I. Introduction
II. Isaiah Chapter Fifty-seven Commentary Verses
57:1-2 The Death of the Righteous is unto Them Peace and Rest
57:3-13 Children of Transgression, A False Seed
57 14-21 There is No Peace, Says My Healing God, for the Wicked
Figure 1 Two-times A Winner
English to Hebrew Character Mapping
Having exposed the wickedness of God's watchmen in the previous chapter (Isaiah 56:9-12, cf. Isaiah 56:9-12, NLT, "Isaiah Chapter Fifty-six Commentary"), this chapter finds Isaiah (the Holy Spirit) exposing the lot of the wicked whom said watchmen, by their negligent watching, did not steer away from spiritual ruin; that is, from their very wickedness. Whom said watchmen by their negligent watching but helped bring to spiritual ruin; but helped bring to the misery that attends spiritual ruin, for God's messenger here tells us that: “...there is no peace for the wicked...”—no peace for the wicked, be they so-called Watchmen, or the Watched. But straightaway at the outset our God's prophet, by way of illuminating contrast, exposes the lot of the righteous: peace, and rest (and we may add, liberation, and restoration, cf. "Jesus our Jubilee", "A Letter of Invitation"). Indeed, the Peace, and Rest, of Jehovah God, in this life, and the next, is the lot of the righteous.
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouseover of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Hebrew text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
YLT TEXT: The righteous hath perished, And there is none laying [1] it to heart, And men of kindness are gathered [2], Without any considering that from the face of evil Gathered is the righteous one. He entereth into peace, they rest on their beds, Each is going straightforward (Isaiah 57:1-2, cf. Isaiah 57:1-2, NLT).
COMMENTARY: In a closed (exclusive) society as befits the hearers of these words from God, just where would the evil here spoken of be coming from: "…The righteous hath perished, And there is none laying it to heart, And men of kindness are gathered, Without any considering that from the face of evil Gathered is the righteous one…" (red font added)? Satanically motivated, it comes from within the society. Let us note that God is addressing the wicked in this society, yet here He gives us guidelines by which to assess (esp. wickedness in) other societies, a wickedness which we are concerned to understand as the commentary unfolds. Why does this extrapolation to other societies hold? It holds because God's standards never change—they are consistent across space and time; so it is, necessarily, with deity ( consider "The Alpha and the Omega").
When God removes His ambassadors from their key places in a (privileged, by Him) society, biblical precedents as related by these verses would indicate that God is about to stress that society, so as to foster a righteous change consistent with His long-term goals there (this is probably the bigger picture that goes beyond the grace of sparing the righteous ambassadors the impending evil [at the hands of the society] and stress [at the hands of God]). Of course we are following a divine pattern here: the ultimate removal of God's ambassadors out of the midst of wickedness comes at the Rapture, at which time no biblical precedents may guide us as to what unfolds; one thing is certain though, at that time societies en masse will have outright collapsed into wickedness as antiChrist unleashes his satanic goals in a world preconditioned to receive, and quite receptive of, the same ( "Matthew Chapter Twenty-four Commentary," "Revelation Chapter Thirteen Commentary," "Revelation Chapter Seventeen Commentary").
With the balance of the verses serving as a guide, the righteous here spoken of are those who maintained a tight heart-tether to Jehovah God (no idolatry; by service of and faith in Jesus Christ in our day; Jesus alone): "…Each is going straightforward…" Idols are found on the byways, the circuitous paths, not straight, nor leading forward. There is only one straight path, and that is the one on which is found Jehovah God, even His Truth (reality)—precisely for this reason it is the Straight path. This path leads straight to His heart (=Life). Please notice that the straight path is the narrow one, the one not well tread relatively speaking. The byways, where are found many an idol, are broad, are trodden down for their much traffic (Matthew 7:13-14). We will find, particularly in the next verse set, the sort of traffic that populates these broad, well-worn byways—specifically in Isaiah's day, and not least in our day (the latter because of the persistently Godless character of the human heart, a heart stubbornly bent away from Jehovah God, a heart inclined not toward Him, but toward its lovers [idols]).
YLT TEXT: And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom [3]. Against whom do ye sport [4] yourselves? Against whom enlarge [5] ye the mouth? Prolong [6] ye the tongue? Are not ye children of transgression? a false seed? Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts of the rocks. Among the smooth things of a brook is thy portion [7], They -- they are thy lot, Also to them thou hast poured out an oblation [8], Thou hast caused a present to ascend [8a], For these things am I comforted [9]? On a mountain, high and exalted, Thou hast set thy couch [10], Also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice. And behind the door, and the post, Thou hast set up thy memorial [11], For from Me thou hast removed, and goest up, Thou hast enlarged thy couch, And dost covenant for thyself among them, Thou hast loved their couch, the station thou sawest, And goest joyfully to the king in ointment, And dost multiply thy perfumes, And sendest thine ambassadors afar off, And humblest thyself unto Sheol [12]. In the greatness of thy way thou hast laboured, Thou hast not said, 'It is desperate [13].' The life of thy hand [14] thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been sick [14a]. And of whom hast thou been afraid, and fearest, That thou liest, and Me hast not remembered? Thou hast not laid [consider again note one] it to thy heart, Am not I silent, even from of old? And Me thou fearest not ? I declare thy righteousness, and thy works, And they do not profit thee. When thou criest, let thy gatherings deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind, Take away doth vanity, And whoso is trusting [15] in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain [16].
