1 In that day H3117 the LORD H3068 with his sore H7186 and great H1419 and strong H2389 sword H2719 shall punish H6485 leviathan H3882 the piercing H1281 serpent, H5175 even leviathan H3882 that crooked H6129 serpent; H5175 and he shall slay H2026 the dragon H8577 that is in the sea. H3220
For by fire H784 and by his sword H2719 will the LORD H3068 plead H8199 with all flesh: H1320 and the slain H2491 of the LORD H3068 shall be many. H7231
Speak, H1696 and say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 the great H1419 dragon H8577 that lieth H7257 in the midst H8432 of his rivers, H2975 which hath said, H559 My river H2975 is mine own, and I have made H6213 it for myself.
Thou didst divide H6565 the sea H3220 by thy strength: H5797 thou brakest H7665 the heads H7218 of the dragons H8577 in the waters. H4325 Thou brakest H7533 the heads H7218 of leviathan H3882 in pieces, and gavest H5414 him to be meat H3978 to the people H5971 inhabiting the wilderness. H6728
And G2532 the remnant G3062 were slain G615 with G1722 the sword G4501 of him that sat G2521 upon G1909 the horse, G2462 which G3588 sword proceeded G1607 out of G1537 his G846 mouth: G4750 and G2532 all G3956 the fowls G3732 were filled G5526 with G1537 their G846 flesh. G4561
And G2532 there came G2064 one G1520 of G1537 the seven G2033 angels G32 which G3588 had G2192 the seven G2033 vials, G5357 and G2532 talked G2980 with G3326 me, G1700 saying G3004 unto me, G3427 Come hither; G1204 I will shew G1166 unto thee G4671 the judgment G2917 of the great G3173 whore G4204 that sitteth G2521 upon G1909 many G4183 waters: G5204
And G2532 they worshipped G4352 the dragon G1404 which G3739 gave G1325 power G1849 unto the beast: G2342 and G2532 they worshipped G4352 the beast, G2342 saying, G3004 Who G5101 is like G3664 unto the beast? G2342 who G5101 is able G1410 to make war G4170 with G3326 him? G846
Son H1121 of man, H120 take up H5375 a lamentation H7015 for Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and say H559 unto him, Thou art like H1819 a young lion H3715 of the nations, H1471 and thou art as a whale H8577 H8565 in the seas: H3220 and thou camest forth H1518 with thy rivers, H5104 and troubledst H1804 the waters H4325 with thy feet, H7272 and fouledst H7515 their rivers. H5104 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will therefore spread out H6566 my net H7568 over thee with a company H6951 of many H7227 people; H5971 and they shall bring thee up H5927 in my net. H2764 Then will I leave H5203 thee upon the land, H776 I will cast thee forth H2904 upon the open H6440 field, H7704 and will cause all the fowls H5775 of the heaven H8064 to remain H7931 upon thee, and I will fill H7646 the beasts H2416 of the whole earth H776 with thee. And I will lay H5414 thy flesh H1320 upon the mountains, H2022 and fill H4390 the valleys H1516 with thy height. H7419
Nebuchadrezzar H5019 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 hath devoured H398 me, he hath crushed H2000 me, he hath made H3322 me an empty H7385 vessel, H3627 he hath swallowed me up H1104 like a dragon, H8577 he hath filled H4390 his belly H3770 with my delicates, H5730 he hath cast me out. H1740
O thou that dwellest H7931 H7931 upon many H7227 waters, H4325 abundant H7227 in treasures, H214 thine end H7093 is come, H935 and the measure H520 of thy covetousness. H1215
O H1945 thou sword H2719 of the LORD, H3068 how long will it be ere H3808 thou be quiet? H8252 put up H622 thyself into thy scabbard, H8593 rest, H7280 and be still. H1826
The wolf H2061 and the lamb H2924 shall feed H7462 together, H259 and the lion H738 shall eat H398 straw H8401 like the bullock: H1241 and dust H6083 shall be the serpent's H5175 meat. H3899 They shall not hurt H7489 nor destroy H7843 in all my holy H6944 mountain, H2022 saith H559 the LORD. H3068
For my sword H2719 shall be bathed H7301 in heaven: H8064 behold, it shall come down H3381 upon Idumea, H123 and upon the people H5971 of my curse, H2764 to judgment. H4941 The sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 is filled H4390 with blood, H1818 it is made fat H1878 with fatness, H2459 and with the blood H1818 of lambs H3733 and goats, H6260 with the fat H2459 of the kidneys H3629 of rams: H352 for the LORD H3068 hath a sacrifice H2077 in Bozrah, H1224 and a great H1419 slaughter H2874 in the land H776 of Idumea. H123
He is the chief H7225 of the ways H1870 of God: H410 he that made H6213 him can make H5066 his sword H2719 to approach H5066 unto him.
