23 He will give the rain for your seed, with which you shall sow the ground; and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall your cattle feed in large pastures;
Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the feet of the ox and the donkey.
For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value for all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.
But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days," says Yahweh of Hosts. "For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
He waters the mountains from his chambers. The earth is filled with the fruit of your works. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And plants for man to cultivate, That he may bring forth food out of the earth:
You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows. You level its ridges. You soften it with showers. You bless it with a crop. You crown the year with your bounty. Your carts overflow with abundance. The wilderness grasslands overflow. The hills are clothed with gladness. The pastures are covered with flocks. The valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy! They also sing.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, And he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field.
"I also have withheld the rain from you, When there were yet three months to the harvest; And I caused it to rain on one city, And caused it not to rain on another city. One place was rained on, And the piece where it didn't rain withered. So two or three cities staggered to one city to drink water, And were not satisfied: Yet you haven't returned to me," says Yahweh.
Land, don't be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things. Don't be afraid, you animals of the field; For the pastures of the wilderness spring up, For the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. "Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in Yahweh, your God; For he gives you the former rain in just measure, And he causes the rain to come down for you, The former rain and the latter rain, As before. The threshing floors will be full of wheat, And the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, My great army, which I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, And will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And my people will never again be disappointed.
It will happen in that day, I will respond," says Yahweh, I will respond to the heavens, And they will respond to the earth; And the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil; And they will respond to Jezreel. I will sow her to me in the earth; And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; And I will tell those who were not my people, 'You are my people;' And they will say, 'My God!'"
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the sky give showers? Aren't you he, Yahweh our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.
For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Thus says Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you: Don't be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring: and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
In that day, Yahweh's branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel.
Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, Our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields. Our oxen will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, And no outcry in our streets.
He turns a desert into a pool of water, And a dry land into water springs. There he makes the hungry live, That they may prepare a city to live in, Sow fields, plant vineyards, And reap the fruits of increase. He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn't allow their cattle to decrease.
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.
In the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly.
and, behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, fat-fleshed and well-favored. They fed in the reed-grass,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 30
Commentary on Isaiah 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
Isa 30:1-32. The Thirtieth Through Thirty-second Chapters Refer Probably to the Summer of 714 B.C., AS THE Twenty-ninth Chapter to the Passover of That Year.
Jewish ambassadors were now on their way to Egypt to seek aid against Assyria (Isa 30:2-6, 15; 31:1). Isaiah denounces this reliance on Egypt rather than on Jehovah. God had prohibited such alliances with heathen nations, and it was a leading part of Jewish polity that they should be a separate people (Ex 23:32; De 7:2).
1. take counsel—rather, as Isa 30:4, 6 imply, "execute counsels."
cover … covering—that is, wrap themselves in reliances disloyal towards Jehovah. "Cover" thus answers to "seek to hide deeply their counsel from the Lord" (Isa 29:15). But the Hebrew is literally, "who pour out libations"; as it was by these that leagues were made (Ex 24:8; Zec 9:11), translate, "who make a league."
not of—not suggested by My Spirit" (Nu 27:21; Jos 9:14).
that they may add—The consequence is here spoken of as their intention, so reckless were they of sinning: one sin entails the commission of another (De 29:19).
2. walk—are now setting out, namely, their ambassadors (Isa 30:4).
Egypt—See on Isa 19:1; Isa 20:1.
Pharaoh—the generic name of the kings of Egypt, as Cæsar was at Rome. The word in Egyptian means "king" [Josephus, Antiquities, 8.6,2]. Phra, "the sun," was the hieroglyphic symbol and title of the king.
shadow—image from shelter against heat: protection (Ps 121:5, 6).
3. shame—disappointment. Egypt, weakened by its internal dissensions, can give no solid help.
4. his—Judah's (compare Isa 9:21).
at Zoan—are already arrived there on their errand to Pharaoh (see Isa 19:11).
came to Hanes—are come there. West of the Nile, in central Egypt: Egyptian Hnes; the Greek Heracleopolis: perhaps the Anysis of Herodotus (2.137); according to Grotius, Tahpanhes contracted (Jer 43:7-9); the seat of a reigning prince at the time, as was Zoan, hence the Jewish ambassadors go to both.
5. (Jer 2:36.)
6. burden—the prophecy as to, &c. [Maurer]; so the Septuagint, the fresh inscription here marks emphatically the prediction that follows. Or, rather, Isaiah sees in vision, the ambassador's beasts burdened with rich presents travelling southwards (namely, to Egypt, Da 11:5, 6), and exclaims, Oh, the burden of treasure on the beasts! &c. (Ho 8:9; 12:1).
land of trouble—the desert between Palestine and Egypt, destitute of water and abounding in dangerous animals (De 8:15; Jer 2:6).
flying serpent—(Isa 14:29), a species which springs like a dart from trees, on its prey.
will carry—rather, present, "carry," namely, as presents to Egypt (1Ki 15:19).
young asses—rather, "full-grown asses" [Maurer].