COMMENTARY: This progeny over which our God sore laments—sons of a sorceress, children of transgression, a false seed—from whom did they issue? Is it not clear that these were born of Satan? He, that wicked one, a deceiver and a murderer from the beginning, the consummate hater of Jehovah God, and humankind whom Jehovah deeply loves; he, infiltrating Jehovah's Chosen Ones, seeking to sabotage the Messianic lineage. But how?, how could Satan have thought to do this, for our verses make it clear that he had not a little measure of success here? It somewhat unfolded for him because some of the Chosen Ones, exercising their God-given freedom to choose, became traitors (adulterers, same thing), and cast their lot with Satan, he and they, kin in spirit, traitors from the beginning. And thus giving themselves over to him, they became instruments in the way of his God-attacking intents: “...And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom...” Satan is the issuing sorceress and adulterer in view here. Was he not created chief amongst our God's angels?, a covering cherub, exceedingly beautiful?, only to fall in love with himself (=a chief form of idolatry; consider Eze 28:13-17, Isa 14:12-14)? He is at the very root of all things evil (all things anti-Jehovah God, same thing)—let us never lose sight of that fact. How this unclean thing must delight in the heart-pain that our God expresses in these verses. Said pain must needs bring one to tears in the light of Calvary—yes Calvary, that unfailing love act of God for His adulterous, chosen people. Praised be your Name great Jehovah God, we do so desire to faithfully engage your exceeding love great God. Dearest reader, if you wish, close your eyes for a moment, and put yourself at the receiving end of the following, as coming from someone whom you deeply love: “... Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom enlarge ye the mouth? Prolong ye the tongue?...” Yes, as coming from someone whom you deeply love, who not only is glaringly unfaithful, but makes sport of it, thus mocking you, with mouth wide open, brazen in it if you will, sticking out the tongue at you, this unfaithful lover of yours... Here is pain in the extreme, as anyone knows who has ever gone through such a thing. Of course one cannot hurt so bad here if one does not love that other person exceedingly, and that is what makes the pain all so acute. This scenario is a small one compared to what our God has gone through not just with the progeny in view in our text, but all of us when we turn our heart away from Him and toward any idol whatsoever. We think that God is expressing to us, and sharing with us, these intimate sort of relational things between He and us here. We are learning things about our unchanging God by way of His convictions in the past here: “... Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts of the rocks. Among the smooth things of a brook is thy portion, They -- they are thy lot, Also to them thou hast poured out an oblation, Thou hast caused a present to ascend, For these things am I comforted? On a mountain, high and exalted, Thou hast set thy couch, Also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice. And behind the door, and the post, Thou hast set up thy memorial, For from Me thou hast removed, and goest up, Thou hast enlarged thy couch, And dost covenant for thyself among them, Thou hast loved their couch, the station thou sawest...” Does not Jehovah God undress His heart here so as to show us how He grieves over these things? “...For these things am I comforted?...” Nay, He is not comforted, quite the opposite, He is grieved. But even these worthless deities that they concocted and worshiped and paid homage to (even with the blood of their children), did not settle their insecurities, for they sold themselves to the powers round about them (“Isaiah Chapter Seven Commentary”—this commentary gives some indication that the idolatry discussed above, and the sellout to specifically Assyria possibly addressed here, has in view Ahaz [reigned in Judah from 735-715 BC; see also 2Ki 16. Note that Ahaz built in Jerusalem a replica of an altar he saw in Damascus, and one wonders if this part of Isa 57:8-“...Thou hast loved their couch, the station thou sawest...” is a reference to that]): “... And goest joyfully to the king in ointment, And dost multiply thy perfumes, And sendest thine ambassadors afar off, And humblest thyself unto Sheol...” The total lack of trust in Jehovah God is apparent, and that is our God's sore grievance against these privileged people (privileged by Him, to know Him—very omnipotence, omniscience, very Father). It can only be that in their weak-faith estimation, our God's Arm had shortened, and so they persisted, they wearied themselves, to service “other” deities that might settle their insecurities: “... In the greatness of thy way thou hast laboured, Thou hast not said, 'It is desperate.' The life of thy hand thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been sick...” In other words, they found precisely that which they were looking for in this Jehovah-supplanting push, thus satisfying their insecurities, which satisfaction is entirely mental here (that is, there is no substance to support their suppositions)—they were sure that they found in these worthless so-called deities that which they held that Jehovah could not or would not do for them (to the day, for the same reason, Jehovah God is slighted like that; is relegated down in efficacy and import). No problem from their perspective; in