2 Wherefore do ye spend H8254 money H3701 for that which is not bread? H3899 and your labour H3018 for that which satisfieth H7654 not? H3808 hearken H8085 diligently H8085 unto me, and eat H398 ye that which is good, H2896 and let your soul H5315 delight H6026 itself in fatness. H1880
For they have sown H2232 the wind, H7307 and they shall reap H7114 the whirlwind: H5492 it hath no stalk: H7054 the bud H6780 shall yield H6213 no meal: H7058 if H194 so be it yield, H6213 the strangers H2114 shall swallow it up. H1104
I G1473 am G1510 that bread G740 of life. G2222 Your G5216 fathers G3962 did eat G5315 manna G3131 in G1722 the wilderness, G2048 and G2532 are dead. G599 This G3778 is G2076 the bread G740 which G3588 cometh down G2597 from G1537 heaven, G3772 that G3363 a man G5100 may eat G5315 thereof, G1537 G846 and G2532 not G3363 die. G599 I G1473 am G1510 the living G2198 bread G740 which G3588 came down G2597 from G1537 heaven: G3772 if G1437 any man G5100 eat G5315 of G1537 this G5127 bread, G740 he shall live G2198 for G1519 ever: G165 and G1161 G2532 the bread G740 that G3739 I G1473 will give G1325 is G2076 my G3450 flesh, G4561 which G3739 I G1473 will give G1325 for G5228 the life G2222 of the world. G2889 The Jews G2453 therefore G3767 strove G3164 among G4314 themselves, G240 saying, G3004 How G4459 can G1410 this man G3778 give G1325 us G2254 his flesh G4561 to eat? G5315 Then G3767 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto them, G846 Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Except G3362 ye eat G5315 the flesh G4561 of the Son G5207 of man, G444 and G2532 drink G4095 his G846 blood, G129 ye have G2192 no G3756 life G2222 in G1722 you. G1438 Whoso eateth G5176 my G3450 flesh, G4561 and G2532 drinketh G4095 my G3450 blood, G129 hath G2192 eternal G166 life; G2222 and G2532 I G1473 will raise G450 him G846 up G450 at the last G2078 day. G2250 For G1063 my G3450 flesh G4561 is G2076 meat G1035 indeed, G230 and G2532 my G3450 blood G129 is G2076 drink G4213 indeed. G230 He that eateth G5176 my G3450 flesh, G4561 and G2532 drinketh G4095 my G3450 blood, G129 dwelleth G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and I G2504 in G1722 him. G846 As G2531 the living G2198 Father G3962 hath sent G649 me, G3165 and I G2504 live G2198 by G1223 the Father: G3962 so G2532 he that eateth G5176 me, G3165 even he G2548 shall live G2198 by G1223 me. G1691 This G3778 is G2076 that bread G740 which G3588 came down G2597 from G1537 heaven: G3772 not G3756 as G2531 your G5216 fathers G3962 did eat G5315 manna, G3131 and G2532 are dead: G599 he that eateth G5176 of this G5126 bread G740 shall live G2198 for G1519 ever. G165
Ephraim H669 feedeth H7462 on wind, H7307 and followeth H7291 after the east wind: H6921 he daily H3117 increaseth H7235 lies H3577 and desolation; H7701 and they do make H3772 a covenant H1285 with the Assyrians, H804 and oil H8081 is carried H2986 into Egypt. H4714
But G1161 in vain G3155 they do worship G4576 me, G3165 teaching G1321 for doctrines G1319 the commandments G1778 of men. G444
Again, G3825 he sent forth G649 other G243 servants, G1401 saying, G3004 Tell G2036 them which are bidden, G2564 Behold, G2400 I have prepared G2090 my G3450 dinner: G712 my G3450 oxen G5022 and G2532 my fatlings G4619 are killed, G2380 and G2532 all things G3956 are ready: G2092 come G1205 unto G1519 the marriage. G1062
And G2532 when he had called G4341 all G3956 the people G3793 unto him, he said G3004 unto them, G846 Hearken G191 unto me G3450 every one G3956 of you, and G2532 understand: G4920
