1 Ho, H1945 every one that thirsteth, H6771 come H3212 ye to the waters, H4325 and he that hath no money; H3701 come H3212 ye, buy, H7666 and eat; H398 yea, come, H3212 buy H7666 wine H3196 and milk H2461 without money H3701 and without price. H4242
G1161 In G1722 the last G2078 day, G2250 that great G3173 day of the feast, G1859 Jesus G2424 stood G2476 and G2532 cried, G2896 saying, G3004 If G1437 any man G5100 thirst, G1372 let him come G2064 unto G4314 me, G3165 and G2532 drink. G4095 He that believeth G4100 on G1519 me, G1691 as G2531 the scripture G1124 hath said, G2036 out of G1537 his G846 belly G2836 shall flow G4482 rivers G4215 of living G2198 water. G5204
Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto her, G846 If G1487 thou knewest G1492 the gift G1431 of God, G2316 and G2532 who G5101 it is G2076 that saith G3004 to thee, G4671 Give G1325 me G3427 to drink; G4095 thou G4771 wouldest G302 have asked G154 of him, G846 and G2532 he would G302 have given G1325 thee G4671 living G2198 water. G5204 The woman G1135 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Sir, G2962 thou hast G2192 nothing G3777 to draw with, G502 and G2532 the well G5421 is G2076 deep: G901 from whence G4159 then G3767 hast thou G2192 that living G2198 water? G5204 G3361 Art G1488 thou G4771 greater G3187 than our G2257 father G3962 Jacob, G2384 which G3739 gave G1325 us G2254 the well, G5421 and G2532 drank G4095 thereof G1537 G846 himself, G846 and G2532 his G846 children, G5207 and G2532 his G846 cattle? G2353 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto her, G846 Whosoever G3956 drinketh G4095 of G1537 this G5127 water G5204 shall thirst G1372 again: G3825 But G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 drinketh G4095 of G1537 the water G5204 that G3739 I G1473 shall give G1325 him G846 shall G1372 never G1519 G165 G3364 thirst; G1372 but G235 the water G5204 that G3739 I shall give G1325 him G846 shall be G1096 in G1722 him G846 a well G4077 of water G5204 springing up G242 into G1519 everlasting G166 life. G2222
When the poor H6041 and needy H34 seek H1245 water, H4325 and there is none, and their tongue H3956 faileth H5405 for thirst, H6772 I the LORD H3068 will hear H6030 them, I the God H430 of Israel H3478 will not forsake H5800 them. I will open H6605 rivers H5104 in high places, H8205 and fountains H4599 in the midst H8432 of the valleys: H1237 I will make H7760 the wilderness H4057 a pool H98 of water, H4325 and the dry H6723 land H776 springs H4161 of water. H4325
But G1161 God, G2316 who is G5607 rich G4145 in G1722 mercy, G1656 for G1223 his G846 great G4183 love G26 wherewith G3739 he loved G25 us, G2248 Even G2532 when we G2248 were G5607 dead G3498 in sins, G3900 hath quickened us together with G4806 Christ, G5547 (by grace G5485 ye are G2075 saved;) G4982 And G2532 hath raised us up together, G4891 and G2532 made us sit together G4776 in G1722 heavenly G2032 places in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus: G2424 That G2443 in G1722 the ages G165 to come G1904 he might shew G1731 the exceeding G5235 riches G4149 of his G846 grace G5485 in G1722 his kindness G5544 toward G1909 us G2248 through G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424 For G1063 by grace G5485 are ye G2075 saved G4982 through G1223 faith; G4102 and G2532 that G5124 not G3756 of G1537 yourselves: G5216 it is the gift G1435 of God: G2316
She crieth H7121 in the chief place H7218 of concourse, H1993 in the openings H6607 of the gates: H8179 in the city H5892 she uttereth H559 her words, H561 saying, How long, ye simple ones, H6612 will ye love H157 simplicity? H6612 and the scorners H3887 delight H2530 in their scorning, H3944 and fools H3684 hate H8130 knowledge? H1847 Turn H7725 you at my reproof: H8433 behold, I will pour out H5042 my spirit H7307 unto you, I will make known H3045 my words H1697 unto you.