their mind all was well now, and all they need do is appease and please these so-called gods. And thus they worked at it, in the extreme. All the while it is necessary, of course, that Jehovah fade off into the background, for these other “gods” must not be provoked. As you can see, this all-too-real scenario keeps getting worse. Why is Jehovah God thus relegated downward and thought to be of no account, in that day?, today? A comparison of pertinent, contemporary “notions” may guide us. The drive for “tangibles” in the thinking of peoples when the stakes are high aside, what we find is that, as touching our day, notions have changed over against Isaiah's day. Very idolatry and the notion of God itself have changed since the days of Isaiah, quite a lot. In Isaiah's day, idolatry was alive and well because the very notion of God (deity) was alive and well; thus idolatry at that time centered around a conciliatory deity, be it for blessing or protection or whatnot. Idolatry (in our context) thus betrays a lack of faith in Jehovah God's omnipotence and omniscience, or is an expression of serious doubt that He would act, let alone act in a timely manner. Today, idolatry is alive and well too, but not because the notion of God is alive and well—an “unhooking” has taken place in this respect in modern times. Moderns have “become” the deity, and God, that is, Jehovah God, for He is the only God, is anything but deity. Stephen Hawking, a well-known modern physicist, ever championing the “deity of science,” embodies said unhooking well. Quoting Hawking, the motto here today is: “...One can't prove God doesn't exist, but science makes God unnecessary...” (S. Hawking in an ABC news interview per his recent book The Grand Design; red font added for emphasis). Hawking had in mind, particularly, a creator God. This reflects an idolatry-mindset that is diametrically opposite to that which guided the ancients (and not just ancient Israel). Idolatry we think is predominantly (but not entirely of course because people cozy up to all kinds of idols) an expression centered on the self-deification of the individual in modern times. The “deification of science” quite shows this because science is a human achievement. So what?, whatever the details, idolatry, this irreverence, is an offense directed squarely at God: “...Thou hast not laid it to thy heart, Am not I silent, even from of old? And Me thou fearest not?...”—O!, but wait a minute, of course, let God remove/impose His Arm from/on a (even a modern) society, and some fast come to their senses and seek out (a) God, He suddenly becoming quite “necessary.” And by the one-and-only God's grace, such come to find Him, even Jehovah God. And thus finding, come to despise their idols and love and serve and fear Him, Jehovah. Many-a-modern would be blessed were God not silent in their life, while many others would do well to listen when He in fact is not silent in their life. Let us leave it at that and prayerfully think about it as fodder for perhaps a theological study.
Are all idolaters liars by default? No. How so? An idolater is a liar when at the same time they profess to love Jehovah God: “...And of whom hast thou been afraid, and fearest, That thou liest, and Me hast not remembered?...” God returns to the fearing-Him-theme, showing us its import in His estimation. Of course it is their idol-darling-sugar-daddys that they fear provoking, instead of fearing Jehovah (no love, no fear, of Jehovah). That which they pretended in respect of fearing Jehovah God was necessarily a sham, phony, a lie—their works and so-called righteousness, all of which our God saw as though laid bare (only a fool thinks they can fool God): “...I declare thy righteousness, and thy works, And they do not profit thee...” All junk, a sham, from God's perspective—He had been relegated down, and their idols, whom they feared, elevated up. Jehovah got the lip service, their idols got the real service. But notice again please, what God says to the liar-idolater: “...And they do not profit thee...” All a waste of time and energy; actually, worse than that, because they offended God, thus their time and energy served to kindle His wrath and seal their doom. Let us lay it to heart. Then in the same breath our God says further: “...When thou criest, let thy gatherings [idols/lovers, before which they trembled] deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind [idols are like unto chaff], Take away doth vanity...” Our God is never mocked, not even a little bit (Galatians 6:7-8), He leaves their much-fawned-over-”fate” in the hands of their impotent idols/lovers (!), precisely as they wished (to the idolater the future is but chancy fate, it is never what in fact it really is, namely, the predetermined plan of Jehovah God). Now while Jehovah God is never mocked, not even a little bit, notice too that Jehovah's faithful are never slighted, not even a little bit—that which the subjects of these verses hoped to secure by way of trusting their idols, namely, the land, mundane, physical things, our God here secures and adds to, indeed, surpasses, with a crown of spiritual things, for those trusting Him: “...And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain...” Thus while the idolater is two-times a loser (because their impotent idols/lovers can secure nothing physical, spiritual), the faithful believer is here two-times a winner ( because omnipotent Jehovah can secure everything, Fig. 1). Amen, and praise to our faithful God Jehovah (“A Letter of Invitation” [red font added]).
