{"notes_id":"eng_tyndale","book":"isa","verses":{"1":{"1":"These are the visions (literally The vision): This term introduces the book as a unified whole, covering Isaiah’s prophecies over a period of some fifty-five years (about 740–685 BC). • Isaiah son of Amoz: Beyond this, nothing is known of Isaiah’s family background. • Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah, was the center of Isaiah’s ministry. However, some of his prophecies also relate to the northern kingdom, Israel (referred to as Samaria and Ephraim, 9:8-21; 28:1-13), which fell in 722 BC (see 2 Kgs 17).","2":"heavens . . . earth: All of creation is called to witness the trial that God convened against Judah (cp. Deut 31:28; 32:1).","3":"an ox knows its owner: Not so with Judah. Yet despite their rebellion, God still graciously addressed them as my people.","4":"The expression Holy One of Israel is frequently used in Isaiah as a title for the Lord. God is the righteous and just King of heaven and earth (6:3-5), the incomparable God (40:25), and the Redeemer of his people (43:14). It was a terrible and foolish sin for Judah to reject him.","5":"God sent famine, war, disease, and death as punishment. In most cases, however, God wanted to change stubborn behavior rather than simply to punish. • As a result of their persistent rebellion, the people’s head is injured and their heart is sick. The nation was wounded physically from Assyrian aggression, while spiritually they were defiled and overtaken by sin (64:6).","6":"without any soothing ointments or bandages: Judah’s national condition was like the body of an injured person who had not received medical care.","7":"country . . . towns: By 701 BC, the Assyrians had destroyed the infrastructure, taken cities, and ravaged the fields (see 64:10). This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophetic word (6:11-13). Those who survived this Assyrian onslaught would know by experience to heed later warnings of exile to Babylon (39:6-7). God does what he says he will do, so the warning of God’s judgment on all the nations is certain.","8":"Beautiful Jerusalem (Hebrew The daughter of Zion): Zion, one of the hills on which Jerusalem stands, often served as a synonym for Jerusalem. Zion carried with it the notion of God’s presence (Ps 46), his protection of his people, and Jerusalem’s resistance to enemy forces. Now, however, the opposite was true. Jerusalem had become weak, like a helpless city under siege and like an abandoned . . . shelter or lean-to.","9":"The Lord of Heaven’s Armies refers to the millions of angels that are at the Lord’s command (see 2 Kgs 6:16-17; Matt 26:53). At the Exodus, Moses described God as a warrior fighting for his people (Exod 15:1-21). Ironically, in Isaiah’s day, God fought against Judah because of their wickedness (Isa 1:24; 3:1-5).","10":"Listen to (literally listen to the word of) the Lord: In this context, listen means to respond in obedience to the law (or teaching; Hebrew torah) of our God (see 2:3; 5:24). • leaders . . . people: All levels of society were guilty. • Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Jerusalem had come under divine judgment for its rebellion against God’s laws. Jerusalem might have been utterly destroyed like those cities were it not for God’s grace (1:9; see Gen 19).","13":"The incense that accompanied offerings was intended as a sweet fragrance to the Lord (see Exod 30:7-8), but when offered with hypocrisy it was a nauseating stench and an abomination to God. • While the Lord had ordered special days for fasting at the Temple (Lev 16:31; 23:32; Num 29:7), they were ruined by the guilt of Judah’s sin (see Isa 58:1-7; Matt 6:16-18). • pious meetings: These holy days were associated with the new moon and other festivals (see Lev 23).","14":"New moon celebrations occurred on the first day of each lunar month (Num 28:11-15) and included sacrifices, feasting, and rest from work. • The annual festivals were the festivals of Passover, Harvest, Trumpets, and Shelters (Num 28:16–29:39; Deut 16:1-17).","15":"I will not look . . . I will not listen: The Lord does not respond to prayer offered from a life of persistent wickedness. In this case, God charged the people with perverting his laws in order to practice violent injustice toward innocent victims.","16":"Wash . . . and be clean! The people were defiled by their sin and the uncleanness of their sacrifices. To be clean in God’s eyes, they needed to change their behavior, get rid of their sins, and give up their evil ways (see also 1:18).","17":"Seeking justice means upholding God’s standards of fairness and advancing the rights of the oppressed, orphans, and widows—those who are weak and marginalized in society (see also Jer 7:5-7; 22:3; Zech 7:10; Matt 23:23; 25:31-46; Jas 1:27).","18":"God called his people to come and settle their dispute so that he could restore his covenant relationship with them. This required Judah to make a decision between obeying or turning away (1:19-20). Isaiah says their sins are like scarlet . . . they are red like crimson, the color of blood, which Judah had unjustly shed (1:15). • white as snow . . . white as wool: The people would be radically transformed—cleansed, purified, and made holy (see also Ps 51:7; Dan 7:9).","20":"I, the Lord, have spoken! This statement marks the solemnity of what God has just promised. The phrase is used eleven times in Isaiah.","21":"The image of Jerusalem as a prostitute represents Judah’s unfaithfulness to God (see Jer 3:6-14; Ezek 16:25-26; Hos 1–3).","24":"The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, was usually Israel’s protector (31:5). However, in this context, God was coming to take revenge against his own people, who by their wickedness had become his enemies and foes.","25":"I will raise my fist against you: God, normally Israel’s protector, would become their attacker. However, he had a purpose beyond punishment. • I will melt you down. . . . I will remove all your impurities: God would use the Exile to remove the wicked from among his people and to refine those who would return.","26":"The restoration of the community would be marked by new leaders who uphold justice rather than perverting it (see 1:23). Jerusalem would again be pure silver (see 1:22), the Home of Justice and the Faithful City.","27":"Here, Zion refers to the remnant community. Only those who repent would receive God’s salvation and purification and would dwell in his presence. Zion was required to be the bastion of justice and righteousness, for God loves righteousness. God expected the covenant community to reflect the holy standards he cares about."},"2":{"1":"vision (literally word): This heading (see 1:1) likely introduces the revelation of chs 2–12. The main focus of this section is on Judah, but a handful of passages expand that focus to include the nations in general (2:2-4), humanity at large (2:6-22), Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel (chs 7–9), and the Assyrians (ch 10).","2":"In the Old Testament, the expression the last days is a general reference to the future era (see Jer 49:39; Ezek 38:16; Hos 3:5); in the New Testament, it is used to refer to the period that began with the coming of the Lord Jesus (Heb 1:2) and more specifically to the period immediately preceding the end of the present age (2 Pet 3:3). • The mountain of the Lord’s house referred to the Temple Mount. This location symbolized God’s glorious exaltation (see Isa 6:1) and his kingdom on earth. Isaiah’s focus on God’s exalted and supreme kingship flows out of his famous vision of God (ch 6). • Far from being a narrow nationalistic dream, Isaiah’s prophetic hope extended beyond Judah and Jerusalem to include people from all over the world.","3":"Human society will undergo changes as people conform to God’s revelation and follow his ways and paths. • Judah received the revelation (teaching . . . word) but did not obey it (1:10-15); however, the nations will be ready to do God’s will.","4":"The Kingdom of God is evident when conflict and violence end, and it is characterized by peace (Rom 14:17). People will cooperate willingly or they will be forced to end their hostilities (Ps 46:9). The nations will submit to divine arbitration rather than go to war (see Isa 1:18-20). • The words mediate and settle refer to God’s acts here, but later verses show the Messiah as the executor of justice (11:3-4). When this takes place, war will cease, and the nations will change their instruments of war into agricultural tools. • swords into plowshares: Cp. Joel 3:10, where the nations are exhorted to hammer their plowshares into swords.","5":"Come . . . let us walk: Walking in God’s light (his revelation) will lead to glorious participation in his kingdom (see 60:1; 1 Jn 1:7). God is the only light that overcomes the darkness of sin and evil (Isa 9:2). People cannot generate such light in and of themselves (59:9) but must walk in the light God provides, as they trust him and live in obedience to his will (50:10). • The phrase descendants of Jacob alludes to Israel’s special historic relationship with the Lord as well as their history of sinfulness and rebellion (see 14:1; 48:1).","6":"The Lord had rejected his people to discipline them (8:17). While not permanent, the rejection seriously threatened their expectations of a glorious future. • sorcerers: These practitioners of pagan religion were expressly banned from Israel (Deut 18:10-11). • The Philistines were Israel’s ancient enemies (Isa 9:12; 11:14; 14:29, 31).","10":"In the day of God’s judgment, people will seek refuge in caves in the rocks, natural hiding places in the rocky land of Judah, rather than repent in humility before almighty God. Kings and leaders as well as slaves and free persons will seek protection from judgment (see also Rev 6:15). • The terror of the Lord refers to God’s unbridled wrath against wickedness that will be revealed on the day of the Lord’s judgment. The prophecy shifts from Israel (Isa 2:5-6) to humanity at large. The Lord is against anything and anyone that exalts and trusts in human structures and beliefs rather than in him (2:11-12, 22).","13":"The cedars of Lebanon were prized trees used in the construction of Solomon’s Temple and palace (1 Kgs 5:6) and other important buildings (Ezra 3:7). They represented wealth and power (2 Chr 25:18; Pss 92:12; 104:16), yet these mighty trees were as nothing before the Lord (Isa 10:34; 33:9; see the boast of Sennacherib in 37:24). • The oaks of Bashan were also an image of strength and splendor (Ezek 27:6); they, too, will disappoint (Isa 33:9; Nah 1:4; Zech 11:2).","16":"every magnificent vessel: Ornate sea-going vessels were a sign of prosperity.","17":"The day of judgment is the “day of the Lord” (see 13:4-13).","22":"The judgment prophecy of 2:6-21 is set between two related exhortations: to trust the Lord (2:5) and not to put trust in human beings (2:22). • Human strength is temporary, frail as breath (see Ps 90)."},"3":{"1":"take away . . . bread . . . water: God had long ago warned of famine, with its horrible conditions that sometimes led to desperate acts, as one possible judgment for wickedness (Lev 26:26-29).","4":"Conditions would be so severe that boys and toddlers would qualify as candidates for office. By this, Isaiah either meant that adult leaders would be so decimated that only children would be left alive to assume the role or simply that the new leaders would be as immature, unwise, strong willed, and inexperienced as children.","9":"The very look on their faces: At this time people boldly displayed their rebellion against God.","10":"The godly—the righteous remnant—will receive God’s rewards (see 40:10).","11":"The wicked who practice and execute injustice will receive God’s just punishment.","13":"The Lord is both the prosecutor and the supreme judge in this trial against his people.","14":"elders and rulers: Wickedness and abuse by ungodly and incompetent leadership thwarts God’s purpose for his people (see also 3:12). Therefore, leaders come under more severe judgment because they bear responsibility for the welfare of those under them. • my vineyard: See the Song of the Vineyard (5:1-7).","15":"The Lord cares for the poor. These were the marginalized and oppressed (see 1:17), but God is their protector (see 25:4). God called for his people to share his concern for the poor, but the Israelites were exploiting them to gain wealth (see 3:14).","16":"The dramatic descriptions show how the people of Jerusalem loved their refined way of life. They openly displayed their proud self-reliance, power, and prestige. • Beautiful Zion: See “Zion” Theme Note.","25":"The men . . . will die in battle: Part of the city’s hopeless destitution would be the deaths of the men."},"4":{"1":"During Isaiah’s ministry, Jerusalem’s population was so decimated through war, famine, and disease (3:1-3; 6:13; 14:30; 22:2; 37:4) that there were few men left, creating an absence of leadership (see 3:1-12). Even worse conditions lay ahead with the approaching war between Judah and the alliance of Syria and Israel in 734–732 BC (2 Chr 28) and eventually the conquest and fall of Jerusalem (605–586 BC).","2":"The branch in this context probably refers to the remnant that would constitute Israel’s new beginning after the Exile (see 6:13). Some also understand it as representing the ideal descendant of David, the Messiah (see 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15-16; Zech 3:8; 6:12). • A beautiful and glorious transformation from shame and disgrace (Isa 3:17-25) to fertility and beauty would manifest God’s presence and blessing among the remnant (4:6). • The fruit of the land, nature itself, would also be transformed from desolation to glory. Elsewhere, Isaiah described the future circumstances as resembling the Garden of Eden (see 51:3; 65:22). The message of renewal finds its ultimate fulfillment in the new creation (see Rom 8:19-27; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 2:15; 4:24; Rev 21:22-27). • Those who survive in Israel—the remnant—would be the true citizens of Zion.","3":"To be holy was the requirement for citizenship in Zion, where God dwells in his glorious majesty (see 6:3; Heb 12:14). • The remnant would have their names recorded among the living in the Book of Life (Exod 32:32; Dan 12:1; Mal 3:16; Rev 3:5; 20:12).","4":"God’s judgment has a purifying effect on his covenant people (see Mal 3:3). Justice must be satisfied before restoration can be offered.","5":"The references to a canopy of cloud . . . and smoke and flaming fire recall God’s continuous presence and protection during the exodus from Egypt (Exod 13:21-22; 14:21-22).","6":"shelter (literally shadow; see 32:2): See 32:2; God’s protection would keep the remnant safe from enemies and from the destruction he would bring on the wicked (33:14-16)."},"5":{"1":"The one I love refers to the Lord; the prophet was singing this song on the Lord’s behalf. • At first, the song sounds like a love song, but by 5:3 readers realize it is actually a complaint. • On Israel as God’s vineyard, see also 3:14; Matt 21:33-46; John 15:1-17.","2":"The Lord gave the best care to his vineyard, preparing and nursing it as an expert agriculturalist. He watched over it with great attentiveness, planting the best vines—ones that had the potential for abundant sweet grapes. God had great expectations of Israel as his people (see Exod 19:5-6), so the bitter grapes they produced—their unrighteous deeds—were useless and disappointing (cp. Gal 5:22-23).","6":"The withholding of rain was at times a divine judgment (Deut 28:23-24; Hag 1:11; 2:16). It was especially devastating to a society that depended heavily on agriculture.","7":"The identification of Israel as the vineyard is a surprise that resolves the riddle of this passage. • Here, a powerful play on Hebrew words indicted Israel. The Lord expected justice (Hebrew mishpat) but saw only oppression (mispakh) of the needy. Instead of righteousness (tsedaqah), there were cries of violence (tse‘aqah) against the poor (see 1:21-23).","10":"As with drought (5:5-6), the reduction of crops was at times a divine judgment (see Hag 1:6, 9; 2:16).","12":"Self-indulgent and contented, these people never think about the Lord. They were too busy enjoying their drunken parties to reflect on why things went bad in the first place, such as why God sent no rain, or why they lost a battle.","13":"Israel and Judah would go into exile to Assyria (722 BC) and Babylon (586 BC). • The people did not respond to the Lord because they did not know him (see 1:3). They likely knew about him, but their behavior showed that they did not know him in any intimate way.","14":"The grave (Hebrew Sheol) represented the place of the dead in ancient Near Eastern thinking (see 14:9).","16":"God’s kingship is by definition just and righteous, and he will be exalted by his justice. At his exaltation, oppressors will be condemned (see 1:21-23).","18":"God’s ropes were “ropes of kindness and love” for Israel (Hos 11:4).","19":"The people challenged God to hurry up and do something to prove that he really exists and is in control of this world. The verb hurry up translates two Hebrew verbs: maher (“be quick”) and khush (“be speedy”). The same Hebrew words are used in the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isa 8:1). • God’s plan was revealed to Isaiah. Little did the people know that God’s purposes would turn against them.","20":"What sorrow: The fourth threat of judgment was against a lack of integrity. • evil is good . . . dark is light . . . bitter is sweet: This twisted way of looking at life corrupts God’s holy order.","21":"What sorrow: The fifth threat of judgment concerned the folly of self-deception.","24":"The image of rotting roots reflects human transience (cp. 11:1; 27:6; 37:31). • To despise the Lord’s word means to ignore it, to live without regard for keeping it. Such an attitude toward God’s revelation leads to folly and ruin (Prov 1:30; 5:12; 15:5).","25":"mountains tremble: God’s wrath against sinners is often expressed as the shaking of the earth’s foundations (13:13; 23:11; 24:18-19; 29:6; 54:10). God’s appearance in judgment or salvation in natural phenomena such as smoke, darkness, lightning, and earthquake is called a theophany (see 6:1-4, 6; 13:13; Exod 19:18-19; Ps 18:7-15; Mic 1:3-4; Rev 8:5; 16:17-18; 18:21-22).","26":"The signal was a banner raised on a long pole and often placed on a high hill (see also 13:2; 18:3; 30:17). The expression signal to distant nations is common in Isaiah and might be a call for participation in battle (as here) or in salvation (11:10, 12; 49:22; 62:10). • Distant nations refers to the Assyrians and Babylonians, who served as instruments of God’s judgment on Israel (722 BC) and on Judah (586 BC). They were the wild “animals” (5:5) called in to trample the vineyard (5:1-7). They would fiercely attack Israel and Judah, not letting up until God’s judgment was complete (5:27-30).","30":"day of destruction (literally that day; see study note on 2:5-22). • In Old Testament prophecy, darkness represents the experience of God’s alienation, wrath, and judgment (see also 8:22), while light stands for his holy presence (see especially 60:2, 19)."},"6":{"1":"At the time of King Uzziah’s death, the Assyrians had begun to reassert their dominance in the ancient Near East. It marked the beginning of an era dominated by major world powers—Assyria, then Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. • I saw the Lord: “Lord” (Hebrew ’adonay) is used to describe human rulers as well as God. God is the supreme King. • on a lofty throne: The apostle John also had a vision of God’s heavenly throne (see Rev 4:2; 7:10; 21:5). • If just the train of the Lord’s robe filled the Temple, how great and majestic must have been the robe itself and the one wearing it.","2":"The mighty seraphim are heavenly beings not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture (but see also Rev 4:6-9; 15:8). The Hebrew term might suggest an association with fire. They covered their faces so as not to look on God.","3":"The triple usage of the word holy emphasizes the absolute separateness of the Lord. • The whole earth is filled: Because there is no verb in the Hebrew, two slightly different translations of the seraphim’s proclamation are possible. It could be that the earth, though defiled, is currently filled with his glory in creation. Or, it could mean that the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord when he establishes his kingship on the earth in the future. Either way, the Lord’s glorious presence will one day dwell more fully on earth, despite humanity’s sinfulness and the power of wicked nations. God’s glory was further revealed in the incarnation of the Son (John 12:41; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:4-7).","5":"It’s all over! I am doomed: The prophet felt unworthy of the vision. He was painfully aware of his personal uncleanness (sinful . . . filthy lips) when compared to the holiness of God. Isaiah knew that he was unworthy to speak the pure word of God, as were his people.","7":"your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven: The prophet’s experience of forgiveness anticipated Israel’s national need for forgiveness and cleansing (43:25; 44:22; see study note on 39:6-7).","8":"Who will go for us? The Lord spoke in the presence of his angels, the heavenly council (see also 1 Kgs 22:19-22; Jer 23:18, 22). • Here I am: The prophet was so overcome by the grace of God in cleansing him that he willingly committed himself to a lifetime of ministry.","9":"do not understand . . . learn nothing: The prophet’s words brought out the heart response of his audience. The people were so sunk in sin that when they heard the truth it did not bring them closer to God but actually drove them away (e.g., Ahaz, ch 7). Yet the truth had to be declared. Jesus also applied this principle in his own preaching (Matt 13:14-15; Luke 8:10; 19:42; John 12:40; see also Acts 28:26-27; Rom 11:8).","10":"Isaiah was God’s agent to stimulate blindness and deafness in the wicked and sight and hearing in the godly (see also 29:9-10, 18; 35:5; 42:7, 16-19; 43:8; 56:10; 59:10). • turn to me for healing: The Lord was ready to heal those who truly repented, but not those who merely wanted to avoid judgment while holding on to their sinful ways.","11":"how long . . . until . . . the whole country is a wasteland: During the prophet’s ministry (740 to 685 BC), the nation was plagued by wars, famines, and other forms of devastation.","13":"Even if a tenth—a remnant—survive, the judgment would continue until nearly all were destroyed. The prophet often spoke of near extermination or decimation (9:18-21; 10:20; 22:4; 48:19; 51:18) but maintained the hope of a remnant who would make a new beginning (7:21-22; 29:23; 37:31; 44:26; 49:19; 54:1). • Israel’s stump will be a holy seed: The stump represents a remnant of holy people (see 4:2-3) whose new leader would be pleasing to the Lord (11:1)."},"7":{"1":"Rezin was king of Syria. Damascus was Syria’s capital city. • Pekah was king of Israel 740–732 BC. He was a renowned warrior (2 Chr 28:5-8). • Pekah and Rezin began to attack Jerusalem while Jotham was king (750–732 BC), and they intensified their efforts during the early years of young King Ahaz (2 Kgs 15:37; 16:5).","2":"hearts . . . trembled with fear: In contrast, Ahaz’s son King Hezekiah faced the Assyrians some thirty years later with great faith (701 BC; see 37:6-7, 14-20).","3":"The aqueduct was a place where political negotiations took place later during Hezekiah’s reign (see 36:2).","4":"he doesn’t need to fear: This was a “fear not” prophecy (common in Isaiah) in which the Lord assured his people of his presence and purpose. • two burned-out embers: If Ahaz had God’s perspective, he would have seen that Rezin and Pekah were minor threats who were about to be extinguished.","6":"The son of Tabeel, otherwise unknown, was obviously sympathetic to Israel’s and Syria’s resistance against Assyria.","8":"The Assyrian kings Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal had Israel resettled with people from other places within sixty-five years (by 670 BC; see 2 Kgs 17:24-34). • Damascus was crushed and completely destroyed by 732 BC, and Samaria was crushed by 722 BC.","9":"The last sentence is a play on two Hebrew words: If you do not have faith (ta’aminu), you will not stand firm (te’amenu). Firm trust in the Lord is utterly essential, especially for a leader of God’s people (see also 2 Chr 20:20), and it must be firmly acted upon in order to demonstrate that it exists. Ahaz and his contemporaries trusted their enemy (Assyria) rather than God. By contrast, Hezekiah later demonstrated his faith in the Lord in a similar context (see Isa 36–38).","11":"A sign of confirmation would be performed before Ahaz’s eyes as a token of God’s truthfulness. His son Hezekiah would also receive such a sign (see 37:30).","12":"I will not test the Lord like that: Despite this seemingly pious response (based on Deut 6:16), Ahaz was most likely already in negotiations with the Assyrians and had already decided whom he would trust for rescue in this war.","14":"This prophecy received its ultimate fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:18-24). Yet it is likely that it also had a partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day, either with the birth of godly king Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son, or with the birth of one of Isaiah’s children. The similar sequence of the verbs in Isa 7:14 and 8:3 (conceive . . . give birth . . . call) and the link between Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz in 8:5-10 suggest that Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz were the same person. • The name Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’) symbolized God’s presence and protection. God was with Judah during the attack by the alliance of Syria and Israel (734 BC), in the Assyrian crisis (701 BC), and throughout their prolonged existence until their fall in 586 BC. The kingdom of Israel fell during the time of Isaiah (722 BC). The assurance “I am with you” remained significant even in the exilic and postexilic periods (41:10; 43:2, 5). The greatest assurance ultimately came in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God (Matt 1:23; see also Rev 12:5).","17":"Israel broke away from Judah in 931 BC (see 1 Kgs 12:19-20). • will bring the king of Assyria upon you: Ahaz called Assyria in to help (2 Kgs 16:8-9), but Assyria turned against him and made Judah a vassal state.","19":"Locations such as desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places were places of refuge for the desperate (see 2:10). However, Judah’s enemies would find them there.","20":"shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people: In the ancient Near East, forced shaving was an act of disgrace (see 2 Sam 10:4-5). Here it was a metaphor for the despoiling of the country."