And G2532 when they wanted G5302 wine, G3631 the mother G3384 of Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto G4314 him, G846 They have G2192 no G3756 wine. G3631 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto her, G846 Woman, G1135 what G5101 have I G1698 to do with G2532 thee? G4671 mine G3450 hour G5610 is G2240 not yet G3768 come. G2240 His G846 mother G3384 saith G3004 unto the servants, G1249 Whatsoever G3748 G302 he saith G3004 unto you, G5213 do G4160 it. And G1161 there were G2258 set G2749 there G1563 six G1803 waterpots G5201 of stone, G3035 after G2596 the manner of the purifying G2512 of the Jews, G2453 containing G5562 two G1417 or G2228 three G5140 firkins G3355 apiece. G303 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto them, G846 Fill G1072 the waterpots G5201 with water. G5204 And G2532 they filled G1072 them G846 up G1072 to G2193 the brim. G507 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto them, G846 Draw out G501 now, G3568 and G2532 bear G5342 unto the governor of the feast. G755 And G2532 they bare G5342 it. G1161 When G5613 the ruler of the feast G755 had tasted G1089 the water G5204 that was made G1096 wine, G3631 and G2532 knew G1492 not G3756 whence G4159 it was: G2076 (but G1161 the servants G1249 which G3588 drew G501 the water G5204 knew;) G1492 the governor of the feast G755 called G5455 the bridegroom, G3566 And G2532 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Every G3956 man G444 at the beginning G4412 doth set forth G5087 good G2570 wine; G3631 and G2532 when G3752 men have well drunk, G3184 then G5119 that which is worse: G1640 but thou G4771 hast kept G5083 the good G2570 wine G3631 until G2193 now. G737
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 Maschil, H4905 for the sons H1121 of Korah.]] H7141 As the hart H354 panteth H6165 after the water H4325 brooks, H650 so panteth H6165 my soul H5315 after thee, O God. H430 My soul H5315 thirsteth H6770 for God, H430 for the living H2416 God: H410 when shall I come H935 and appear H7200 before H6440 God? H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 55
Commentary on Isaiah 55 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 55
Isa 55:1-13. The Call of the Gentile World to Faith the Result of God's Grace to the Jews First.
1. every one—After the special privileges of Israel (Isa 54:1-17) there follow, as the consequence, the universal invitation to the Gentiles (Lu 24:47; Ro 11:12, 15).
Ho—calls the most earnest attention.
thirsteth—has a keen sense of need (Mt 5:6).
waters … wine and milk—a gradation. Not merely water, which is needed to maintain life at all, but wine and milk to strengthen, cheer, and nourish; the spiritual blessings of the Gospel are meant (Isa 25:6; So 5:1; Joh 7:37). "Waters," plural, to denote abundance (Isa 43:20; 44:3).
no money—Yet, in Isa 55:2, it is said, "ye spend money." A seeming paradox. Ye are really spiritual bankrupts: but thinking yourselves to have money, namely, a devotion of your own making, ye lavish it on that "which is not bread," that is, on idols, whether literal or spiritual.
buy … without money—another paradox. We are bought, but not with a price paid by ourselves (1Co 6:20; 1Pe 1:18, 19). In a different sense we are to "buy" salvation, namely, by parting with everything which comes between us and Christ who has bought it for us and by making it our own (Mt 13:44, 46; Lu 12:33; Re 3:18).
2. not bread—(Hab 2:13). "Bread of deceit" (Pr 20:17). Contrast this with the "bread of life" (Joh 6:32, 35; also Lu 14:16-20).
satisfieth not—(Ec 1:8; 4:8).
hearken … and eat—When two imperatives are joined, the second expresses the consequence of obeying the command in the first (Ge 42:18). By hearkening ye shall eat. So in Isa 55:1, "buy and eat." By buying, and so making it your own, ye shall eat, that is, experimentally enjoy it (Joh 6:53). Compare the invitation (Pr 9:5, 6; Mt 22:4).
fatness—(Ps 36:8; 63:5).
3. me … live—by coming to me ye shall live: for "I am the life" (Joh 14:6).
everlasting covenant—(Jer 32:40; 2Sa 23:5).
with you … David—God's covenant is with the antitypical David, Messiah (Eze 34:23), and so with us by our identification with Him.
sure—answering to "everlasting," irrevocable, unfailing, to be relied on (Ps 89:2-4, 28, 29, 34-36; Jer 33:20, 21; 2Sa 7:15, 16; 2Co 1:18-20).
mercies of David—the mercies of grace (Isa 63:7; Joh 1:16) which I covenanted to give to David, and especially to Messiah, his antitype. Quoted in Ac 13:34.
4. him—the mystical David (Eze 37:24, 25; Jer 30:9; Ho 3:5). Given by God (Isa 49:6).
witness—He bore witness even unto death for God, to His law, claims, and plan of redeeming love (Joh 18:37; Re 1:5). Revelation is a "testimony"; because it is propounded to be received on the authority of the Giver, and not merely because it can be proved by arguments.
commander—"preceptor" [Horsley]; "lawgiver" [Barnes].
to the people—rather, "peoples."