YLT TEXT: And he hath said, 'Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block [17] out of the way of My people.' For thus said the high and exalted One [18], Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name: 'In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive [19] the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones, For, not to the age do I strive [20], nor for ever am I wroth [21], For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made. For the iniquity of his dishonest gain [21a], I have been wroth, and I smite [22] him, Hiding [23] -- and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart. His ways I have seen, and I heal [24] him, yea, I lead [25] him, And recompense comforts [25a] to him and to his mourning ones. Producing the fruit [26] of the lips, 'Peace, peace,' to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him, said Jehovah. And the wicked [27] are as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire. There is no peace, said my God, to the wicked! (Isaiah 57:14-20, 21 cf. Isaiah 57:14-20,NLT,Isaiah 57:21).
COMMENTARY: Judah went into captivity for the sins of idolatry and immorality (no doubt Judah is to some degree in view here), but these were not entirely their stumbling-block—that block of stumbling consisted of a heart bent away from Jehovah God, thus blocking worship of and obedience to Him, even He, the High and Exalted One, inhabiting eternity, holy: “... And he hath said, 'Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block out of the way of My people.' For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name...” And it never takes long for such a blockage to lead to idolatry and immorality, for such a heart, devoid of Jehovah God, will always find ways to fill its God-sized void somehow; that is to say, given said void, either gaping, or stuffed full of idols, what impetus is there to worship and obey God? One worships and obeys Jehovah God when one, entirely by His engaging grace, engages that Grace to the best of their ability, and comes to know and appreciate and enjoy Him (precisely then idols become a loathsome thing). Thus, in part, He revealed Himself. That is the tragedy of this commentary: these people, of all peoples, were graced and privileged to know the High and Exalted One, holy, inhabiting eternity, even Jehovah God, intimately. The greater tragedy is when we, of all peoples, who know this great God even more intimately through Jesus Christ, do the same; when we do not engage singularly Him for the long haul. And just who are we? We, are the bruised and humble of spirit, we thus, in this spirit, understood to be in it singularly for Jehovah God for the long haul (the individual is not to be found here): '...Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the...' (“The Beatitudes”): “.....' For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name: 'In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones'...” But accursed are the wicked, the tragic ones here, goats, turbulent, belching forth their infectious filth folding back even on themselves, for they shall find no peace says my healing God: “...And the wicked are as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire. There is no peace, said my God, to the wicked!...” Given a heart-problem stumbling-block, to be lifted: “...'Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block out of the way of My people.'...”, are we surprised to find a divine appeal to the heart here along the way? “...For, not to the age do I strive, nor for ever am I wroth, For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made...” O do catch it!—here it comes again, appealing, its redundant surety, appealing; here it comes again raw, the wrongs, the redress thereto: “...For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding -- and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart. His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I lead him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones. Producing the fruit of the lips, 'Peace, peace,' to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him, said Jehovah [it's a done deal as far as God is concerned, already in Isaiah's day (of course!, consider Gen 3:15, John 19:30)]...” (red font added). O my how wonderful, how great, how worthy of eternal praise our great God is: the far off, the near, ever our God's Healing (=Salvation) was, and is, on top of everything else so wonderful about it, circumspect (“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-four Commentary”); it was, and is, available and free (“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-three Commentary”, “Isaiah Chapter Fifty-five Commentary”, “A Letter of Invitation”).
Praised be Thy Name great Jehovah God, Thou, High and Exalted, inhabiting eternity, holy...Beloved One, whom only we adore, and love so.
“A Letter of Invitation.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/aletterofinvitation.html >
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< http://blueletterbible.org >
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Commentary on Isaiah Chapter Fifty-seven.
“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-three Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryisa53.html >
“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-four Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryisa54.html >
“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-five Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryisa55.html >
“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-six Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryisa56.html >
“Jehovah the Living God.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/jehovahthelivinggod.html >
“Jesus Our Jubilee.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/jesusourjubilee.html >
“O, That Name!”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/othatname.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentarymat24.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentarypsa4.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryrev13.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryrev17.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/thealphaandtheomega.html >
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Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/thebeatitudes.html >
The YLT is in the public domain.
1. [none] Laying [it to heart]-Strong's H7760. There is expressed a nuance of "digging," seizing upon, grabbing hold of, with a mental, spiritual, shovel in hand: '…The righteous among you depart and no one lays it to heart, that is, ponders and re-ponders the spiritual implications (1) for the deceased, and (2) for those out of whose midst the righteous have been called home...' Verbal usage is Qal (simple action), active participle (subject=none, acting; note particularly that we have continuance in present time here).
