It is admitted on all hands that this interesting and difficult group of Chapter s, although without a heading, forms a distinct section of the book of Isaiah. They consist of a single connected prophecy, interspersed with lyrical and devotional passages, which appear in some instances to interrupt... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, the Lord maketh … waste_ The construction in Heb. is the _fut. instans_, "is about to empty." The metaphor of the verse (cf. Nahum 2:10) is exceedingly expressive, the words being "those which were used for cleaning a dirty dish" (G. A. Smith). Cf. 2 Kings 21:13. The language exhibits the f... [ Continue Reading ]
briefly announce the theme of the whole discourse, a final and universal judgment on the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
The judgment affects all classes alike, without distinction of rank or fortune. _as_with _the people … priest_ Cf. Hosea 4:9. It would hardly be safe to infer from this proverbial expression that at the time of the author the priests formed the aristocracy of the Jewish people. _the buyer … the sel... [ Continue Reading ]
For _land_read EARTH as Isaiah 24:1_; Isaiah 24:4_, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_mourneth … languisheth … fadeth away_ Another instance of paronomasia in the original. Cf. ch. Isaiah 33:9; Hosea 4:3; Joel 1:10. _the haughty people_ Lit. "the height of the people," i.e. THE NOBLEST OF THE PEOPLE. It is the only case where the word is so used (though cf. Ecclesiastes 10:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
The earth lies under a curse on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The earth also is defiled_(literally, PROFANED) _under the inhabitants thereof_ That the land of Israel is profaned by the sins of its people, is a prominent idea in the O.T.; the conception is here extended to the whole earth. The condition of the world resembles that which preceded the Deluge (Ge... [ Continue Reading ]
_hath the_(or A) _curse devoured the earth_ Cf. Zechariah 5:3. _are desolate_ Render with R.V., ARE FOUND GUILTY. _the inhabitants of the earth are burned_ or BURN under the curse, which is the expression of the Divine wrath. The verb (_ḥârar_) means "to glow" (Ezekiel 24:11) or "be parched" (Job... [ Continue Reading ]
Cf. Joel 1:10; Joel 1:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Joy has vanished from the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the use of music at feasts, along with wine, see ch. Isaiah 5:11-12; Amos 6:5. The verbs in Isaiah 24:9 should be rendered in the present tense.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The city of confusion_ (or OF CHAOS, Genesis 1:2) need not mean "the city destined to become a chaos," still less "the city of idolatry," which of course would be epithets inapplicable to Jerusalem. It may simply be equivalent to "the wasted city." _every house … come in_ (cf. ch. Isaiah 23:1) i.e... [ Continue Reading ]
Even the "city," usually the scene of busy and joyous life, shares in the universal sadness. It is difficult to say whether a particular city is meant, or whether the word is used collectively for cities in general. The fulness of the picture gives the impression that the writer has a particular cit... [ Continue Reading ]
_a crying for wine_ Rather, as R.V.: A CRYING BECAUSE OF THE WINE. The word for _streets_, meaning strictly "that which is without," is by some rendered "fields"; but this is less natural. _the mirth of the_ EARTH _is gone_ Lit. "gone into exile.... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the city is left desolation_ after its mirth has gone into banishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
The whole human race must perish, with the exception of an insignificant remnant. Render: FOR SO SHALL IT BE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH AMONG THE PEOPLES AS AT THE BEATING OF AN OLIVE-TREE, AS THE AFTER-GLEANING WHEN THE VINTAGE IS OVER. The images are borrowed from ch. Isaiah 17:6, and are used in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall lift up their voice_ Rather: THESE LIFT UP THEIR VOICE. The pronoun at the beginning is emphatic and stands in contrast to the "I" of Isaiah 24:16. _they shall sing, for the majesty_ Better (following the accents) THEY SHOUT: FOR THE MAJESTY OF JEHOVAH THEY CRY ALOUD, &c. The last words... [ Continue Reading ]
Already, indeed, the prophet can hear songs of praise ascending from distant parts of the earth, hailing the dawn of a better day; but he himself cannot share these enthusiastic hopes. It is not likely that this representation is purely ideal. Events must have occurred which excited the premature ex... [ Continue Reading ]
The words are those of the hymn of praise from over the sea, as is shewn by the particle _Wherefore_, referring to the unexpressed cause of rejoicing. _in the fires_ This gives no sense. R.V. has IN THE EAST; strictly "the (regions of) lights," which is the translation adopted by the majority of co... [ Continue Reading ]
Other voices _from the uttermost part_(strictly, "the skirt") _of the earth_are heard singing "_Glory to the righteous_," i.e. the righteous people, Israel. But these jubilant utterances of his more fortunately situated fellow-believers only extort from the prophet a cry of despair. _My leanness_ L... [ Continue Reading ]
This description of the judgment on the earth and its inhabitants seems to connect immediately with Isaiah 24:13. 17, 18a recur almost verbatim in Jeremiah 48:43 f. (cf. also Amos 5:19). 18B 20 describe the physical convulsions which accompany the day of Jehovah. _the windows from on high are_ OP... [ Continue Reading ]
_is clean dissolved_ Better, IS UTTERLY SHIVERED. For _is moved_render STAGGERETH.... [ Continue Reading ]
_reel to and fro like a drunkard_ Cf. Psalms 107:27. _shall be removed like a cottage_ Better as in R.V. SHALL BE MOVED TO AND FRO LIKE A HUT. The word for "hut" is that used in ch. Isaiah 1:8 of the watchman's frail shelter in the cucumber-field. It might here be fitly rendered "hammock." _the tr... [ Continue Reading ]
_the host of the high ones that are on high_ Lit. THE HOST OF THE HEIGHT IN THE HEIGHT. The "host of the height" is equivalent to the "host of heaven" (Jeremiah 33:22; 1 Kings 22:19; Nehemiah 9:6); but (as these passages shew) the expression may be used either of the stars or of the angels. It is im... [ Continue Reading ]
The judgment on the powers of evil, and the enthronement of Jehovah on Mount Zion.... [ Continue Reading ]
_after many days shall they be visited_ See Judges 6, "reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day" (cf. 2 Peter 2:4); and the following passages from the book of Enoch (ch. 18:14, 16). "This … place … serves as a prison for the stars of heaven and the host of... [ Continue Reading ]
_the moon shall be confounded … ashamed_ i.e. shall "pale their ineffectual fires" before the light of Jehovah's presence (see ch. Isaiah 60:19). A _punishment_of the sun and moon, as representatives of the "host of heaven," is not to be thought of. The words "moon" and "sun" are poetic, signifying... [ Continue Reading ]