1 ה֗וֹיH1945 עֲטֶ֤רֶתH5850 גֵּאוּת֙H1348 שִׁכֹּרֵ֣יH7910 אֶפְרַ֔יִםH669 וְ/צִ֥יץH6731 נֹבֵ֖לH5034 צְבִ֣יH6643 תִפְאַרְתּ֑/וֹH8597 אֲשֶׁ֛רH834 עַלH5921 ־ רֹ֥אשׁH7218 גֵּֽיאH1516 ־ שְׁמָנִ֖יםH8081 הֲל֥וּמֵיH1986 יָֽיִןH3196 ׃
2 הִנֵּ֨הH2009 חָזָ֤קH2389 וְ/אַמִּץ֙H533 לַֽ/אדֹנָ֔/יH136 כְּ/זֶ֥רֶםH2230 בָּרָ֖דH1259 שַׂ֣עַרH8178 קָ֑טֶבH6986 כְּ֠/זֶרֶםH2230 מַ֣יִםH4325 כַּבִּירִ֥יםH3524 שֹׁטְפִ֛יםH7857 הִנִּ֥יחַH3240 לָ/אָ֖רֶץH776 בְּ/יָֽדH3027 ׃
3 בְּ/רַגְלַ֖יִםH7272 תֵּֽרָמַ֑סְנָהH7429 עֲטֶ֥רֶתH5850 גֵּא֖וּתH1348 שִׁכּוֹרֵ֥יH7910 אֶפְרָֽיִםH669 ׃
4 וְֽ/הָ֨יְתָ֜הH1961 צִיצַ֤תH6733 נֹבֵל֙H5034 צְבִ֣יH6643 תִפְאַרְתּ֔/וֹH8597 אֲשֶׁ֥רH834 עַלH5921 ־ רֹ֖אשׁH7218 גֵּ֣יאH1516 שְׁמָנִ֑יםH8081 כְּ/בִכּוּרָהּ֙H1061 בְּ/טֶ֣רֶםH2962 קַ֔יִץH7019 אֲשֶׁ֨רH834 יִרְאֶ֤הH7200 הָֽ/רֹאֶה֙H7200 אוֹתָ֔/הּH853 בְּ/עוֹדָ֥/הּH5750 בְּ/כַפּ֖/וֹH3709 יִבְלָעֶֽ/נָּהH1104 ׃ ס
5 בַּ/יּ֣וֹםH3117 הַ/ה֗וּאH1931 יִֽהְיֶה֙H1961 יְהוָ֣הH3068 צְבָא֔וֹתH6635 לַ/עֲטֶ֣רֶתH5850 צְבִ֔יH6643 וְ/לִ/צְפִירַ֖תH6843 תִּפְאָרָ֑הH8597 לִ/שְׁאָ֖רH7605 עַמּֽ/וֹH5971 ׃
6 וּ/לְ/ר֖וּחַH7307 מִשְׁפָּ֑טH4941 לַ/יּוֹשֵׁב֙H3427 עַלH5921 ־ הַ/מִּשְׁפָּ֔טH4941 וְ/לִ֨/גְבוּרָ֔הH1369 מְשִׁיבֵ֥יH7725 מִלְחָמָ֖הH4421 שָֽׁעְרָ/הH8179 ׃ ס
7 וְ/גַםH1571 ־ אֵ֨לֶּה֙H428 בַּ/יַּ֣יִןH3196 שָׁג֔וּH7686 וּ/בַ/שֵּׁכָ֖רH7941 תָּע֑וּH8582 כֹּהֵ֣ןH3548 וְ/נָבִיא֩H5030 שָׁג֨וּH7686 בַ/שֵּׁכָ֜רH7941 נִבְלְע֣וּH1104 מִןH4480 ־ הַ/יַּ֗יִןH3196 תָּעוּ֙H8582 מִןH4480 ־ הַ/שֵּׁכָ֔רH7941 שָׁגוּ֙H7686 בָּֽ/רֹאֶ֔הH7203 פָּק֖וּH6328 פְּלִילִיָּֽהH6417 ׃
8 כִּ֚יH3588 כָּלH3605 ־ שֻׁלְחָנ֔וֹתH7979 מָלְא֖וּH4390 קִ֣יאH6892 צֹאָ֑הH6675 בְּלִ֖יH1097 מָקֽוֹםH4725 ׃ ס
9 אֶתH853 ־ מִי֙H4310 יוֹרֶ֣הH3384 דֵעָ֔הH1844 וְ/אֶתH853 ־ מִ֖יH4310 יָבִ֣יןH995 שְׁמוּעָ֑הH8052 גְּמוּלֵי֙H1580 מֵֽ/חָלָ֔בH2461 עַתִּיקֵ֖יH6267 מִ/שָּׁדָֽיִםH7699 ׃