2. [men of kindness are] gathered [without any considering that from the face of evil] Gathered [is the righteous one] H622. Notice the redundant emphasis by way of this word. The righteous perish, that is true, but they are in-gathered. To whom?, and/or to what?, and why? Unto Jehovah, Jehovah the living God ("Jehovah the Living God"), and unto Salvation (life eternal in His presence; "Children of the Resurrection"). The why follows presently. Verbal usage is Niphal (simple action, we like the passive voice in this occurrence and the next) participle, and Niphal perfect, respectively for the two occurrences. Is that usage not wonderful?, and revealing? The participle bespeaks of continuance: "…men of kindness are gathered…", and so it is, and on it goes, but the perfect bespeaks of completion: "…from the face of evil gathered is the righteous one…" (the why). There comes a point in a given generation, and, separately, in a given life or lives when, fully anticipated by the living God, the measure of iniquity going forward to which His righteous are exposed is full (complete, has run its anticipated course), thus exceedingly dangerous from God's perspective for that given generation or given lives, and He will straightaway remove His righteous out of harm's way, those dangerous environs, and bring them home to Himself. The scope is broad here, for the measure of iniquity as touching completeness from God's perspective involves both His overarching program for humankind, as also more individually His interests in a given life or lives. Only the living God can manage such a complex in-gathering accurately and adequately against the backdrop and broad sweep that encompasses generations, lives, times, and places.
3. [O sons of a] sorceress, [seed of an] adulterer, [Even thou dost commit] whoredom. Please notice, consider, and tuck away this threefold relationship: Sorceress—>adulterer—>whoredom (we have tied these three together in this note). Matthew Henry: "…Sin is sorcery and adultery, for it is departing from God and dealing with the devil…" (Matthew Henry). A sorceress is one who is infatuated with the devil, and the things of the devil; a sorceress is a servant of the devil; is one who serves the devil, is one who cozies up to the devil for their so-called power in the way of this service, which is entirely anti-Jehovah God service. The program of Jehovah God, and that of the devil stand quite at odds, and a sorceress is one who serves the devil's anti-Jehovah God interests. The next term here is adulterer; we all know what that means on the human plane (infidelity, at least). It has a similar connotation on the spiritual (higher) plane, and that is why the final term in the chain is whoredom. In context the vehicle of this Sin, of this sorcery, and adultery, and whoredom, is impudent idolatry. Please note that is how God assesses the sin of idolatry—as a cheating-on-Jehovah love affair between the idolater and the very god of idols, the very "idol-god," that is, Satan.
4. [Against whom do ye] Sport [yourselves]-Strong's H6026. Mock (Jehovah), per their sorcery and adultery and whoredom is apropos given the immediate context (esp. notes five and six which clearly communicate mockery). Another possibility given the Hebrew is that their idolatry had a sort of effeminate compliance-passion to it, a sort of mindless, flesh-driven, lusting, which surely could only have been looked upon in a very painful way by Jehovah, who notwithstanding loved them so. Mockery is probably a good all-inclusive way to understand our God's question here.
5. [Against whom] Enlarge [ye the mouth]-Strong's H7337. Another form of mockery and/or self-infatuation when presented just so. Verbal usage is Hiphil (causative action, active [subject=ye acting] voice), imperfect. Note the Hiphil—it shows us intentionality, purposed enlarging of the mouth—sort of a purposed "in your face" (God's face by the way, in context).
6. [Against whom] Prolong [ye the tongue]- Strong's H748. Almost certainly here is meant "to stick out the tongue." At God in context. Verbal usage is again Hiphil, imperfect.
7. [Among the] smooth things of a brook [is thy portion, They -- they are thy lot]. Here we have infatuation with (as evidenced by "…thy portion…") the modern equivalent of "luck." A talisman (literally, the "end", TELOS, of a religious rite); such were peculiarly shaped stones and whatnot from the effects of erosion and collisions and other such natural phenomena that became idol-darlings.
8. [Thou hast poured out an] Oblation. Literally a drink offering to their idol-gods.
8a. [Thou hast] caused a present to ascend. Literally to pray, chant, rave, burn incense, to their idol-gods.
9. [For these things am I] Comforted[?]-Strong's H5162. Consoled of the exceeding grief, the exceeding baggage of said idolatry that keeps piling on, itself squarely offensive toward Jehovah God. God is making a point by contrast here—the answer to His question is obvious—no way, quite the opposite; God is ever more grieved, not comforted, as their idolatry ever finds new means of expression. It is in a sense a rhetorical question, or better, a query-communique, an instrument in that regard, that serves to emphasize the obvious by forcing reflection upon contrasting extremes: grief over against comfort—and prayerful outworking thereof shows us that our God's heart bleeds here (this bleeding is the obvious; that is to say, His grief quantified). Verbal usage is Niphal (simple action, we like the reflexive voice in this context), imperfect (continuance in past time: here it bespeaks of, or, translates to, the ongoing nature of these accumulating, egregious offenses toward Jehovah God).