And G2532 he went G4198 and joined himself G2853 to G1520 a citizen G4177 of that G1565 country; G5561 and G2532 he sent G3992 him G846 into G1519 his G846 fields G68 to feed G1006 swine. G5519 And G2532 he would fain G1937 have filled G1072 his G846 belly G2836 with G575 the husks G2769 that G3739 the swine G5519 did eat: G2068 and G2532 no man G3762 gave G1325 unto him. G846
But G1161 Israel, G2474 which followed G1377 after the law G3551 of righteousness, G1343 hath G5348 not G3756 attained G5348 to G1519 the law G3551 of righteousness. G1343
For G1063 I bear G3140 them G846 record G3140 that G3754 they have G2192 a zeal G2205 of God, G2316 but G235 not G3756 according G2596 to knowledge. G1922 For G1063 they being ignorant G50 of God's G2316 righteousness, G1343 and G2532 going about G2212 to establish G2476 their own G2398 righteousness, G1343 have G5293 not G3756 submitted themselves G5293 unto the righteousness G1343 of God. G2316
Though G2539 I G1473 might G2192 also G2532 have G2192 confidence G4006 in G1722 the flesh. G4561 If any G1536 other man G243 thinketh G1380 that he hath whereof he might trust G3982 in G1722 the flesh, G4561 I G1473 more: G3123 Circumcised G4061 the eighth G3637 day, of G1537 the stock G1085 of Israel, G2474 of the tribe G5443 of Benjamin, G958 an Hebrew G1445 of G1537 the Hebrews; G1445 as touching G2596 the law, G3551 a Pharisee; G5330 Concerning G2596 zeal, G2205 persecuting G1377 the church; G1577 touching G2596 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is in G1722 the law, G3551 G1096 blameless. G273 But G235 what things G3748 were G2258 gain G2771 to me, G3427 those G5023 I counted G2233 loss G2209 for G1223 Christ. G5547
Be G4064 not G3361 carried about G4064 with divers G4164 and G2532 strange G3581 doctrines. G1322 For G1063 it is a good thing G2570 that the heart G2588 be established G950 with grace; G5485 not G3756 with meats, G1033 which have G5623 not G3756 profited G5623 them that have been occupied G4043 therein. G1722 G3739
A man H376 to whom God H430 hath given H5414 riches, H6239 wealth, H5233 and honour, H3519 so that he wanteth H2638 nothing for his soul H5315 of all that he desireth, H183 yet God H430 giveth him not power H7980 to eat H398 thereof, but a stranger H376 H5237 eateth H398 it: this is vanity, H1892 and it is an evil H7451 disease. H2483
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken H8085 diligently H8085 unto my commandments H4687 which I command H6680 you this day, H3117 to love H157 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and to serve H5647 him with all your heart H3824 and with all your soul, H5315
My soul H5315 shall be satisfied H7646 as with marrow H2459 and fatness; H1880 and my mouth H6310 shall praise H1984 thee with joyful H7445 lips: H8193
Now therefore hearken H8085 unto me, O ye children: H1121 for blessed H835 are they that keep H8104 my ways. H1870
Come, H3212 eat H3898 of my bread, H3899 and drink H8354 of the wine H3196 which I have mingled. H4537
And said, H559 If thou wilt diligently H8085 hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and wilt do H6213 that which is right H3477 in his sight, H5869 and wilt give ear H238 to his commandments, H4687 and keep H8104 all his statutes, H2706 I will put H7760 none of these diseases H4245 upon thee, which I have brought H7760 upon the Egyptians: H4714 for I am the LORD H3068 that healeth H7495 thee.