10 כִּ֣יH3588 צַ֤וH6673 לָ/צָו֙H6673 צַ֣וH6673 לָ/צָ֔וH6673 קַ֥וH6957 לָ/קָ֖וH6957 קַ֣וH6957 לָ/קָ֑וH6957 זְעֵ֥ירH2191 שָׁ֖םH8033 זְעֵ֥ירH2191 שָֽׁםH8033 ׃
11 כִּ֚יH3588 בְּ/לַעֲגֵ֣יH3934 שָׂפָ֔הH8193 וּ/בְ/לָשׁ֖וֹןH3956 אַחֶ֑רֶתH312 יְדַבֵּ֖רH1696 אֶלH413 ־ הָ/עָ֥םH5971 הַ/זֶּֽהH2088 ׃
12 אֲשֶׁ֣רH834 ׀ אָמַ֣רH559 אֲלֵי/הֶ֗םH413 זֹ֤אתH2063 הַ/מְּנוּחָה֙H4496 הָנִ֣יחוּH5117 לֶֽ/עָיֵ֔ףH5889 וְ/זֹ֖אתH2063 הַ/מַּרְגֵּעָ֑הH4774 וְ/לֹ֥אH3808 אָב֖וּאH14 שְׁמֽוֹעַH8085 ׃
13 וְ/הָיָ֨הH1961 לָ/הֶ֜ם דְּבַרH1697 ־ יְהוָ֗הH3068 צַ֣וH6673 לָ/צָ֞וH6673 צַ֤וH6673 לָ/צָו֙H6673 קַ֤וH6957 לָ/קָו֙H6957 קַ֣וH6957 לָ/קָ֔וH6957 זְעֵ֥ירH2191 שָׁ֖םH8033 זְעֵ֣ירH2191 שָׁ֑םH8033 לְמַ֨עַןH4616 יֵלְכ֜וּH3212 וְ/כָשְׁל֤וּH3782 אָחוֹר֙H268 וְ/נִשְׁבָּ֔רוּH7665 וְ/נוֹקְשׁ֖וּH3369 וְ/נִלְכָּֽדוּH3920 ׃ פ
14 לָ/כֵ֛ןH3651 שִׁמְע֥וּH8085 דְבַרH1697 ־ יְהוָ֖הH3068 אַנְשֵׁ֣יH376 לָצ֑וֹןH3944 מֹֽשְׁלֵי֙H4910 הָ/עָ֣םH5971 הַ/זֶּ֔הH2088 אֲשֶׁ֖רH834 בִּ/ירוּשָׁלִָֽםH3389 ׃
15 כִּ֣יH3588 אֲמַרְתֶּ֗םH559 כָּרַ֤תְנֽוּH3772 בְרִית֙H1285 אֶתH854 ־ מָ֔וֶתH4194 וְ/עִםH5973 ־ שְׁא֖וֹלH7585 עָשִׂ֣ינוּH6213 חֹזֶ֑הH2374 שיטH7885 שׁ֣וֹטH7752 שׁוֹטֵ֤ףH7857 כִּֽיH3588 ־ עברH5674 יַֽעֲבֹר֙H5674 לֹ֣אH3808 יְבוֹאֵ֔/נוּH935 כִּ֣יH3588 שַׂ֧מְנוּH7760 כָזָ֛בH3577 מַחְסֵ֖/נוּH4268 וּ/בַ/שֶּׁ֥קֶרH8267 נִסְתָּֽרְנוּH5641 ׃ ס
16 לָ/כֵ֗ןH3651 כֹּ֤הH3541 אָמַר֙H559 אֲדֹנָ֣/יH136 יְהוִ֔הH3069 הִנְ/נִ֛יH2005 יִסַּ֥דH3245 בְּ/צִיּ֖וֹןH6726 אָ֑בֶןH68 אֶ֣בֶןH68 בֹּ֜חַןH976 פִּנַּ֤תH6438 יִקְרַת֙H3368 מוּסָ֣דH4143 מוּסָּ֔דH3245 הַֽ/מַּאֲמִ֖יןH539 לֹ֥אH3808 יָחִֽישׁH2363 ׃
17 וְ/שַׂמְתִּ֤יH7760 מִשְׁפָּט֙H4941 לְ/קָ֔וH6957 וּ/צְדָקָ֖הH6666 לְ/מִשְׁקָ֑לֶתH4949 וְ/יָעָ֤הH3261 בָרָד֙H1259 מַחְסֵ֣הH4268 כָזָ֔בH3577 וְ/סֵ֥תֶרH5643 מַ֖יִםH4325 יִשְׁטֹֽפוּH7857 ׃