},"8":{"1":"The meaning of the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“Swift to plunder and quick to carry away”) applies both to Judah’s enemies (8:4) and to Judah itself (8:7-8). They had trusted Assyria in place of God, and now Assyria would turn on them and all but destroy them. God was with them (Immanuel; see 7:14), but his presence would be destructive if they refused to trust in him (see 8:14).","3":"my wife: Literally the prophetess. • Like the name Immanuel (7:14), Maher-shalal-hash-baz is symbolic. It is possible that this child was the partial fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy as well (see study note on 7:14). The ultimate fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy occurred with the birth of Jesus (Matt 1:22-23).","4":"before this child is old enough: See also 7:16. • Damascus and Samaria were ruined and destroyed in 732 BC, fulfilling this verse along with 7:8, 19-20.","6":"The gently flowing waters of Shiloah supplied Jerusalem with water. Here they represent God’s loving presence and provision (see Ps 46:4). • Ahaz rejected the sign and the promise of God’s protection. He was not a man of faith (Isa 7:9), and now the people were following in his footsteps by placing their hope in Assyria to save them from King Rezin and King Pekah (cp. 7:7-9, 16).","7":"The mighty flood from the Euphrates River represents the invading Assyrian army (see Jer 47:2). The river would overflow all its channels when the Assyrians marched deep into Judah. This stood as a frightening contrast with the gently flowing waters of Shiloah (Isa 8:6).","8":"chin deep: Judah barely survived the Assyrian assaults in 701 BC (see chs 36–37). • submerging your land from one end to the other: From north to south, Judah was nearly devastated, except for the city of Jerusalem (see 1:8-9; chs 36–37). • Immanuel: Despite their failure to trust him and the disaster it brought, God was still with his people (see 7:14).","10":"God is with us: See 7:14; 8:8.","12":"People regarded Isaiah’s message of non-involvement with Assyria as treasonous, part of a conspiracy. But Isaiah was not trying to play political games; rather, he proclaimed God’s message. • What frightens them was the alliance of Syria and Israel attacking Judah (see 7:1, 4).","13":"To make the Lord . . . holy meant giving him first place in life and acknowledging that nothing is greater than he is. • Fear of God means reverencing him as God (Prov 1:7). The people of Judah were not to fear Israel and Syria or the Assyrians (Isa 7:9; 10:24).","14":"He will keep you safe (literally he will be a sanctuary): God is a place of refuge. • stone . . . stumble . . . rock . . . fall: By trusting Assyria rather than God, the people of Jerusalem would find themselves in a trap and a snare as the Assyrians turned against them. For those who trust in the Lord, however, he is faithful and strong (28:16; see Ps 118:22-23; Luke 2:34; Rom 9:32-33; 1 Pet 2:6-8).","16":"instructions (Hebrew torah): The Torah defined Israel’s covenant relationship with God, but the people were quick to forget (see also 1:10).","17":"I will wait for the Lord . . . I will put my hope in him: Isaiah’s message against Syria, Israel, and Assyria would be proven true in the historical events that followed. The fulfillment would further encourage the godly to await the final downfall of all ungodly power structures (see 8:9-10). Waiting for the Lord requires submission, prayer, hope, and faith (see 25:9; 26:8; 33:2), resulting in a quiet spirit and a renewal of inner strength (40:31). The book of Hebrews applies these words to Jesus Christ (Heb 2:13). • God had turned away; the people of Israel and Judah were alienated from the Lord because of their sin.","18":"I and the children the Lord has given me (see the application to Jesus Christ in Heb 2:13): The names of the prophet Isaiah and his children carried significance as signs and warnings. Shear-jashub (a remnant will return; 7:3) was a sign of God’s faithfulness to Judah. Maher-shalal-hash-baz (swift to plunder and quick to carry away) signified the destruction of Damascus and Samaria (8:1-4) and the desolation of faithless Judah (8:5-8). The name of Isaiah (Yahweh is salvation) itself signifies that salvation is from the Lord alone. These three names also represent major themes in the book: the remnant, the desolation of Judah, and salvation. Immanuel (God is with us) embodies all of these themes, along with the idea that Judah would be protected if only it would trust in the Lord.","20":"God gave instructions and teachings through the law and through his prophets, such as Isaiah (see 8:16)."},"9":{"1":"Zebulun and Naphtali were northern tribes in Israel (Judg 6:35). They were humbled by the Assyrian invaders under Tiglath-pileser III in 734 and 732 BC. In Jesus’ lifetime, this prophecy was connected with his coming out of Galilee (Matt 4:14-16). • Galilee of the Gentiles was the region of Israel between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. It was heavily influenced—culturally, religiously, and politically—by the surrounding Gentile nations.","4":"The people experienced the rule of other nations as a yoke of . . . slavery and a heavy burden (Jer 30:8). • oppressor’s rod: In Isa 10:5, the Assyrians are called “the rod of [the Lord’s] anger.” Just as God’s anger will cease, so will Assyria’s oppression of Judah (14:5). • The Lord had destroyed the army of Midian through Gideon (see Judg 6:35; 7:22-25).","5":"Burning the boots and uniforms marked the end of the need for instruments of war.","6":"a child is born to us, a son is given to us: This child, the Messiah, would be David’s descendant (11:1). • he will be called: These names can be read as four throne names, signifying the nature of the child’s rule: (1) The Wonderful Counselor conforms to God’s wisdom (11:1; 25:1; 28:29; 40:13), unlike the counselors of Judah (1:26; 3:3). (2) Mighty God is an affirmation of the Messiah’s divine nature. (3) He cares for his children as the Everlasting Father, the father whose care continues forever (cp. 22:21; 63:16). (4) The Prince of Peace is a leader who brings peace. • Alternatively, the four names could be collapsed into two: (1) “A Wonderful Counselor [is] the Mighty God”; and (2) “the Everlasting Father [is] a Prince of Peace” (on his nature, see 11:1-9). • Jesus Christ, the Son of David (Matt 1:1; Luke 1:32; see also Isa 7:14; 8:3, 18), will bring in the kingdom of his peace (Rev 19).","7":"Like Ahaz, this ruler will be a descendant of David. Unlike Ahaz and the rulers of Jerusalem (1:21-23), he would trust God and rule with justice and righteousness (11:1-3). Jesus the Messiah reigns for all eternity (Luke 1:32-33).","10":"In their proud confidence, Israel thought it would replace whatever was lost with more expensive items (see 2:13-16; Amos 5:11).","11":"Rezin’s enemies were the Assyrians (7:4, 17; 8:4). Rezin was king of Syria (see ch 7).","17":"Even widows and orphans, ordinarily objects of God’s compassion (1:17, 23; 10:2), became objects of his wrath when they were unrepentant.","21":"Manasseh and Ephraim represent the northern kingdom as its largest tribes. The two largest tribes of Israel and Judah fought amongst themselves. This is probably a reference to the war between Judah and the alliance of Syria and Israel, which is commonly called the Syro-Ephraimite War (7:1-12). In that conflict, brothers savagely fought against brothers (2 Chr 28)."},"10":{"1":"What sorrow introduces a threat of divine judgment.","3":"The implied answer to Isaiah’s rhetorical questions was that there would be no one to turn to when God punished Judah. • Disaster came first from the distant land of Assyria and later from Babylon.","5":"The Assyrians were God’s instrument (rod . . . club) in judging Syria, Israel, and Judah, but they would not go unpunished for their own wickedness.","6":"Despite their privileged calling as God’s covenant people, Judah had become a godless nation, making them the object of God’s anger (10:4). • The word plunder translates both the Hebrew words shalal and baz, recalling the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (see 5:19; 8:1, 3, 5-10).","7":"will not understand: The Assyrians did not realize they were following God’s intended purpose to punish Israel and Judah. Because they went about savagely killing and looting other nations of their own accord, God would also hold them guilty.","9":"We destroyed: By 717 BC, the regions to the north of Judah were firmly in Assyrian hands. Calno, in northern Syria (referred to as Calneh in Amos 6:2), fell to the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III in 738 BC. Carchemish, on the Euphrates River, was taken by King Sargon II in 717 BC. Hamath, on the Orontes River, was subjugated in 738 and 720 BC. Arpad was located south of Calno. Damascus and Samaria, the capitals of Syria and Israel, were taken in 732 and 722 BC, respectively (Isa 7:8; 8:4).","10":"whose gods were greater than those in Jerusalem and Samaria: Assyria would make this argument while threatening Jerusalem (36:19-20; 37:12).","11":"Assyria destroyed Samaria under Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in 722 BC (2 Kgs 17:3-6). If Samaria and Judah worshiped the same God, and Assyria had already defeated Samaria, the king of Assyria could expect to defeat Judah also.","12":"Any royal power that exalts itself against the Lord, the Great King, is proud and arrogant (see 2:11-12) and will be crushed.","13":"my own powerful arm . . . my own shrewd wisdom (cp. 10:5): God alone is all-powerful and wise. He plans the future, and he determines which nations will rise to power and which will be defeated.","15":"ax . . . saw . . . rod . . . wooden cane: Such instruments are only as good as the person who uses them. Assyria considered itself independent of the hand of God, but their conquests were made possible only by his permission and to serve his purposes (10:5).","16":"The fulfillment of this prophecy was in 701 BC, when 185,000 Assyrian troops were killed by plague and flaming fire (see 37:36).","20":"left . . . the survivors: A remnant from Jerusalem barely survived, but their safety was secure because God promised to preserve them (see 1:8-9; 4:2; 6:13; 37:31-32). • All these wars would teach the Israelite remnant to no longer depend on allies such as Assyria. Instead, they would faithfully trust in the Lord (see 8:13; 17:7).","22":"God had similarly promised descendants as numerous as the sand of the seashore to Abraham (Gen 22:17). • rightly decided to destroy: God’s decision was a just response to the people’s persistent wickedness.","24":"as the Egyptians did long ago: See Exod 1:8–2:25.","26":"Gideon triumphed over the Midianites: See Judg 7:25.","27":"Israel’s bondage ended in 539 BC with a new exodus from exile."},"11":{"1":"stump . . . shoot . . . new Branch . . . from the old root: This new growth refers to the continuity of David’s royal family line despite its virtual cessation during the Exile (see also 6:13; 39:7; Rev 22:16). The new growth from the old roots would not be like the former frail and unjust descendants of David (see Isa 4:2). Jesus, the Messiah, is the final fulfillment.","2":"The Spirit of the Lord will rest on the Messiah. The succession of David’s line is guaranteed by the Spirit. The Messiah’s coming would bring justice and righteousness (11:4), peace (11:8), and the extension of the Kingdom to the nations (11:10; see also 32:15-16). • The promised Messiah would have great wisdom and understanding, like Solomon, as well as knowledge and the fear of the Lord (1 Kgs 3:28; 4:29; Prov 1:1-7; 2:6-7). • The Spirit of counsel and might alludes to Isa 9:6. The Messiah will be full of wisdom and will have the power to execute his righteous rule.","3":"obeying the Lord: Literally the fear of the Lord, as in 11:2 (see Prov 1:7).","4":"The poor and . . . the exploited would receive the justice due to them, which the wicked leaders of Judah had previously withheld. • the force of his word: Literally the scepter of his mouth (see Ps 2:9; Rev 19:15).","5":"By virtue of the righteous character of the Messiah, his reign will be characterized by justice, righteousness, and truth, in contrast to the conditions of Jerusalem described in 1:21.","6":"In that day means in the coming age of the Messiah. The prophecy that follows received partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day or shortly thereafter. The final fulfillment is found in the coming of the Messiah to inaugurate and then fully establish the age to come.","9":"Nothing will hurt or destroy: There will be no evildoers, corruption, or sin on God’s holy mountain (Zion).","10":"the heir to David’s throne: Literally the root of Jesse (11:1; Rev 5:5; 22:16). • The Messiah will bring salvation to all the world (Isa 2:1-5). Members of other nations will even serve as priests and Levites (66:20-21), but only if they repent and believe in the true God.","11":"The first time the Lord reached out his hand was at the Exodus; the second time will occur in the future when the Messiah gathers Gentiles (11:10) and his own people who live among the Gentile nations (11:11). The Exodus remained the paradigm of hope for those in exile (see 11:16; 35:8; 40:3; 43:19-20; 48:21). • The remnant of his people included Israelites who survived the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions and were sent into exile.","13":"jealousy between Israel and Judah: The two kingdoms had become enemies during Judah’s war with the alliance of Syria and Israel (see 7:1-12). In the future, they would cooperate in joint military expeditions.","14":"Philistia to the west: The Philistines were Israel’s historic enemy. • The nations to the east included the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites. All foes would be vanquished."},"12":{"1":"God’s comfort is the main subject of chs 40–66.","2":"God’s promise to save includes reconciliation (1:18), participation (11:10), cleansing and protection (4:3-6), peace and confidence (32:16-17), and restoration (11:6-9). • Lord God (Hebrew Yah Yahweh): The first word is an abbreviation of the second. • The Lord God is my strength and my song: See Exod 15:2; Ps 118:14.","3":"God’s salvation is like a deep and unending source of water that provides life (see also 41:18; Ps 87:7).","6":"See Pss 48:1; 96:4; 99:2."},"13":{"1":"At the time of this prophecy, Assyria was the major power. Isaiah anticipated the rise of Babylon as an even crueler kingdom that would destroy Judah and Jerusalem (39:6-7; chs 46–47). The universal language of 13:1–14:23 suggests that in this context, Babylon represents all wicked and arrogant nations in the same way that “Babylon the Great” does in the book of Revelation (Rev 18). Therefore, while this description of Babylon’s fall applies to the fall of historic Babylon in 539 BC, it also applies until the final judgment against the ultimate kingdom of evil (Rev 19).","2":"A signal flag or banner that could be seen clearly from a great distance was often placed on a bare hilltop as a call to battle. • God stands against Babylon as the symbolic representative of all evil kingdoms.","5":"Just as Assyria was the rod of his anger (9:4; 10:5, 15), other nations serve as the Lord’s weapons and carry out his will. The Medes and Persians conquered Babylon in 539 BC. • God’s wrath is an expression of his justice as well as his intent to restore order to the world by obliterating evildoers (10:25-26; see Lam 2:22; Ezek 7:19).","6":"When pronouncing judgment that is still in the future, the prophets sometimes spoke as though it had already arrived. This emphasized the urgency of turning back to God (Ezek 30:3; Joel 1:15; 3:14; Obad 1:15; Zeph 1:7).","8":"Pangs . . . like those of a woman in labor: The day of the Lord brings sudden and overpowering pain and fear for the wicked (see also Jer 30:6; Hos 13:13; Mic 4:9, 10; 5:3).","10":"Cosmic upheaval and darkness are common images for the day of the Lord, a time of God’s judgment (see also Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24; Rev 6:12-13; 8:12; cp. Isa 30:26).","11":"punish the world: See Rev 20:11.","12":"Solomon’s imported gold came from Ophir (1 Kgs 9:28).","13":"God will shake the heavens. The earth will move: Cosmic upheaval will accompany God’s coming in judgment (see study note on 5:25; see also Hag 2:7, 21; Heb 12:26-27; Rev 16:17-18; 18:21-22).","16":"These terrible acts of war would be perpetrated against Babylon, itself a cruel conquering power (see also Ps 137:8-9; Jer 6:11-12; Nah 3:10).","17":"The Lord is sovereign and controls history. He can stir up kingdoms to execute his will. • The Medes from northwestern Iran joined Persian King Cyrus in fighting against Babylon in 539 BC.","20":"Babylon will never be inhabited again: Babylon, often a symbol of idolatry, immorality, imperialism, and oppression in Scripture, will one day come completely to an end (see Rev 18:2; 19:2)."},"14":{"1":"The Hebrew word here translated mercy draws from the imagery of a woman’s maternal care for her child to illustrate God’s merciful love for his people (see also 49:15; 66:13). • God had initially chosen Israel as his special people when he called Abraham (see 41:8; Gen 12:1-3). Although their status did not change during the Exile, they faced God’s wrath like any other wicked nation because they had rejected him. • settle once again in their own land: This promise began to be fulfilled in 538 BC (see Ezra 1:1-11). • People from many different nations would join Israel as the people of God (see also Isa 2:3-4; 11:11-12; 19:18-25; 60:1-14).","2":"Just as Israel was subject to the Lord, so the nations of the world would submit themselves to the Lord through Israel (45:14; 49:7, 23; 60:12, 14; 66:23). • The oppressed nation of Israel will rule over its enemies, assuming a position of power and favor with God.","3":"God gives . . . rest (i.e., relief; 28:12; see Deut 25:19; 2 Sam 7:11) from the sorrow and fear, . . . slavery and chains Israel experienced under foreign oppressors (see Isa 9:4).","4":"A taunt is a mocking comparison in song form. In this instance, the king of Babylon is compared to a dead man entering the world of the dead.","9":"The Babylonians saw the place of the dead (Hebrew Sheol) as a place of no return. • stand up (literally get up from their thrones): The thrones reflect the Babylonian concept of the life hereafter as a continuation of the same mode of existence as the present life. It appears that the other kings are honoring the great king of Babylon, but the next verses tell a different story.","10":"weak as we are: The Babylonian king had no power over anyone after death and was unable to leave Sheol. The Israelites will mock this great king who on earth appeared to have no weaknesses.","11":"Babylon’s might and power and the sound of the harp were ended, and its magnificence was destroyed (see also Rev 18:22). • Maggots and worms symbolized death and decomposition (Isa 66:24).","12":"fallen from heaven, O shining star: These words allude to the Canaanite story of the god Helel’s rebellion against the god El (chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon) and his fall from heaven. Some see the fall of the king of Babylon here as symbolizing the fall of Satan (see Ezek 28; Luke 10:18; Rev 12:9). However, there is little to suggest that Isaiah understood it in that way. He was thinking of the historical king of Babylon. • son of the morning: The battle took place under the early morning sun. The Latin Vulgate translates the term as Lucifer (morning star), a name for Satan in Christian tradition, but the Hebrew text makes no apparent reference here to Satan.","13":"This verse alludes to the Canaanite belief that the chief god El and the other gods were enthroned on Mount Zaphon, a northern mountain (see Ps 48:2; for a New Testament application, see Matt 11:23; Luke 10:15).","14":"Most High: See Gen 14:19-22.","21":"As another sign of disgrace, the king of Babylon would have no children to provide a future legacy. • because of their father’s sins: God looks at individuals in relationship to their families and their people. Here, the Babylonian king’s children had joint responsibility for their father’s actions (see also Deut 5:9-10).","24":"I have planned . . . I have decided: No nation can either diminish or resist God’s plans to bring judgment against Assyria or his plans in general. The prophets understood and communicated God’s plan so that his people could respond appropriately.","25":"This prophecy told what would happen when Sennacherib attacked Hezekiah some years later in 701 BC (see chs 36–37).","26":"The Lord’s power over Assyria is just one example of his sovereignty over the whole earth.","29":"The king who attacked Philistia was probably Ahaz (14:28). • a more poisonous snake: This probably refers to one of the later Assyrian kings, either Sennacherib (701 BC), Esarhaddon (680 BC), or Ashurbanipal (668 BC).","31":"The advancing army, probably Assyria, would stir up clouds of dust like smoke that were ominously visible in the north.","32":"The Lord has built Jerusalem: God was fully willing and capable of defending Judah, and he did not want the kingdom to make alliances with nations such as the Philistines to protect themselves from the invading Assyrians."},"15":{"1":"Moab was Judah’s enemy, situated on the eastern side of the Dead Sea. • In one night: Destruction would be sudden and decisive.","2":"In the ancient Near East, actions such as shaving or cutting off their beards revealed deep sorrow (see Jer 48:37).","4":"Heshbon was the former capital of Sihon (Num 21:23-26). • Elealeh was located close to Heshbon. • Jahaz was between Heshbon and the Arnon River (see Jer 48:34).","5":"My heart weeps for Moab: The prophet joined in the lament to express the greatness of Moab’s pain. • Zoar was in the southeastern area of the Dead Sea (Gen 14:2; 19:23).","6":"Identification of the waters of Nimrim is uncertain (see also Jer 48:34). • dried up . . . scorched . . . tender plants: For the theme of natural resources drying up as a form of judgment, see study note on Isa 24:4.","9":"Dibon: The Masoretic Text reads Dimon, which is a play on the word translated blood (Hebrew dam). • blood: Apparently many people from Moab had already been killed, but their judgment had only begun."},"16":{"1":"Moab was known for its sheep (see 2 Kgs 3:4). The lambs were sent as tribute to Judah in recognition of Judah’s sovereignty over Moab. • Sela (the cliff), an unknown remote site, was apparently where the Moabites escaped through the desert.","5":"God would establish one of David’s descendants as king (see also 9:7; 11:1-5, 10-12).","6":"The Moabites’ hardened state of pride and arrogance and rage and boasting prevented them from humbling themselves before God.","8":"The vineyards at Sibmah were located by the Moabite city of Heshbon. • Moab was like a luxuriant vine that extends far and wide, but Israel’s beautiful vine reached to the ends of the earth (27:6). • The location of Jazer is unknown.","12":"The hilltops were sites for pagan shrines (see 15:2). • No one will be able to save them, including the idols the Moabites called on for protection (see 40:18-19; 44:18-19).","14":"Within three years, counting each day (literally Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them; see also 21:16): A man who had sold himself into servitude for a period of time would calculate how much time remained right down to the final day. This verse refers to events that are unknown. • The glory of Moab will be ended, probably because of the Assyrian conquest of Moab (late 700s BC). • only a feeble few will be left alive: Though decimated by war, the Moabites still existed during Nehemiah’s time (Neh 13:23)."},"17":{"1":"Damascus, the ringleader in the alliance of Syria and Israel against Judah, fell when the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III invaded in 732 BC.","2":"The towns of Aroer were east of the Dead Sea (see 2 Kgs 10:32-33). • Flocks will graze in the streets: The city would be useless for any other purpose.","3":"The strategic fortified towns of Israel were the pride of Israel, but they could not resist God’s purposes.","4":"Israel’s glory will grow dim: God will judge all human pride. • Israel’s robust body will waste away like a person who is ill.","5":"The valley of Rephaim was a fertile valley in Judah; however, it looked bare after each harvest.","6":"Although the God of Israel judged the wickedness of Israel, he was still its God.","7":"The people referred to here are either Israelites or humanity at large. • look . . . turn their eyes: They will again put their trust in the Lord.","8":"Canaanites and then Israelites worshiped the fertility goddess Asherah in wooded areas or, in the absence of wooded areas, using Asherah poles (see 27:9; 65:3; Mic 5:14).","9":"The Hivites and Amorites were members of the original population of Canaan; they were to be destroyed when the Israelites conquered the land (see Deut 20:17).","10":"The Israelites had mixed faith in the Lord with elements of Baal worship. They turned from the Lord, who alone is God and will not be held alongside an idol in people’s hearts. • The term Rock refers to the Lord’s ability to provide refuge (see 26:4; 30:29; Ps 18:2, 46).","12":"At times, the sea represents opposition to God (see Job 7:12; 26:12; Pss 46:3; 93:3).","13":"God will silence them: The Lord is sovereign over the nations, as he is over the sea (Ps 65:7).","14":"In the evening . . . by dawn: Despite frightening circumstances, Israel can have confidence in the Lord’s ability to save quickly (see 37:36-38)."},"18":{"1":"Ethiopia was at the southern extremity of the kingdom of Egypt. At the time, Egypt was ruled by the dynasty of the Ethiopian Piankhi.","3":"Both the battle flag and ram’s horn were used to marshal and send signals to armies in battle (see Judg 3:27; 6:34; 2 Sam 2:28).","4":"The Lord is untroubled by human activities; he watches quietly from his dwelling place and acts in his own time (see Ps 2:1-4).","5":"your plans are ripening: Ethiopia had made every effort to form alliances to protect itself against Assyria, but its alliance with Judah would not help.","7":"Conquered or weaker nations were often forced to pay tribute to a dominant king in the region (see 16:1; 2 Kgs 3:4-5). The Ethiopians would come bringing gifts to honor the Lord for his defeat of the Assyrians (see also 2 Chr 32:23)."},"19":{"1":"Riding on a swift cloud shows God’s sovereignty and power over creation (Ps 104:3). He is coming in judgment against Judah’s enemies (see Deut 33:26; Pss 18:9-10; 68:4; 97:2-3). • The idols of Egypt tremble because they are weak and impotent, unable to help (see Isa 40:18; 45:16; 46:1).","2":"Egypt had a history of civil wars that ravaged the country. Egypt’s fragile unity was breaking apart.","3":"Idols . . . spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead were called upon in an attempt to ward off impending destruction (see 8:19-22; 47:12-13).","4":"hard, cruel master: In 671 BC, the Assyrian king Esarhaddon invaded Egypt and destroyed the royal city of Memphis. In 663 BC, Ashurbanipal attacked and destroyed Thebes (see Nah 3:8-10).","5":"The waters of the Nile were Egypt’s lifeline. Any disturbance in the regular pattern of flooding affected the whole nation. In ancient Egypt, the Nile was considered to be a god. However, the true God could easily dry it up.","9":"There was no flax or thread: The drought crippled the linen industry.","11":"Zoan was the capital of Egypt, located in the Nile delta (see Num 13:22). • officials . . . best counsel: The king depended on the strategies and counsel of wise men (Isa 19:12; see Gen 41:39-40). • The officials of Zoan were known for all their wise ancestors, and Egypt liked to brag about them.","12":"Where are your wise counselors: Cp. 1 Cor 1:20.","13":"Memphis was an ancient capital in Egypt located south of the Nile delta. It was destroyed by Esarhaddon in 671 BC.","15":"There is nothing Egypt can do: No leader, idol, or conventional wisdom can stand against God’s judgment. • The head and the tail represented all of Egypt’s leaders from the greatest to the least important (see 9:14-15).","16":"An upraised fist (literally waving the hand) was a threatening motion.","18":"five of Egypt’s cities: This is probably just a way of saying “a number of cities” (see also 17:6; 30:17). • Jews living in Egypt after the destruction of Jerusalem spoke Hebrew, here called the language of Canaan. • Heliopolis was devoted to Re, the sun god. At a time when Judah was resisting the Lord, Isaiah envisioned the Egyptians following the Lord.","19":"This altar or monument refers either to the temple that was built by Jews at Elephantine in Egypt (500 BC), to some other Jewish place of worship, or perhaps to a memorial the Egyptians constructed in devotion to the Lord.","20":"The altar (19:19) would be a sign and a witness of the Egyptians’ religious connection with Israel (see 19:24-25). • God answers the prayers of those who cry to the Lord for help. • The Lord is a savior; he would protect the Egyptians even as he protected Jerusalem from the Assyrians.","22":"strike Egypt: The Hebrew verb used here is the same as the one used for the tenth plague (Exod 12:13, 23, 27), bringing up associations of what God did during the Exodus. • The Lord, who brings a plague, can also bring healing. • he will listen to their pleas and heal them: This expresses a covenantal relationship between the Lord and Egypt (see Isa 65:24).","23":"Traditionally, Egypt and Assyria were enemies of one another and of Israel. They were idolatrous to the core, but they would leave behind their enmity and their idols to worship the true God. • In the rugged terrain of the ancient Near East, a highway provided a means for safe, easy travel and trade (see 11:16; 35:8; 40:3; 62:10).","24":"Israel will be . . . a blessing in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen 12:3).","25":"Two designations usually reserved for Israel, my people and the land I have made (see 29:22; 32:18), are applied here to foreign nations. The Lord promised to regard those from the nations who turn to him as his special possession (63:17)."