Isaiah 27

I leviathan. These threatenings against Babylon, and Israel’s other foes, are expressed in vivid figures. For “pipering serpent” the R.V. reads, “swift serpent.” The best expositors take the emblems as applying respectively to Assyria (the swift Tigris), Babylonia (the winding Euphrates), and Egypt (Rahab, the dragon): see Psa. lxxiv. 13, 14, and note: Ezek. xxix. 3; xxxii. 2.

2 of [red] wine. Heb. simply, “of wine.” In vers. 2-5, Israel is compared (as in ch. v.) to a vineyard, which God protects and rids of all that is noxious: comp. John xv. 1-8.

4. Fury is not in me, etc. Or, “There is no fury in me; yet would that I had the briers and thorns in battle! I would advance against them,” etc. I will no more be angry with my vineyard, my people; but I will destroy the briers which have molested them, unless they make peace with Me (5).

5 take hold of my strength. Or, “take hold of My protection.”

6. He shall cause them that come, etc. Rather, “In coming days Jacob shall take root.”

7 them that are slain by him. Rather, “his slain”; i.e., probably those slain on his account. “Hath God smitten Israel as severely as He hath punished their oppressors? 8 [No, for] in moderation, by driving her away, Thou dost contend with her. He sifteth her by His violent blast in the time of the east wind.” (The Hebrew word translated “removeth” in A.V. expresses the separating of wheat from chaff or gold from dross.)

9. By this therefore, etc. That is, “By this [chastisement] therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated; and this is all the fruit (i.e., effect) of taking away his sin: [this will appear] when he makes all the stones of the altar (i.e., of his idols) like broken chalk-stones; [so that] the Asherahs and the sun-pillars shall stand no more”: comp. R.V. On “the groves,” or Asherahs, see note on Judg. iii. 7.

10. Yet the defended city, etc. Some regard this as a further description of God’s chastisements in the desolation of Jerusalem. Others think that it refers to a city or cities of the Gentiles.

the branches thereof. The branches of the trees growing among its ruins.

11 set them on fire. That is, make fires with them.

12 shall beat off. That is, “shall beat off the fruit,” as R.V.; shall gather it in; see xvii. 6. The “River” is the Euphrates. As a husbandman gathers in his olives from his trees, so God shall gather in His people from Babylon (on “the river” Euphrates) and from Egypt by “the brook,” the boundary between Egypt and Palestine, the Wady-el-Arish.

one by one. Carefully and completely.