18 וְ/כֻפַּ֤רH3722 בְּרִֽיתְ/כֶם֙H1285 אֶתH854 ־ מָ֔וֶתH4194 וְ/חָזוּתְ/כֶ֥םH2380 אֶתH854 ־ שְׁא֖וֹלH7585 לֹ֣אH3808 תָק֑וּםH6965 שׁ֤וֹטH7752 שׁוֹטֵף֙H7857 כִּ֣יH3588 יַֽעֲבֹ֔רH5674 וִ/הְיִ֥יתֶםH1961 ל֖/וֹ לְ/מִרְמָֽסH4823 ׃
19 מִ/דֵּ֤יH1767 עָבְר/וֹ֙H5674 יִקַּ֣חH3947 אֶתְ/כֶ֔םH853 כִּֽיH3588 ־ בַ/בֹּ֧קֶרH1242 בַּ/בֹּ֛קֶרH1242 יַעֲבֹ֖רH5674 בַּ/יּ֣וֹםH3117 וּ/בַ/לָּ֑יְלָהH3915 וְ/הָיָ֥הH1961 רַקH7535 ־ זְוָעָ֖הH2113 הָבִ֥יןH995 שְׁמוּעָֽהH8052 ׃
20 כִּֽיH3588 ־ קָצַ֥רH7114 הַ/מַּצָּ֖עH4702 מֵֽ/הִשְׂתָּרֵ֑עַH8311 וְ/הַ/מַּסֵּכָ֥הH4541 צָ֖רָהH6887 כְּ/הִתְכַּנֵּֽסH3664 ׃
21 כִּ֤יH3588 כְ/הַרH2022 ־ פְּרָצִים֙H6559 יָק֣וּםH6965 יְהוָ֔הH3068 כְּ/עֵ֖מֶקH6010 בְּ/גִבְע֣וֹןH1391 יִרְגָּ֑זH7264 לַ/עֲשׂ֤וֹתH6213 מַעֲשֵׂ֨/הוּ֙H4639 זָ֣רH2114 מַעֲשֵׂ֔/הוּH4639 וְ/לַֽ/עֲבֹד֙H5647 עֲבֹ֣דָת֔/וֹH5656 נָכְרִיָּ֖הH5237 עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹH5656 ׃
22 וְ/עַתָּה֙H6258 אַלH408 ־ תִּתְלוֹצָ֔צוּH3887 פֶּֽןH6435 ־ יֶחְזְק֖וּH2388 מֽוֹסְרֵי/כֶ֑םH4147 כִּֽיH3588 ־ כָלָ֨הH3617 וְ/נֶחֱרָצָ֜הH2782 שָׁמַ֗עְתִּיH8085 מֵ/אֵ֨תH854 אֲדֹנָ֧/יH136 יְהוִ֛הH3069 צְבָא֖וֹתH6635 עַלH5921 ־ כָּלH3605 ־ הָ/אָֽרֶץH776 ׃
23 הַאֲזִ֥ינוּH238 וְ/שִׁמְע֖וּH8085 קוֹלִ֑/יH6963 הַקְשִׁ֥יבוּH7181 וְ/שִׁמְע֖וּH8085 אִמְרָתִֽ/יH565 ׃
24 הֲ/כֹ֣לH3605 הַ/יּ֔וֹםH3117 יַחֲרֹ֥שׁH2790 הַ/חֹרֵ֖שׁH2790 לִ/זְרֹ֑עַH2232 יְפַתַּ֥חH6605 וִֽ/ישַׂדֵּ֖דH7702 אַדְמָתֽ/וֹH127 ׃
25 הֲ/לוֹא֙H3808 אִםH518 ־ שִׁוָּ֣הH7737 פָנֶ֔י/הָH6440 וְ/הֵפִ֥יץH6327 קֶ֖צַחH7100 וְ/כַמֹּ֣ןH3646 יִזְרֹ֑קH2236 וְ/שָׂ֨םH7760 חִטָּ֤הH2406 שׂוֹרָה֙H7795 וּ/שְׂעֹרָ֣הH8184 נִסְמָ֔ןH5567 וְ/כֻסֶּ֖מֶתH3698 גְּבֻלָתֽ/וֹH1367 ׃
