1Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! Snatch away year after year; let the feasts come around. 2Then I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and it shall be to me as Ariel. 3And I will encamp against you all around, and will lay siege against you with a mount, and I will raise siege works against you. 4And you shall be brought down; you shall speak out of the ground, and your speech shall be low out of the dust, and your voice shall be like a medium out of the ground, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust. 5And the multitude of your strangers shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passes away; yea, it shall be in an instant, suddenly. 6You shall be visited by Jehovah of Hosts with thunder, and with earthquake and loud sounds, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. 7And the multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, shall be like a dream of a night vision. 8It shall even be as when a hungry one dreams, and behold, he eats, but he awakes and his soul is still empty; or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks, but he awakes, and behold, he is still faint and his soul craves. So shall it be with the multitude of all the nations who fight against mount Zion. 9Wait and wonder! Smear your eyes shut, blind! They have become drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10For Jehovah has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your heads, the seers. 11And the vision of all has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which they give to one who is literate saying, Please read this; and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed. 12And the book is delivered to him who is not literate, saying, Please read this; and he says, I am not literate. 13Therefore Jehovah said, Whereas this people draw near with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men; 14therefore, behold, I will again do among this people something extraordinary and wonderful. For the wisdom of their wise ones shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent ones shall be hidden. 15Woe to those who are profound to hide their counsel from Jehovah! And their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? And, Who knows us? 16O your perversity! Shall the former be esteemed as the potter's clay; for shall the product say of him who made it, He did not make me? Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, He has had no understanding? 17Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. 18And in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of their gloom and darkness. 19And the meek shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20For the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is destroyed, and all who look after iniquity are cut off; 21those who induce a man to sin by a word, and lay a snare for the judge in the gate, and turn aside the just for vanity. 22Therefore thus says Jehovah, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now become pale. 23But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they shall sanctify My name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. 24Those who erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and those who murmured shall learn doctrine.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 COMING INVASION OF JERUSALEM: ITS FAILURE: UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS. (Isa. 29:1-24)
Ariel--Jerusalem; Ariel means "Lion of God," that is, city rendered by God invincible: the lion is emblem of a mighty hero (
2Sam 23:20). Otherwise "Hearth of God," that is, place where the altar-fire continually burns to God (
Isa 31:9;
Ezek 43:15-
Ezek 43:16).
add . . . year to year--ironically; suffer one year after another to glide on in the round of formal, heartless "sacrifices." Rather, "add yet another year" to the one just closed [MAURER]. Let a year elapse and a little more (
Isa 32:10, Margin).
let . . . kill sacrifices--rather, "let the beasts (of another year) go round" [MAURER]; that is, after the completion of a year "I will distress Ariel."
2 Yet--rather, "Then."
heaviness . . . sorrow--rather, preserving the Hebrew paronomasia, "groaning" and "moaning."
as Ariel--either, "the city shall be as a lion of God," that is, it shall emerge from its dangers unvanquished; or "it shall be as the altar of burnt offering," consuming with fire the besiegers (
Isa 29:6;
Isa 30:30;
Isa 31:9;
Lev 10:2); or best, as
Isa 29:3 continues the threat, and the promise of deliverance does not come till
Isa 29:4, "it shall be like a hearth of burning," that is, a scene of devastation by fire [G. V. SMITH]. The prophecy, probably, contemplates ultimately, besides the affliction and deliverance in Sennacherib's time, the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, the dispersion of the Jews, their restoration, the destruction of the enemies that besiege the city (
Zech 14:2), and the final glory of Israel (
Isa 29:17-
Isa 29:24).
3 I--Jehovah, acting through the Assyrian, &c., His instruments (
Isa 10:5).
mount--an artificial mound formed to out-top high walls (
Isa 37:33); else a station, namely, of warriors, for the siege.
round about--not fully realized under Sennacherib, but in the Roman siege (
Luke 19:43;
Luke 21:20).
forts--siege-towers (
Deut 20:20).