And Job H347 answered H6030 and said, H559 No doubt H551 but ye are the people, H5971 and wisdom H2451 shall die H4191 with you. But H1571 I have understanding H3824 as well as you; I am not inferior H5307 to you: yea, who knoweth not such things H3644 as these? I am as one mocked H7814 of his neighbour, H7453 who calleth H7121 upon God, H433 and he answereth H6030 him: the just H6662 upright H8549 man is laughed to scorn. H7814 He that is ready H3559 to slip H4571 with his feet H7272 is as a lamp H3940 despised H937 in the thought H6248 of him that is at ease. H7600 The tabernacles H168 of robbers H7703 prosper, H7951 and they that provoke H7264 God H410 are secure; H987 into whose hand H3027 God H433 bringeth H935 abundantly. But H199 ask H7592 now the beasts, H929 and they shall teach H3384 thee; and the fowls H5775 of the air, H8064 and they shall tell H5046 thee: Or speak H7878 to the earth, H776 and it shall teach H3384 thee: and the fishes H1709 of the sea H3220 shall declare H5608 unto thee. Who knoweth H3045 not in all these that the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 hath wrought H6213 this? In whose hand H3027 is the soul H5315 of every living thing, H2416 and the breath H7307 of all mankind. H376 H1320 Doth not the ear H241 try H974 words? H4405 and the mouth H2441 taste H2938 his meat? H400 With the ancient H3453 is wisdom; H2451 and in length H753 of days H3117 understanding. H8394 With him is wisdom H2451 and strength, H1369 he hath counsel H6098 and understanding. H8394 Behold, he breaketh down, H2040 and it cannot be built again: H1129 he shutteth up H5462 a man, H376 and there can be no opening. H6605 Behold, he withholdeth H6113 the waters, H4325 and they dry up: H3001 also he sendeth them out, H7971 and they overturn H2015 the earth. H776 With him is strength H5797 and wisdom: H8454 the deceived H7683 and the deceiver H7686 are his. He leadeth H3212 counsellors H3289 away spoiled, H7758 and maketh the judges H8199 fools. H1984 He looseth H6605 the bond H4148 of kings, H4428 and girdeth H631 their loins H4975 with a girdle. H232 He leadeth H3212 princes H3548 away spoiled, H7758 and overthroweth H5557 the mighty. H386 He removeth away H5493 the speech H8193 of the trusty, H539 and taketh away H3947 the understanding H2940 of the aged. H2205 He poureth H8210 contempt H937 upon princes, H5081 and weakeneth H7503 the strength H4206 of the mighty. H650 He discovereth H1540 deep things H6013 out of darkness, H2822 and bringeth out H3318 to light H216 the shadow of death. H6757 He increaseth H7679 the nations, H1471 and destroyeth H6 them: he enlargeth H7849 the nations, H1471 and straiteneth H5148 them again. He taketh away H5493 the heart H3820 of the chief H7218 of the people H5971 of the earth, H776 and causeth them to wander H8582 in a wilderness H8414 where there is no way. H1870 They grope H4959 in the dark H2822 without light, H216 and he maketh them to stagger H8582 like a drunken H7910 man.
If I whet H8150 my glittering H1300 sword, H2719 and mine hand H3027 take hold H270 on judgment; H4941 I will render H7725 vengeance H5359 to mine enemies, H6862 and will reward H7999 them that hate H8130 me. I will make mine arrows H2671 drunk H7937 with blood, H1818 and my sword H2719 shall devour H398 flesh; H1320 and that with the blood H1818 of the slain H2491 and of the captives, H7633 from the beginning H7218 of revenges H6546 upon the enemy. H341
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 27
Commentary on Isaiah 27 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 27
Isa 27:1-13. Continuation of the Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, and Twenty-sixth Chapters.
At the time when Israel shall be delivered, and the ungodly nations punished, God shall punish also the great enemy of the Church.
1. sore—rather, "hard," "well-tempered."
leviathan—literally, in Arabic, "the twisted animal," applicable to every great tenant of the waters, sea-serpents, crocodiles, &c. In Eze 29:3; 32:2; Da 7:1, &c. Re 12:3, &c., potentates hostile to Israel are similarly described; antitypically and ultimately Satan is intended (Re 20:10).
piercing—rigid [Lowth]. Flying [Maurer and Septuagint]. Long, extended, namely, as the crocodile which cannot readily bend back its body [Houbigant].
crooked—winding.
dragon—Hebrew, tenin; the crocodile.
sea—the Euphrates, or the expansion of it near Babylon.