26 וְ/יִסְּר֥/וֹH3256 לַ/מִּשְׁפָּ֖טH4941 אֱלֹהָ֥י/וH430 יוֹרֶֽ/נּוּH3384 ׃
27 כִּ֣יH3588 לֹ֤אH3808 בֶֽ/חָרוּץ֙H2742 י֣וּדַשׁH1758 קֶ֔צַחH7100 וְ/אוֹפַ֣ןH212 עֲגָלָ֔הH5699 עַלH5921 ־ כַּמֹּ֖ןH3646 יוּסָּ֑בH5437 כִּ֧יH3588 בַ/מַּטֶּ֛הH4294 יֵחָ֥בֶטH2251 קֶ֖צַחH7100 וְ/כַמֹּ֥ןH3646 בַּ/שָּֽׁבֶטH7626 ׃
28 לֶ֣חֶםH3899 יוּדָ֔קH1854 כִּ֛יH3588 לֹ֥אH3808 לָ/נֶ֖צַחH5331 אָד֣וֹשׁH156 יְדוּשֶׁ֑/נּוּH1758 וְ֠/הָמַםH2000 גִּלְגַּ֧לH1536 עֶגְלָת֛/וֹH5699 וּ/פָרָשָׁ֖י/וH6571 לֹֽאH3808 ־ יְדֻקֶּֽ/נּוּH1854 ׃
29 גַּםH1571 ־ זֹ֕אתH2063 מֵ/עִ֛םH5973 יְהוָ֥הH3068 צְבָא֖וֹתH6635 יָצָ֑אָהH3318 הִפְלִ֣יאH6381 עֵצָ֔הH6098 הִגְדִּ֖ילH1431 תּוּשִׁיָּֽהH8454 ׃ ס
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Isa. 28:1-29)
crown of pride--Hebrew for "proud crown of the drunkards," &c. [HORSLEY], namely, Samaria, the capital of Ephraim, or Israel. "Drunkards," literally (
Isa 28:7-
Isa 28:8;
Isa 5:11,
Isa 5:22;
Amos 4:1;
Amos 6:1-
Amos 6:6) and metaphorically, like drunkards, rushing on to their own destruction.
beauty . . . flower--"whose glorious beauty or ornament is a fading flower." Carrying on the image of "drunkards"; it was the custom at feasts to wreathe the brow with flowers; so Samaria, "which is (not as English Version, 'which are') upon the head of the fertile valley," that is, situated on a hill surrounded with the rich valleys as a garland (
1Kgs 16:24); but the garland is "fading," as garlands often do, because Ephraim is now close to ruin (compare
Isa 16:8); fulfilled 721 B.C. (
2Kgs 17:6,
2Kgs 17:24).
2 strong one--the Assyrian (
Isa 10:5).
cast down--namely, Ephraim (
Isa 28:1) and Samaria, its crown.
with . . . hand--with violence (
Isa 8:11).
3 crown . . . the drunkards--rather, "the crown of the drunkards."