10. [On a mountain, high and exalted, Thou hast set thy] couch, [Also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice.]- Strong's H904. The subjects here are on the wrong mountain (Jehovah's Holy Mountain is the right one). The spiritual analog to physical, even sexual immorality is apparent from the context, thus bed, perhaps sleeping chamber and so forth, is apropos. In the wider sense we must recognize that there where these people (the Jews of Isaiah's day) engaged their lovers (idols) was a sort of heart-temple—this is clear from the location of these engagements—high and exalted (even though they had literal "high places" set aside for their pagan worship). Such a high and exalted "location" is precisely particular to the heart, and couch may just as well be understood so (as a [pagan] heart-temple). One's heart should belong to Jehovah, and Him alone, thus the heart in that case is His preferred dwelling place, but it is most often not so, as the heart far too often is a temple fraught with the worship of other gods; that is, fraught with idols/lovers (busyness, drugs, entertainment, fame, food, money, power, sex, technology, on it goes ad nauseam—sadly, in modern times, the media is so effective for Satan here with its endless parading of would-be idols before the eyes and ears of its audience): "…on a mountain, high and exalted, thou hast set thy couch, also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice…"
11. [And behind the door, and the post, Thou hast set up thy] memorial, [For from Me thou hast removed, and goest up]-Strong's H2146. We like reminder in this context. Said memorial (reminder), was that not supposed to be a reminder of Jehovah God, the things of Jehovah God (Deu 6:6-9, 11:18-20)?
12. [And sendest thine ambassadors afar off, And humblest thyself unto] Sheol-Strong's H7585. Literally the underworld, the place of the dead. In context the term is utilized to snapshot the extent to which they humbled (lowered themselves, bowing down, down) to secure the favors of the king whose support they sought. But Jehovah God was to them of no account here—not only did they not humble themselves before Him, they trivialized His omnipotence by worshiping idols they thought were more able to help them, and of course by ever so obligingly seeking out the favors of the kings around them, all alike a loud statement of disregard for and disrespect to Jehovah God which betrayed their total lack of faith in Him (thus it is, to the day, with many peoples: '…Give me tangibles, I want tangibles when the stakes are high…' Nothing wrong with tangibles, in fact they definitely have their place, but be careful, lest one's Tangibles become idols).
13. [In the greatness of thy way thou hast laboured, Thou hast not said, 'It is] desperate.'-Strong's H2976. Despairing of, desperate. Verbal usage is Niphal, participle (verbal noun; it relates continuance here in past time, as in "no return"—paraphrasing: '…Thou hast not said, 'there is no return'…' [or, hast not said, '...I've exceedingly poured myself into the service of these little gods and am wearied of this futile labor, this buffoonery, there's no return coming from it, I quit...']; that is, though wearied in the service of their idols, idol-reliance-hope/trust, and self-reliance-hope/trust [a form of idolatry when Jehovah God is nowhere or at no time called/relied upon] were ever the norm, were ever the anchor).
14. [The life of thy] hand [thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been sick]-Strong's H3027. Probably power, strength. When one is blessed to walk continually healthy and/or successful, one tends to walk tall, sometimes too tall, soon in the strength of one's heretofore blessings (and enlarged head), and if there is no knowledge of Jehovah God, or if there has been a falling away from Him, these blessings (including big-headed self) soon become gods, the first in a long line of gods serviced (literally ad nauseam) to ensure that the blessings continue. Some people would rather die than lose the blessings; but the Blesser (Jehovah God), well, as you can imagine, such folks need tangibles, so they concoct for themselves these tangibles, and have no problem worshiping and trusting them instead, worshiping and trusting them in their myriad, peculiar, personal ways (service of the so-called “GOOD LUCK GOD” is just one example here: this worthless little god is served in myriad ways by countless people precisely for reasons mentioned: “...The life of thy hand thou hast found [God is making a joke of these little dunghill deities here], therefore thou hast not been sick [!]...”
14a [The life of thy hand thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been] sick-Strong's H2470. Per note fourteen, we like the literal diseased, sick, weak.
15. [And whoso is] trusting [in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain]-Strong's H2620. "Make a refuge of and confidently flee thereto" is particularly apt in context. Verbal usage is Qal, active participle; note the participle.
16. [And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess] My holy mountain. “Zion.” Zion (=”fortification”) originally referred to the ancient Jebusite fortress that David captured. As a consequence of David's conquest the “stronghold of Zion” came to be called the “city of David” (2Sa 5:7, 1Ki 8:1, 1Ch 11:5). With Solomon's temple “Zion” came to include the Temple (Psa 2:6, 48:2, 11-12, 132:13-”Zion House”). Eventually it came to include Jerusalem, Judah, and/or Israel (Isa 40:9, Zec 9:13). For our purposes the spiritual sense does better here: it infers (1) there where is found the manifest presence of Jehovah God, not least His House of Prayer (note 16a), and infers (2) God's chosen people | true Israel and of course the heavenly Jerusalem, which is the Church (Isa 35:10, Hbr 12:22, 1Pe 2:6, Rev 14:1). We no longer make distinction here though (Eph 2:14-16). Generally note also (Psa 24:3, 87:1, Isa 2:3, 27:13, 66:20, Dan 9:16, note Eze 20:40, Joe 2:1, 3:17, Zec 8:3).