5. thou—Jehovah addresses Messiah.
call … run—God must call, before man can, or will, run (So 1:4; Joh 6:44). Not merely come, but run eagerly.
thou knowest not—now as thy people (so in Mt 7:23).
nation … nations—gradation; from Israel, one nation, the Gospel spread to many nations, and will do so more fully on Israel's conversion.
knew not thee—(Isa 52:15; Eph 2:11, 12).
because of … thy God … glorified thee—(Isa 60:5, 9; Zec 8:23); where similar language is directed to Israel, because of the identification of Israel with Messiah, who is the ideal Israel (Mt 2:15; compare with Ho 11:1; see Ac 3:13).
6. The condition and limit in the obtaining of the spiritual benefits (Isa 55:1-3): (1) Seek the Lord. (2) Seek Him while He is to be found (Isa 65:1; Ps 32:6; Mt 25:1-13; Joh 7:34; 8:21; 2Co 6:2; Heb 2:3; 3:13, 15).
call—casting yourselves wholly on His mercy (Ro 10:13). Stronger than "seek"; so "near" is more positive than "while He may be found" (Ro 10:8, 9).
near—propitious (Ps 34:18; 145:18).
7. unrighteous—Hebrew, "man of iniquity"; true of all men. The "wicked" sins more openly in "his way"; the "unrighteous" refers to the more subtle workings of sin in the "thoughts." All are guilty in the latter respect, thought many fancy themselves safe, because not openly "wicked in ways" (Ps 94:11). The parallelism is that of gradation. The progress of the penitent is to be from negative reformation, "forsaking his way," and a farther step, "his thoughts," to positive repentance, "returning to the Lord" (the only true repentance, Zec 12:10), and making God his God, along with the other children of God (the crowning point; appropriation of God to ourselves: "to our God"). "Return" implies that man originally walked with God, but has apostatized. Isaiah saith, "our God," the God of the believing Israelites; those themselves redeemed desire others to come to their God (Ps 34:8; Re 22:17).
abundantly pardon—Literally, "multiply to pardon," still more than "have mercy"; God's graciousness is felt more and more the longer one knows Him (Ps 130:7).
8. For—referring to Isa 55:7. You need not doubt His willingness "abundantly to pardon" (compare Isa 55:12); for, though "the wicked" man's "ways," and "the unrighteous man's thoughts," are so aggravated as to seem unpardonable, God's "thoughts" and "ways" in pardoning are not regulated by the proportion of the former, as man's would be towards his fellow man who offended him; compare the "for" (Ps 25:11; Ro 5:19).
9. (Ps 57:10; 89:2; 103:11). "For" is repeated from Isa 55:8. But Maurer, after the negation, translates, "but."
10. The hearts of men, once barren of spirituality, shall be made, by the outpouring of the Spirit under Messiah, to bear fruits of righteousness (Isa 5:6; De 32:2; 2Sa 23:4; Ps 72:6).
snow—which covers plants from frost in winter; and, when melted in spring, waters the earth.
returneth not—void; as in Isa 55:11; it returns not in the same shape, or without "accomplishing" the desired end.
bud—germinate.
11. (Mt 24:35). Rain may to us seem lost when it falls on a desert, but it fulfils some purpose of God. So the gospel word falling on the hard heart; it sometimes works a change at last; and even if so, it leaves men without excuse. The full accomplishment of this verse, and Isa 55:12, 13, is, however, to be at the Jews' final restoration and conversion of the world (Isa 11:9-12; 60:1-5, 21).
12. go out—from the various countries in which ye (the Jews) are scattered, to your own land (Eze 11:17).
led—by Messiah, your "Leader" (Isa 55:4; Isa 52:12; Mic 2:12, 13).
mountains … trees, &c.—images justly used to express the seeming sympathy of nature with the joy of God's people. For, when sin is removed, the natural world shall be delivered from "vanity," and be renewed, so as to be in unison with the regenerated moral world (Isa 44:23; Ps 98:8; Ro 8:19-22).
13. thorn—emblem of the wicked (2Sa 23:6; Mic 7:4).
fir tree—the godly (Isa 60:13; Ps 92:12). Compare as to the change wrought, Ro 6:19.
brier—emblem of uncultivation (Isa 5:6).
myrtle—Hebrew, Hedes, from which comes Hedassah, the original name of Esther. Type of the Christian Church; for it is a lowly, though beautiful, fragrant, and evergreen shrub (Ps 92:13, 14).
for a name … everlasting sign—a perpetual memorial to the glory of Jehovah (Jer 13:11; 33:9).