4 Rather, "the fading flower, their glorious beauty (
Isa 28:1), which is on the head of the fat (fertile) valley, shall be as the early fig" [G. V. SMITH]. Figs usually ripened in August; but earlier ones (Hebrew bikkurah, Spanish bokkore) in June, and were regarded as a delicacy (
Jer 24:2;
Hos 9:10;
Mic 7:1).
while it is yet--that is, immediately, without delay; describing the eagerness of the Assyrian Shalmaneser, not merely to conquer, but to destroy utterly Samaria; whereas other conquered cities were often spared.
5 The prophet now turns to Judah; a gracious promise to the remnant ("residue"); a warning lest through like sins Judah should share the fate of Samaria.
crown--in antithesis to the "fading crown" of Ephraim (
Isa 28:1,
Isa 28:3).
the residue--primarily, Judah, in the prosperous reign of Hezekiah (
2Kgs 18:7), antitypically, the elect of God; as He here is called their "crown and diadem," so are they called His (
Isa 62:3); a beautiful reciprocity.
6 Jehovah will inspire their magistrates with justice, and their soldiers with strength of spirit.
turn . . . battle to . . . gate--the defenders of their country who not only repel the foe from themselves, but drive him to the gates of his own cities (
2Sam 11:23;
2Kgs 18:8).
7 Though Judah is to survive the fall of Ephraim, yet "they also" (the men of Judah) have perpetrated like sins to those of Samaria (
Isa 5:3,
Isa 5:11), which must be chastised by God.
erred . . . are out of the way--"stagger . . . reel." Repeated, to express the frequency of the vice.
priest . . . prophet--If the ministers of religion sin so grievously, how much more the other rulers (
Isa 56:10,
Isa 56:12)!
vision--even in that most sacred function of the prophet to declare God's will revealed to them.
judgment--The priests had the administration of the law committed to them (
Deut 17:9;
Deut 19:17). It was against the law for the priests to take wine before entering the tabernacle (
Lev 10:9;
Ezek 44:21).
9 Here the drunkards are introduced as scoffingly commenting on Isaiah's warnings: "Whom will he (does Isaiah presume to) teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand instruction? Is it those (that is, does he take us to be) just weaned, &c.? For (he is constantly repeating, as if to little children) precept upon precept," &c.
line--a rule or law. [MAURER]. The repetition of sounds in Hebrew tzav latzav, tzav latzav, qav laqav, qav laquav, expresses the scorn of the imitators of Isaiah's speaking; he spoke stammering (
Isa 28:11). God's mode of teaching offends by its simplicity the pride of sinners (
2Kgs 5:11-12;
1Cor 1:23). Stammerers as they were by drunkenness, and children in knowledge of God, they needed to be spoken to in the language of children, and "with stammering lips" (compare
Matt 13:13). A just and merciful retribution.
11 For--rather, "Truly." This is Isaiah's reply to the scoffers: Your drunken questions shall be answered by the severe lessons from God conveyed through the Assyrians and Babylonians; the dialect of these, though Semitic, like the Hebrew, was so far different as to sound to the Jews like the speech of stammerers (compare
Isa 33:19;
Isa 36:11). To them who will not understand God will speak still more unintelligibly.
12 Rather, "He (Jehovah) who hath said to them."
this . . . the rest--Reference may be primarily to "rest" from national warlike preparations, the Jews being at the time "weary" through various preceding calamities, as the Syro-Israelite invasion (
Isa 7:8; compare
Isa 30:15;
Isa 22:8;
Isa 39:2;
Isa 36:1;
2Kgs 18:8). But spiritually, the "rest" meant is that to be found in obeying those very "precepts" of God (
Isa 28:10) which they jeered at (compare
Jer 6:16;
Matt 11:29).
13 But--rather, "Therefore," namely, because "they would not hear" (
Isa 28:12).
that they might go--the designed result to those who, from a defect of the will, so far from profiting by God's mode of instructing, "precept upon precept," &c., made it into a stumbling-block (
Hos 6:5;
Hos 8:12;
Matt 13:14).
go, and fall--image appropriately from "drunkards" (
Isa 28:7-
Isa 28:8, which they were) who in trying to "go forward fall backward."
14 scornful--(See on
Isa 28:9).