},"20":{"1":"Sargon of Assyria is Sargon II (721–705 BC). • Ashdod was one of the five Philistine cities that rebelled against Assyria in 713 BC.","2":"Prophets characteristically wore burlap or other rough clothing as a sign of mourning over the sins of the people (see 2 Kgs 1:8; Mark 1:6). • naked: That is, exposed in some way, possibly even completely nude."},"21":{"1":"concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea: This description of Babylon was perhaps an ironic way to say that the land was physically lush but spiritually desolate. • Disaster . . . from the desert: Literally from the desert, from the terrifying land (cp. Deut 8:15).","2":"I see: The prophet personalized Babylon’s experience, which intensifies his poetry, as does the terse language and the repetition of similar sounds, such as the betrayer betraying (Hebrew habboged boged) and the destroyer destroying (Hebrew hashoded shoded; also in 33:1). • The Elamites lived to the northeast of Babylon. Along with the Medes, they were archrivals of the Babylonians. • I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused: Babylon had caused groaning by attacking and enslaving many nations. It is likely that the Elamites and Medes played a part in the overthrow of Babylon in 539 BC (21:9).","3":"I grow faint . . . I am too afraid: Through his vision, Isaiah experienced the terror of the Babylonian people (see also Dan 8:27; 10:16-17).","7":"The riders were messengers who reported what had taken place on the battlefield.","9":"Babylon is fallen, fallen: Assyrian king Sennacherib destroyed the city of Babylon in 689 BC. The final fall of Babylon was in 539 BC. In Scripture, Babylon represents all the ungodly power structures of this world, including nations and kingdoms that do not submit to God and his word. The apostle John gave hope with his prophecy that all Babylons will fall (Rev 14:8; 18:2). • All the idols of Babylon lie broken: False gods could not save the Babylonians (see Isa 46:1-2).","10":"O my people: The focus shifted back to the people of Judah. • Judah would be oppressed (threshed and winnowed) by the Babylonians but Babylon, too, would fall. • I have told you everything: The prophet had been faithful in his duty to report what the Lord revealed to him.","12":"Morning is coming, but it would mark the beginning of another oppressive era. Because the Babylonians were on the horizon, night will soon return.","13":"Dedan was a tribe in Arabia (see Ezek 27:20; 38:13). • Caravans would hide in the deserts of Arabia from attacks by the Assyrians and Babylonians, both of whom harassed the Arabian tribes (see Isa 21:1-10; Jer 49:28-29).","14":"Tema was an oasis in Arabia on a main trade route from Babylon.","15":"Assyrian weapons of war such as the drawn sword and the bent bow were highly advanced compared to the primitive weapons used by desert peoples.","16":"Kedar was an Arabian tribe that had great wealth and possessions (see 60:7; Ezek 27:21).","17":"Only a few . . . will survive: Cp. 10:22; 14:30; 16:14; 24:6, 13; 37:32."},"22":{"1":"concerning Jerusalem—the Valley of Vision: The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain. Assuming that it refers to Jerusalem (see 22:5), it is ironic: Jerusalem sits atop a hill, and visions were not typically thought to originate in a valley. Similarly, Jerusalem was proud of its self-perceived religious vision, but its inhabitants were spiritually blind (see 6:10; 42:18).","2":"The reveling city was full of feasting and drinking (22:13; see 23:7; 32:13), probably in response to the Assyrian retreat. Now a new threat approaches—the Babylonian siege (586 BC). • The people died not in battle but by famine and disease. Siege warfare left the inhabitants of the city cut off from needed agricultural resources and in a terrible sanitation and health crisis.","3":"Leaders might try to flee, but they would not escape (see 2 Kgs 25:4-6).","4":"Leave me alone to weep: Isaiah mourned the victims and the decimation of his people (see 6:13).","5":"Jerusalem’s walls were broken by the invading Babylonians, who breached them with battering rams (2 Kgs 25:4).","6":"Elamites: Elam was to the east of Babylon and would later play a role in Babylon’s defeat (see 21:2; also Jer 49:34-39). • The actual location of Kir is unknown (see also Amos 1:5).","7":"The Kidron and Hinnom valleys were located to the east and south of Jerusalem.","8":"to the armory: This magnificent building was both an armory and a storage place for valuables (see 39:2; 1 Kgs 7:2-6).","9":"Jerusalem (literally the city of David): Calling Jerusalem “the city of David” evokes memories of Israel’s greatest king and God’s blessing upon him and the nation (see also 60:14). • You store up water in the lower pool: Hezekiah expended great energy in ensuring a constant supply of water (see 22:11; 2 Kgs 20:20).","14":"you will never be forgiven for this sin: The people of Judah added sin upon sin to the point that God would justly condemn them. This foreshadowed the Exile; although it took place in 586 BC, Isaiah was already anticipating it in 701 BC.","15":"The actions of Shebna represent among the populace a lack of confidence in God’s ability to rescue Jerusalem from the Assyrian attack. • A palace administrator held the highest possible position in the royal court (see 22:21-22).","16":"Shebna was building a beautiful tomb . . . a monument. This lavish burial place was intended to last for centuries.","18":"toss you away into a distant, barren land: Shebna would not find a resting place or have a memorial (cp. 14:11-20). • your glorious chariots: In his high position, Shebna had lived in luxury.","21":"A leader is like a father to the people when he truly cares for them and addresses their needs. In contrast, Shebna was concerned only for himself.","22":"The key to the house of David represents a high position of honor in the royal court (see also Rev 3:7). • When he opens doors . . . when he closes doors: The officer with the highest position has sole authority in giving access to the king (cp. Matt 16:19).","25":"I will pull out the nail: Even godly Eliakim would not be able to save Judah or David’s dynasty from God’s judgment. The people of Judah would go into exile more than a century later (39:6-7)."},"23":{"1":"The ships of Tarshish plied the sea between the Phoenician coast and the port of Tarshish in Spain (see 2:16; 23:6). • rumors you heard in Cyprus: Cyprus was the last port of call for sailors coming home from Spain before the final leg of their journey to Tyre.","2":"Sidon was a Phoenician port to the north of Tyre. • Tyre’s commercial network of traders was extensive.","3":"Fish, agricultural produce, flax, and linen were all harvests from along the Nile (see ch 19). • Tyre was known as the marketplace of the world, comparable to modern cities like New York, Hong Kong, or London.","4":"Part of the great port city of Tyre was on an island. The island city was a fortress of the sea, but it fell in 332 BC. • I am childless; I have no sons or daughters: This metaphor was a judgment on Tyre’s colonial ports around the Mediterranean Sea. In the ancient world, to reach old age without having children was considered a terrible fate (see 49:21; 54:1).","5":"Egypt depended on the ships from Tyre for the export of its products (see 23:3).","8":"The Lord had brought this disaster on Tyre (23:9). • Through commercial links, Tyre had created wealth for itself and its trading partners; in this sense, Tyre was a great creator of kingdoms.","10":"Sweep over the land like the flooding Nile: This difficult phrase means either (1) that the sailors who had returned from Tarshish were being invited to loot ruined Tyre; or (2) that the people of Tarshish were forced to move back to their agricultural fields to make their living (instead of trading) now that Tyre had been destroyed.","11":"Phoenicia was the region north of Israel. Tyre and Sidon were its main cities.","13":"Babylonia was stripped and looted by the Assyrians under Sennacherib (689 BC); eventually it rose to be a mighty empire once again.","17":"Metaphorically, Tyre was a prostitute because of its indifferent willingness to sell anything to anyone (cp. Rev 17:2; 18:3, 12-13).","18":"Even though Tyre’s earnings came from unrighteous commerce, the profits will be given to the Lord rather than being squandered. • There will be good food and fine clothing for the Lord’s priests. The theme of the wealth of the nations being brought to the Lord in Jerusalem is more fully developed in 60:5-11; 61:6."},"24":{"1":"destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland: There is a play here on the Hebrew words baqaq (destroy) and balaq (make a wasteland). The devastation will begin with Judah and be extended to the whole world (see 1 Pet 4:17). • All the earth will be destroyed, the people as well as national political structures.","4":"earth . . . dries up . . . land wastes away and withers: The prophets often used the imagery of a drought to get the attention of people who live off the land (see also Jer 23:10; Joel 1:12; Amos 1:2).","5":"Isaiah was probably referring to the everlasting covenant that God made with all humanity through Noah (Gen 9:8-17). The prophet saw a parallel with the wickedness in his day and the wickedness of the pre-flood world.","6":"The effect of sin is so great that no earthly thing or action can adequately atone for it. Hope ultimately lies in God himself. God has reconciled the world to himself in Christ (Col 1:19-20).","7":"Merrymakers will sigh and mourn because they are dependent on wine for pleasure.","8":"Tambourines and melodious chords of the harp represent good times (see 5:12; Rev 18:22).","10":"city writhes in chaos: With normal levels of urban disarray being raised to chaotic and dangerous disorder, people will be forced to seek refuge in locked homes.","11":"Gladness has been banished from the land, not by edict, but because there is no reason to celebrate.","13":"stray olives left on the tree: The remnant will include godly people both from Israel (see 17:6) and from other nations. • The theme of the remnant is common in Isaiah (see “The Remnant” Theme Note; see also 10:22; 14:30; 16:14; 24:6; 37:32).","16":"But my heart is heavy with grief: The prophets were well acquainted with the emotional pain brought on by the sin of their people and its consequences (see 15:5; 21:4; Jer 15:10; Mic 1:8). • Although aspects of the new world are present, the deceit of the old world still prevails for a time.","18":"No one can escape the day of the Lord (see study note on 2:5-22). • Destruction falls like rain from the heavens (literally the floodgates of heaven are opened): The imagery is like the flood in Noah’s time (see study note on Gen 7:11-12). • the foundations of the earth shake: An earthquake is characteristic of a theophany, a physical manifestation of God’s presence (see also Isa 6:4; 13:13; 19:1).","21":"The phrase translated gods (Hebrew tseba’ hammarom, “armed host of the heavens”) might refer to pagan gods represented by the stars. It might also refer to the angels or even demons (Rev 12:4, 9). Judgment will extend to all parts of creation (Isa 13:13; 34:5; see Eph 6:11-12).","22":"put in prison . . . punished: See also 2 Pet 2:4; Rev 9:2, 11; 17:8."},"25":{"3":"Assyria and Egypt were strong . . . ruthless nations, but in the future they will exalt God rather than their own power.","6":"In Jerusalem: Literally On this mountain—that is, the mountain of the Lord (see 2:2; 24:23): This does not refer to a geographical city but to Zion, the eternal city of God (see 1:8, 27).","8":"He will swallow up death forever: Isaiah’s hope was God’s power over sin and sin’s devastating results. In the New Testament this promise is realized in Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:54). • The Lord’s presence will be a source of eternal comfort; he will wipe away all tears (see Rev 21:4).","10":"on Jerusalem: Literally on this mountain. • Moab (see 15:1–16:14) here represents the nations under judgment, those who trust only themselves (see 34:5-17). • like straw trampled down: The people would be helpless and dying in the most degrading circumstances.","11":"Isaiah used the image of a swimmer forcibly kept under water to illustrate that Moab’s people are hopelessly doomed and their human pride will be conquered."},"26":{"1":"Our city refers to Zion, the eternal city of God, where the Lord is present to protect and bless his people (see 1:8, 27; see also Ps 46). Zion stands in direct contrast to the “mighty cities” of the nations (Isa 25:2; 26:5), which are helpless and are brought down to “ruins.” • The walls of God’s salvation protectively enclose his people; no one can hurt them again.","2":"Open access is given to all who, like God and his Messiah, are righteous and faithful. The citizens of true Zion are committed to the Lord.","3":"A perfect peace, marked by harmony, quietness, and confidence, is a benefit of the new creation.","5":"The proud and arrogant are often characterized as exalting themselves (see 2:11-12), whereas God humbles them.","6":"Justice finally occurs when the needy walk all over the ruins of the city where the proud have perished.","7":"God will do what is right for those who walk in his way, even if they have to suffer a while longer (see 24:16). One day, they will experience harmony and integrity (see Prov 2:8-9; 15:19).","8":"we show our trust (see 26:3-4; literally we wait for you): Waiting involves trust in the Lord and longing for his redemption. • People express their commitment to God by obeying his laws; mere lip service is not sufficient.","9":"I search . . . I earnestly seek: Cp. Ps 63:1.","10":"God has shown kindness to the wicked. Although they deserve judgment (see also Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9), he has been patient and forbearing and has blessed them. However, time will run out one day.","11":"An upraised fist expresses anger and the threat of judgment (see also 19:16). • Fire was often an image for God’s judgment.","15":"This verse is a confident expression of thanks for God’s blessings. In Isaiah’s time, during King Hezekiah’s prosperous reign, the borders of the nation of Israel were extended, and people gave glory to God for his great deeds.","16":"While waiting for God’s salvation (26:1), the godly were in distress and longed for their vindication. They prayed beneath the burden of God’s discipline. In Hezekiah’s time, Judah was in distress when Sennacherib attacked and destroyed the whole nation except for Jerusalem.","17":"The imagery of a pregnant woman in childbirth describes the nation’s pain when Assyrian king Sennacherib attacked it in 701 BC (see 37:3).","18":"Only God can give salvation and bring life (see 59:9-15).","19":"those who die . . . will live: There is hope for the remnant. Some hold the minimal interpretation that this means the people would be restored to the land after the Exile (see Ezek 37:11-12) or that the Lord would preserve Jerusalem (see Isa 29:4, 6-8). More likely it refers to the resurrection of the body from the grave (see 25:7-8). The Old Testament has little to say about the resurrection, but this text anticipates fuller development in the New Testament (see 1 Cor 15:12-58).","20":"God will punish the wicked, so the godly should go home and stay out of the way.","21":"The wicked retain power now, but their oppressive rule will end in the day of the Lord’s wrath, when he will punish them for their sins."},"27":{"1":"Israel adapted the imagery of Leviathan to refer to evil powers that oppose God. Leviathan’s death symbolizes the end of evil, Satan, the demonic, and the dominion of forces hostile to God (see 51:9; Pss 74:14; 104:7-9, 26; see also the serpent in Gen 3; Rev 12; 13; 16:13; 20:2, 10).","3":"God identifies himself as the Lord of the covenant to assure his people that what he says and does is reliable (see Exod 6:2-3). The phrase is used many times throughout Isaiah. • watch . . . watering . . . watch: The Lord will provide even greater care and protection for his ultimate vineyard than he did for Israel, his first vineyard (see Isa 5:1-2).","5":"God expects all his people to turn to him and to trust him for help. • Let them make peace with me is God’s offer of reconciliation for his people.","6":"Jacob’s descendants will take root and the remnant will increase (37:31; cp. 5:24; 14:30; for application to the Messiah, see 11:1, 10). • fill the whole earth: The fulfillment of this prophecy extends beyond the restoration of Israel from exile to the second coming of the Lord Jesus. It includes all the righteous children of God—Jews and Gentiles—who suffer but remain obedient as they wait for the fullness of redemption (see 26:18; John 15:1-8).","7":"Despite being God’s covenant people, Israel was struck and punished like any other wicked nation. However, Israel was not completely destroyed; a remnant remained.","8":"The Assyrians exiled large numbers of citizens from the northern kingdom of Israel when Samaria fell in 722 BC. The Babylonians exiled many from Judah from 605 to 586 BC. • Storms from the east were known for their destructive effects (see Job 27:21; 38:24; Jer 4:11).","9":"God’s justice requires him to punish sin. That punishment is designed to correct behavior and to purify. Being conquered and exiled wasThe Exile occurred so that to purge Israel’s wickedness and to take away all her sin (see Rom 11:27). • This was to be the end of all the pagan worship in Israel, including the incense altars and the poles that were used in worshiping the goddess Asherah.","10":"Places previously associated with human power and accomplishment would be ruined to the extent that animals would graze in them.","11":"The people were outside of God’s covenantal care; they foolishly turned away from him.","12":"Yet: God’s withholding of mercy from Israel (27:11) will be temporary. • from the Euphrates River . . . to the Brook of Egypt: God’s remnant will return from Assyria and Egypt to the territory that God promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18; see 1 Kgs 4:21).","13":"The great trumpet was used to gather the people (see Matt 24:31)."},"28":{"1":"The drunks of Israel epitomized pride, spiritual complacency, and scorn for God and his commands. • Unlike Jerusalem, Samaria was in a fertile valley.","2":"the Lord will send: The covenant God will act against his own people, whose behavior had effectively disqualified them as God’s people (see Hos 1:9). • The mighty army is that of the Assyrians, who destroyed Samaria in 722 BC.","7":"The priests and prophets led the people astray. • Intoxicating beverages such as wine and alcohol were prohibited for priests while fulfilling their duties (Lev 10:9).","11":"God will have to speak through circumstances such as hardship, exile, and death in order to get through to his hardened people. • a strange language: In the New Testament, Paul applied this text to the spiritual gift of tongues as a sign of judgment to unbelievers (see 1 Cor 14:21-22).","12":"Had his people listened, God’s revelation would have led them to rest (see 48:18-19). But they would not listen because of their hard hearts (65:12).","13":"one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there: The Hebrew here is difficult to understand. The words might be intentional nonsense to illustrate the point that the people were so spiritually blind that God’s clearest revelation was nonsense to them (see 6:9-10).","15":"cheat death (literally have made a covenant with death) . . . dodge the grave: There are two interpretive possibilities: (1) The people had sold themselves to the Canaanite god of death, Mot, in return for his supposed protection. (2) The prophet was being sarcastic; the people thought their various political and economic moves guaranteed their personal security, but they had actually destroyed themselves. • lies and deception: The leaders did not think of themselves as deceptive, but they were.","16":"The Lord himself is the reliable foundation stone in Jerusalem, a precious cornerstone of the true city of God. There would be real hope in Jerusalem if the leaders and the people would only turn to him. If they would trust in God, they would be secure in the most terrible storm or the most devastating earthquake (see 8:14; Ps 118:22; Matt 7:24-27; 21:42; see the application to Jesus Christ, Rom 9:33; 10:11; 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:4-7).","17":"The Lord judges people on their works, which reveal the presence or absence of living faith (for justice and righteousness, see 1:21-23).","20":"The bed. . . . The blankets: The leaders were ill-prepared for God’s coming in judgment.","21":"as he did . . . at Mount Perazim: See 2 Sam 5:20. • God had rescued Israel through a hailstorm at Gibeon (Josh 10:10-12), but now he would turn against them.","23":"Listen to me: The analogy that follows was written as a wisdom poem, with Isaiah calling on his audience to pay careful attention and to discern what is right.","28":"he doesn’t keep on pounding it: This process would end; after judgment would come redemption.","29":"wonderful teacher (or counselor; see 9:6): God’s people should learn wisdom about God’s ways, as the farmer has done."},"29":{"3":"The Lord himself would come against Jerusalem, surrounding and attacking it.","4":"God’s goal was to destroy the sinful pride of the people of Jerusalem. Their voice would rise as if from the grave. Through the Assyrians, God would humble his people, but he would not abandon them.","6":"will act for you (literally you will be visited): God would bring rescue for his people. • thunder and earthquake . . . storm and consuming fire: These phenomena indicate a theophany (see study note on 5:25).","7":"The Assyrians’ sudden lifting of the siege came like a dream . . . like a vision in the night. God would save Judah and judge Assyria.","8":"Like a hungry or thirsty person, the Assyrians could taste the victory over Jerusalem. Yet they never became victorious.","10":"a spirit of deep sleep: The people’s folly was reinforced by God’s judgment on them (cp. Rom 1:24-32; 11:8); they had no perception of reality. • Prophets were also sometimes called visionaries. Neither the people nor their prophets would understand what God was doing (Isa 6:9-10).","13":"These people used pious-sounding language in their prayers and talk (see Matt 15:8; Mark 7:6-7), but they did not truly honor God. • In their hearts, they were not committed to the Lord at all. • In their worship, they followed man-made rules and regulations rather than God’s word.","14":"Human wisdom . . . intelligence . . . will disappear (see 1 Cor 1:19). The prophet had already spoken of the failure of Egypt’s wise men (Isa 19:11-12); even Judah’s wise men would blunder.","15":"Their plans might refer to the advice that royal counselors were giving Hezekiah, who at first attempted to free himself from Assyria by making alliances with Egypt (715 or 701 BC). • The people were conspiring to commit evil deeds in secret, but God saw everything.","16":"Potter . . . clay: The Lord’s sovereignty is beyond challenge. Scripture does not discourage asking God hard questions, but there is no place for resistance to God’s will (see 10:15; 45:9; 64:8; Rom 9:20). • He didn’t make me: Such claims against God demonstrate a total unwillingness to recognize God’s intimate involvement with every aspect of a person’s life.","17":"The forests of Lebanon are usually an image of luxuriant growth (see 2:13; 14:8), but here they represent desolation.","18":"The people were deaf and blind in heart and spirit (see 6:10; 42:18; 43:8). Yet humanity and all of creation would be renewed (see 35:1-5).","21":"The false testimony that led to the oppression of the poor through trickery in the courts of Isaiah’s era would end. Because of God’s work in their hearts, the people would turn from their sinful behavior of the past.","22":"Abraham was the father of all Israel (see Gen 12:1-3; see also Gal 3:29). • Rescued from human abuse and God’s judgment, the people would no longer be ashamed; their disgrace resulted from the apparent failure of what they had trusted (see Ps 71:1; 1 Pet 2:6)."},"30":{"1":"The wisdom of the people of Judah was not directed by God’s Spirit (cp. 11:2); instead, they had formed alliances that God did not approve of. Although the Assyrian attack on Jerusalem was overwhelming, making an alliance with Egypt demonstrated that the leaders of Judah depended on human resources for their protection rather than on God. Fortunately, Hezekiah later had a change of heart (see chs 36–37).","4":"Zoan: See 19:11. The location of Hanes is uncertain.","6":"Caravans moved from Judah through the Negev and the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt to avoid the main coast road that was under Assyrian control. It was a dangerous region, filled with lions and poisonous snakes. People would risk their lives to make a worthless alliance. • Being weighed down with riches might refer to money being sent to Egypt to buy that nation’s help.","7":"Harmless Dragon: In ancient mythology, Rahab was the enemy of the good gods and was depicted in fearsome terms, somewhat like a giant crocodile (see 27:1; 51:9; Job 41:1-34). By saying that Egypt was harmless, the prophet meant that it would be of no help to Judah.","11":"Stop telling us: The people of Judah did not want to be confronted about sin or judgment.","12":"The whole society accepted oppression and lies. People reinforced each other’s delusions, so it was considered acceptable to trust that Egypt would protect them from Assyria, even though that was a lie. It was also considered legal and legitimate to oppress the poor by taking their land.","15":"The people of Judah needed to repent of their sinful ways (30:12-14), returning to the Lord, in order to be rescued. • Trust in the Lord would bring quietness and confidence, unlike their frantic negotiations with Egypt.","16":"Judah’s reliance on Egypt to supply swift horses (see Ps 33:17) amounted to a rejection of God’s help and threatened to bring about its fall.","17":"One . . . Five: This curse is the opposite of God’s blessing for obedience (Lev 26:8; Deut 32:30). • The Assyrians had dominated the rest of the land of Judah, leaving Jerusalem isolated like a lonely flagpole on a hill.","18":"A faithful God would restore righteous order to the world by punishing the wicked and rescuing his people from them (see 1:27; Ps 96:10-12). • God blesses those who wait; faithful people do not rush ahead of him to solve their own problems but instead rely on his power and goodness.","19":"This was probably a challenge and promise to Hezekiah during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem (see chs 36–37). If he would just trust in God, his people would weep no more. • The Lord cares for the needs of his people; when they ask for something, he will surely respond.","20":"adversity for food and suffering for drink: A city under enemy siege for a long time would eventually be overcome by starvation and disease. God did not intend that this disaster should destroy the people of Jerusalem, rather that it would be a tool to teach them.","21":"The people’s own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions (see 6:9-10; 29:18; 35:5).","22":"One aspect of Hezekiah’s reforms was to remove silver idols and other idolatry of Ahaz’s era and to call the people back to the worship of the God of Israel (2 Kgs 18:4-5; 2 Chr 29).","26":"The Lord who struck his people would also heal them and cure the wounds he gave them.","28":"like a flood up to the neck: Assyria’s destruction would be as devastating as their invasion of Judah (see 8:8).","30":"His mighty arm presents an image of strength that echoes God’s victory over the Egyptians in the Exodus (63:12; see Exod 15:6). • devouring flames . . . huge hailstones: Such phenomena are associated with God’s appearance in a theophany (see study note on Isa 5:25).","31":"royal scepter: The Lord, the true King, would be victorious over the threatening Assyrian king.","32":"tambourines and harps: Instruments formerly silenced in judgment (24:8) would again be used by God’s people; this time, the people would celebrate the Lord’s goodness rather than becoming spiritually complacent (see 5:12).","33":"Topheth was a pagan altar in the valley of Ben-Hinnom outside Jerusalem where child sacrifices were offered to the Ammonite god Molech by burning (2 Kgs 23:9-10)."