Isaiah 29
PATventor or ordainer of it. The Most High hath created husbandry, saith the son of Sirach, Ecclus. vii. 15. In like manner, Virgil, Georg. lib. i. -" Pater ipse colendi Haud facilem esse viam voluit, primusque per artem Movit agros" By. other heathens, the invention of agriculture is ascribed to the goddess Ceres. This and the four following chapters have an immediate aspect upon Sennacherib’s invasion. In the beginning of this chapter the prophet describes the terribleness of that siege, and withal how suddenly it should be raised, and the enemy’s hopes disappointed. He then proceeds to upbraid the Jews for their hypocrisy and stupidity in not discerning the signs of the times, as our Saviour speaks, (Matt, xvi.3.) nor observing the hand of Providence, evidently shewing itself both in mercies and judgments, which circumstances arc very applicable to the time of our Saviour’s preaching among them. He then foretells better times, with respect to those who are piously disposed, and concludes with such promises of grace and favour to the meek and humble, as plainly relate to the times of the gospel. shall be visited; and explain the words of the multitude of strangers, mentioned ver. 5. but the rules* of syntax will hardly allow, that construction, because the verb taken in the third person will be of the feminine gender, and that noun is of the masculine. This relates to the times of the gospel, (compare xxxv. 5.) when a plentiful effusion of God’s Holy Spirit is promised. (See the note on xliv. 3. liv. 13.) Ver; 19. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, &c] This is another character of those flourishing times under the gospel; which the prophets often mention, in the glories of which the meek and humble shall have a particular share. (See the notes on xi. 4. xxvi. 6.)
Isaiah 29:1
rr OE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt!. Ariel signifies the lion of God, and was the name of the altar, because it dovoured the sacrifices which wore offered upon it. (Sec Ezek. xliii. 15.) Here it is, by a sy-. necdoche, put for the city of Jerusalem, which David made the seat of the kingdom, and where God, for David’s sake, promised to place his name. (See 1 Kings xv. 4.) And yet, for the people’s sins, God was now resolved to expose it to the assaults of Sennacherib and his army. Some render the latter part of the sentence thus, The city which David besieged, (in which sense of the verb chanah is taken ver. 3.) implying, that the enemy should distress it in the same manner. x - Add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.] The former part of the sentence maybe better translated to this sense, Add ye one year to another: as if the prophet had said, For two years you may have liberty to come and offer your sacrifices at the temple, but afterward the city will be so closely besieged, that there will be no admittance for any that live in the country to attend upon the public worship of God at the solemn festivals. Then another sort of sacrifices will be offered; concerning which see the following note:
Isaiah 29:2
Yet I will distress Ariel — and it shall be unto me as Ariel. When the city is closely besieged and distressed, it shall resemble the altar of burnt-offerings, being every way surrounded with carcasses, not of beasts, but of men. The slaughter of men is sometimes called a sacrifice, because it makes some kind of satisfaction and atonement to the justice of God. (See xxxiv. 6. Ezek. xxxix. 17. Zeph. i. 7.)
Isaiah 29:3
And I will encamp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee, &c. Mr. White very well observes, that this verse must be understood of the army under Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria sent with a great host against Jerusalem, (2 Kings xviii. 17. xix. 8, 9.) intending himself to follow in person, and have the honour of taking the city: but, upon the defeat of that army by a stroke from heaven, he returned homeward ■without ever making any approach to the city by way of assault. (See xxxvii. 33, 34. 37.)
Isaiah 29:4
And thou shall be brought down, and thou shalt speak out of the ground, &c. Thou shalt be very humble, and thy king Hezekiah shall send ambassadors to bespeak the favour of the king of Assyria in very submissive terms. (See 2 Kings xviii. 14.) And thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit.] SeC note on viii. 19.
Isaiah 29:5
Moreover, the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff, &c. Strangers and terrible ones are joined here together, as they are xxv. 4. Here they signify the Assyrian army, which, though they made such a dreadful appearance, the prophet foretells they shall be defeated by a sudden stroke from heaven, and vanish in an instant; one hundred and’eighty-five thousand being destroyed in one night, xxxvii. 36. (Compare xvii. 13.) Ver. G. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake.] The prophet, applying himself to Jerusalem, calls the army which besieged it, Tfiy army, ver. 5. and by the same figure we may understand the words here, Thou shalt be visited, of the same army, to which he threatens ntter destruction in this and the following verses, and that from the immediate hand of God. (See the notes on xxviii. 2. and compare xxx. 30. Psal. xviii. 13, 14.) Some render the beginning of the sentence thus, It 3X2
Isaiah 29:7
And. the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel — shall be as a dream of a night vision. Shall vanish away as a dream doth Ayhcn one awakcth, (Psal. lxxiii. 20. John xx. 8.)