If ye be willing H14 and obedient, H8085 ye shall eat H398 the good H2898 of the land: H776
They lavish H2107 gold H2091 out of the bag, H3599 and weigh H8254 silver H3701 in the balance, H7070 and hire H7936 a goldsmith; H6884 and he maketh H6213 it a god: H410 they fall down, H5456 yea, they worship. H7812
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 55
Commentary on Isaiah 55 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 55
Isa 55:1-13. The Call of the Gentile World to Faith the Result of God's Grace to the Jews First.
1. every one—After the special privileges of Israel (Isa 54:1-17) there follow, as the consequence, the universal invitation to the Gentiles (Lu 24:47; Ro 11:12, 15).
Ho—calls the most earnest attention.
thirsteth—has a keen sense of need (Mt 5:6).
waters … wine and milk—a gradation. Not merely water, which is needed to maintain life at all, but wine and milk to strengthen, cheer, and nourish; the spiritual blessings of the Gospel are meant (Isa 25:6; So 5:1; Joh 7:37). "Waters," plural, to denote abundance (Isa 43:20; 44:3).
no money—Yet, in Isa 55:2, it is said, "ye spend money." A seeming paradox. Ye are really spiritual bankrupts: but thinking yourselves to have money, namely, a devotion of your own making, ye lavish it on that "which is not bread," that is, on idols, whether literal or spiritual.
buy … without money—another paradox. We are bought, but not with a price paid by ourselves (1Co 6:20; 1Pe 1:18, 19). In a different sense we are to "buy" salvation, namely, by parting with everything which comes between us and Christ who has bought it for us and by making it our own (Mt 13:44, 46; Lu 12:33; Re 3:18).
2. not bread—(Hab 2:13). "Bread of deceit" (Pr 20:17). Contrast this with the "bread of life" (Joh 6:32, 35; also Lu 14:16-20).
satisfieth not—(Ec 1:8; 4:8).
hearken … and eat—When two imperatives are joined, the second expresses the consequence of obeying the command in the first (Ge 42:18). By hearkening ye shall eat. So in Isa 55:1, "buy and eat." By buying, and so making it your own, ye shall eat, that is, experimentally enjoy it (Joh 6:53). Compare the invitation (Pr 9:5, 6; Mt 22:4).
fatness—(Ps 36:8; 63:5).
3. me … live—by coming to me ye shall live: for "I am the life" (Joh 14:6).
everlasting covenant—(Jer 32:40; 2Sa 23:5).
with you … David—God's covenant is with the antitypical David, Messiah (Eze 34:23), and so with us by our identification with Him.
sure—answering to "everlasting," irrevocable, unfailing, to be relied on (Ps 89:2-4, 28, 29, 34-36; Jer 33:20, 21; 2Sa 7:15, 16; 2Co 1:18-20).
mercies of David—the mercies of grace (Isa 63:7; Joh 1:16) which I covenanted to give to David, and especially to Messiah, his antitype. Quoted in Ac 13:34.
4. him—the mystical David (Eze 37:24, 25; Jer 30:9; Ho 3:5). Given by God (Isa 49:6).
witness—He bore witness even unto death for God, to His law, claims, and plan of redeeming love (Joh 18:37; Re 1:5). Revelation is a "testimony"; because it is propounded to be received on the authority of the Giver, and not merely because it can be proved by arguments.
commander—"preceptor" [Horsley]; "lawgiver" [Barnes].
to the people—rather, "peoples."
5. thou—Jehovah addresses Messiah.
call … run—God must call, before man can, or will, run (So 1:4; Joh 6:44). Not merely come, but run eagerly.
thou knowest not—now as thy people (so in Mt 7:23).
nation … nations—gradation; from Israel, one nation, the Gospel spread to many nations, and will do so more fully on Israel's conversion.
knew not thee—(Isa 52:15; Eph 2:11, 12).
because of … thy God … glorified thee—(Isa 60:5, 9; Zec 8:23); where similar language is directed to Israel, because of the identification of Israel with Messiah, who is the ideal Israel (Mt 2:15; compare with Ho 11:1; see Ac 3:13).