},"31":{"1":"What sorrow: This is the fifth of the six woes (see study note on 28:1–33:24). • Looking to the Lord implies seeking his guidance with a worshipful attitude (see Deut 4:29; Ps 105:3-4).","9":"princes will flee: This was fulfilled when Sennacherib fled to Nineveh after God destroyed 185,000 troops (see 37:36-37). • God himself was the fire or flame that would devour Assyria."},"32":{"1":"a righteous king: The Messiah (11:1); the emphasis now is on righteous and wise leadership (Prov 8:20). • In Isaiah’s day, honest princes were few and far between (see Isa 3:1-6; 28:7-19).","2":"like a shelter . . . a refuge: The same words were also used to describe God’s protection (25:4) and his provision of life-giving water (41:18; 43:19-20). The leaders would serve as God’s agents in blessing his people.","5":"Only foolish people value fools and scoundrels as heroes (see also 19:11, 13; 32:6-8).","6":"Because they do not care about God’s standards of justice and righteousness, fools have no regard for those who are hungry or thirsty (see 1:17; 58:7, 10).","7":"smooth tricks . . . crooked schemes: See Prov 6:12, 18; 16:27; 24:8-9.","9":"The women of Jerusalem lie around in ease. Complacent in their high standard of life and low standard of morality, they put their trust in wealth and status to maintain their way of life.","10":"In a short time: Assyria’s siege of Jerusalem (701 BC) was looming.","11":"Burlap was worn to show . . . grief, especially when mourning (see Ps 30:11). The Assyrian conquest of the farmlands of Judah and most of its cities (except Jerusalem) would cause rich people in the large cities to mourn.","14":"Jerusalem was eventually destroyed, but by the Babylonians, not the Assyrians (for a prediction of this, see 39:1-8).","15":"The Spirit would transform the nation into a godly community and bring in an era of justice and righteousness (see also Joel 2:28-32). The Spirit is connected to the Messiah (Isa 11:1) and the servant (42:1; 61:1). • wilderness . . . bountiful crops: When the people are transformed, nature will be too.","17":"Being right with God and humans will bring peace (Hebrew shalom; see 26:3; 48:18; 52:7; cp. Jas 3:18). Peace is more than the absence of conflict. It includes personal wholeness and does not depend on outside circumstances (see also Rom 5:1).","18":"Living in safety and feeling at rest were blessings of Israel’s covenant with the Lord (see Lev 26:5-6), but the people’s sin had previously brought curses rather than blessings (cp. Isa 32:9-11).","19":"the forest . . . the city: The godly would remain secure even with evidence of God’s judgment all around them."},"33":{"1":"This was the sixth threat of woe (see study note on 28:1–33:24). • Although the Hebrew text does not specifically name Assyria as the object of the prophecy in this chapter, Isaiah undoubtedly had Assyria in mind; they were the destroyer most immediately at hand when the prophecy was written. The prophecy applies, however, to any who seek to destroy God’s people; this included, but was not limited to, the Babylonians (see chs 13–14). • When you are done betraying: Wicked nations often break political agreements with other nations when these contracts are no longer to their own advantage.","2":"The godly community prayed for God to be merciful in response to the promise of 30:18.","9":"Sharon, Bashan, and Carmel were all fertile areas. Their desolation represents the destruction Assyria had inflicted on Israel.","11":"In most passages, the Assyrians were turning other nations into worthless dry grass and stubble (see 17:13; 29:5; 40:24; 41:2). Here, ironically, they get a taste of their own medicine.","14":"The godless were people who lived without regard for God and his law. • The image of a devouring fire came from God’s judgment of offenders during the wilderness journey (Exod 24:17; Deut 4:24). God still expects people to worship him with reverence and awe (Heb 12:29).","15":"A godly life provides evidence that an individual truly knows God (see Col 3:5-17; Jas 2:14-18; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Jn 1:5-6).","17":"The king is the human representative (32:1) of the Great King, God himself (33:22). • The land belonging to God’s people would appear to be without borders because the foreign enemies had been judged (54:3).","18":"Assyrian officers brought great terror to Judah when the Assyrians defeated various cities around Jerusalem (2 Kgs 18:13).","19":"The strange, unknown language was the tongue of Assyria and later of Babylon (see 28:11).","24":"The people of Israel were the people of Zion (cp. 33:20). • sick . . . the Lord will forgive their sins: See 43:25."},"34":{"2":"completely destroy: See Lev 27:28-29.","3":"It was a disgrace for a corpse to remain unburied.","4":"The heavens . . . stars: See also 13:10; Joel 2:30-31; Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24-25; 2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 6:13-14.","5":"Edom here represents what all the nations would experience, just as Moab was singled out in ch 25.","6":"Bozrah was a city in Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea.","8":"The Lord’s revenge refers to God’s wrathful but righteous vengeance against his enemies and the oppressors of his people on the day of the Lord. • Edom will be paid back: There will be retribution for Edom’s crimes against Judah (see also Ps 137:7; Lam 4:21; Obad; Mal 1:3-5). Edom, with its history of treachery, would come to an end.","9":"Edom’s judgment was similar to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24; see also Jer 49:17-18).","10":"See also Rev 14:11; 19:3.","11":"The identification of some of these birds is uncertain, but they inhabited wild and deserted places and many were considered unclean (Deut 14:11-18).","16":"Search the book of the Lord: Isaiah’s prophecy was God’s witness to the truthfulness of his word. • The power of the Spirit enacts the Lord’s decrees, assuring that all prophecy comes together to be fulfilled as God promised."},"35":{"1":"God’s land would become like a wasteland, spiritually desolate and physically depleted. However, God would turn the desert into a garden (see also 32:15), taking his people from exile to glory.","2":"Lebanon . . . Mount Carmel . . . Sharon: There will be a reversal of earlier judgments (see 2:13; 10:34; 29:17; 33:9). • glory . . . splendor of our God: See also 6:3; 40:5.","3":"Tired hands and weak knees express discouragement and anxiety (see Heb 12:12).","4":"do not fear: The Lord here assures his people of his presence and purpose (see also 7:4; 10:24; 40:9; 43:1; 44:2; 54:4). • The essence of the good news is that God is coming to save his people (see also 40:9; 52:7; 62:11). God’s coming brings spiritual transformation as well as rescue from enemies.","5":"eyes . . . ears: There will be a transformation from spiritual blindness and deafness to understanding and knowing God (6:10; 29:18; 32:3; 42:7; see also Luke 7:22; Acts 26:18).","6":"The lame . . . those who cannot speak: All disabilities will be removed (see Matt 11:5; 12:22; Mark 7:37; Acts 3:7-8).","8":"The imagery of the great road recalls Israel’s crossing through the Red Sea (51:10). • Only holy and undefiled people will share the Highway of Holiness. God’s goal in salvation is that humans will share in his character and act as he does (see Eph 5:1-2; 1 Pet 2:21).","10":"Jerusalem: The prophecy extends beyond the return of Israel from exile to the final establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. It will be characterized by joy and gladness and the absence of sorrow and mourning (see also 25:7; 51:11; Rev 21:4)."},"36":{"1":"King Sennacherib of Assyria ruled from 705–681 BC. Hezekiah, like many other kings under Assyrian vassalage, had reasserted his independence when Sennacherib came to the throne in troubled circumstances. By 701 BC, the Assyrian king was ready to punish Hezekiah. Sennacherib recorded having conquered forty-six fortified cities and many villages, and having taken 200,146 captives. Hezekiah responded by attempting to appease Sennacherib (see 2 Kgs 18:14-16), but it was too late.","2":"Lachish was a city overlooking the low-lying hills to the west of Jerusalem. It had to be taken before the final attack on Jerusalem could be launched. • the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool: This was a pool on the north side of Jerusalem, not the Gihon Spring in the Kidron valley. • Isaiah had met Ahaz on this same road leading to the field where cloth is washed some thirty-three years earlier (see Isa 7:3). At that time he had challenged Ahaz to trust God. However, Ahaz trusted Assyria instead, and this desperate situation was a result. Now the challenge to trust God came from mocking, foreign lips (see 28:11-13).","3":"Eliakim eventually advanced in rank, while Shebna was demoted (see 22:15-24).","4":"Great king is a title similar to emperor.","5":"Who are you counting on: Judah had asked Egypt to help them (see 30:1-5).","6":"Egypt . . . is completely unreliable: Isaiah argued the same case, pointing to the Lord as the only reliable source of help (31:1-3, 7; 39:7). • A kind of reed that breaks easily grows near the Nile (see Ezek 29:6-7).","7":"We are trusting in the Lord our God: Ironically, the Assyrian chief of staff knew about and played on Isaiah’s message (26:4; 36:15; 37:10). • Hezekiah showed his zeal for the Lord by tearing down the pagan shrines and altars (2 Kgs 18:4), but the Assyrians mistakenly thought Hezekiah had angered God in the process.","8":"At this time, cavalry mounted on horses was the newest military technology. The Assyrian chief of staff was mocking the Judeans because he knew that Judah had no trained men who knew how to ride.","10":"The Lord himself told us: It was common for a king to claim the approval of a deity in destroying other kingdoms. This claim was consistent with Isaiah’s prophecy in 10:5-6.","11":"Aramaic was the lingua franca used throughout the Assyrian Empire, understood by the elite but not by the common people of Judah.","14":"Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you: This public accusation against Hezekiah was intended to undermine the people’s confidence in him.","15":"Hezekiah demonstrated a strong faith in the Lord, unlike Ahaz (ch 7). Hezekiah’s faith would bring rescue, whereas Ahaz’s lack of faith brought him trouble (see 7:9).","19":"The populations of Hamath and Arpad had been relocated to Samaria, where the new local deities were the gods of Sepharvaim (2 Kgs 17:24). The logic of the argument made sense to an Assyrian. If the Assyrian gods defeated all the gods of the other nations and the God of the Israelite nation of Samaria, would they not also defeat the God of Judah?"},"37":{"1":"Hezekiah responded to the threats by seeking the Lord’s favor. • The king tore his clothes and put on burlap as a sign of mourning and prayer.","4":"perhaps . . . God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff . . . defy the living God: Hezekiah’s hope was not based on Judah’s or his own goodness, or the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem; instead, it was based on God responding to Assyria’s blasphemy.","8":"Libnah was a city on the Philistine plain near Lachish. Sennacherib was preparing to fight both Egypt and Jerusalem when he sent word to Hezekiah.","9":"King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was then the ruler of Egypt.","12":"The argument was that Judah’s god, like the gods of other nations already conquered by Assyria, would be unable to save Judah (see also 36:18-20). • Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, . . . Eden, and Tel-assar were cities in Mesopotamia.","16":"God of Israel: Hezekiah was not taken in by the false claims of Sennacherib that the Lord was powerless. In his prayer, Hezekiah acknowledged that, because the Lord is the Creator, he is God of all the kingdoms of the earth. The Lord is sovereign over all kingdoms. • The mighty cherubim were located in the Temple atop the Ark of the Covenant, which was God’s throne in his Temple (see study note on Lev 16:2; see also Pss 80:1; 99:1).","20":"you alone, O Lord, are God: Hezekiah was concerned for the Lord’s reputation, which Sennacherib had impugned. Hezekiah recognized that if the Lord defeated the Assyrians and their gods, his holy name would be glorified among all the nations of the world (cp. Exod 9:16; 14:4, 17-18; Josh 2:9-11; 1 Sam 4:7-8).","21":"Because you prayed: Prayer is powerful; it moved God’s heart and was part of the reason why the Lord answered with this message of hope.","22":"The virgin daughter of Zion: Jerusalem is personified as a young woman who mocks the Assyrian king (see also 3:26).","23":"Whom . . . Against whom: Sennacherib’s speech was not so much an insult against Judah as it was against the Lord.","24":"Isaiah seems to be familiar with the typical royal Assyrian boasts, including that they possessed the highest mountains. These words sound very much like those found in the annals of the Assyrian kings inscribed on the walls of their temples.","25":"I have dug wells . . . I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt: Sennacherib’s boasts demonstrate his attitude of independence. However, the Lord alone is sovereign over nature (42:15; 43:19; 44:27).","26":"I planned for you to crush . . . into heaps of rubble: Assyria was God’s agent of destruction, but the Assyrians did not realize that they were only a tool in God’s hand (see ch 10), fulfilling what God had planned long before (14:24-27).","28":"you have raged against me: Assyria was utterly hostile to the Lord, which brought them even greater condemnation.","29":"my hook . . . my bit: The Assyrians would be led away like animals, just as they had led so many of their captives away.","30":"This year . . . next year . . . the third year: Because of the Assyrian siege and its destruction of agriculture, the people of Judah would not be able to plant and harvest as usual. The promise that life would resume after the siege assured them that God was with them and would provide as they carried out their everyday activities. They needed to develop their trust in God over a period of three calendar years in the confident expectation that God’s word would be true (cp. 30:15, 18). Perhaps the point was that after rescue from the Assyrians, it would be too late in the present year for fall planting. They would have to wait until fall in the second year to plant again, and they would reap their first crop in the spring and summer of the third year.","32":"The passionate commitment of God includes his energetic zeal to keep his promise, the best guarantee his people could ever have (see also 9:7).","33":"armies . . . arrow . . . shields . . . banks of earth: Despite their advanced military technology and great power, the Assyrians would not succeed against Jerusalem.","35":"for the sake of my servant David: God had promised David a perpetual dynasty (see 9:6-7; 2 Sam 7:8-17).","36":"The angel of the Lord was a special heavenly agent through whom God worked on earth. Often his role was to communicate special messages (see Gen 16:7-14), but sometimes he brought judgment (see 2 Sam 24:16). • killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers: The Lord began to fulfill what he had repeatedly promised—rescue of Jerusalem and judgment of Assyria (see Isa 10:16, 33-34; 30:31; 31:8).","38":"One day: Sennacherib was probably killed in 681 BC, about twenty years after his withdrawal from Jerusalem. • Esarhaddon was king of Assyria from 680–669 BC. It is ironic that Sennacherib, who mocked the Lord, was killed by his sons in the temple of his god."},"38":{"1":"About that time (literally in those days): This is a very general time statement. Hezekiah’s illness and subsequent healing probably preceded Jerusalem’s rescue (chs 36–37), even though Isaiah places it afterward. Merodach-baladan’s reign in Babylon (39:1) ended before Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 BC. The order in the text indicates a connection between these two events (see 38:6).","3":"I have always been faithful to you: Hezekiah’s heart was right with the Lord for most of his reign (2 Kgs 18:1-5), although his dependence on Egypt was a time of weakness when he did not act faithfully (Isa 31:1-9).","5":"the God of your ancestor David: Hezekiah faithfully walked in David’s footsteps (see 37:35; 38:1-22).","6":"I will rescue you . . . I will defend this city: This promise refers to the rescue of Jerusalem (chs 36–37); it also provides a greater context for understanding Hezekiah’s sickness and healing. Just as Hezekiah received another fifteen years, Jerusalem also received a temporary reprieve (see ch 39).","10":"enter the place of the dead? (literally enter the gates of Sheol?): This image comes from an ancient idea that people enter death through gates (see 14:9). Old Testament believers did not understand the afterlife as the New Testament reveals it. It was a shadowy place where all the dead were together and where no praise of God existed (see 38:18; Pss 88:10; 115:17).","11":"Hezekiah lamented that if he died, he would not enjoy fellowship with God, his family, and his friends.","12":"These images depicted the brevity of life (cp. 2 Cor 5:1).","15":"I will walk humbly: Hezekiah might have previously taken his life and good health for granted. Now he recognized that these gifts from the Lord can be withdrawn at any time.","16":"God’s restoration of Hezekiah’s health also symbolized the restoration from exile that Judah would experience in the future.","22":"Hezekiah could not go to the Temple with an infection (see Lev 13), so going to the Temple signifies restored health."},"39":{"1":"Merodach-baladan, the king of Babylon (722–710 and 704–703 BC), planned to rebel against Assyria and sought help from Hezekiah. His envoys visited after Hezekiah had been very sick and had recovered but before Sennacherib’s final attack in 701 BC.","2":"silver . . . aromatic oils . . . his armory: Showing these treasures demonstrated to Babylon’s envoys that Hezekiah had the resources to be a worthy ally."},"40":{"2":"Speak tenderly: The prophet’s message was to encourage Jerusalem with the good news of God’s forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. • From the prophetic perspective, Israel’s sad days are gone because the Exile is over. • punished her twice over for all her sins: Israel experienced the full brunt of God’s wrath (51:19-23; cp. 61:7).","3":"the voice of someone shouting: In Mal 3:1 this person (possibly the Elijah of Mal 4:5) was God’s messenger who prepared the way for God’s coming. In the Gospels, this announcer was identified with John the Baptist (Matt 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). • Clear the way . . . Make a straight highway: The announcer’s message would expedite God’s coming (see Isa 35:8). As God made a way for Israel through the Red Sea (43:16), so a way would be opened up for the Lord (see 52:11-12).","5":"The future revelation of God’s glory would include the return of Judah from exile but would also go beyond it. The New Testament confirmed that the revelation of God’s glory came in Jesus Christ (John 1:14; Heb 1:3). • The Lord has spoken: The coming salvation and judgment would certainly occur because the Lord, who keeps his word, had declared it (see Isa 1:20; 58:14).","6":"Shout: So that all can hear. • People are not worthy of the revelation of God’s glory because they are mortal.","7":"The breath of the Lord refers to God’s spoken words of judgment (see 4:4).","8":"the word of our God stands forever: All of God’s words (his plans as well as the written word) will succeed. God might frustrate human expectations, but everything will happen according to his wise plan (see 14:24; 55:8-11; see also Matt 25:34).","9":"God is coming to save and restore human beings (see also 35:4; Rev 22:12).","10":"The Lord’s rule is not like that of the unjust and powerless rulers whom he will judge. It is compassionate, just, righteous, and powerful. • with a powerful arm: God manifested his power in events such as the defeat of the Egyptians (63:12), the judgment of his enemies (30:30; 48:14; 51:9), and the rescue of his people (59:16).","11":"Isaiah used the familiar biblical metaphor of a shepherd to speak of God’s care for his people (see also 49:10; Ps 23:1; Jer 3:15; 23:4; Ezek 34:11-17; Matt 2:6; John 10:1-18).","15":"God is sovereign over all the nations of the world and over their human power structures. In comparison to God, they are almost nothing. This included the Babylonian Empire, which was merely a tool in God’s hand. • whole earth: Literally coastlands or islands.","16":"Lebanon was prized for its abundance of wood and its wildlife (see 2:13-16; Ps 104:16-17).","17":"The nations, including their leaders (40:23), pagan structures (41:24, 29; 44:9-11), and all enemies of God’s people (41:11-12), are worth nothing apart from God.","18":"To whom . . . What image: Earlier in the book, idolatry was shown to be ridiculous (16:12; 37:16-19). Chapters 40–48 open up a much more extensive argument against idolatry. Idols are symbolic representations of gods and, at times, other religious concepts. Those who worship them don’t recognize the implication that they are man-made trinkets. Idols are powerless (41:7, 22-24; 48:14), give a false sense of security (42:17), delude people (44:20), and lead to severe disappointment (42:17; 45:16, 20). They cannot help those who care for them. In fact, they are so weak that they fall down (40:20; 41:7). In the end, idols compete for God’s glory (42:8) and take away human dignity (44:9; see also 41:21-29). • The Lord, the true God, is incomparable (see 40:25; 46:5; Pss 86:8; 89:6); no one could resemble him.","20":"image that won’t fall down: This is a sarcastic remark; it would be embarrassing if the idol did not even have the power to remain standing (see 40:18; 41:7; 1 Sam 5:4).","21":"Idolaters fail to discern who God is or to respond wisely to him. The godly in Israel would understand and see the hand of God in the unfolding story of redemption, which includes both exile and restoration (41:20).","22":"God sits enthroned as King over all the earth (see 6:1; Pss 2:4; 80:1; 99:1; 102:12; 113:5). God is so immense and awesome that humans are like grasshoppers in comparison. • Belief in God as creator of the heavens and earth contradicts the popular Babylonian and Egyptian belief that the sun, moon, and stars represent gods. • like a curtain . . . his tent: See also Ps 104:2.","23":"great people: God is unimpressed by human power and fame.","25":"The Holy One is a shortened form of “the Holy One of Israel,” a common designation for God in Isaiah (see also 10:17; 43:15; Ps 22:3).","26":"Look up into the heavens: Just as God directed Abraham to look into the sky (Gen 15:5), he also directed Israel to look to the stars for encouragement (see also Isa 51:2-3). The cosmos bears witness to God’s great power and incomparable strength. The Strong One is able to strengthen the weak (40:27-31; see Ps 147:5).","27":"does not see your troubles . . . ignores your rights: The coming exile, a period when God’s powerful presence and rescue would not be seen, would prompt questions (see also 49:14; 54:7; Lam 5:20-22).","28":"heard . . . understood: Cp. 40:21. • the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth: Creation reveals God’s power and wisdom. He is also the Creator of the age to come, a world of righteousness, justice, and peace (45:8; 48:6-7; 65:17-18). • He never grows weak or weary: God is not susceptible to human limitations.","29":"The weak in this context are those who face persecution or oppression (such as the Babylonian exile); the Lord is their only recourse (see 49:4-5; 50:4; Pss 68:9; 119:28).","31":"trust in the Lord: See 33:2; 49:23; 51:5. • like eagles: This powerful image of rescue reminded readers of the Exodus event of long ago (Exod 19:4; Deut 32:10-12; see also Ps 103:5)."},"41":{"1":"The nations coming together for a trial have to listen in silence to the presentation of God’s arguments. • Bring your strongest arguments: Literally let them find new strength, a play on 40:31. • God invited the nations to come . . . and speak, challenging them to refute his case.","2":"This king from the east was Cyrus, the Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BC and permitted the Jews to return to their land and rebuild Jerusalem (538 BC; Ezra 1:1-4). Isaiah’s prophecies about Cyrus (see Isa 44:28–45:13; 48:14-15) encouraged Israel to look to the Lord as sovereign over all of human history, including the actions of great kings. • Who gives this man victory over many nations? As victorious as the conquering Cyrus was, he was still subject to the Lord.","4":"each new generation from the beginning of time: God is sovereign over all things. From the beginning he has unfolded each stage of history according to his plan. • In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev 1:8, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). • I alone am he: The Lord alone is God (see also Isa 43:10, 13; 46:4; 48:12; Deut 32:39). Jesus used similar expressions for himself (see John 6:35; 8:12, 24; 9:5; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5).","6":"Be strong! The nations put their hope in things that have no strength, objects made by human craftsmen.","8":"The servant—here the nation of Israel—was God’s chosen one, whose calling was grounded in God’s purposes. • Abraham my friend: The phrase in Hebrew could mean Abraham who loves me or Abraham whom I love. See also Jas 2:23.","9":"I have chosen you restates 41:8 to emphasize God’s commitment and faithfulness to his people Israel, who had not been faithful to him. • not throw you away: Because of the Exile, the people felt that God had rejected them (see 49:21; 54:6). However, God had good purposes for them.","10":"I am with you: The promise of God’s presence (see 7:14) is central to the Bible. Because God is present, his people do not need to fear (see also 43:1-2, 5). • I am your God: The Lord used the language of the covenant to affirm that he is their God and that they are his people (see also Jer 7:23; 31:1, 33; Ezek 14:11; 36:28; 37:27; Zech 8:8). • hold you . . . my victorious right hand: The Lord used language reminiscent of the Exodus (cp. Exod 15:6) to encourage Israel (see also Isa 41:13; 63:12).","14":"In exile, Israel was in a lowly state. • God is the Redeemer. He works mightily to rescue and restore people from sin and its consequences (for Israel, the Exile; for application to Jesus, see Luke 2:38; 21:28; Rom 3:24; 1 Cor 1:30; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:1-14; Titus 2:14; Heb 9:12).","16":"When the grain is thrown into the wind, the chaff is blown away. Likewise, Israel’s enemies appeared to be strong but would easily be driven off.","18":"rivers . . . fountains . . . pools of water . . . springs: These images would strike a responsive chord in an agrarian culture. They also suggest that rescue from the Exile would be a second exodus (cp. Exod 15:27; 17:6).","21":"the King of Israel: See 6:5; 43:15; 44:6.","25":"I have stirred up a leader: The God who had planned the Exile through Babylon had already planned for Israel’s restoration from exile through Cyrus (see 41:2; see also 13:17). • Although Persia is located to the east, rough terrain required those traveling to Israel and Judah to enter from the north. • I will give him victory . . . He will trample them: As Babylon was sent to trample Assyria, so Persia would trample Babylon.","26":"Idols and false gods could not predict the future.","27":"The messenger with good news told of God’s coming to rescue his people (see 40:9)."