11 And the Lord will be your guide at all times; in dry places he will give you water in full measure, and will make strong your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like an ever-flowing spring.
So they will come with songs on the high places, flowing together to the good things of the Lord, to the grain and the wine and the oil, to the young ones of the flock and of the herd: their souls will be like a watered garden, and they will have no more sorrow.
But whoever takes the water I give him will never be in need of drink again; for the water I give him will become in him a fountain of eternal life.
They will not be in need of food or drink, or be troubled by the heat or the sun: for he who has mercy on them will be their guide, taking them by the springs of water.
He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed.
And they will say, This land which was waste has become like the garden of Eden; and the towns which were unpeopled and wasted and pulled down are walled and peopled.
For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, pushing out its roots by the stream; he will have no fear when the heat comes, but his leaf will be green; in a dry year he will have no care, and will go on giving fruit.
He who is ever desiring profit is a cause of fighting; but he who puts his faith in the Lord will be made fat.
The hater of work does not get his desires, but the soul of the hard workers will be made fat.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
They will give fruit even when they are old; they will be fertile and full of growth;
Because this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide.
I will give you knowledge, teaching you the way to go; my eye will be your guide.
When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make a way for us to come to you;
He will have a place on high: he will be safely shut in by the high rocks: his bread will be given to him; his waters will be certain.
They will not be shamed in the evil time, and in the days when all are in need of food they will have enough.
To keep their souls from death; and to keep them living in time of need.
My friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end: Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them; Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat. The camel-trains go out of their way; they go up into the waste and come to destruction. The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them: They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 58
Commentary on Isaiah 58 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 58
The prophet, in this chapter, has his commission and charge renewed to reprove the sinners in Zion, particularly the hypocrites, to show them their transgressions (v. 1). It is intended for admonition and warning to all hypocrites, and is not to be confined to those of any one age. Some refer it primarily to those at that time when Isaiah prophesied; see 33:14; 29:13. Others to the captives in Babylon, the wicked among them, to whom the prophet had declared there was no peace, ch. 57:21. Against the terror of that word they thought to shelter themselves with their external performances, particularly their fastings, which they kept up in Babylon, and for some time after their return to their own land, Zec. 7:3, etc. The prophet therefore here shows them that their devotions would not entitle them to peace while their conversations were not at all of a piece with them. Others think it is principally intended against the hypocrisy of the Jews, especially the Pharisees before and in our Saviour's time: they boasted of their fastings, but Christ (as the prophet here) showed them their transgressions (Mt. 23), much the same with those they are here charged with. Observe,
Isa 58:1-2
When our Lord Jesus promised to send the Comforter he added, When he shall come he shall convince (Jn. 16:7, 8); for conviction must prepare for comfort, and must also separate between the precious and the vile, and mark out those to whom comfort does not belong. God had appointed this prophet to comfort his people (ch. 40:1); here he appoints him to convince them, and show them their sins.
Isa 58:3-7
Here we have,
Isa 58:8-12
Here are precious promises for those to feast freely and cheerfully upon by faith who keep the fast that God has chosen; let them know that God will make it up to them. Here is,
Isa 58:13-14
Great stress was always laid upon the due observance of the sabbath day, and it was particularly required from the Jews when they were captives in Babylon, because by keeping that day, in honour of the Creator, they distinguished themselves from the worshippers of the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth. See ch. 56:1, 2, where keeping the sabbath is joined, as here, with keeping judgment and doing justice. Some, indeed, understand this of the day of atonement, which they think is the fast spoken of in the former part of the chapter, and which is called a sabbath of rest, Lev. 23:32. But, as the fasts before spoken of seem to be those that were occasional, so this sabbath is doubtless the weekly sabbath, that great sign between God and his professing people-his appointing it a sign of his favour to them and their observing it a sign of their obedience to him. Now observe here,