6. The condition and limit in the obtaining of the spiritual benefits (Isa 55:1-3): (1) Seek the Lord. (2) Seek Him while He is to be found (Isa 65:1; Ps 32:6; Mt 25:1-13; Joh 7:34; 8:21; 2Co 6:2; Heb 2:3; 3:13, 15).
call—casting yourselves wholly on His mercy (Ro 10:13). Stronger than "seek"; so "near" is more positive than "while He may be found" (Ro 10:8, 9).
near—propitious (Ps 34:18; 145:18).
7. unrighteous—Hebrew, "man of iniquity"; true of all men. The "wicked" sins more openly in "his way"; the "unrighteous" refers to the more subtle workings of sin in the "thoughts." All are guilty in the latter respect, thought many fancy themselves safe, because not openly "wicked in ways" (Ps 94:11). The parallelism is that of gradation. The progress of the penitent is to be from negative reformation, "forsaking his way," and a farther step, "his thoughts," to positive repentance, "returning to the Lord" (the only true repentance, Zec 12:10), and making God his God, along with the other children of God (the crowning point; appropriation of God to ourselves: "to our God"). "Return" implies that man originally walked with God, but has apostatized. Isaiah saith, "our God," the God of the believing Israelites; those themselves redeemed desire others to come to their God (Ps 34:8; Re 22:17).
abundantly pardon—Literally, "multiply to pardon," still more than "have mercy"; God's graciousness is felt more and more the longer one knows Him (Ps 130:7).
8. For—referring to Isa 55:7. You need not doubt His willingness "abundantly to pardon" (compare Isa 55:12); for, though "the wicked" man's "ways," and "the unrighteous man's thoughts," are so aggravated as to seem unpardonable, God's "thoughts" and "ways" in pardoning are not regulated by the proportion of the former, as man's would be towards his fellow man who offended him; compare the "for" (Ps 25:11; Ro 5:19).
9. (Ps 57:10; 89:2; 103:11). "For" is repeated from Isa 55:8. But Maurer, after the negation, translates, "but."
10. The hearts of men, once barren of spirituality, shall be made, by the outpouring of the Spirit under Messiah, to bear fruits of righteousness (Isa 5:6; De 32:2; 2Sa 23:4; Ps 72:6).
snow—which covers plants from frost in winter; and, when melted in spring, waters the earth.
returneth not—void; as in Isa 55:11; it returns not in the same shape, or without "accomplishing" the desired end.
bud—germinate.
11. (Mt 24:35). Rain may to us seem lost when it falls on a desert, but it fulfils some purpose of God. So the gospel word falling on the hard heart; it sometimes works a change at last; and even if so, it leaves men without excuse. The full accomplishment of this verse, and Isa 55:12, 13, is, however, to be at the Jews' final restoration and conversion of the world (Isa 11:9-12; 60:1-5, 21).
12. go out—from the various countries in which ye (the Jews) are scattered, to your own land (Eze 11:17).
led—by Messiah, your "Leader" (Isa 55:4; Isa 52:12; Mic 2:12, 13).
mountains … trees, &c.—images justly used to express the seeming sympathy of nature with the joy of God's people. For, when sin is removed, the natural world shall be delivered from "vanity," and be renewed, so as to be in unison with the regenerated moral world (Isa 44:23; Ps 98:8; Ro 8:19-22).
13. thorn—emblem of the wicked (2Sa 23:6; Mic 7:4).
fir tree—the godly (Isa 60:13; Ps 92:12). Compare as to the change wrought, Ro 6:19.
brier—emblem of uncultivation (Isa 5:6).
myrtle—Hebrew, Hedes, from which comes Hedassah, the original name of Esther. Type of the Christian Church; for it is a lowly, though beautiful, fragrant, and evergreen shrub (Ps 92:13, 14).
for a name … everlasting sign—a perpetual memorial to the glory of Jehovah (Jer 13:11; 33:9).