},"42":{"1":"who pleases me: God used similar language at Jesus’ baptism (Matt 3:17). • I have put my Spirit upon him: Any leader might be called a servant, but the presence of the Spirit suggests a king of David’s line or a prophet like Moses (see Num 11:17, 24-29). • Establishing justice is the responsibility of a king (see Isa 9:6-7; Ps 72:1). • This king’s mission will be a greater mission to the nations than simply governing the small nation of Judah.","2":"shout or raise his voice: The royal servant will have calm confidence in his message and calling from God (see also 11:1-5).","3":"The royal servant will be gentle with the oppressed and discouraged (see 3:15; 41:17).","4":"distant lands: The nations long for justice and for instruction on bringing it about. In this regard the servant is like Moses, to whom the law was given. However, the servant is greater in that he extends justice beyond Israel to all the nations.","6":"my people, Israel . . . my covenant with them (literally a covenant for the people): It is also possible that “the people” referred to all the peoples/nations of the earth (see 49:6). • light to guide the nations: See also 51:4; Acts 13:47.","7":"The servant will open the eyes of the spiritually blind (see 6:10; 29:18) and free the spiritual captives from the prison of sin, in addition to those who were captive in the Babylonian exile (see 61:1 with Luke 4:18).","13":"a mighty hero . . . a warrior: The background of this theme is God’s victory at the Red Sea during the Exodus (Exod 15:3). • God will be victorious over all his enemies in order to rescue his people (Isa 51:9; 63:1-6; see also Pss 54:7; 108:9; 112:8).","14":"I have long been silent . . . restrained myself: Israel had experienced God’s absence in the Exile, which came about because of their idolatrous ways (57:11-13; 2 Kgs 17:6-24). The godly will pray for God’s presence and renewed involvement in their situation (Isa 64:12), and the Lord will answer their prayers because of his commitment to their redemption (62:1, 6).","21":"exalted his glorious law: God’s word is a witness to his righteous rule (see 1:10).","25":"Generation after generation of Israelites did not learn their lesson, even when God disciplined them through military defeat."},"43":{"1":"the Lord who created you: The language of creation (see study note on 40:28) was now applied to God’s formation of the nation Israel. • I have ransomed you: At the Exodus, when God brought his people out of bondage. Similarly, God planned to bring his people out of exile and back into their land. Ultimately, Jesus gave his life as a ransom for all humanity (Matt 20:28; 1 Tim 2:6; Heb 9:15) • I have called you by name; you are mine: Despite having faced his wrath, the people of Israel are still God’s chosen people.","2":"Conquering forces could be compared to flooding rivers (see 8:8). • I will be with you: God is committed to being with his people to protect and care for them (see 7:14; 41:10; 43:5; 45:14). • Israel experienced God’s judgment as the fire of oppression during the Exile.","7":"One of God’s purposes in restoring his people was to display his glory to the watching world.","10":"you are my witnesses: By their very presence in exile, Israel was evidence that God is truly God. He predicted the Exile long beforehand, and now it had come to pass. God alone is the true God because he speaks and acts and controls all of history. Idols and false gods could do none of these things. Israel would later become even greater evidence because God had also predicted their redemption (43:11-12).","18":"God did not want the Israelites to forget the exodus from Egypt. However, they needed to look forward in faith to the spectacular event that was about to occur rather than dwelling on the past.","21":"One purpose of redemption is to honor God through the praises of the redeemed (see 1 Pet 2:9).","22":"Israel’s history of rebellion had led them into crisis after crisis, yet their rebellion was so great that they stubbornly refused to ask God for help. When they did pray, their wickedness often caused their prayers not to be heard (1:15).","25":"God alone can and does blot out . . . sins, no matter how many or how great (see also 44:22).","27":"leaders: God held Israel’s and Judah’s kings especially responsible for leading the nation into sin (see 2 Kgs 21)."},"44":{"3":"The restoration theme is connected with God’s promise to pour out the Spirit (see also 32:15-17; Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-18). • on your descendants . . . children: The next generation of Israelites offered hope.","23":"All creation is called to celebrate God’s redemption of Israel (cp. 1:2).","25":"False prophets and fortune-tellers used forbidden forms of divination to try to predict the future. Eventually God would expose them as deluded liars (see 3:2; 9:15; 47:13; Deut 18:10-11).","27":"The sudden depletion of natural resources at times indicates a divine judgment (see 42:15; cp. 43:20). Here, however, God’s ability to dry up streams with just a word illustrates his power to do what he said he would do through Cyrus of Persia.","28":"He is my shepherd: Cyrus went beyond simply permitting the Jews to return to their homeland. He facilitated a major restoration project to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the Temple (see 45:13; Ezra 1:2-4; 6:3-5)."},"45":{"1":"anointed one: This designation, commonly reserved for David or the Messiah, is here applied to Cyrus. Cyrus was anointed in the sense that he was selected to fulfill a special mission. This title was never used of any other foreign ruler (cp. 1 Sam 10:1; Rom 13:1). • whose right hand he will empower: The Lord would give Cyrus victory over Babylon (see Isa 43:14).","3":"so you may know: Cyrus’s victories provided factual proof that the Lord has the power to fulfill his plans, whereas idols and false gods do not (see 41:21-29).","7":"light . . . darkness . . . good times and bad times: Everything is under God’s control.","14":"Egyptians . . . Ethiopians . . . Sabeans: Israel’s restoration would bring them a new sovereignty. Foreign nations would honor God, and because they recognized God’s special blessing on his people, they would also want to honor his people.","17":"Israel would never again be humiliated and disgraced, oppressed, harassed, or abused. The finality of these declarations suggests that this promise will be fulfilled at the end of time.","18":"Ancient pagan people viewed the world as a place of empty chaos. However, God’s purposes are good, and he made the world from the beginning as a place to be lived in with him in harmony.","22":"Let all the world look to me: All humanity needs to seek the Lord, the true God who created all things, while he may be found (55:6). • In God there is salvation, the only hope for all of humanity (45:8).","23":"God’s words are always true. God’s swearing by his own name reinforces the certainty that he will never go back on his word (see also 14:24; 54:9; 62:8; Heb 6:13). • Every knee . . . every tongue: At the end of time all nations will submit to his authority, whether willingly or unwillingly (see Rom 14:11; 1 Cor 15:25-27; Phil 2:10-11).","24":"In this context, the people are all who turn to the Lord for salvation, even those from foreign nations (45:22).","25":"justified: Literally righteous (see also 45:8, 24)."},"46":{"1":"Marduk-bel was the most important god in the Babylonian pantheon. Bel (similar to “Baal”) designated lordship. • Nebo (Nabu, Nebu), the patron deity of Babylonian scribes, was thought to be the son of Marduk-bel. • Instead of being paraded in glory at a Babylonian festival, these gods would be hauled away on ox carts and disposed of, rejected by the Babylonian people.","3":"Those who remain in Israel refers to the remnant that would be left alive after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. • The Lord, the Creator of humanity, cares for and carries his people (contrast the Babylonian idols that must be carried instead). • since you were born . . . before you were born: The Lord chose Israel even before they were a nation (see also 49:5).","10":"God knows the future before it even happens; he has comprehensive control over all events, and all his acts match his words (41:4, 26). He is the First and the Last (44:6; 48:12).","11":"The swift bird of prey from the east refers to Cyrus, the Persian king (see study note on 41:2).","12":"Formerly, Israel cared little for doing right (literally righteousness; see also 58:2; 59:9).","13":"The good news for Israel was that God was coming to set things right (literally I will bring my righteousness near; see 40:9; 51:5). • show my glory to Israel: Unlike a craftsman who bestows material splendor on an idol (44:13), the Lord bestows true dignity on his people."},"47":{"1":"To sit in the dust was a way of expressing humiliation.","3":"God’s vengeance against those who oppose him and those who oppress his people (see 34:8) will bring justice to the world by purging it of wickedness.","6":"The people of Israel had provoked God’s wrath, prompting him to use Babylon to punish them. Now wicked Babylon itself would be punished.","8":"I am the only one, and there is no other: This was a claim to divinity (cp. 45:5; 47:10). Only the Lord can make such a claim. For any created thing, including a nation, to utter this is the height of hubris. • To be a widow or to lose one’s children was a disgrace.","9":"Witchcraft and magic were commonly used in an attempt to ward off evil and to secure a happy future.","10":"In this context, ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ probably refer sarcastically to the pseudo-knowledge gained through occult practices, which actually led Babylon away from the truth and into disaster (47:11).","13":"Babylon was advanced in astronomy, which the astrologers and stargazers used as a form of divination (see Dan 2:2, 10; 5:7)."},"48":{"1":"Jacob . . . Judah: Although Isaiah’s normal focus was on Judah, here he addressed all the tribes of Israel.","3":"The Lord had forewarned Israel of what was going to happen in the Exile.","10":"The Exile was a furnace of suffering (cp. Deut 4:20) through which God refined Israel.","11":"I will not let my reputation be tarnished: Israel’s exile raised questions among the nations about the Lord’s character and reputation. The nations would not have perceived that Israel’s wicked character led to the Exile. Instead they would have viewed it as a failure of Israel’s God to protect his people and their land (see 36:19-20; 37:12; Ezek 36:19-26).","14":"chosen Cyrus (literally him) as his ally: See 44:28; 45:1-2.","15":"I will send him and will help him succeed: Cyrus would humiliate Babylon and liberate Israel (45:1-4).","16":"I have told you plainly: God’s promises are clear, though not always specific as to manner and time. • now the Sovereign Lord and his Spirit have sent me with this message: The identity of the one who is sent is unclear. Isaiah might be referring to himself as a Spirit-inspired prophet who spoke the very words of God to Israel. The connection with the Spirit suggests that it refers to the promised servant, the Messiah. • The presence of the Spirit assures the servant’s success.","18":"Peace and righteousness will be established when the Kingdom of God comes in its fullness (see 66:12). • like a gentle river . . . like waves: An abundance of comforting peace and overflowing resources of righteousness (cp. Amos 5:24) could have been Israel’s if its people had only listened to God.","19":"Your descendants . . . like the sands: This would fulfill God’s covenant to Abraham (Gen 22:17); by contrast, the Israelites were nearly wiped out in the Exile (see Isa 44:26).","20":"Leave Babylon: See also 52:11-12; 55:12.","21":"not thirsty . . . rock . . . water gushed: These reminders of God’s provision in the Exodus provide a fitting summary of what he would do to rescue Israel from captivity in Babylon (see Num 20:11).","22":"This refrain, no peace for the wicked (also 57:21), continues the sharp divide between the godly and the wicked (see 66:24). Peace speaks of God’s kingdom, from which the wicked are excluded."},"49":{"1":"distant lands: The servant’s ministry would extend beyond Israel (see 42:4, 10, 12; 51:5; 60:9; 66:19). • called me before my birth . . . from within the womb . . . by name: The promised servant’s prophetic call was similar to the call of Jeremiah (see Jer 1:5; see also Gal 1:15). It was not a general call but a very specific, personal one (see also Isa 43:1; 45:3-4).","2":"my words of judgment: The servant’s mission would be prophetic (see 11:4; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16; 2:12, 16; 19:15).","3":"The suffering servant would come out of Israel (see 41:8) and would himself be the true Israel. He would serve as both king (42:1) and prophet (49:1), anointed with the Spirit of God (61:1) and commissioned (48:16) as a faithful witness to God’s purposes (43:12; 48:20). In his mission toward both Israel and the other nations (49:6), he would suffer rejection and disgrace while being faithful, unlike the nation of Israel (see 50:4-9). His suffering would be on behalf of God’s chosen people. Jesus became the ultimate fulfillment of the suffering servant (see study note on 52:13–53:12).","4":"my work seems so useless . . . to no purpose: Even though people stubbornly refuse his message, the servant would reach out to them. • I will trust God: Despite discouragement and suffering, the servant would continue to discharge his duty faithfully, trusting God for the outcome. God promised to reward the servant’s faithfulness (see also 40:10; 50:8).","6":"a light to the Gentiles: As the Messiah, the servant’s mission would have a worldwide reach (see 11:10, 12; 42:6). The apostle Paul explained his apostolic mission to the Gentiles on the basis of this prophecy (Acts 13:47; 26:23).","7":"The promised servant would be despised and rejected by the nations (see 52:14–53:5) as well as by his own people (see also 50:6-7; 53:8-9). • Kings and princes will also bow low to express respect and humility before the servant (see also 52:15), whom God will exalt after he has suffered. God is faithful to his servant.","8":"God acts at just the right time to accomplish his purposes (Acts 1:7; 2 Cor 6:2). Israel returned to reestablish the land of Israel after the Exile. The land was restored and the city rebuilt beginning with Cyrus’s edict (Isa 44:26-28).","12":"The remnant would come from the north (i.e., from Babylon and Persia), from the west by sea, and from as far south as Egypt.","13":"This hymn of praise is in response to the salvation that the servant would make possible.","14":"Although the prophet announced cause for rejoicing (49:8-13), the exiles continued to ponder the calamity that came upon them when Babylon invaded the land, destroyed Jerusalem, and carried the people of Judah into exile where they felt deserted and forgotten.","18":"like jewels or bridal ornaments: As a wedding calls for festivity and public display, so God’s restoration of Israel would be an open act for all to see (see also 61:10).","22":"carry your little sons . . . your daughters: The mighty rulers of the nations, some of whom had previously killed children in Israel, would aid in their return to Zion (see also 60:3-9). Elsewhere Isaiah envisioned people of foreign nations streaming to Zion to worship the Lord (see 2:2-4).","23":"you will know that I am the Lord: The stunning role-reversal—kings and queens serving the lowly exiles upon their return—would reveal God’s power to do the unimaginable (see also 60:16). • The godly would experience temporary disgrace in the Exile but would not ultimately be put to shame, as the idolaters and ungodly were.","24":"Who can snatch . . . Who can demand: The people considered it nearly impossible that they would be rescued from their oppressors.","25":"The Lord is like a warrior who will fight to protect his children, as promised to Abraham (Gen 12:3; see also Isa 54:15)."},"50":{"1":"God was not at fault for the people’s problems; it was their sin that brought about their exile (see also 59:1-15). • Jerusalem—the mother city of Judah (Ps 87:5-6)—was destroyed, and the people of Judah were taken into exile in 586 BC.","2":"Why didn’t anyone answer: The people had not responded to God’s repeated call to trust in him and repent of their sins. They were deaf and stubborn (see 6:9-10; 29:18; 35:5; 42:18-19). • The Lord came and called the people through the prophets (see also 65:1-3). • Is it because I have no power to rescue? God was fully able to rescue Israel and Judah from the Assyrians and Babylonians, but he first had to deal justly with his people’s sinfulness (see 59:1). • speak to the sea and make it dry: This was an allusion to the parting of the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt (Exod 14:21-22).","3":"Phenomena such as darkness and the wearing of clothes of mourning were associated with the day of the Lord (13:10; see study note on 2:5-22). The mention of darkness might allude to the plague of darkness in Egypt (Exod 10:21).","4":"The Lord, who never grows weary (40:28), sends the servant with good news (see 40:28-31) to comfort those who are weary (see study note on 40:1-31).","6":"beat me . . . pulled out my beard . . . mockery and spitting: These connections with the experience of Jesus at his crucifixion are too close to be coincidental—Jesus is the true suffering servant (see Matt 27:27-31).","7":"Externally, the servant would be disgraced and put to shame, but within himself he would calmly await God’s vindication (see 29:22; 54:4; 61:7). • set my face like a stone: The servant would be determined to do God’s will (see Luke 9:51).","8":"He who gives me justice is near: God vindicates those who suffer for doing his will. Vindication is an act of God by which he exalts those who have been wrongly disgraced and strikes down the wicked, self-exalted, and arrogant (see also 2 Thes 1:6-9). • bring charges . . . my accusers: Confidence in God’s vindication removes fear and bolsters faith (see Rom 8:31-34).","9":"Who will declare me guilty? The implied answer to this rhetorical question is, “No one!” This answer foreshadows the New Testament understanding of justification (see Rom 8:31-35).","10":"The test of whether or not an individual fears the Lord is how he or she responds to God’s righteous servant. The same idea is present in Jesus’ claim that no one can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6). • Those who trust in the Lord have great hope for the future (see Isa 12:2).","11":"warm yourselves by your own fires: Spiritually complacent people are unresponsive toward God. Though they have comfort and security now, they will soon fall down in great torment (see 66:24)."},"51":{"1":"The rock and the quarry represent Abraham and Sarah (51:2).","2":"Abraham . . . became a great nation: The exiled community had decreased in number. They needed to have faith that God could restore them again to a healthy and thriving population.","3":"Eden . . . the garden of the Lord: God’s salvation will one day reestablish conditions like those in which human beings first lived (see Gen 2–3).","4":"my law . . . my justice: The work of the servant will prosper because justice will be the rule in God’s kingdom on earth (see 42:1-4). • a light to the nations: The nations will receive the Lord and his revelation (see also 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3; 66:19-23; Matt 4:15-16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4-9; 12:35-50; Acts 13:47).","5":"God is strong enough to crush his enemies and rescue his people, such as when he rescued Israel in the Exodus (see 51:9; Exod 6:6; 15:16).","6":"die like flies: The wicked will die in great multitudes on the day of God’s judgment.","7":"cherish my law in your hearts: Beyond simply knowing God’s word, the Lord desires for his people to internalize, treasure, and obey it (see also Ps 37:31; Jer 31:33). • Those who obey the Lord often endure scorn and insults (see also Matt 5:10-12).","13":"you have forgotten the Lord: The Lord will never forget Israel (see 44:21; 49:15), so they should not forget him. • The Creator of the world also created the nation Israel.","14":"The Exile brought such brutal conditions as imprisonment, starvation, and death.","15":"I am the Lord: The Lord uses this formula to identify himself as the covenant God and to assure his people of the truth of his word and the reliability of his actions (see 27:3-4).","16":"my words in your mouth: The focus shifted back to the servant. • You are my people: Israel was the covenant community.","17":"Wake up, wake up: Israel used these words in a prayer to the Lord (51:9). Israel’s problems were not the result of God’s slowness to act; rather, the people were slow to believe God’s promises. • the cup of the Lord’s fury: The Lord will appropriately measure out his judgment; those who fall under his judgment must figuratively drink from his wrath (see also Matt 26:39).","20":"children have fainted: A sad commentary on Jerusalem’s desolation is provided in Lamentations 1:13, 22; 2:11-12, 19.","22":"God would be the Defender of Israel as he was when Assyria besieged Jerusalem (38:6).","23":"The tormentors were the Babylonians who brought about destruction, war, and famine (51:19)."},"52":{"1":"This second call to wake up (see 51:17) was in preparation for a glorious future. • holy city: The new city would be holy because its citizens would be holy (see 4:3). • enter your gates no longer: Things that are unclean will not be permitted to enter the holy city (see Rev 21:27).","3":"I sold you into exile . . . Now I can redeem you: The Lord was fully in control when he gave his people into the hands of their enemies. Likewise, he remained fully in control and could redeem them if he chose to do so.","4":"in Egypt . . . oppressed by Assyria: The exodus from exile would be like Israel’s past exodus from Egypt.","5":"The oppressors would shout in exultation because they believed they had conquered not only Israel but also its God. • My name is blasphemed all day long: The condition of God’s people affects God’s reputation in the eyes of the watching world (see 37:6, 23; 48:11).","6":"Just as God did to Moses before the Exodus (Exod 3:15), he will reveal himself in the coming rescue from exile.","7":"How beautiful on the mountains: See Nah 1:15; Rom 10:15. • The good news goes beyond proclaiming an end to the Exile; it also points to the peace and salvation of the age to come (Isa 54:13-14; see 40:9-10; 41:27).","8":"The watchmen were those looking for the news of Zion’s redemption. • the Lord returning to Jerusalem: The sin of the city’s inhabitants had driven God away.","10":"victory of our God: The rescue of God’s people from disgrace foreshadows an even greater victory when God will reign victoriously to the ends of the earth (note the many similarities with Ps 98:1-3).","11":"Here the imagery of leaving the unclean enemy city encourages the people to purify themselves by turning away from all known sin. Those who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord need to be pure.","12":"not leave in a hurry: At the time of the Exodus the people had to leave quickly (see Exod 12:11, 31-36). Isaiah drew this contrast to emphasize the newness of God’s plan. • protect you from behind: See Exod 13:21; 14:19-20.","13":"prosper . . . be highly exalted: The servant would be wise and successful, set apart with the great and noble. Similar terms describe God in 6:1 and 57:15.","14":"were amazed: No one expected that the rescuer would suffer and die.","15":"startle many nations: They would be amazed that a rescuer would appear so weak and helpless and would stand speechless. • What they will see and what they will understand will be in complete contrast to anything they had previously imagined."},"53":{"1":"our message: The identity of the speaker has been debated—the main possibilities are (1) a faithful remnant of Israel, and (2) Isaiah himself. Most likely, Isaiah the prophet was speaking for and with Israel. • powerful arm: God’s strength, so dramatically described in the previous chapters (see 50:2; 51:5, 9; 52:10), would actually manifest itself in weakness and apparent helplessness through the servant’s humiliation and exaltation (see 1 Cor 1:27-30).","2":"a tender green shoot . . . in dry ground: Such a plant is vulnerable to extinction (cp. 37:27). It can hardly stay alive for itself, let alone provide anything for anyone else. • nothing beautiful or majestic: The servant appeared to have no greatness or self-evident royal splendor (see 52:13-15). • nothing to attract us to him: People like their leaders to be physically attractive and personally charismatic. The servant would be neither.","3":"a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief (or a man of pains, acquainted with illness): The servant would fully experience the effects of sin and the Fall. • we did not care: Because people would fail to see how such a weak, insignificant person could do anything beneficial for them, they would be unconcerned about his suffering.","4":"The callous world would assume that the servant somehow brought his suffering on himself, never realizing that he was suffering for them. • troubles . . . punishment: These descriptions of the servant’s humiliation contrast with the descriptions of his exaltation.","5":"he was pierced: See also Zech 12:10. • crushed . . . beaten . . . whipped: These were typically punishments for crimes. Sin is a crime against God. • be whole: Hebrew shalom, usually translated “peace.” Shalom means to experience wholeness in body, in mind, and in relationships with others. The servant would be injured so that humanity can be whole and healthy in all aspects of life (see also Isa 57:18). We do not need to suffer divine condemnation for our sins because the servant has already done so (see Gal 1:4).","6":"strayed away . . . left God’s paths: These are metaphors for sin (see also Rom 3:10-18).","7":"See 1 Pet 2:21-25 for the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus Christ.","8":"Unjustly condemned: The servant will be given no legal protection or proper defense. • cut short in midstream: To die in midlife was understood to be God’s judgment.","9":"no wrong . . . never deceived anyone: See 1 Pet 2:21-25. • in a rich man’s grave: Literally he was with the rich in his death (see Matt 27:57-61). Although the Bible often considers riches as a blessing from God, it regularly condemns the rich as crooked and oppressive. The point here might be ironic: This good man would be buried with oppressors.","10":"The servant’s grief would accomplish a greater good; the forgiveness and reconciliation of sinful humanity. Note also God’s good plan to prosper and exalt the servant. • when his life is made an offering for sin: The suffering of the servant provided a substitute for others, just as the animal sacrifices in the Temple did. • Having many descendants and enjoying a long life are rewards for godly and wise living (see Prov 3:2; 17:6; 20:7). Because the servant left his fate in his God’s hands, he would receive eternal rewards from the God who vindicates the righteous (see Phil 2:9-11).","11":"his experience (literally his knowledge): This clearly does not refer to intellectual knowledge but to all that the servant would experience in his obedience, suffering, and intimate relationship with God. • The servant’s righteous obedience enables people to be put right with God (see Gen 15:6; Rom 5:18-19), for he will bear all their sins.","12":"the honors: See Phil 2:9-11. • He was counted among the rebels: Rebels (Hebrew poshe‘im) is a stronger word than sinners and is a key word in Isaiah. It refers to those who are in willful defiance of a lawful authority, in this case, God. • interceded for rebels: The servant would pray for sinners in the midst of his suffering (see Exod 32:30; Luke 23:34)."},"54":{"1":"In the ancient world, a woman who had never given birth after being married for a time would be ashamed. Isaiah compares Jerusalem to a barren woman who rejoices at the long-awaited blessing of children (see Gal 4:27).","3":"Israel’s descendants (cp. 53:10) would occupy other nations in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen 22:17) and to Jacob (Gen 28:14). • As desolation took place (Isa 6:11; 14:21), the people of God would inherit the earth and resettle the ruined cities (51:6; 52:10; 65:17; see also Matt 5:5; Rom 4:13).","5":"Creator . . . husband: The Lord committed himself to the abandoned woman (his people in exile) as her maker (44:24) and husband (see also 62:4-5; Hos 2:19-20). • The Redeemer transforms misery into freedom and fulfillment (see also Isa 41:14).","9":"The Exile was similar in both drama and trauma to the flood in the time of Noah. In both instances, people sinned grievously against the Lord, but the Lord renewed his commitment to creation (after Noah’s flood) and to his people (after the Exile).","10":"God’s faithful love for his people endures despite their unfaithfulness. • God’s covenant of blessing was the assurance of his presence, resulting in wholeness, blessing, and protection. It replaces the shame and disgrace of the Exile (see Ezek 34:25; 37:26).","11":"The Lord himself would rebuild the city (see Heb 11:10). • Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious stone.","13":"I will teach: Jesus alluded to this verse in John 6:45. • They will enjoy great peace, the benefits of God’s presence and protection (Isa 53:5; see 48:17-18; 54:10).","14":"Jerusalem would again be a righteous city, secure under a government that is just and fair (see 1:26).","15":"God gives assurance that no nation can defeat his people . The Lord has promised to protect them, just as he had promised Abraham (Gen 12:3; see Isa 49:25).","17":"no weapon . . . will succeed . . . accuse you . . . vindication: God will protect his people in war and in the courtroom. • These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord: Only the true children of God—people who come out of Israel and the nations—will enjoy the promised blessings of the age to come that God establishes."