4 Jerusalem shall be as a captive, humbled to the dust. Her voice shall come from the earth as that of the spirit-charmers or necromancers (
Isa 8:19), faint and shrill, as the voice of the dead was supposed to be. Ventriloquism was doubtless the trick caused to make the voice appear to come from the earth (
Isa 19:3). An appropriate retribution that Jerusalem, which consulted necromancers, should be made like them!
5 Moreover--rather, "Yet"; yet in this extremity help shall come, and the enemy be scattered.
strangers--foreign enemies, invaders (
Isa 25:2).
it shall be--namely, the destruction of the enemy.
at an instant--in a moment (
Isa 30:23).
6 Thou--the Assyrian army.
thunder, &c.--not literally, in the case of the Assyrians (
Isa 37:36); but figuratively for an awful judgment (
Isa 30:30;
Isa 28:17). The ulterior fulfilment, in the case of the Jews' foes in the last days, may be more literal (see as to "earthquake,"
Zech 14:4).
7 munition--fortress.
8 Their disappointment in the very height of their confident expectation of taking Jerusalem shall be as great as that of the hungry man who in a dream fancies he eats, but awakes to hunger still (
Ps 73:20); their dream shall be dissipated on the fatal morning (
Isa 37:36).
soul--simply his appetite: he is still thirsty.
9 Stay--rather, "Be astounded"; expressing the stupid and amazed incredulity with which the Jews received Isaiah's announcement.
wonder--The second imperative, as often (
Isa 8:9), is a threat; the first is a simple declaration of a fact, "Be astounded, since you choose to be so, at the prophecy, soon you will be amazed at the sight of the actual event" [MAURER].
cry . . . out . . . cry--rather, "Be ye blinded (since you choose to be so, though the light shines all round you), and soon ye shall be blinded" in good earnest to your sorrow [MAURER], (
Isa 6:9-
Isa 6:10).
not with wine--but with spiritual paralysis (
Isa 51:17,
Isa 51:21).
ye . . . they--The change from speaking to, to speaking of them, intimates that the prophet turns away from them to a greater distance, because of their stupid unbelief.
10 Jehovah gives them up judicially to their own hardness of heart (compare
Zech 14:13). Quoted by Paul, with variations from the Septuagint,
Rom 11:8. See
Isa 6:10;
Ps 69:23.
eyes; the prophets, &c.--rather, "hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads (Margin; see also
Isa 3:2), the seers, He hath covered." The Orientals cover the head to sleep; thus "covered" is parallel to "closed your eyes" (
Judg 4:19). Covering the face was also preparatory to execution (
Esth 7:8). This cannot apply to the time when Isaiah himself prophesied, but to subsequent times.
11 of all--rather, "the whole vision." "Vision" is the same here as "revelation," or "law"; in
Isa 28:15, the same Hebrew word is translated, "covenant" [MAURER].
sealed-- (
Isa 8:16), God seals up the truth so that even the learned, because they lack believing docility, cannot discern it (
Matt 13:10-
Matt 13:17;
Matt 11:25). Prophecy remained comparatively a sealed volume (
Dan 12:4,
Dan 12:9), until Jesus, who "alone is worthy," "opened the seals" (
Rev 5:1-
Rev 5:5,
Rev 5:9;
Rev 6:1).
12 The unlearned succeed no better than the learned, not from want of human learning, as they fancy, but from not having the teaching of God (
Isa 54:13;
Jer 31:34;
John 6:45;
1Cor 2:7-10;
1John 2:20).
13 precept of men--instead of the precepts of God, given by His prophets; also worship external, and by rule, not heartfelt as God requires (
John 4:24). Compare Christ's quotation of this verse from the Septuagint.
14 (
Hab 1:5;
Acts 13:41). The "marvellous work" is one of unparalleled vengeance on the hypocrites: compare "strange work,"
Isa 28:21. The judgment, too, will visit the wise in that respect in which they most pride themselves; their wisdom shall be hid, that is, shall no longer appear, so as to help the nation in its distress (compare
1Cor 1:19).