2. In that day when leviathan shall be destroyed, the vineyard (Ps 80:8), the Church of God, purged of its blemishes, shall be lovely in God's eyes; to bring out this sense the better, Lowth, by changing a Hebrew letter, reads "pleasant," "lovely," for "red wine."
sing—a responsive song [Lowth].
unto her—rather, "concerning her" (see on Isa 5:1); namely, the Jewish state [Maurer].
3. lest any hurt it—attack it [Maurer]. "Lest aught be wanting in her" [Horsley].
4. Fury is not in me—that is, I entertain no longer anger towards my vine.
who would set … in battle—that is, would that I had the briers, &c. (the wicked foe; Isa 9:18; 10:17; 2Sa 23:6), before me! "I would go through," or rather, "against them."
5. Or—Else; the only alternative, if Israel's enemies wish to escape being "burnt together."
strength—rather, "the refuge which I afford" [Maurer]. "Take hold," refers to the horns of the altar which fugitives often laid hold of as an asylum (1Ki 1:50; 2:28). Jesus is God's "strength," or "refuge" which sinners must repair to and take hold of, if they are to have "peace" with God (Isa 45:24; Ro 5:1; Eph 2:14; compare Job 22:21).
6. He—Jehovah. Here the song of the Lord as to His vineyard (Isa 27:2-5) ends; and the prophet confirms the sentiment in the song, under the same image of a vine (compare Ps 92:13-15; Ho 14:5, 6).
Israel … fill … world—(Ro 11:12).
7. him … those—Israel—Israel's enemies. Has God punished His people as severely as He has those enemies whom He employed to chastise Israel? No! Far from it. Israel, after trials, He will restore; Israel's enemies He will utterly destroy at last.
the slaughter of them that are slain by him—rather, "Is Israel slain according to the slaughter of the enemy slain?" the slaughter wherewith the enemy is slain [Maurer].
8. In measure—not beyond measure; in moderation (Job 23:6; Ps 6:1; Jer 10:24; 30:11; 46:28).
when it shooteth—image from the vine; rather, passing from the image to the thing itself, "when sending her away (namely, Israel to exile; Isa 50:1, God only putting the adulteress away when He might justly have put her to death), Thou didst punish her" [Gesenius].
stayeth—rather, as Margin, "when He removeth it by His rough wind in the day," &c.
east wind—especially violent in the East (Job 27:21; Jer 18:17).
9. By this—exile of Israel (the "sending away," Isa 27:8).
purged—expiated [Horsley].
all the fruit—This is the whole benefit designed to be brought about by the chastisement; namely, the removal of his (Israel's) sin (namely, object of idolatry; De 9:21; Ho 10:8).
when he—Jehovah; at the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, His instrument. The Jews ever since have abhorred idolatry (compare Isa 17:8).
not stand up—shall rise no more [Horsley].
10. city—Jerusalem; the beating asunder of whose altars and images was mentioned in Isa 27:9 (compare Isa 24:10-12).
calf feed—(Isa 17:2); it shall be a vast wild pasture.
branches—resuming the image of the vine (Isa 27:2,6).
11. boughs … broken off—so the Jews are called (Ro 11:17, 19, 20).
set … on fire—burn them as fuel; "women" are specified, as probably it was their office to collect fuel and kindle the fire for cooking.
no understanding—as to the ways of God (De 32:28, 29; Jer 5:21; Ho 4:6).
12. Restoration of the Jews from their dispersion, described under the image of fruits shaken from trees and collected.
beat off—as fruit beaten off a tree with a stick (De 24:20), and then gathered.
river—Euphrates.
stream of Egypt—on the confines of Palestine and Egypt (Nu 34:5; Jos 15:4, 47), now Wady-el-Arish, Jehovah's vineyard, Israel, extended according to His purpose from the Nile to the Euphrates (1Ki 4:21, 24; Ps 72:8).
one by one—gathered most carefully, not merely as a nation, but as individuals.
13. great trumpet—image from the trumpets blown on the first day of the seventh month to summon the people to a holy convocation (Le 23:24). Antitypically, the gospel trumpet (Re 11:15; 14:6) which the Jews shall hearken to in the last days (Zec 12:10; 13:1). As the passover in the first month answers to Christ's crucifixion, so the day of atonement and the idea of "salvation" connected with the feast of tabernacles in the same seventh month, answer to the crowning of "redemption" at His second coming; therefore redemption is put last in 1Co 1:30.
Assyria—whither the ten tribes had been carried; Babylonia is mainly meant, to which Assyria at that time belonged; the two tribes were restored, and some of the ten accompanied them. However, "Assyria" is designedly used to point ultimately to the future restoration of the ten fully, never yet accomplished (Jer 3:18).
Egypt—whither many had fled at the Babylonish captivity (Jer 41:17, 18). Compare as to the future restoration, Isa 11:11, 12, 16; 51:9-16 ("Rahab" being Egypt).