},"55":{"1":"thirsty . . . wine or milk: The invitation to eat and drink is similar to Wisdom’s call in Prov 9:5. The image promises the slaking of thirst not only by water but also by more costly items such as wine and milk. John applied a similar theme to Jesus Christ (John 4:14; 6:27, 35; 7:37; Rev 21:6; 22:17). • it’s all free: Reconciliation with God is for anyone and has no cost.","2":"Listen to me . . . eat what is good: Responding positively to God satisfies one’s spiritual, social, and physical being (see 1:19; 58:13-14; Prov 4:10).","3":"Come to me. . . . Listen . . . find life: Those who respond obediently to God’s word find eternal life (see also 55:11). • an everlasting covenant . . . I promised to David: King David received a special covenant from God, a promise to preserve his kingly line (see 2 Sam 7:15-16). David’s dynasty was eternally confirmed in the kingship of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (see Isa 9:6-7; 11:1-16; Acts 2:22-36; 13:34).","6":"while you can find him: When God graciously extends an invitation to salvation, people must respond (65:1; Jer 29:13-14; Hos 5:6; 10:12). Those who do not seek him at such times risk never having the opportunity again.","7":"Let the wicked change . . . turn to the Lord: True conversion demands a change of how we live in favor of God’s requirements (see 1:16-17; 30:15; 59:20). • have mercy on them: God’s compassion reaches out to the needy and finds them where they are. • he will forgive generously: Forgiveness of sin is foundational to the good news of redemption (see Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; see also Pss 32:1; 86:5; 99:8; 103:2-5).","12":"Joy is found in being redeemed from bondage. • Godly people experience an inner peace not known to the wicked (48:22). • mountains and hills . . . trees of the field: Creation participates in the freedom of the children of God (44:23; 49:11, 13; see Rom 8:19-23).","13":"Redemption is like the transformation from desert to forest (see also 35:1; 41:19; 60:13). • great honor to the Lord’s name: God’s glory will be more and more visible to humanity as his redemption takes effect."},"56":{"1":"Be just and fair: A key aspect of the message of chs 1–39 is the call for justice in relationship with others and God. True godliness comes only through having character that is shaped by the character of God, which only happens by understanding and consistently applying God’s word. • I am coming soon: This statement summarizes the message of chs 40–55, that the Lord is creating a world of harmony, peace, restoration, vindication, and the removal of enemies (46:13).","2":"Blessed: Cp. 30:18; 32:20; see also Pss 1:1; 119:1; Matt 5:3. • The Sabbath, as a sign of the covenant (Exod 31:13-17), is God’s gift to his people; it belongs to this age as well as to the age to come (Isa 56:4, 6; 58:13-14; see Heb 4:1-13).","3":"Foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord would become full participants in the covenant community. Previously, their participation had been carefully regulated (Deut 23:3, 7-8). • eunuchs: In the past, an emasculated person was excluded from the community (Deut 23:1). Both eunuchs and foreigners had no share in Israel’s holiness and were considered marginal to God’s kingdom. In the age to come, God would bring to the center those who had previously been marginalized (cp. Matt 20:16).","4":"The Sabbath is a sign of the covenant (Exod 31:13-17).","5":"within the walls of my house: Those previously excluded would have a place in God’s presence. • a memorial and a name: Everlasting existence in God’s presence is better than the blessing of physical descendants.","6":"The essential ingredient for covenant fellowship is love for God (Deut 6:5; 30:20; Matt 22:34-38). • Keeping the Sabbath is a sign of keeping the covenant itself (see Exod 31:13-17).","7":"burnt offerings and sacrifices: God had previously rejected sinful Israel’s expressions of piety (1:11-13) but would welcome offerings from righteous Gentiles or foreigners. Nationality is worth little without true piety. • a house of prayer for all nations: The Lord would open the doors of the Temple to all nations (see 2:2-4). Jesus rebuked the people for desecrating the Temple and for preventing it from functioning as the house of prayer (Matt 21:13; Mark 11:17).","8":"The outcasts of Israel were those dispersed among the nations as the result of the Exile (see also 11:12). • The others would be eunuchs and Gentiles (56:3-7; see also 57:19; John 10:16).","9":"Wild animals are here a metaphor for the hostile nations surrounding Judah.","10":"The leaders of Israel failed to guide and protect God’s people from the sins that led to the Exile. • sleeping and dreaming: See 29:10.","11":"ignorant shepherds: Israel’s leaders did not know how to rule in a godly way (see also Ezek 34:1-6). By contrast, the Lord is the faithful Shepherd of his people (Isa 40:11). • all following their own path: They had no concern for God or his standards of godly leadership (see also 53:6). • personal gain: Cp. 33:15."},"57":{"1":"the evil to come: Judgment that would come on the wicked nations. • protecting them: At times, God allows the godly to die in order to protect them from harsher times to come.","2":"The wicked would not be able to rest in peace (57:21).","3":"witches’ children . . . adulterers and prostitutes: Baal religion, which flourished in Israel before the Exile (see 1:21-23), included lewd sexual practices.","4":"mock . . . sticking out your tongues: The wicked oppressed the righteous by their insults (57:1-2; see also 28:9, 14).","5":"beneath the oaks and under every green tree: Tree groves were commonly used as places of pagan worship (see 1:29-30). • sacrifice your children: The horrible practice of child sacrifice was occasionally practiced in Israel (see Ps 106:37-38).","6":"Liquid offerings and grain offerings were believed to satisfy the basic needs of the gods and thus to earn their favor.","8":"climbed into bed: The people of Israel had a sickening commitment to the fertility religions, which included sex as part of their rituals.","11":"The people were living in fear of false gods instead of fearing the Lord (see 8:12-13).","12":"The Lord did not consider the people’s so-called good deeds (literally righteousness; see 59:16) to be truly righteous.","13":"your idols . . . fall over: See study note on 40:18. • inherit the land: The Hebrew word translated land can also signify the whole earth (see Pss 25:13; 37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34; Matt 5:5). • my holy mountain: God’s servants will enjoy God’s presence in Zion (see Isa 2:2; 56:7).","15":"Even though God is the high and lofty one, he promises to dwell with the humble.","18":"I will heal them anyway: Salvation is by God’s grace (see 19:22; 30:26; 53:5).","19":"words of praise: God’s redemption should bring a response of praise from its recipients. • both near and far: Both Gentiles and Jews are included (see 56:3; John 10:16; Eph 2:17).","20":"restless sea . . . never still: Those who live in constant opposition to God (see Pss 46:3, 6; 93:3-4) do not enjoy inner quiet because they are not at peace with God (Isa 30:15; 32:17). • churns up mud and dirt: Their activity has little productivity (see Ps 40:2).","21":"no peace: Cp. 57:2; see also 48:22."},"58":{"2":"they act so pious (literally they seek me): They may have been truly committed to a religious form, but they failed to truly meet God in their religious activities.","3":"Fasting should be a time of self-deprivation in order to focus on God and pleasing him (Lev 16:29; see Zech 7:5). However, these people were only interested in pleasing themselves and continuing in their sins.","5":"This is a satirical portrayal of the people’s fasting as mere external piety without repentance and righteous acts. Ritualistic and insincere fasting is nothing but pomp. • Wearing burlap and ashes are expressions of sorrow and mourning. • please the Lord? The people erroneously believed that the Lord would bless them, if only they performed the right rituals.","8":"your salvation (literally your light): The light of the coming age (see 42:6-7; 60:1-3) will dawn on those who turn fully to the Lord. The night of divine judgment and oppression will be over. • your wounds: The nation of Israel was wounded when they were conquered and sent into exile. • protect you from behind: See also 52:12.","9":"the Lord will answer: Cp. 1:15; see also 19:22. • Stop . . . spreading vicious rumors: God calls for an end to acts and words that destroy relationships (see Prov 6:12-14).","10":"your light . . . as bright as noon: God would rescue and vindicate his people (see Job 11:17; Ps 37:6).","12":"a rebuilder of walls: Nehemiah would later fulfill this promise (see Neh 2:17).","13":"Like the practice of fasting, the Sabbath was intended to be an expression of self-denial and worship. It consists of delighting in the Lord, trusting him to provide for one’s needs while abstaining from work, and living in obedience to his will.","14":"As people honor God through obedience, they themselves will be honored by God. • the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob: The promised inheritance includes living with many descendants in the holy land and enjoying God’s presence, blessing, and protection (Gen 31:3; 35:9-12)."},"59":{"1":"not too weak: The delay in their rescue could not be attributed to an inherent weakness in the Lord.","2":"your sins . . . cut you off: The Israelites, like all people (Rom 3:15-17), had sinned, which resulted in alienation from God (he has turned away).","4":"being fair and honest: Israel did not practice these qualities that are part of God’s nature and that he expects from people (1:21; see 25:1).","10":"people without eyes: See 6:10; Deut 28:29.","18":"repay his enemies: The Lord will dole out righteous retribution on the whole earth. His justice requires people to be judged for the evil they have done (see also 3:9-11; 13:9).","19":"In the west . . . in the east: I.e., in all parts of the world.","21":"The members of the new community have the Spirit, and they know and practice God’s word (see also Ezek 36:24-28). The Lord promises to regenerate the children by his Spirit and bring them into the covenant of obedience and love for the Lord (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:39)."},"60":{"3":"The transformation of all nations and mighty kings will be so radical that all kingdoms will take notice and be drawn to God through his people (see also Rev 21:24).","6":"Midian and Ephah were Midianite tribes located southeast of Israel. • Sheba was a region in southern Arabia (see 1 Kgs 10:1-2) famed for frankincense (Jer 6:20). • These were real nations—the restoration would be a historical reality, not just an idealistic vision. Many nations would submit themselves to and worship the Lord.","7":"Kedar was a tribe in Arabia (21:16-17). • Nebaioth was an Ishmaelite tribe. • I will make my Temple glorious: The glory of God will be even more evident than it was in Solomon’s Temple (see 6:1-5; Hag 2:9; Rev 21:11, 22).","9":"filled you with splendor: See Rev 21:26.","10":"their kings will serve you: God’s people who were previously humiliated (2:11) will be exalted.","11":"There are two likely reasons for why the gates are not closed at night (see also Rev 21:25): (1) So much traffic will be coming into the city (Isa 60:8-10) that the gates will need to be open. (2) The citizens of Zion will no longer need to fear enemies because the Lord is their protector (60:18); the nations that remain will be serving the Lord and his people (60:9, 12).","12":"In the coming age, nations that refuse to obey God will be destroyed.","13":"The Temple was God’s sanctuary, the symbol of his presence on earth. Believers now are the temple of God by the indwelling Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). We still await the fullness of God’s presence (Rev 21:22).","15":"beautiful forever, a joy to all generations: This would be radical change from the conditions of the Exile in Babylon. Fulfillments of this prophecy include the Jews’ restoration from exile, the coming of Jesus Christ, and the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church. The final fulfillment awaits the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ, which will usher in the new Jerusalem.","17":"gold . . . silver . . . bronze . . . iron: These metals are for adornment and strength (cp. 54:11; Rev 21:15-21). • Peace and righteousness will bring harmony and blessing among people and with God.","18":"praise will be on the lips of all who enter there (literally they will call your gates “praise”): Entrance into the city of salvation will be through the metaphorical gates of praise to the Lord for his great salvation.","21":"The citizens of Zion will be righteous, enjoying a right relationship with God and with others (Rev 21:27). • their land: Or the entire earth (Isa 54:5; 62:7; 65:17; 66:22).","22":"I, the Lord: The Lord identifies himself as the covenant God of Israel. His identity ensures that he will make it happen (see 27:3-4)."},"61":{"1":"The presence of God’s Spirit ensures the success of the servant’s mission (see 11:1-5; 42:1). • The servant will restore and heal the marginalized poor and the brokenhearted (see 25:4).","2":"The time of the Lord’s favor is the day of God’s salvation (see 49:8). • the day of God’s anger: God now turns his wrath against the enemies of his people. It will be a day of righteous vengeance (see 34:8; 63:3-4).","3":"Putting ashes on one’s head was a sign of mourning (note the reversal of the judgment stated in 3:16-25). Mourning would be replaced by joy. The words translated crown of beauty and ashes form a wordplay in Hebrew. • joyous blessing (literally oil of gladness): A face covered with oil was a sign of blessing and well-being (see Pss 45:8; 133:2). • The remnant would start out as small offshoots but would grow into great oaks (see Isa 60:21).","6":"priests . . . ministers: The nation would fulfill its original calling (Exod 19:6).","7":"The people had suffered God’s wrath for their sins (40:2); now they would receive a double share of God’s blessing.","8":"Those who belong to the community of God’s people are to imitate the character of God, who loves justice (see Mic 6:8) and hates wrongdoing (Isa 33:15).","9":"Their descendants: The covenant will be effective from generation to generation. • The Lord has blessed them in fulfillment of his promise to Abraham (Gen 12:1-2; see Isa 65:23).","10":"clothing of salvation . . . robe of righteousness: With great joy God will clothe his people with the benefits of his salvation and righteousness (see 51:5; 56:1), like a bridegroom . . . or a bride (see 49:18; 62:5; Jer 2:32; 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:11)."},"62":{"2":"The real beauty and glory of God’s people would not be seen in earthly treasures or a rebuilt city but would shine forth from their righteousness. Others would be drawn by this divine gift. • A new name reflects the change in Zion’s status (see 62:4).","4":"The Forsaken City: In the Exile, the Lord abandoned his people to the judgment they deserved (54:7). • The Bride of God: The people will be “married” to the Lord—an appropriate image for the close covenant relationship (54:5; Hos 1–3).","8":"The Lord swore an oath just as he did when he had sworn an oath to Noah (Gen 8:20–9:17), to Abraham (Gen 22:16; see also Luke 1:73; Heb 6:13), and to David (Ps 89:3). • I will never again hand you over: In order to punish and purge a remnant from his people, God had intentionally brought in the Assyrians and Babylonians to decimate them (see Isa 6:12-13). He would never do this again.","9":"The people would eat and drink the fruit of their labor (65:13, 22; see Lev 23:39-40; Deut 14:22-26). This is the opposite of what happened when God judged them (see Deut 28:38-40; Amos 5:11; Mic 6:14-15).","10":"highway: See also 40:3; 57:14. • A flag for all the nations to see is a signal that directs foreigners to come to Zion for God’s salvation. Earlier, a similar signal was used to call for the nations to attack Judah (5:26)."},"63":{"1":"The Lord’s robes are stained red with blood (63:3; cp. Rev 19:13). • The name Bozrah (Hebrew botsrah) is a wordplay on the verb batsar (“gather grapes”).","2":"The term red (Hebrew ’adom) is a wordplay on the name Edom.","4":"the time . . . to avenge my people: See study note on 34:8. • to ransom: See study note on 43:1.","6":"made them stagger: The wicked nations would be forced to drink from the intoxicating cup of God’s wrath (49:26; 51:17, 21).","7":"unfailing love . . . all he has done . . . his great goodness: The whole history of God’s care for his people demonstrates his compassion, provision, and protection.","8":"They are my very own people: God’s possession of and commitment to his people was central to the covenant (see 43:1). • they will not betray me: The Lord expected his own people to honor their relationship with him, unlike the nations, whose story is a history of treachery (Gen 3–11). But Israel, too, betrayed their God (Isa 63:10). • their Savior: God rescued and protected his people (see 43:3).","9":"he also suffered: God identified with his suffering people, and their suffering brought him grief. Later, Jesus suffered on behalf of all humanity. • and he personally rescued them: e.g., see Exod 12:25-33; 14:10-31; 23:20-23.","10":"But they rebelled: See also 1:2, 4; 59:1-15; Pss 78, 106. • Persistent disobedience and unbelief grieved his Holy Spirit (Ps 106:33; Matt 12:32; Mark 3:29). • he became their enemy: Examples include Israel’s period of wandering in the wilderness (see the book of Numbers), the period of the judges (see the book of Judges), and the period leading up to the Exile (see the book of Jeremiah).","14":"God gave his people rest after he brought them into the Promised Land (see 63:9; Josh 1:13; 22:4; 23:1).","16":"our Father: God’s fatherhood and his commitment to his children are much more important and secure than national ancestry (see 9:6; 64:8; Deut 32:6; Ps 68:5; Mal 2:10; Matt 6:9-15; Rom 8:15-17).","17":"The prophet understands that God has the power to keep his people faithful, so he asks, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? • Return and help us: God likewise has the power to call his people back to himself (Ezek 36:25-27) and to defeat all their enemies.","18":"The people were supposed to be holy, but their lack of holiness had led to destruction. • The holy place was the Temple, which the Babylonians destroyed in 586 BC (64:11; 2 Kgs 25:1-21).","19":"Israel was constantly turning from God and then being punished by him."},"64":{"7":"you have turned away from us: See 1:15; 30:20; 59:2. • turned us over to our sins: Because the people were so bent on sinning, God left them to perish in their sinful ways (see Rom 1:24).","8":"clay . . . potter: See also 29:16; 45:9; Rom 9:20-21.","10":"holy cities: All the cities of Judah were considered holy to God. However, the Temple in the host city of Jerusalem was the most holy place."},"65":{"3":"Sacred gardens were a part of the fertility religion of Baal.","4":"worshiping the dead: God had banned the practice of necromancy (consulting dead spirits; see 8:19-22; 47:9; Deut 18:9-11). • the flesh of pigs . . . other forbidden foods: See Isa 66:3-4; Lev 11:7; Deut 14:3, 8.","5":"you will defile me! I am holier than you! The people of Israel used the language of ritual purification, as stated in the laws of Moses, yet they practiced rites influenced by paganism. Because of this hypocrisy, they were a stench in God’s nostrils (see 1:10-15).","6":"my decree is written out: God is fully committed to carry out his plan. • The godly had asked whether the Lord would stand silent forever (64:12). God answered that he would not but would deal with the wicked before restoring the righteous remnant.","7":"The people of Israel practiced their pagan religion at sacred shrines on mountains and hills (see 1 Kgs 14:23; Hos 4:13).","10":"Sharon was a fertile and beautiful marshy region southwest of Mount Carmel (see 33:9). The valley of Achor in the vicinity of Jericho was associated with the curse on Achan (Josh 7:24-26); it would be transformed into a place of blessing (Hos 2:15). These western and eastern regions might represent the renewal of the whole land.","11":"Fate and Destiny are names of pagan gods (Gad, Meni) that were thought to bring fortune and determine one’s destiny.","12":"‘destine’: This verb (Hebrew manithi) is a wordplay on Meni (see study note on 65:11). God alone controls human and national destinies.","15":"The new name given to the faithful represents a new identity and a deeper relationship with the Lord (see also 62:2).","16":"evil of earlier days: Cp. Rev 21:4.","17":"The new heavens and new earth will be a place of righteousness (see also 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21). Paul described those who believe in Christ as already being part of the new creation (see 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15).","24":"God will be present with his people (see also 19:22; 30:19; cp. 1:15; 59:2).","25":"The snakes represent evil (27:1; Gen 3)."},"66":{"1":"my throne . . . my footstool: God’s kingdom extends over all creation (see 40:22; Matt 5:34-35). • a temple . . . a resting place: Because the entire universe is God’s dwelling place, humans cannot limit him to a building (see 1 Kgs 8:27). • Stephen quoted Isa 66:1-2a in his last sermon (Acts 7:49-50).","2":"God is pleased to dwell with those who have humble and contrite hearts (57:15; Ps 51:17). • who tremble at my word: The humble and contrite submit themselves to God’s will, whereas the arrogant resist it.","3":"delighting in their detestable sins: Literally delighting in abominations, which refers to pagan worship practices. • sacrifice a bull . . . blessed an idol: Wicked people brought sacrifices as prescribed by the law, but their sin rendered those sacrifices equivalent to pagan offerings (see 1:11-17).","6":"terrible noise from the Temple: This parallels the situation described in Ezek 9 when God’s executioner began to destroy the wicked people of Jerusalem. • vengeance against his enemies: God would deal out retribution to the disobedient members of his own people. They were his enemies because of their persistent sin and rejection of God.","7":"birth pains . . . gives birth to a son: See 9:6-7; 54:1-3.","8":"by the time . . . her children will be born: A miraculous repopulation of Zion would occur (see 49:19-20; 54:1-3; cp. 1:8-9).","9":"The Lord promised that he would surely recreate his holy nation.","12":"a river: The people, who lost peace and prosperity in the Exile, would receive it back abundantly (see 48:18).","13":"I will comfort you: Cp. 40:1.","14":"flourish like the grass: Contrast 40:7; 64:6. • God’s enemies included the disobedient from the foreign nations and from within Israel (see 61:2; 66:6).","17":"Apostates who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves through idolatrous practices are an abomination to God (cp. 1:28-31; 65:4).","19":"The sign is the proclamation of God’s glory among the nations (66:20). God will establish a righteous and faithful new people consisting of godly Gentiles together with faithful Israelites (Rev 15:3-4; see also Acts 2).","21":"That some of the Gentiles would serve as priests and Levites signifies the removal of God’s distinction between Hebrews and Gentiles (see 56:7; see also Gal 6:15; Eph 4:11-13).","22":"always be my people: God’s promise to Abraham was secure (Gen 17:7; see also Gal 3:8, 14). • a name that will never disappear: The identity of this new people will last forever (see Isa 59:21).","24":"Isaiah gives a final warning of the severity of God’s judgment. The book begins and ends with the condemnation of those who have rebelled (see 1:2-4). • The judgment of God on wicked humans will generate utter horror because such people will have no hope and no relief from suffering (see also Matt 5:22; 25:41; Mark 9:47-48; Rev 20:11-15)."}},"ranges":[{"start_chapter":1,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":1,"end_verse":15,"contents":"The people had so offended God through their sin that he took no pleasure any more in their sacrifices. The Lord wanted Judah to stop the religious exercises he had commanded them to do rather than to continue them in a manner that was sinful and false (1:13). Ritual is never an acceptable substitute for true godliness."},{"start_chapter":1,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":1,"end_verse":20,"contents":"Repentance leads to life, whereas resisting God’s will and turning away from him results in death (see Deut 11:26-28; 28:1-62)."},{"start_chapter":1,"start_verse":29,"end_chapter":1,"end_verse":30,"contents":"The rebels (1:28), who practiced idolatry in groves of sacred oaks and in gardens dedicated to idols, would become like drought-stricken oaks and gardens. They would lack the nourishing vitality of the true God’s presence. Those who followed the Canaanite fertility religion of Baal treated gardens and trees as sacred, believing that they brought blessings. Instead, they brought spiritual death."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":2,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":4,"contents":"God’s gracious salvation would one day extend beyond Israel and Judah. This would prompt the nations to come to Zion, not in battle but to be blessed there and live by the rules of God’s kingdom. Isaiah encouraged Judah to look at the benefits that the nations would enjoy. He wanted to stimulate the people of Judah (2:5) to jealousy and provoke them to follow the Lord so that they would not be left out in that day. This section is repeated almost verbatim in Micah 4:1-3."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":4,"end_verse":1,"contents":"Isaiah condemned Israel’s and Judah’s arrogance and self-exaltation, warning them that only God was to be exalted. All attempts by humans to lift themselves up will actually result in humiliation."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":22,"contents":"The prophet threatened judgment and scoffed at human pride. All human structures (religious, economic, military, social) will come under divine scrutiny and be found deficient on the day of the Lord—that final day in history when God will judge the wicked once and for all (1 Cor 1:8; 1 Thes 5:2; 2 Thes 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 20:7-15). At times, the prophets also used the expression “the day of the Lord” (or others like it, such as “that day”) to refer to special instances of God’s judgment upon wickedness during the course of history (see Isa 13:6, 9; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Obad 1:15). On the day of the Lord, God alone will be exalted, while all human wickedness and pride will be struck down. The glorious day of God’s coming will fill wicked and arrogant humans with terror (Isa 2:10, 19, 21)."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":8,"contents":"Isaiah pointed out all the things that people substitute for the true God: material achievements and securities (silver . . . treasures), military strength (warhorses . . . chariots), and objects of affection (idols). Such wealth and military strength characterized the reign of King Uzziah (2 Chr 26:6-21). Elsewhere, Isaiah pointed out the sheer folly of worshiping anything that is made with one’s own hands (see Isa 44:9-20; 45:16)."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":12,"contents":"A key theme in Isaiah is that the Lord will be exalted and humble people will be restored (57:15), while proud and mighty people are humbled (26:5). • The day of judgment and the “day of reckoning” are also called the “day of the Lord.” There are seven such references in chs 2–4 (2:11, 17, 20; 3:6, 18; 4:1, 2)."