7. "Egypt is vanity, and to no purpose will they help" [G. V. Smith].
strength—Hebrew, Rabah, a designation for Egypt (Isa 51:9; Ps 87:4), implying her haughty fierceness; translate, "Therefore I call her Arrogance that sitteth still." She who boasted of the help she would give, when it came to the test, sat still (Isa 36:6). English Version agrees with Isa 30:15; Isa 7:4.
8. table—a tablet (Hab 2:2), which should be set in public, containing the prophecy in a briefer form, to be read by all.
a book—namely, a parchment roll, containing the prophecy in full, for the use of distant posterity. Its truth will be seen hereafter when the event has come to pass. See on Isa 8:1; Isa 8:16.
for ever and ever—rather read, "For a testimony for ever" [Chaldee, Jerome, Lowth]: "testimony is often joined to the notion of perpetuity (De 31:19, 21, 26).
9. lying—unfaithful to Jehovah, whose covenant they had taken on them as His adopted children (Isa 59:13; Pr 30:9).
10. (Mic 2:6, 11; 3:5).
See not—as you now do, foretelling misfortune.
Prophesy not … right things—Not that they avowedly requested this, but their conduct virtually expressed it. No man, professedly, wished to be deceived; but many seek a kind of teaching which is deceit; and which, if they would examine, they might know to be such (1Ki 22:13). The Jews desired success to be foretold as the issue of their league with Egypt, though ill had been announced by God's prophet as the result; this constituted the "deceits."
11. Depart from the true "way" (so in Ac 19:9, 23) of religion.
cause … to cease—Let us hear no more of His name. God's holiness is what troubles sinners most.
12. Holy One—Isaiah so little yields to their wicked prejudices that he repeats the very name and truth which they disliked.
this word—Isaiah's exhortation to reliance on Jehovah.
oppression—whereby they levied the treasures to be sent to conciliate Egypt (Isa 30:6).
perverseness—in relying on Egypt, rather than on Jehovah.
13. Image from a curve swelling out in a wall (Ps 62:3); when the former gives way, it causes the downfall of the whole wall; so their policy as to Egypt.
14. he—the enemy; or rather, God (Ps 2:9; Jer 19:11).
It—the Jewish state.
potter's vessel—earthen and fragile.
sherd—a fragment of the vessel large enough to take up a live coal, &c.
pit—cistern or pool. The swell of the wall is at first imperceptible and gradual, but at last it comes to the crisis; so the decay of the Jewish state.
15. returning and rest—turning back from your embassy to Egypt, and ceasing from warlike preparations.
quietness—answering to "wait for Him (God)" (Isa 30:18).
16. flee—not as fugitives, but we will speed our course; namely, against the Assyrians, by the help of cavalry supplied by Egypt (Isa 31:1). This was expressly against the Mosaic law (De 17:16; see on Isa 2:7; Ho 14:3).
shall … flee—literally, "before your enemies"; their sin and its punishment correspond.
17. One thousand—A thousand at once, or, "As one man" [Maurer].
rebuke—the battle cry.
shall ye—at the rebuke of five shall ye, namely, all (in contrast to the "one thousand") flee so utterly that even two shall not be left together, but each one shall be as solitary "as a signal staff" [G. V. Smith], or "a banner on a hill" (Isa 5:26; 11:12). The signal staff was erected to rally a nation in war. The remnant of Jews left would be beacons to warn all men of the justice of God, and the truth of His threatenings. Gesenius (from Le 26:8; De 32:30) arbitrarily inserts "ten thousand." "At the rebuke of five shall ten thousand of you flee."
18. therefore—on account of your wicked perverseness (Isa 30:1, 2, 9, 15, 16), Jehovah will delay to be gracious [Horsley]. Rather, wait or delay in punishing, to give you time for repentance (Isa 30:13, 14, 17) [Maurer]. Or, "Yet therefore" (namely, because of the distress spoken of in the previous verses; that distress will lead the Jews to repentance, and so Jehovah will pity them) [Gesenius].
be exalted—Men will have more elevated views of God's mercy; or else, "He will rise up to pity you" [G. V. Smith]. Or (taking the previous clause as Maurer, "Therefore Jehovah will delay" in punishing you, "in order that He may be gracious to you," if ye repent), He will be far removed from you (so in Ps 10:5, far above out sight); that is, He will not immediately descend to punish, "in order that He may have mercy," &c.
judgment—justice; faithfulness to His covenant.
wait—compare Isa 30:15, wait, namely, for His times of having mercy.
19. (Isa 65:9). The restoration from Babylon only typifies the full accomplishment of the prophecy (Isa 30:18-33).
weep no more—(Isa 25:8).
thy cry—(Isa 26:8, 9; Jer 29:12-14).
20. Rather, "The Lord will give"; the "though" is not in the original.
bread of adversity—He will not deny you food enough to save you in your adversity (1Ki 22:27; Ps 127:2).
be removed—rather, "hide themselves"; they shall no more be forced to hide themselves from persecution, but shall be openly received with reverence [Maurer]. Contrast with this Ps 74:9; Am 8:11.
21. word—conscience, guided by the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:13).