16a. House of Prayer. Singularly where worship of God takes place (also note sixteen). Certainly this can mean the Temple, in which case the term (prophetic) has great significance because of Jesus' reference to the same once more in His day (Mat 21:13, Mar 11:17, Luk 19:46, “Holy Week: The Cleansing of the Temple;” carefully note Jhn 4:20-24). But there is much more to God's House of Prayer than a building, for this is that house, or, space, or, better said, heart-space (notice that He claims this Space), where God meets with His people and vice-versa; that space wherein there is a joining of spirits between the great God and His people. This space is beautifully delicate, like the tender blossoms of a beautiful flower; it is up, up high, and it is ever so quiet there—only the soft hover of His Spirit is heard there, even suffusing Grace. It is a space entirely filled with intimacy, where prayer-by-prayer unfolds the tender familial love affair between the Beloved and His beloved. This space is holy ground, thus cultivated by both the Beloved and His beloved. There, is found not the mammon, nor things dirty, nor savage, nor... Is not this a space of/for rejoicing?!
17. [Lift a] stumbling-block [out of the way of My people]-Strong's H4383. In context idolatry is the issue, is the stumbling block; mistrusting God, relegating Him down, of no account, elevating tangibles over faith in Him (walking by sight, not faith, which smacks of mistrust, even disbelief—for if one believes in God, Jehovah God, one walks as needing nothing else; faith in Jehovah God redounds to an eternal perspective by His grace which redounds to deeper faith in Jehovah God which redounds to a deeper eternal perspective which redounds to deeper faith in Jehovah God which redounds to... Here is a positive, spiritual, feedback loop).
18 [the] high and exalted One, [Inhabiting eternity, and holy is His name]-Strong's H7311+H5375; super, supreme , surpassing, up, up, uppermost. Thus is Jehovah God; thus He has been, and thus He shall ever be, even holy—He inhabits eternity after all.
19. ['In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To] revive [the spirit of the humble, And to] revive [the heart of bruised one.']-Strong's H2421. We like quicken, restore to life in that sense. Verbal usage is Hiphil, infinitive (the absolute, expressing the verbal idea), both times. How good it is that we have you as our very own great Jehovah God, Reviver. Praised be your surpassing Name (“O, That Name!”).
20. [For, not to the age do I] strive [nor for ever am I wroth]-Strong's H7378. Contend, but there is purpose here—to sober, stress in that regard—physically, emotionally, spiritually; this is borne out by the (idolatry) context, against which our God expresses His disgust and to which He purposes His reforms. The follow-on text makes it clear that this striving is more than mere words: “...For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made...”—humankind would soon buckle were God to stress him unto Sin-sobriety too long. We see it practically as a means toward an (excellent) end. Verbal usage is Qal, imperfect—note the imperfect—here its continuance is negated by divine decree: “...For, not to the age do I strive...” (red font added), a divine decree rooted in compassion, and mercy, and love, and consummate understanding of the limitations of humankind: “...For the spirit from before Me is feeble, and the souls I have made...” Jehovah God knows His creation thoroughly. He loves the works of His hands, and means well (blessing) for the same (specifically, holiness, Christ-likeness—therein are we most blessed), whatever the means. This is to be expected of the (even our) Creator God, is it not? Indeed, and it would be disappointing if texts such as this striving here were somehow missing from the Word of God, from the Word of the Creator God. We thank you so much great Jehovah God for thus striving with us.
21. [For, not to the age do I strive, nor for ever am I] wroth-Strong's H7107. Notice the control God has over Himself: He is wroth for a time, a season, and acts accordingly: by the rules of Divine Justice, unto the maintenance of His holiness. Nevertheless let us not miss it: What God relates Here is flat out anger by Him toward Sin, let us not gloss it over. Amazingly, incredibly, God loves the sinner, yet He hates Sin; yes, He loves the sinner, imagine that; all one need do is look at the Cross to see the validity of this statement. Nevertheless, God hates Sin, it is an offense directed squarely at Him, and the sin of idolatry in this regard must be the quintessence of Sin from His perspective, Sin that kindles His wrath so. Why? Idolatry pretends to displace God. In its outworking it replaces Him with very unholiness, even the idol. He is relegated down, His holiness made of no account, while the unholy idol is elevated, held in high esteem. And all of this smacks of Satan doing that which long ago he boasted he would do (Isa 14:12-14). Can a Sovereign God mildly and passively “blink” this challenge to His sovereignty and affront to His holiness (to His very nature) away? No way. He shows Himself wroth here for good reason, as expected of the Sovereign One, the Holy One. Yet again, as deity He shows Himself to be in total control of His anger, and as we know from Calvary, though quite wroth with Sin, by way of His own Sacrifice He made Sin of no account (that's called turning the tables on Satan and Sin), that is, for as many sinners as would claim His Sacrifice for their very acquittal by God, thus gaining the blessing of peace with God, He no longer wroth, no longer striving with them. There is no peace as long as there is no peace with God; as long as God is wroth and strives with one unto holiness for the overspreading of His own holiness (His very nature). That is why there can be no peace for the wicked, something we shall address again later in the main section of the commentary. When God is satisfied to no longer strive, when His wrath is appeased, then peace may blossom and flourish. That dearest reader is why Calvary is our peace (“A Letter of Invitation” for the beloved unbeliever—in this letter you will by God's grace see that Jesus Christ can be your appeasement; your consummate peace [it is beyond all understanding this peace, because it is of God, of His nature]; it is our prayer that you will embrace this great savior God unbelieving friend and experience His surpassing peace forevermore).