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":16,"contents":"The prophet used several images of human strength to elaborate on 2:11-12."},{"start_chapter":2,"start_verse":20,"end_chapter":2,"end_verse":21,"contents":"Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":3,"end_verse":12,"contents":"These verses continue the subject of judgment against Israel’s leadership (see 1:23-25). The removal of leadership at all levels would allow the mob to gain control. Chaos and famine would turn Judah and Jerusalem into a social wasteland."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":2,"end_chapter":3,"end_verse":3,"contents":"Regardless of their status, all military, civil, judicial, and religious leaders would be removed in the day of judgment (39:7; 2 Kgs 24:14-16). God would eventually give his people good leaders again (Isa 1:26) but not diviners and others who used pagan forms of revelation (47:9, 12-13; see Deut 18:10-12)."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":3,"end_verse":7,"contents":"Things would be so bad (a heap of ruins) that no one would want to take leadership. The people would become so desperate that anyone providing food or clothes (3:7) could be the leader of the people. In fact, however, no one would have food or clothing (see 4:1)."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":3,"end_verse":9,"contents":"The failure of human strength and societal organization can be a form of divine judgment. • to his face: The people of Judah had become bold in their wickedness like the people of Sodom (3:9; see also 1:9-10)."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":16,"end_chapter":4,"end_verse":1,"contents":"This passage applies the prophet’s teaching on arrogance (see 2:11-12) to the people of Jerusalem. An alternate understanding is that this passage applies specifically to the women of Jerusalem."},{"start_chapter":3,"start_verse":17,"end_chapter":3,"end_verse":25,"contents":"In a reversal of fortune, the affluent and proud people of Jerusalem would suffer disgrace. Some of their ornaments (3:18) likely were amulets to keep evil away, but they could not ward off the calamity of judgment. These items of beauty were status symbols and represented financial security."},{"start_chapter":4,"start_verse":2,"end_chapter":4,"end_verse":6,"contents":"In bold contrast to the desperate picture of 3:16–4:1, this prophecy of salvation and hope (see also 2:2-4) promised cleansing, consecration, and the renewal of God’s presence with the remnant. The imagery in 4:5-6 alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, when a pillar of cloud and of fire guided and protected them. Israel’s restoration from exile would be a second exodus."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":30,"contents":"The prophet pronounced judgment through song (5:1-7) and prophecies of woe (5:8-30). Although Israel’s future condition would be one of purity and fellowship with God (4:2-6), that future cannot ignore the present sinful condition of the people and their leaders."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":7,"contents":"The Song of the Vineyard expresses in poetic form God’s indictment of the wicked leadership that had ruined his vineyard, Israel. Like some wisdom literature, it presents readers with an account of a puzzling situation (5:1-2) before giving its spiritual significance (5:3-7). The theme of the vineyard’s transformation is found again in ch 27 and in Jesus’ teaching (Matt 21:33; Mark 12:1)."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":4,"contents":"Clearly, the Lord had graciously done everything possible for the vineyard. He was not to blame for the bitter grapes. • you judge: Isaiah wanted the audience to condemn the vineyard before he revealed that in fact they were the vineyard (5:7). This rhetorical tactic is similar to the one Nathan used to confront David (2 Sam 12:1-5)."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The Lord promised to make his vineyard, Israel, a desolate place because it was fit only for destruction. Later, Isaiah prophesied the gracious, glorious transformation of Israel from desolation to fruitful vitality (see 55:13)."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":23,"contents":"This section contains six pronouncements of sorrow—six threats of dreadful judgment (5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22). The sorrows identify some of the “bitter grapes” produced by the vineyard of Israel (5:1-7)."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":10,"contents":"What sorrow: The first threat of judgment was against oppressive greed. Properties (house and field) were being taken by illegal means. The new owners were thugs who used every avenue to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor (see 1 Kgs 21:1-29; Amos 2:6-7)."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":17,"contents":"What sorrow: The second threat of judgment concerned indulgent lifestyles. The language throughout this section indicates a life of corruption."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":19,"contents":"What sorrow: The third threat of judgment was against mockers, who openly treated God’s authority with contempt."},{"start_chapter":5,"start_verse":22,"end_chapter":5,"end_verse":24,"contents":"What sorrow: The sixth threat of judgment was against the indulgent lifestyle of the wicked."},{"start_chapter":6,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":6,"end_verse":13,"contents":"Isaiah’s marvelous vision of God as King on his throne served as a pivotal event in the life of the prophet. The historical circumstances surrounding this event can be interpreted in two ways: (1) Some see ch 6 as Isaiah’s original call to ministry, meaning that chs 1–5 and 7–12 fit into the reign of Ahaz, who came to rule after the death of Uzziah (6:1). If this were so, why was Isaiah’s call not at the beginning of the book? Perhaps his call was put in ch 6 for literary reasons, serving as a conclusion to chs 1–5 and an introduction to chs 7–12. The prophet’s own transformation and commissioning symbolizes the entire nation’s need for conversion if it wants to fulfill its mandate to be God’s light to the world. (2) Others understand chs 1–12 as chronological; Isaiah’s call in ch 6 would then serve as a recommissioning of the prophet to minister in a new way in a different period (the time of Ahaz) when his words would be rejected. Those who hold this interpretation point to 2:7-9; 3:16-24; and 5:8-14, contending that these passages reflect a time of prosperity, military strength, pride, and splendor; these conditions existed during Uzziah’s reign but not during Ahaz’s reign."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":39,"end_verse":8,"contents":"In this long section of the book, the nation of Israel was confronted with a vision of God, similar to how Isaiah was confronted in ch 6."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":12,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The historical context of these prophecies involved Assyria’s rise to power and the alliance between Syria and Israel as enemies of Judah (7:1-2; see 2 Kgs 16:5). Assyria became God’s rod to punish Syria, Israel, and Judah (Isa 7–10)."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":7,"end_verse":25,"contents":"At one point in his reign, Ahaz found himself in a crisis. The leaders of Syria and Israel attacked Judah. They planned to replace Ahaz and force Judah to join them in their resistance against Assyria. Ahaz responded by calling Assyria in to help him (2 Kgs 16:7-10), thus refusing Isaiah’s challenge to trust the Lord instead (Isa 7:12). Although the Assyrians squelched the alliance of Syria and Israel, leading to the eventual downfall of both those nations, they also soon set their sights on total domination of Judah."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":7,"end_verse":16,"contents":"By the time this child is old enough: The crisis involving the alliance of Syria and Israel against Judah was in 734 BC; by 732 BC Damascus, capital of Syria, was destroyed, and the northern kingdom, Israel, was defeated. • choose what is right and reject what is wrong: This was to happen by the age of 12, when a child was held responsible as an adult. In 722 BC, Israel went into exile. • he will be eating yogurt and honey: The land would be so depopulated that these delicacies would be available to all."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":7,"end_verse":25,"contents":"The repetition of in that day referred to the yet future day of the Lord. Judah would experience the judgment already announced by Isaiah as a foretaste of an even greater judgment to come: exile in Babylon (586–538 BC)."},{"start_chapter":7,"start_verse":23,"end_chapter":7,"end_verse":25,"contents":"Farmers faced near total disaster. Fertile agricultural fields (lush vineyards) would revert to wild grazing lands dominated by worthless plants (briers and thorns; see 5:6)."},{"start_chapter":8,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":8,"end_verse":10,"contents":"This prophecy connects the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz with the sign of Immanuel (8:8, 10)."},{"start_chapter":8,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":8,"end_verse":10,"contents":"God’s plan to rescue his stubborn people would ultimately be fulfilled. God planned to destroy Assyria, just as he does every other proud nation that rejects him or boasts in its own power."},{"start_chapter":8,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":8,"end_verse":15,"contents":"This text reveals the heart of Isaiah’s message. The issue was fear of the Lord versus fear of people (see 7:9; 8:6). When an individual fears people, the Lord becomes a trap and destruction is certain (cp. Prov 29:25; see “Fearing People” Theme Note). For those who fear the Lord, he becomes a sanctuary; their salvation is assured."},{"start_chapter":8,"start_verse":16,"end_chapter":8,"end_verse":17,"contents":"The command to preserve Isaiah’s teaching suggests that it was harshly received by his contemporaries, who might have wanted to snuff it out. Faithful disciples safely preserved the prophet’s messages."},{"start_chapter":8,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":8,"end_verse":22,"contents":"Isaiah contrasts his counsel with that of his ungodly contemporaries. Isaiah’s message gives light, whereas the message of the spiritists led to darkness and death. • Mediums used various means of divination, including summoning the dead, in the attempt to determine the future (see 19:3). God had banned these useless activities (47:9; Deut 18:9-11)."},{"start_chapter":9,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":9,"end_verse":7,"contents":"Beyond destruction there is hope. In the Messiah’s kingdom, the darkness would give way to great light, which was to dawn in Galilee and reach the whole nation, and then the whole world. The Messiah’s rule would be marked by the vindication of the oppressed and the end of all oppression. He would bring justice and righteousness forever in a kingdom of peace."},{"start_chapter":9,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":9,"end_verse":12,"contents":"This prophecy of judgment was against the northern kingdom of Israel. Despite God’s message that the Assyrians would crush them (chs 7–8), the people of Samaria were foolishly confident that they could withstand the siege."},{"start_chapter":9,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":9,"end_verse":17,"contents":"God’s punishment was intended to bring repentance, not destruction; but Israel was apostate and refused to repent or seek the Lord."},{"start_chapter":9,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":9,"end_verse":21,"contents":"Following the decimation of leadership, civil war would destroy the nation like an out-of-control brushfire."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":10,"end_verse":4,"contents":"This prophecy was directed against Judah’s leaders, who used their positions to enrich themselves at the people’s expense."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":11,"end_verse":16,"contents":"The primacy of the Lord’s moral law was established in 9:8–10:4; this passage works out the implications of the law: (1) Assyria was only a tool in God’s hands and was therefore as liable to judgment by God as any other nation (10:5-19, 28-34); (2) those among God’s people who trusted in him and obeyed his covenant would be rescued (10:20-27); and (3) God would establish his kingdom on earth (ch 11)."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":10,"end_verse":19,"contents":"This judgment was pronounced on Assyria because of their ruthless destruction of nations (10:7), blasphemous boasting (10:12), oppression (10:13-14), and self-perceived autonomy (10:15)."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":20,"end_chapter":10,"end_verse":27,"contents":"In the midst of Assyrian oppression, there was hope for the remnant. This passage develops more fully the meaning of Shear-jashub, a remnant will return (10:21; see 7:3; 8:18)."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":24,"end_chapter":10,"end_verse":34,"contents":"God assured his people of his presence and purpose."},{"start_chapter":10,"start_verse":28,"end_chapter":10,"end_verse":34,"contents":"Look, the Assyrians are now at Aiath: The march described in 10:29-32 is a poetic account of Assyria’s defeat. The places follow a route from the north down to Jerusalem. Upon arriving at Jerusalem, the Assyrians were forced to retreat. God was with Jerusalem, and eventually Assyria would be utterly destroyed. This passage might foretell Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 BC (see chs 36–37), but it could just as well describe an earlier or later invasion."},{"start_chapter":11,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":11,"end_verse":16,"contents":"The kingdom of the Messiah, first introduced in 9:1-7, is now considered in more detail. Isaiah challenged the Israelites about why they would trust in any of the nations when God had far better plans in mind."},{"start_chapter":11,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":11,"end_verse":16,"contents":"Using imagery from Israel’s past exodus, Isaiah encouraged his listeners by promising that God would bring his people out of Assyria the way he brought them out of Egypt (Exod 14:29–15:18; see also Rev 16:12)."},{"start_chapter":12,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":12,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The prophet’s personal song of praise for God’s salvation closes the meditations on trust in chs 7–12. God will prove himself trustworthy in his promises to rescue his people even though they initially refused to trust him. The song anticipates chs 40–66 with its themes of salvation, forgiveness, praise, joy, and the nations."},{"start_chapter":12,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":12,"end_verse":5,"contents":"Tell the nations what he has done: The story of salvation must be told, even beyond the community of Israel (Pss 67:2; 70:4; 98:2)."},{"start_chapter":13,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":23,"end_verse":18,"contents":"This section contains prophecies of judgment against the nations. By including a prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem (22:1-25) in the midst of prophecies against the pagan nations, Isaiah emphasized that Israel’s identity as God’s people would not protect them from God’s punishment when they sinned as the other nations do."},{"start_chapter":13,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":13,"end_verse":22,"contents":"This picture of Babylon as a perpetually haunted ruin contrasts with its magnificence at its peak (see Dan 4:29-30)."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":2,"contents":"This message for Israel separates two prophecies of judgment against Babylon (ch 13; 14:3-23)."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":23,"contents":"This taunting song for the king of Babylon is in the form of a funeral dirge (cp. Rev 18)."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The land and people will be at rest and quiet because the oppression has ended and the king of Babylon has died. • The whole creation will join in praise, able to sing again (see also 42:11; 44:23; cp. Rom 8:22)."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":17,"contents":"This is a restatement of 14:9-11. The dead spirits inhabiting the place of the dead will be startled and amazed that the Babylonian king, who ruled the world with his merciless might, has absolutely no power in death."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":20,"contents":"The absence of a proper burial was a sign of great shame and dishonor. Unlike other kings, the king of Babylon would be disgraced in judgment."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":22,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":23,"contents":"Isaiah summarized the previous taunt (14:3-21) with this prophecy, spoken in the first person. God decrees the destruction and desolation of Babylon."},{"start_chapter":14,"start_verse":24,"end_chapter":14,"end_verse":27,"contents":"This prophecy resumes declaring judgment on Assyria (see ch 10). The placement of this prophecy after the judgment against Babylon suggests close connections between Assyria and Babylon."},{"start_chapter":15,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":16,"end_verse":14,"contents":"This message of judgment and lament concerned Moab’s fall. The extensive references to Moabite place names indicate that Isaiah was thoroughly familiar with Moab."},{"start_chapter":15,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":15,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The precise locations of the Ravine of Willows and of Eglaim and Beer-elim are uncertain."},{"start_chapter":16,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":16,"end_verse":4,"contents":"A request for asylum."},{"start_chapter":16,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":16,"end_verse":4,"contents":"Do not betray us . . . Hide them: Moab’s situation would become so dire that they would beg for asylum in other lands."},{"start_chapter":16,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":16,"end_verse":5,"contents":"This prophecy of salvation spoke of the future of David’s dynasty. • Activities such as oppression and destruction would cease with the end of Moabite hostilities (see 2 Kgs 13:20)."},{"start_chapter":16,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":16,"end_verse":11,"contents":"The response to Moab’s request for asylum (16:1-4)."},{"start_chapter":17,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":20,"end_verse":6,"contents":"This section contains prophecies of judgment against Damascus, Israel, Ethiopia, and Egypt. The scene moves from the crisis of 734 BC (the alliance of Syria and Israel—see study note on 7:1-25) to the Assyrian crisis in 701 BC (see chs 36–37)."},{"start_chapter":17,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":17,"end_verse":11,"contents":"The vision shifts from Damascus (17:1-3) to the northern kingdom of Israel; Damascus and Israel were allies in the war against Judah, and both were later destroyed by Assyria."},{"start_chapter":17,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":17,"end_verse":14,"contents":"God was present with Judah during the crisis."},{"start_chapter":19,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":20,"end_verse":6,"contents":"See also Jer 46; Ezek 29–32."},{"start_chapter":19,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":19,"end_verse":10,"contents":"Egypt was vulnerable, depending on the Nile for food, fish, and industry. When the Lord struck the Nile, Egypt would be in dire straits, and their gods would not be able to help."},{"start_chapter":19,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":19,"end_verse":15,"contents":"The prophet taunted the leaders and wise men of Egypt, who were helpless to avert tragedy."},{"start_chapter":19,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":19,"end_verse":25,"contents":"The new Egypt would receive a place in God’s purposes together with Assyria and Israel."},{"start_chapter":20,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":20,"end_verse":5,"contents":"Ashdod’s reliance on Egypt and Ethiopia was useless. As a complement to his words, Isaiah walked about exposed and barefoot, a symbolic action for what God would do."},{"start_chapter":20,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":20,"end_verse":4,"contents":"This symbolic event took place some three years before the fall of Ashdod (see 20:2). Through it, Isaiah became an object lesson for the people (see 8:18)."},{"start_chapter":20,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":20,"end_verse":6,"contents":"Philistia’s downfall was a warning to the people of Judah, who also relied on Egypt and other alliances rather than on God."},{"start_chapter":21,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":21,"end_verse":17,"contents":"These two prophecies pertain to Edom and Arabia, located in the territory between Babylon and Israel. These outlying regions suffered under Assyrian domination, and like Judah, they would not be able to rest under Babylon’s oppressive regime."},{"start_chapter":21,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":21,"end_verse":12,"contents":"Edom: Hebrew Seir, which was the mountainous area of Edom. • how much longer until morning: Edom’s suffering would be a long ordeal. The Assyrians were dominant in the ancient Near East during the 700s and 600s BC."},{"start_chapter":21,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":21,"end_verse":17,"contents":"Cp. Jer 49:28-33."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":25,"contents":"This message addresses the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC (see chs 36–37; 2 Kgs 18:17–19:37) and perhaps the people’s preparation for the subsequent Babylonian siege in 588–586 BC."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":4,"contents":"The prophet rebukes the people for their excitement over the Assyrian retreat (701 BC). They did not foresee that the Babylonian army would later (in 586 BC) complete what the Assyrians failed to do, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The defeat of Judah would be a manifestation of the yet-future day of the Lord (see study note on 2:5-22). Jerusalem would be impotent in the day of disaster."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":11,"contents":"The inhabitants of Jerusalem planned for war by counting weapons, checking walls, and preparing a water supply. However, the people did not consider God’s plans (see 13:1–14:23). Although Hezekiah was very prominent in these efforts, the second person verbs are plural. Isaiah was apparently not singling out Hezekiah, as he did Hezekiah’s father Ahaz (7:1-4)."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":14,"contents":"Judah’s feasting and disobedience resulted in a prophecy of judgment."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":25,"contents":"Shebna and Eliakim were two royal officials in King Hezekiah’s court (see 2 Kgs 18:18; 19:2). Apparently assuming that death at the hands of the Assyrians was inevitable, Shebna planned for an ostentatious burial place (Isa 22:16). Although the rebuke of Shebna preceded Assyria’s siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC (see 22:19-21; 36:3), it connects well with the admonitions of 22:1-13 regarding the ensuing Babylonian siege."},{"start_chapter":22,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":22,"end_verse":20,"contents":"drive you out of office: Shebna (22:15) was demoted to court secretary by the time of Jerusalem’s siege, when Eliakim (22:20) was the palace administrator (36:3). Eliakim was a true servant of the Lord."},{"start_chapter":23,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":23,"end_verse":18,"contents":"Tyre was a prosperous seaport northwest of Israel. The relationship between Judah and Tyre went back to the time of David and Solomon (1 Kgs 5:8-9). Tyre, with its proximity to plentiful forests and to the Mediterranean Sea, was one of the commercial centers of the ancient Near East. Its fleets were renowned, and its colonies brought it great prestige and riches. The city came under repeated attack by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Macedonians, and it fell to Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Isaiah not only prophesied the end of Tyre but by implication warned all whose wealth and earthly securities lead to pride instead of dependence on God (see Isa 2:12-16; Matt 11:21)."},{"start_chapter":23,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":23,"end_verse":18,"contents":"There was hope for Tyre."},{"start_chapter":24,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":27,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This section is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse” because of its similarities to the book of Revelation. In these chapters Isaiah takes readers out of the present into a vision of the future world. The universal imagery of the Little Apocalypse makes it difficult to assign the events described to any precise historical situation. That means that these chapters cannot be used to outline a sequence of events or create a historical blueprint for the future. Instead, the imagery is intended to create an impressionistic drama of an unfolding world that is both like and unlike the present. The combination of aspects of the old era with aspects of the new era (for instance, people of Zion will all be righteous [new], but still long for their redemption [old]) is consistent with the New Testament concept of the future age breaking into and overlapping with the present evil age (2 Cor 4:4; Gal 1:4). Peter, for example, wrote of believers as living in the last days (1 Pet 1:12; 2 Pet 3:3) even though the last day remains yet future (2 Pet 3:10)."},{"start_chapter":24,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":24,"end_verse":23,"contents":"Here the judgments described in chs 13–23 are extended to the creation at large."},{"start_chapter":24,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":24,"end_verse":13,"contents":"All humanity is guilty (Rom 3:23) and under condemnation (see Isa 59:1-15). Judgment is likened to a failed grape harvest that brings drinking and feasting to a halt."},{"start_chapter":24,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":24,"end_verse":16,"contents":"In spite of wailing and ruin, the sound of praise is heard from all directions. Even while still experiencing the pain of the devastation of the old world, the godly will respond with joyous expectation for the new world."},{"start_chapter":25,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":25,"end_verse":12,"contents":"The second part of the Little Apocalypse (see study note on 24:1–27:13) describes praise for God’s judgment (25:1-5, 11-12) and salvation (25:6-9)."},{"start_chapter":25,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":25,"end_verse":5,"contents":"Isaiah here praises God for protecting the needy (see 12:1-6)."},{"start_chapter":25,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":25,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The banquet is a symbol of God’s providing richly for all those who will receive his gracious invitation (Rev 3:20-21; 19:9)."},{"start_chapter":25,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":25,"end_verse":12,"contents":"The new community of God’s people will respond in joy and faith. When the enemy is defeated, God’s people will be free forever."},{"start_chapter":26,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":26,"end_verse":21,"contents":"This section of the Little Apocalypse (see study note on 24:1–27:13) is a song of praise and a prayer for redemption."},{"start_chapter":26,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":26,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The new community of God’s people is likened to the citizens of a city, securely held together by the Lord. They are righteous, faithful, peaceful, and trusting."},{"start_chapter":26,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":26,"end_verse":21,"contents":"The godly pray for the end of oppression and the full establishment of God’s kingdom. Isaiah encouraged the godly to persevere as they wait for their final vindication and the resurrection of the body."