22. covering of … images—rather, "images" (formed of wood or potter's clay, and) "covered with silver." Hezekiah, and afterwards Josiah, defiled them (2Ki 23:8, 10, 14, 16; 2Ch 31:1; compare Isa 2:20; De 7:25).
23. rain of—rather, "for thy seed." Physical prosperity accompanies national piety; especially under the Old Testament. The early rain fell soon after the seed was sown in October or November; the latter rain in the spring, before the ripening of the corn. Both were needed for a good harvest.
increase—the produce.
fat—bread made of the best wheat flour (compare Ge 49:20; De 32:14).
24. ear—that is, till. Asses were employed in tillage, as well as oxen (De 22:10).
clean—rather, salted provender [Gesenius]. The Arab proverb is, "Sweet provender is as bread to camels—salted provender as confectionery." The very cattle shall share the coming felicity. Or else, well-fermented maslin, that is, provender formed of a mixture of various substances: grain, beans, vetches, hay, and salt.
winnowed—not as it is usually given to cattle before it is separated from the chaff; the grain shall be so abundant that it shall be given winnowed.
shovel—by which the grain was thrown up in the wind to separate it from the chaff.
fan—an instrument for winnowing.
25. Even the otherwise barren hills shall then be well-watered (Isa 44:3).
the day, &c.—when the disobedient among the Jews shall have been slain, as foretold in Isa 30:16: "towers," that is, mighty men (Isa 2:15). Or else, the towers of the Assyrian Sennacherib, or of Babylon, types of all enemies of God's people.
26. Image from the heavenly bodies to express the increase of spiritual light and felicity. "Sevenfold" implies the perfection of that felicity, seven being the sacred number. It shall also be literally fulfilled hereafter in the heavenly city (Isa 60:19, 20; Re 21:23, 24; 22:5).
breach—the wound, or calamity, sent by God on account of their sins (Isa 1:5).
27. name of … Lord—that is, Jehovah Himself (Ps 44:5; 54:1); represented as a storm approaching and ready to burst over the Assyrians (Isa 30:30, 31).
burden … is heavy—literally, "grievousness is the flame," that is, the flame which darts from Him is grievous. Or else (as the Hebrew means an "uplifting") the uprising cloud is grievous [G. V. Smith]; the gathering cloud gradually rising till it bursts.
28. (Isa 11:4; 2Th 2:8).
reach … neck—the most extreme danger; yet as the head, or capital of Judah, was to be spared (Isa 8:8), so the head, or sovereign of Assyria, Sennacherib, should escape.
sieve of vanity—Rather, "the winnowing fan of destruction" [Lowth] (Isa 41:16).
bridle in … jaws—as prisoners are represented in the Assyrian inscriptions (Isa 37:29).
causing … to err—(Isa 63:17). "People," Hebrew, "peoples," namely, the various races composing the Assyrian armies (Isa 5:26).
29. the night … solemnity—As in the passover night ye celebrate your deliverance from Egypt, so shall ye celebrate your rescue from Assyrian bondage. Translate, "the solemnity" (Ex 12:42).
goeth with a pipe—or flute. They used to go up to Jerusalem ("the mountain of the Lord," Zion) at the three feasts with music and gladness (De 16:16; Ezr 2:65; Ps 122:1-4).
30. Jehovah's "glorious voice," raised against the enemy (Isa 30:27), is again mentioned here, in contrast to the music (Isa 30:29) with which His people shall come to worship Him.
lighting down of … arm—(Isa 30:32; Ps 38:2). The descent of His arm in striking.
scattering—namely, a blast that scatters, or an "inundation" [Maurer].
31. The Assyrian rod which beat shall itself be beaten, and that by the mere voice of the Lord, that is, an unseen divine agency (Isa 10:5, 24).
32. grounded—rather, "decreed," "appointed" [Maurer].
staff—the avenging rod.
him—the Assyrian; type of all God's enemies in every age. Margin and Maurer construe, "Every passing through (infliction, Isa 28:15) of the appointed rod, which, &c., shall be with tabrets," that is, accompanied with joy on the part of the rescued peoples.
battles of shaking—that is, shock of battles (Isa 19:16; compare "sift … sieve," Isa 30:28).
with it—namely, Assyria.
33. Tophet—literally, "A place of abomination"; the valley of the sons of Hinnom, southeast of Jerusalem, where Israel offered human sacrifices to Moloch by fire; hence a place of burning (2Ki 23:10; Jer 7:31). Latterly Gehinnom or Gehenna, that is, valley of Hinnom, was the receptacle of the refuse of the city, to consume which fires were constantly burning. Hence it came to express hell, the place of torment. In the former sense it was a fit place to symbolize the funeral pyre of the Assyrian army (not that it actually perished there); the Hebrews did not burn, but buried their dead, but the heathen Assyrians are to be burnt as a mark of ignominy. In the latter sense Tophet is the receptacle "prepared for the devil (antitype to the king, Isa 14:12-15) and his angels," and unbelieving men (Mt 5:22; 25:41; Mr 9:43, 44).