15 seek deep to hide--rather, "That seek to hide deeply," &c. (compare
Isa 30:1-
Isa 30:2). The reference is to the secret plan which many of the Jewish nobles had of seeking Egyptian aid against Assyria, contrary to the advice of Isaiah. At the same time the hypocrite in general is described, who, under a plausible exterior, tries to hide his real character, not only from men, but even from God.
16 Rather, "Ah! your perverseness! just as if the potter should be esteemed as the clay!" [MAURER]. Or, "Ye invert (turn upside down) the order of things, putting yourselves instead of God," and vice versa, just as if the potter should be esteemed as the clay [HORSLEY], (
Isa 45:9;
Isa 64:8).
17 turned--as contrasted with your "turnings of things upside down" (
Isa 29:16), there shall be other and better turnings or revolutions; the outpouring of the Spirit in the latter days (
Isa 32:15); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (see on
Isa 29:2;
Zech 12:10) then on the Gentiles (
Joel 2:28).
fruitful field--literally, "a Carmel" (see on
Isa 10:18). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful field, and vice versa. Compare
Matt 11:12, Greek: "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert, He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness: vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness.
18 deaf . . . blind--(Compare
Matt 11:5). The spiritually blind, &c., are chiefly meant; "the book," as Revelation is called pre-eminently, shall be no longer "sealed," as is described (
Isa 29:11), but the most unintelligent shall hear and see (
Isa 35:5).
19 meek--rather, the afflicted godly: the idea is, virtuous suffering (
Isa 61:1;
Ps 25:9;
Ps 37:11) [BARNES].
poor among men--that is, the poorest of men, namely, the pious poor.
rejoice--when they see their oppressors punished (
Isa 29:20-
Isa 29:21), and Jehovah exhibited as their protector and rewarder (
Isa 29:22-
Isa 29:24;
Isa 41:17;
Jas 2:5).
20 terrible--namely, the persecutors among the Jewish nobles.
scorner-- (
Isa 28:14,
Isa 28:22).
watch for--not only commit iniquity, but watch for opportunities of committing it, and make it their whole study (see
Mic 2:1;
Matt 26:59;
Matt 27:1).
21 Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [GESENIUS], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; compare
Isa 29:19, "the meek . . . the poor."
him that reproveth--rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue.
gate--the place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (
Ruth 4:11;
Pro 31:23;
Amos 5:10,
Amos 5:12).
just--one who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [HORSLEY].
for a thing of naught--rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [BARNES]. Compare as to Christ,
Pro 28:21;
Matt 26:15;
Acts 3:13-
Acts 3:14;
Acts 8:33.
22 Join "saith . . . concerning the house of Jacob."
redeemed--out of Ur, a land of idolaters (
Josh 24:3).
not now--After the moral revolution described (
Isa 29:17), the children of Jacob shall no longer give cause to their forefathers to blush for them.
wax pale--with shame and disappointment at the wicked degeneracy of his posterity, and fear as to their punishment.
23 But--rather, "For."
he--Jacob.
work of mine hands--spiritually, as well as physically (
Isa 19:25;
Isa 60:21;
Eph 2:10). By Jehovah's agency Israel shall be cleansed of its corruptions, and shall consist wholly of pious men (
Isa 54:13-
Isa 54:14;
Isa 2:1;
Isa 60:21).
midst of him--that is, his land. Or else "His children" are the Gentiles adopted among the Israelites, his lineal descendants (
Rom 9:26;
Eph 3:6) [HORSLEY].
24 They . . . that erred-- (
Isa 28:7).
learn doctrine--rather, "shall receive discipline" or "instruction." "Murmuring" was the characteristic of Israel's rebellion against God (
Exod 16:8;
Ps 106:25). This shall be so no more. Chastisements, and, in HORSLEY'S view, the piety of the Gentiles provoking the Jews to holy jealousy (
Rom 11:11,
Rom 11:14), shall then produce the desired effect.
Jewish ambassadors were now on their way to Egypt to seek aid against Assyria (
Isa 30:2-
Isa 30:6,
Isa 30:15;
Isa 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 (
Exod 23:32;
Deut 7:2).