15 said--virtually, in your conduct, if not in words.
covenant--There may be a tacit reference to their confidence in their "covenant" with the Assyrians in the early part of Hezekiah's prosperous reign, before he ceased to pay tribute to them, as if it ensured Judah from evil, whatever might befall the neighboring Ephraim (
Isa 28:1). The full meaning is shown by the language ("covenant with death--hell," or sheol) to apply to all lulled in false security spiritually (
Ps 12:4;
Eccl 8:8;
Jer 8:11); the godly alone are in covenant with death (
Job 5:23;
Hos 2:18;
1Cor 3:22).
overflowing scourge--two metaphors: the hostile Assyrian armies like an overwhelming flood.
pass through--namely, through Judea on their way to Egypt, to punish it as the protector of Samaria (
2Kgs 17:4).
lies--They did not use these words, but Isaiah designates their sentiments by their true name (
Amos 2:4).
16 Literally, "Behold Me as Him who has laid"; namely, in My divine counsel (
Rev 13:8); none save I could lay it (
Isa 63:5).
stone--Jesus Christ; Hezekiah [MAURER], or the temple [EWALD], do not realize the full significancy of the language; but only in type point to Him, in whom the prophecy receives its exhaustive accomplishment; whether Isaiah understood its fulness or not (
1Pet 1:11-12), the Holy Ghost plainly contemplated its fulfilment in Christ alone; so in
Isa 32:1; compare
Gen 49:24;
Ps 118:22;
Matt 21:42;
Rom 10:11;
Eph 2:20.
tried--both by the devil (
Luke 4:1-
Luke 4:13) and by men (Luke 20:1-38), and even by God (
Matt 27:46); a stone of tested solidity to bear the vast superstructure of man's redemption. The tested righteousness of Christ gives its peculiar merit to His vicarious sacrifice. The connection with the context is, though a "scourge" shall visit Judea (
Isa 28:15), yet God's gracious purpose as to the elect remnant, and His kingdom of which "Zion" shall be the center, shall not fail, because its rests on Messiah (
Matt 7:24-
Matt 7:25;
2Tim 2:19).
precious--literally, "of preciousness," so in the Greek, (
1Pet 2:7). He is preciousness.
corner-stone-- (
1Kgs 5:17;
1Kgs 7:9;
Job 38:6); the stone laid at the corner where two walls meet and connecting them; often costly.
make haste--flee in hasty alarm; but the Septuagint has "be ashamed"; so
Rom 9:33, and
1Pet 2:6, "be confounded," substantially the same idea; he who rests on Him shall not have the shame of disappointment, nor flee in sudden panic (see
Isa 30:15;
Isa 32:17).
17 line--the measuring-line of the plummet. HORSLEY translates, "I will appoint judgment for the rule, and justice for the plummet." As the corner-stone stands most perpendicular and exactly proportioned, so Jehovah, while holding out grace to believers in the Foundation-stone, will judge the scoffers (
Isa 28:15) according to the exact justice of the law (compare
Jas 2:13).
hail--divine judgment (
Isa 30:30;
Isa 32:19).
18 disannulled--obliterated, as letters traced on a waxen tablet are obliterated by passing the stylus over it.
trodden down--passing from the metaphor in "scourge" to the thing meant, the army which treads down its enemies.
19 From the time, &c.--rather, "As often as it comes over (that is, passes through), it shall overtake you" [HORSLEY]; like a flood returning from time to time, frequent hostile invasions shall assail Judah, after the deportation of the ten tribes.
vexation . . . understand . . . report--rather, "It shall be a terror even to hear the mere report of it" [MAURER], (
1Sam 3:11). But G. V. SMITH, "Hard treatment (HORSLEY, 'dispersion') only shall make you to understand instruction"; they scorned at the simple way in which the prophet offered it (
Isa 28:9); therefore, they must be taught by the severe teachings of adversity.
20 Proverbial, for they shall find all their sources of confidence fail them; all shall be hopeless perplexity in their affairs.
21 Perazim--In the valley of Rephaim (
2Sam 5:18,
2Sam 5:20;
1Chr 14:11), there Jehovah, by David, broke forth as waters do, and made a breach among the Philistines, David's enemies, as Perazim means, expressing a sudden and complete overthrow.