Isaiah 29:8
It shall even be as when a hungry vian dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awakcth, and his soul is empty, &c,. The Assyrians had swallowed up Jerusalem in their imagination, but God should suddenly disappoint all. their hopes, and send them away empty and confounded.
Isaiah 29:9
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, arid cry: they are drunken, but not with wine, &c. The prophet often upbraids the Jews with their carelessness and stupidity, never minding the indications of Providence, nor laying to heart the instructions of the prophets. (See note on xxviii. 9.) In this verse he applies himself to his auditors, and bids them reflect a little, and wonders to see how unconcerned the generality of people are at what is | spoken to them from the mouth of God.- Yon will, saith he, be forced to cry.out; these men have lost their sense and reason, like those who are overcome with intoxicating liquors. The words which. our English translates, Cry ye out, and cry, may perhaps be better rendered, Consider ye, and cry out; so some interpreters render that word in another form, xli. 23. '
Isaiah 29:10
Fof the Lord hath poured upon you the spirit of deep sleep. The word spirit is often taken for temper and disposition; in which sense we find the spirit of heaviness, lxi. 3. and the spirit of meekness, 1 Cor. i v. 21. and here the spirit, of sleepiness, or drowsiness, is the same with a. careless unthinking temper or disposition. * In what sense God may be said to infuse such a temper into men, or how far he may contribute to the blinding of their eyes, or. hardening their hearts, and how this and such-like prophecies were eminently accomplished at the first preaching of the gospel, hath been explained in the notes upon vi. 10, 11. The prophets and your rulers, the seers, hath he covered.] That is, covered the eyes of their understanding, brought night upon them, and made the sun go down over the prophets, as we read Micah iii. G.. The prophets had great authority over the people by virtue of their office, whichmade so many pretenders to that sacred function: seers and prophets are equivalent expressions. (See xxx. 9. 1 Sam. ix. 9.)
Isaiah 29:11
And the vision of all [or every vision. is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed.] One use of sealing, especially when applied to a book, is to close it up, or keep it from common view. To this purpose we read, (Dan. xii. 4.) Shut up the words, and seal the book. So the book mentioned Rev. v. 1. is described as sealed with seven seals, which none but the Lamb could open; tliat is, unfold or explain, (ver. 5.) See likewise viii. 16. of. this prophecy. Which men deliver to one that is learned, &c] Prejudice doth as much hinder the learned from understanding God’s word, as ignorance doth the unlearned.
Isaiah 29:13
Forasmuch as this people draw near me with. their mouth — but have removed their heart far from me, &c. One fatal mistake of the Jews, and that which led them into many others, was, that they confined the whole business of religion to tho external worship of God, such as sacrifice and other outward ceremonies. (See i.ll, &c.) And these religions performances they looked upon as so acceptable to God, that these alone would secure his favour to them, and so long as they were punctual in these observances, they thought they needed not to fear any thrcatcnings denounced against their sins. This opinion, together with thfeir relying upon an external obedience to the letter of the law, and over-valuing the traditions of their rabbies and elders, was a principal cause of their rejecting the gospel, and being themselves rejected by God upon that account.
Isaiah 29:14
TJierefore, behold, I tvill proceed to do a marvellous work amongst this people. A thing that will scarce be believed. (Compare Habak. i. 5.) For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.] The most refined arts of their deep politicians shall not avail their authors, nor be able to preserve them from God’s judgments; and their learnedest men shall lose their judgment and discretion. This threatening was remarkably verified under the gospel, when their crucifying Christ out of fear of the Roman power, brought the Romans upon them: and their learned rabbies ever since have minded little else but fabulous stories, and their cabalists have vented trifles for profound mysteries.
Isaiah 29:15
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord. Who think they can carry on their projects without the knowledge or interposal of Providence..
Isaiah 29:16
Surely your turning things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay, &c. Your giving things un T expected turns, or false appearances, to hide your true designs, shall signify no more towards the producing the intended effects, than the clay does without the artificer. We and all our works are in the hands of God, as clay is in the hand of the potter, to give what form and fashion to them he pleases. (See xlv. 9. Jer. xviii. 6.) He is as wise as the wisest politician: (see xxxi. 2.) and when the finest schemes are laid, can work things to a quite contrary end.
