16 For before (this was the sign to Ahaz and all present. Cp. the further sign in 8:4) the sucking child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the sol that you abhor (or vex) shall be forsaken because of both her kings. (So it came to pass 2 years later. Cp. 2 Kings 15:30; 16:9. See note on 1:4. Both kings, i.e. Pekah and Rezin [v.1])
17 Yehovah shall bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria (this was fulfiled in 2 Kings 16:7, and 2 Chron.28:19,20).
F r¹ 18. Fly and Bee. s¹ 19. Destination. r² 20-. Rasor. s² -20. Destination. r³ 21. Cow and Sheep. s³ 22. Destination. r4 23,24. Briers and thorns. s4 25. Destination.
18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Yehovah shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all the thorn bushes, and upon all the pastures.
20 In the same day shall Yehovah shave with a razor that is hired (by Ahaz himself), namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the
head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep (i.e. no longer a land of olive and oil, but a poor pasturage. Cp. Jer.39:10);
22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter (not because of the number of the cattle, but on account of the fewness of the people): for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land (not corn and wine and oil).
23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings (= shekels: i.e. as rent. Cp. Song 8:11), it shall even be for briers and thorns.
24 With arrows and with bows shall men come to that place; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.
25 And on all hills that should be digged (but were to go out of cultivation) with the mattock, there will not come to that place for fear of briers and thorns (i.e. venture to walk without weapons [v.24], where you wanted to plough): but it shall be for the letting loose (or driving forth) of oxen, and for the trampling down of lesser cattle.”