21a. [For the iniquity of his] dishonest gain [I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding -- and am wroth]-Strong's H1215. Covetousness. Is not idolatry parked on the seat of covetousness?
22. [I] smite [him, Hiding -- and am wroth]-Strong's H5221. We opt for whip, “put a good 'ole' whuppin' on,” as the slang would put it, strike in that sense. Verbal usage is Hiphil, imperfect. Note both the Hiphil (intentionality) and the imperfect (duration in past time).
23. [I have been wroth, and I smite him], Hiding [-- and am wroth]-Strong's H5641. Woe when God “hides,” when He purposes to make Himself unavailable in the outworking of His greater purposes. They made themselves unavailable to Him preferring idolatry, so He teaches them here the import of Himself, His availability, by removing Himself as it were from them (the Babylonian captivity would fit here). Verbal usage is Hiphil infinitive (the construct, as a verbal noun). Note again the Hiphil, and the infinitive this time (duration not in past time but presently, and going forward here [if the exiles are in view, then at least until that judgment ran its pronounced course [Jer 29:10, cf. 2Ch 36:22]]).
24. [His ways I have seen, and I] heal [him, yea, I lead him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones]-Strong's H7495. They, as are all idolaters, were a heart-sick people, and they needed a heart doctor to heal them. It took some time, but the Great Physician, the Great Heart Doctor, did come into their midst as promised (Mat 5:4, Luk 4:23, cf. “Jesus our Jubilee”). Verbal usage is Qal, imperfect (note the imperfect).
25. [His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I] lead [him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones]-Strong's H5148. Lead and guide, be it day, or night, our God Jehovah was [is] a pillar of cloud for the one and a pillar of fire for the other (Exd 13:21, Jhn 14:6, 17). Verbal usage is Hiphil, imperfect (note the Hiphil, the imperfect).
25a [His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I lead him, And] recompense comforts [to him and to his mourning ones]-Strong's H7999. Make a covenant of peace with. Here the Sin-sobriety evinced by mourning (over Sin, over offenses toward God, over the fallout of offenses toward God, with a mindset and heart of repentance hard on the heels of that) is understood. Calvary frees God's hands to thus act here (Rom 5:1).
26. [And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones. Producing the] fruit of the lips, ['Peace, peace,' to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him, said Jehovah]-Strong's H5108. '...forgive my exceeding Sin great Jehovah God, how I detest offending you my Lord; heal me; cleanse me by the precious blood of Jesus—O how I need your cleansing; ever guide me in your excellent ways; lead me forward unto the likeness of Jesus my great savior God, and bring me safely home to you, there to dwell and rejoice in you forever great God. You alone fill me so. Amen...' May it not be but lip service.
27. [And the] wicked [are as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire. There is no peace, said my God, to the wicked!]-H7563. The wicked, and Satan, are kin. The wicked, “stand,” anti-Jehovah God. As touching the context of this commentary, they are of a specific stripe out of that broad sweep of wickedness that stands anti-Jehovah God—they are Jehovah-informed, impudent idolaters.
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A—>ALEF |
B—>BET |
G—>GIMEL |
D—>DALET |
H—>HE |
W—>WAW |
Z->ZAYIN |
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CH—>HET |
T—>TET |
Y—>YOD |
K—>KAF |
L—>LAMED |
M—>MEM |
N—>NUN |
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S—>SAMEK |
I—>AYIN (Capital i) |
P—>PE |
TS—>TSADE |
Q—>QOF |
R—>RESH |
SS—>SIN |
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SH—>SHIN |
TH—>TAW |
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a—>PATHACH |
e—>SEGHOL |
i—>HIREQ |
o—>QAMETS HATUF |
u—>QIBBUTS |
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a'—>QAMETS |
e'—>TSERE |
o'—>HOLEM |
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a''—>QAMETS HE |
e''—>TSERE YOD |
;—>SEGHOL YOD |
i''—>HIREQ YOD |
o''—>HOLEM WAW |
U''—> SHUREQ |
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a'''—>HATEPH PATHACH |
e'''—>HATEPH SEGHOL |
o'''—>HATEPH QAMETS |