Isaiah 29:17
Is it not yet a very little while. The following promises relate to the times of the gospel. (See the note “on ver. 18. 23.) Nor is this expression any objection against such an interpretation, for the very same is used concerning Christ’s coming to judgment, as if it were just at hand, Heb. x.37.. And Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?] A proverbial form of speech, to signify the great changes that shall happen; the high ones shall be abased, and the meek shall be exalted: (compare xxxii. 15.) as visible an alteration, as if the mountain Lebanon, famous for its cedars, should be turned into a corn-field or pasture; and the richest meadowground should be turned into a forest.
Isaiah 29:18
And in that day shall the deaf hear the tvords of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity. That blindness and insensibility, which the prophet complained of at the tenth and eleventh verses, shall be quite removed, and the word of God, which before was a book sealed up, shall become intelligible to ordinary capacities.
Isaiah 29:20
For tlie terrible one is brought to nought, and tlte scorner is consumed.* By the terrible one we are to understand the forieign enemies of God’s people: (see ver. 5. arid xxv. 4, 5.) and by the scorner, those sceptics and infidels that lived among them, and made a mock of God’s messengers, and what they said. (Compare xxviii. 14. And all that watch for iniquity are cut off.) Who are continually employed in devising evil, and very industrious in bringing it to pass: Who devise iniquity upon their beds. 1 when the morning is light they practise it, as the prophet Micah speaks, (Micah ii. 1.)
Isaiah 29:21
That make a man an offender for a word,. Who condemn men for speaking the truth, as they often served the prophets, or for so slight a matter as an unwary expression. And lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.’] Who plot mischief against the judges that sit at the city gates to distribute justice; that so they may without control oppress the.righteous, and deprive him of his right. (Compare Amos v. 10. 12. Mai. iii. 5.) And this they will do upon the meanest considerations, to gain apiece of bread, as Solomon speaks, (Pro v. xxviii. 21.) It was the custom for the judges to execute their office at the gates of the city. (See Deut. xxi. 19. xxii.15. Ruth iv. 1. 11.)
Isaiah 29:22
Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be asliamed, &c. Abraham and. Jacob, as fathers of the family, are taken here for the whole stock of true Israelites: and as God had often been their deliverer, so when he should free them from enemies without, and evil-doers amongst themselves, (see ver. 20.) then the faithful will begin to lift up their heads, and not be ashamed to shew themselves.
Isaiah 29:23
But when he seeth his children, the work of my Jiands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name. The words may be thus rendered, For in his sight, his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, sliall sanctify my name. The prophet speaks of a new generation of the faithful, which shall be added to the church, called elsewhere the work of God’s hands. (See xlv. 11. lx. 21. and compare Ephes. ii. 10.) When these shall be called or regenerate by that extraordinary measure of grace which is promised, ver. 18. they shall with one mind and one mouth sanctify my name, and give me all honour and reverence.
Isaiah 29:24
They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding. See xxviii. 7. and the tenth, eleventh, and eighteenth verses of this chapter. And they that murmured sliall learn doctrine.] They that murmured at, and found fault with, God’s dispensations, shall now submit their own judgment to the will and wis dom of God.
Neither is there a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin. Sre note on xxi. 10.
Bread-corn is bruised; because he will not ever be thrashing it, &c. Bread-corn is bruised in a mortar, or ground in a mill, and so made flour, because the thrashing instruments are not proper for that purpose. The Hebrew reads, Bread is bruised; but bread is sometimes taken in that language for the corn that makes it. (See xx^c. 23.) [Bread-corn is bruised.’] Gataker, in his Cinuus; p. 183. translates the words thus; Neither is bread-corn bruised; supplying the negative particle from the foregoing verse, t. e. it is not bruised into meal by thrashing, but beat in a mortar, or ground in a mill, for that purpose.] Nor bruise it with his horsemen.] Or rather, with his horses. (See note on xxi. 9.) In the eastern countries they beat their wheat out of the husk, by drawing drays or heavy planks with iron wheels over it, as hath been observed on xxi. 10. To draw these they used horses, and sometimes oxen, as appears by that law of Moses, which forbids the muzzling of the ox when he treads out the corn, (Deut. xxv. 4.) Some explain the word, parashim, which is here translated horsemen, of the spokes or teeth of those iron wheels.
This also Cometh from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. This judgment, or consumption, threatened upon the whole land, (ver. 22.) cometh from God, whose decrees are the results of infinite wisdom, and who brings them to pass in such a manner, as doth best promote his own glory.