Gibeon-- (
1Chr 14:16;
2Sam 5:25, Margin); not Joshua's victory (
Josh 10:10).
strange--as being against His own people; judgment is not what God delights in; it is, though necessary, yet strange to Him (
Lam 3:33).
work--punishing the guilty (
Isa 10:12).
22 mockers--a sin which they had committed (
Isa 28:9-
Isa 28:10).
bands--their Assyrian bondage (
Isa 10:27); Judah was then tributary to Assyria; or, "lest your punishment be made still more severe" (
Isa 24:22).
consumption--destruction (
Isa 10:22-
Isa 10:23;
Dan 9:27).
23 Calling attention to the following illustration from husbandry (
Ps 49:1-
Ps 49:2). As the husbandman does his different kinds of work, each in its right time and due proportion, so God adapts His measures to the varying exigencies of the several cases: now mercy, now judgments; now punishing sooner, now later (an answer to the scoff that His judgments, being put off so long, would never come at all,
Isa 5:19); His object being not to destroy His people any more than the farmer's object in threshing is to destroy his crop; this vindicates God's "strange work" (
Isa 28:21) in punishing His people. Compare the same image,
Jer 24:6;
Hos 2:23;
Matt 3:12.
24 all day--emphatic; he is not always ploughing: he also "sows," and that, too, in accordance with sure rules (
Isa 28:25).
doth he open--supply "always." Is he always harrowing?
25 face--the "surface" of the ground: "made plain," or level, by harrowing.
fitches--rather, "dill," or "fennel"; Nigella romana, with black seed, easily beaten out, used as a condiment and medicine in the East. So the Septuagint, "cummin" was used in the same way.
cast in . . . principal wheat--rather, plant the wheat in rows (for wheat was thought to yield the largest crop, by being planted sparingly [PLINY, Natural History, 18.21]); [MAURER]; "sow the wheat regularly" [HORSLEY]. But GESENIUS, like English Version, "fat," or "principal," that is, excellent wheat.
appointed barley--rather, "barley in its appointed place" [MAURER].
in their place--rather, "in its (the field's) border" [MAURER].
26 to discretion--in the due rules of husbandry; God first taught it to man (
Gen 3:23).
27 The husbandman uses the same discretion in threshing. The dill ("fitches") and cummin, leguminous and tender grains, are beaten out, not as wheat, &c., with the heavy corn-drag ("threshing instrument"), but with "a staff"; heavy instruments would crush and injure the seed.
cart wheel--two iron wheels armed with iron teeth, like a saw, joined together by a wooden axle. The "corn-drag" was made of three or four wooden cylinders, armed with iron teeth or flint stones fixed underneath, and joined like a sledge. Both instruments cut the straw for fodder as well as separated the corn.
staff--used also where they had but a small quantity of corn; the flail (
Ruth 2:17).
28 Bread corn--corn of which bread is made.
bruised--threshed with the corn-drag (as contrasted with dill and cummin, "beaten with the staff"), or, "trodden out" by the hoofs of cattle driven over it on the threshing-floor [G. V. SMITH], (
Deut 25:4;
Mic 4:13).
because--rather, "but" [HORSLEY]; though the corn is threshed with the heavy instrument, yet he will not always be thus threshing it.
break it--"drive over it (continually) the wheel" [MAURER].
cart--threshing-drag.
horsemen--rather, "horses"; used to tread out corn.
29 This also--The skill wherewith the husbandman duly adjusts his modes of threshing is given by God, as well as the skill (
Isa 28:26) wherewith he tills and sows (
Isa 28:24-
Isa 28:25). Therefore He must also be able to adapt His modes of treatment to the several moral needs of His creatures. His object in sending tribulation (derived from the Latin tribulum, a "threshing instrument,"
Luke 22:31;
Rom 5:3) is to sever the moral chaff from the wheat, not to crush utterly; "His judgments are usually in the line of our offenses; by the nature of the judgments we may usually ascertain the nature of the sin" [BARNES].
This chapter opens the series of prophecies as to the invasion of Judea under Sennacherib, and its deliverance.