},{"start_chapter":27,"start_verse":2,"end_chapter":27,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The Song of the Fruitful Vineyard, in which the vineyard represents God’s people (cp. 5:1-7)."},{"start_chapter":27,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":27,"end_verse":11,"contents":"Isaiah reminded readers of the reasons for the Exile and judgment: Israel’s sinfulness, God’s righteous judgment, and the absence of divine compassion."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":33,"end_verse":24,"contents":"This section is connected by a series of six threats of judgment or woes (cp. 5:8-23). Apart from the initial address to Samaria in 28:1-13, the remainder of the section is addressed to Judah, especially because of their inclination to trust Egypt to rescue them from Assyria (30:2)."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":29,"contents":"The glory of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, is here contrasted with the glory of the Lord. This section represents the first of the six woes (What sorrow . . .)."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":6,"contents":"In the future, after God’s judgment has purged his people, he will restore a righteous remnant, transforming the desires and character of his people. Samaria will no longer be the source of Israel’s pride; instead, they will glory in the Lord, their true crown."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":13,"contents":"The focus returns to the lamentable present situation in Israel (and Judah). The leaders and people will be ensnared by their own schemes."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":10,"contents":"The people had become hardened to God’s revelation (1 Cor 14:21)."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":22,"contents":"After having pronounced judgment on Samaria (28:1-13), Isaiah now pronounces judgment on Jerusalem. The leaders of Judah are accused of being as blind as those in the northern kingdom of Israel."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":24,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":29,"contents":"A farmer knows that there are right and wrong ways to do things, but the leaders of Judah were not that intelligent."},{"start_chapter":28,"start_verse":27,"end_chapter":28,"end_verse":28,"contents":"The Lord has a variety of means (a heavy sledge . . . a light stick) for accomplishing his purposes. There are degrees of judgment."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":14,"contents":"This is the second of the six woes (What sorrow . . .)."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":8,"contents":"In the Assyrian siege, the Lord would be fighting against Jerusalem, but he would force the Assyrians to abandon Jerusalem in his own time."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":2,"contents":"Ariel was another name for Mount Zion (29:8); it probably means altar of God."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":12,"contents":"Jerusalem’s blindness kept its people from understanding God’s plan."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":24,"contents":"This threat of coming judgment is the third of the six woes (see study note on 28:1–33:24). It begins with judgment but moves to a vision of creation being renewed and of the wicked coming to an end."},{"start_chapter":29,"start_verse":22,"end_chapter":29,"end_verse":24,"contents":"The prophecy of woe, which began at 29:15, now ends with a prophecy of salvation."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":33,"contents":"After threatening Judah with judgment because of their stubbornness and their reliance on Egypt (30:1-17), God again committed himself to deal compassionately with his people and to break the power of their enemies."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":5,"contents":"This prophecy was against Judah’s dependence on Egypt. It is the fourth of the six woes (see study note on 28:1–33:24)."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":7,"contents":"This taunt was against those who were busy trying to please the Egyptians in order to get Egypt’s military support."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":11,"contents":"God instructed the prophet to write down the vision for future generations. The present generation was rebellious; they rejected God’s word in favor of the false prophets’ fantasies (see 8:16-17)."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":17,"contents":"Judgment would suddenly overtake the people of Judah because they were content with their fantasy world, and they refused God’s path to rest and quietness."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":33,"contents":"This prophecy of salvation includes promises that directed Israel’s attention away from their present adversity to the glorious future awaiting the children of God."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":23,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":24,"contents":"The people of Judah would again enjoy covenant blessings rather than curses (see Lev 26:4)."},{"start_chapter":30,"start_verse":27,"end_chapter":30,"end_verse":33,"contents":"In this prophecy of judgment against the nations, Isaiah foretold that Assyria’s power would be broken by God’s strong arm, not by the Egyptians."},{"start_chapter":31,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":31,"end_verse":3,"contents":"Isaiah delivered another vision regarding Judah’s negotiations with Egypt, which probably took place in 705–701 BC. During that time, the conquering Assyrians were on the move, threatening Judah. At first, Hezekiah tried political and military means to avert being totally conquered (see 2 Kgs 18:13-16)."},{"start_chapter":31,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":31,"end_verse":9,"contents":"This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians."},{"start_chapter":32,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":32,"end_verse":15,"contents":"This prophecy of judgment was against the complacent women of Jerusalem. God’s promises regarding the future did not justify continuing in sin."},{"start_chapter":33,"start_verse":17,"end_chapter":33,"end_verse":24,"contents":"This vision is about God’s reign in Zion."},{"start_chapter":34,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":34,"end_verse":17,"contents":"This prophecy of judgment was against the nations at the terrifying day of the Lord (see study note on 2:5-22; see also 63:1-6)."},{"start_chapter":34,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":34,"end_verse":14,"contents":"Wild animals, night birds, and hostile plants with thorns and nettles created an eerie environment."},{"start_chapter":35,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":35,"end_verse":10,"contents":"God will come to vindicate and transform his people. Instead of being deaf, blind, and lame (see 6:10), the people will be pure, holy, and redeemed."},{"start_chapter":36,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":39,"end_verse":8,"contents":"Jerusalem’s rescue from King Sennacherib of Assyria is a focal point of chs 1–39. The Lord promised to rescue his people by remaining present with Jerusalem (see 7:14) and by maintaining a remnant (see study note on 10:20). Even though much of the country was desolate and the population decimated because of their foolish alliance with Assyria (chs 7–8), the Lord preserved his people from total conquest through Hezekiah, a godly king. Hezekiah faced the same test that Ahaz did, a test of trust (note the recurrence of words for trust in the Assyrian officer’s challenge in ch 36). But Hezekiah has learned the lessons taught in chs 13–35 and, at least initially, he passed the test. This narrative is duplicated in 2 Kgs 18:13–20:19."},{"start_chapter":36,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":36,"end_verse":22,"contents":"The Assyrian chief of staff attempted to use intimidation to negotiate a settlement without bloodshed. In his first speech (36:4-10), he rightly argued against Egypt’s ability to rescue but wrongly charged Hezekiah with misplaced trust in the Lord. Strikingly, the Assyrian did not see the contest as being between the gods of Assyria and the Lord but rather between Sennacherib—the great king—and the Lord."},{"start_chapter":36,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":36,"end_verse":20,"contents":"In the Assyrian chief of staff’s second speech, he claimed that his nation’s gods were more powerful than the God of Judah (cp. 10:9-10). God’s ability to rescue his people was at stake. In the ensuing drama, the Lord shocked the Assyrian with his power (37:36-37)."},{"start_chapter":36,"start_verse":16,"end_chapter":36,"end_verse":17,"contents":"The Assyrian was tempting the people of Jerusalem with provisions that the Lord had promised to provide his obedient people (see 1:19; 37:30-35; Deut 8:7-9). It was a tempting offer, but a counterfeit. And it covered up the reality of exile that would have followed (Isa 36:17)."},{"start_chapter":37,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":37,"end_verse":7,"contents":"God answered that he would deal with the Assyrians and rescue the remnant of his people from their distress (see 63:9)."},{"start_chapter":37,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":37,"end_verse":20,"contents":"When he received Sennacherib’s boastful threat, Hezekiah returned to the Temple and prayed for rescue. His prayer stands in contrast to Ahaz’s response to danger decades earlier (see ch 7)."},{"start_chapter":37,"start_verse":30,"end_chapter":37,"end_verse":35,"contents":"In this prophecy of salvation, Isaiah assured Hezekiah that Jerusalem would be spared and that the remnant was under God’s protection. The names of Isaiah and his sons anticipated God’s rescue (see 7:1–11:16). The book’s record of God’s presence and rescue provided assurance that the Lord would always have a remnant that he will protect and rescue."},{"start_chapter":38,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":38,"end_verse":9,"contents":"The story of Hezekiah’s healing connects Hezekiah’s extension of life with Jerusalem’s relief from the Assyrians. The events of this story took place before Jerusalem’s rescue from the Assyrians but were placed in a thematic rather than chronological order. One theme is the importance of prayer (see 37:14-20; 38:2-3). The Lord does listen! Hezekiah had learned the lesson of trust that his father, Ahaz, refused. As a result, Judah and Jerusalem were spared total destruction by the Assyrians. Yet Hezekiah was not the Messiah, the Son of David promised in 7:14; 9:1-7; 11:1-16; 16:5; 32:1, and 33:17-22. Thus, these accounts of his failure and mortality (chs 38–39) prepare the reader for the revelation of the true Messiah that follows (chs 40–66)."},{"start_chapter":38,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":38,"end_verse":20,"contents":"Hezekiah’s poem contains both lament (38:9-14) and praise (38:15-20), although the praise is distinctly muted until the final verse."},{"start_chapter":38,"start_verse":21,"end_chapter":38,"end_verse":22,"contents":"Hezekiah received a sign, reminiscent of another sign the prophet had offered Ahaz (7:11). Ahaz and Hezekiah were two bookends to a long story. Ahaz represented the ungodly king and Hezekiah the godly king. The former brought disaster on his people, while the latter rescued his people (but see ch 39)."},{"start_chapter":39,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":39,"end_verse":8,"contents":"Hezekiah was exemplary in godliness, prayer, and care for the people of Jerusalem. But he failed the Lord by parading his financial and military strength before the envoys from Babylon."},{"start_chapter":39,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":39,"end_verse":7,"contents":"carried off to Babylon: This prophecy was given before the prophecy of the rescue of Jerusalem (37:35). Although this pronouncement of judgment and exile comes as a surprise ending to the story of Hezekiah, the exile of both Israel and Judah had been in the background from the beginning (10:3-4, 20-23). The Lord had promised that he would spare Judah and Jerusalem when the Assyrians attacked in 701 BC, but he had clearly revealed to Isaiah that worse things would come if they did not change their ways. God had demonstrated the truth of his sovereignty and trustworthiness in his defeat of the Assyrians, but that did not mean the people had changed. The only way the promises of 2:1-5 and 4:2-6 were going to be realized was through the fires of judgment (4:4). Until the burning coal of exile was applied to the nation’s unclean lips (6:5-7), their mission to the nations would fail."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":66,"end_verse":24,"contents":"The rest of Isaiah provides a message of comfort and a revelation of God’s character and his purposes for Israel. As 39:6-7 predicted, Judah would experience judgment and exile after the time of Isaiah. Throughout chs 40–66, Isaiah prophesied from the vantage point of the Exile having already become a reality. Therefore, the Babylonian exile provides the background for understanding these chapters."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This section announces the good news of God’s coming salvation. The Lord is coming to vindicate his own and to judge his enemies. Salvation would be accomplished through the arrival, suffering, and exaltation of the Lord’s servant—the Messiah, Jesus Christ."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":31,"contents":"This chapter introduces chs 40–66. In this section, comfort refers to the result of God’s merciful way of dealing with people in the age to come. It includes encouragement, strength, and acceptance. God wants to rescue his people (40:1-11) and is more than able to do so (40:12-26). The exiles needed to believe God’s promises and wait on him for their rescue (40:27-31; see also 30:15-18)."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":5,"contents":"There is now a shift from the general announcement of the good news to the specific expectation of God’s coming. The good news (40:1-2) is grounded in God himself. Isaiah portrayed the Lord as coming on a highway through the desert (see ch 35), although the imagery is here reversed: In ch 35, the people were traveling to Zion, toward the Lord. Here, the Lord is coming toward his people (see also 52:8, where the two images are brought together)."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":8,"contents":"All humanity is mortal and fleeting. By contrast, God persists in his plans and succeeds. Time does not limit him from carrying out his will (see 14:24)."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":11,"contents":"God is the good news. Although he comes like a warrior to rescue his people with power, he also holds them tenderly as a shepherd."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":17,"contents":"Against the backdrop of Israel’s questions (spoken by the prophet), the Lord affirmed that he is the incomparable God, a wise and sovereign creator who rules over the nations."},{"start_chapter":40,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":40,"end_verse":13,"contents":"These rhetorical questions evoke the answer “No one!” God alone created all that exists. He will judge creation (24:17), and he alone can and will restore creation through his salvation."},{"start_chapter":41,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":41,"end_verse":7,"contents":"The Lord here invited the nations to a trial where he would prove that he alone is God. They were defenseless as he declared that a king from the east (41:2) would crush Babylon, opening the way for Israel to return."},{"start_chapter":41,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":41,"end_verse":7,"contents":"This taunt against idolatry was a response to God’s raising up of Cyrus; the nations hope to find protection in their idols."},{"start_chapter":41,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":41,"end_verse":16,"contents":"These two prophecies of salvation for God’s servant Israel (41:8-13, 14-16) prepare for the first of the suffering servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4)."},{"start_chapter":41,"start_verse":21,"end_chapter":41,"end_verse":29,"contents":"This trial scene develops the Lord’s case against idolatry. Idols are nothing but a human creation, whereas God is the Creator of all things. Idols cannot speak, act, accomplish anything, or save their worshipers."},{"start_chapter":42,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":42,"end_verse":4,"contents":"The servant here is not the people Israel (as in 41:8-28 and elsewhere in chs 41–48; see 49:5-6) but is a royal figure who accomplishes his mission with care for people, especially for those who are hurting. The passage is the first of four songs about this servant (42:1-4; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13–53:12). He brings in an era of universal justice. For the connection of the servant with Jesus Christ, see Matt 12:18-21."},{"start_chapter":42,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":42,"end_verse":9,"contents":"I am the Lord: As Creator of the world, and as the only one who can bring about the things he predicts, the Lord alone is glorious and worthy of praise."},{"start_chapter":42,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":42,"end_verse":11,"contents":"The various geographical regions represent the extremes of human habitation. The whole earth is called to praise God for his commitment to redeem humanity. • Kedar and Sela (42:11; see also 16:1; 21:16-17) were representative desert sites."},{"start_chapter":42,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":42,"end_verse":20,"contents":"The Israelites who refused to listen to what God said and to understand what they saw God doing in history were rendered spiritually blind and deaf (see 6:9-10). They had knowledge of the truth through God’s word and the prophets, but their closed minds refused to act upon it."},{"start_chapter":42,"start_verse":22,"end_chapter":42,"end_verse":25,"contents":"Throughout its history, Israel’s sin (42:24) made Israel fair game for foreign oppressors. Many nations, Assyria and Babylon in particular, became instruments God used to pour out his fury (42:25) on his rebellious people."},{"start_chapter":43,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":43,"end_verse":7,"contents":"In this promise of salvation, the Lord addressed his plundered people in the first person."},{"start_chapter":43,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":43,"end_verse":13,"contents":"The Lord here called on Israel, his blind servant, to be his star witness in a mock trial against idols and false gods. Israel knew that the Lord alone is God, and the people had experienced his salvation."},{"start_chapter":43,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":43,"end_verse":21,"contents":"The Lord assured Israel of its coming redemption from Babylon; the redemption would be modeled on Israel’s past redemption from Egypt and would be greater in some ways (43:18)."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":44,"end_verse":5,"contents":"The promise of salvation extended the usefulness of sinful Israel to another generation (44:3). The past was bleak (see 43:22-28), but the future would be a glorious new era transformed by the Spirit."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":44,"end_verse":20,"contents":"This passage uses the form of a trial speech to press God’s argument that disgrace comes to all who trust in idols and false gods."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":44,"end_verse":17,"contents":"he uses part of the wood to make a fire . . . he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship: This description of the process of making an idol drips with sarcasm and ridicule at the stupidity of the foolish idol worshipers (see also 44:19)."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":44,"end_verse":19,"contents":"Their minds are shut: Idol worshipers cannot see the irony in using one part of a log to warm themselves and another part of the same log to be their god."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":21,"end_chapter":44,"end_verse":22,"contents":"The Lord promised to forgive Israel’s sins."},{"start_chapter":44,"start_verse":24,"end_chapter":45,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The Lord alone is sovereign over history. He raised up Cyrus of Persia to execute judgment on Babylon and restore Israel to the Holy Land."},{"start_chapter":45,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":45,"end_verse":5,"contents":"I call you by name: Cyrus did not know the Lord, but the Lord knew him. Isaiah predicted the rescuer Cyrus by name 150 years in advance. This prophecy would prove to the exiles that the Lord is indeed God and that he knows the future."},{"start_chapter":45,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":45,"end_verse":13,"contents":"The Lord confronts those who question his right to use a pagan king to achieve his purposes. He, the Creator, is free and sovereign in his activities. He promised to bring his people back to their land, and he would use anyone he chose to accomplish that purpose."},{"start_chapter":45,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":45,"end_verse":11,"contents":"pot . . . its maker . . . baby . . . its father: It is ridiculous for a creature to question the wisdom of its creator."},{"start_chapter":45,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":45,"end_verse":25,"contents":"Salvation is from the Lord alone. He is the creator, the revealer, and the executor of his will in human history. He promised to establish a new era of salvation and righteousness (see 45:8). Every human being will submit to God, either willingly or unwillingly (45:23-24)."},{"start_chapter":46,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":46,"end_verse":2,"contents":"This taunt was against the self-contradiction of Babylonian religion."},{"start_chapter":46,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":46,"end_verse":13,"contents":"Many of the exiles would be completely discouraged and not believe the prediction of God’s rescue. God challenged this unbelief."},{"start_chapter":47,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":22,"contents":"Two conclusions can be drawn from the preceding evidence that the Lord alone is God: (1) Babylon’s great pride is foolishness (47:1-15); (2) Israel needs to pay attention to the word of the Lord (48:1-22)."},{"start_chapter":47,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":47,"end_verse":4,"contents":"In this taunt against Babylon, the queen of nations is humiliated, forced to work as a servant girl."},{"start_chapter":47,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":47,"end_verse":11,"contents":"Babylon’s confidence and arrogance were well known (see 14:13-17; Dan 4:30). All of this nation’s charms, magic, and wisdom were useless against the disaster decreed for it."},{"start_chapter":47,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":47,"end_verse":15,"contents":"In the face of calamity, Babylon would turn to occult practices for help, but it would not find help."},{"start_chapter":48,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":22,"contents":"The Lord here calls on Israel to forsake her historic rebelliousness and listen to what he says. The Hebrew word translated listening is often synonymous with obeying or acting upon what is heard."},{"start_chapter":48,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":11,"contents":"This prophecy is a disputation, a speech in which the prophet argues a set of points against his audience."},{"start_chapter":48,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":2,"contents":"Israel was religious but not truly committed to the Lord."},{"start_chapter":48,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":7,"contents":"Even though Israel had repeatedly failed to believe God’s past predictions, here he revealed new things that were not yet heard. Specifically, God revealed that Babylon would fall and Israel would be restored."},{"start_chapter":48,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":48,"end_verse":22,"contents":"This final trial speech reviews the arguments of chs 40–48 and announces the final conclusion."},{"start_chapter":49,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":13,"contents":"God intended to rescue the Israelites from exile. However, the question remained: How could sinful Israel again become the servant of the Holy One? God would make a way for Israel’s sin to be atoned for and their fellowship with him to be restored. That way would be the promised servant, who would come for Israel and for all peoples. This servant was introduced in 42:1-9, but in this passage he becomes the central focus."},{"start_chapter":49,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":49,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This has traditionally been regarded as the second of four suffering servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4). The suffering role of the promised servant becomes increasingly clear (see also 50:4-9; 52:13–53:12)."},{"start_chapter":49,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":49,"end_verse":11,"contents":"Like a shepherd, the Lord in his mercy will lead the returning exiles beside cool waters; he promised to comfort them and tend to their needs (see also 40:11; Ps 23:1). • level paths . . . highways: The Lord would open up the way of salvation."},{"start_chapter":49,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":49,"end_verse":21,"contents":"The population explosion would reach beyond Israel to include the members of foreign nations who turn to the Lord (see 56:6-8; Rev 7:9). • more room: The expanded population would require space far beyond the traditional boundaries of the land of Israel (see also Zech 2:4)."},{"start_chapter":50,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":50,"end_verse":3,"contents":"This disputation shows that God was not forced to give Israel up, and therefore he could take the nation back as his people if he desired."},{"start_chapter":50,"start_verse":4,"end_chapter":50,"end_verse":11,"contents":"This is the third of four servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4). The faithful and suffering servant portrays an ideal Israel; the image was realized in Jesus Christ."},{"start_chapter":50,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":50,"end_verse":11,"contents":"This is a call for response to the servant’s ministry."},{"start_chapter":51,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":51,"end_verse":8,"contents":"This prophecy calls for trust in the Lord. Each of its three units begins with the phrase, Listen to me (51:1, 4, 7)."},{"start_chapter":51,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":51,"end_verse":10,"contents":"Wake up, wake up: God does not sleep; this prayer is for God to act immediately to save his people (see 52:1; see especially God’s military garb in 59:17). • in the days of old: The exodus from Egypt was an act of redemption that displayed God’s power as he made a path of escape (51:10) for his people (see also 11:15)."},{"start_chapter":51,"start_verse":17,"end_chapter":51,"end_verse":23,"contents":"The prophet called the people of Israel to be done with their past and to anticipate God’s future for them."},{"start_chapter":52,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":52,"end_verse":12,"contents":"This is a poetic description of God’s promise to rescue his people from the alienation their sin created. The imagery is of a besieged city waiting for word that its hero has defeated the enemy armies. Paul applies these words to the proclamation of the Good News of the Lord Jesus (Rom 10:15)."},{"start_chapter":52,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":52,"end_verse":12,"contents":"This is an exhortation to leave the captivity of sin (see 48:20 on leaving physical captivity in Babylon). See also 2 Cor 6:17; 2 Tim 2:19."},{"start_chapter":52,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":53,"end_verse":12,"contents":"This is the fourth of four passages that speak about the promised servant (see study note on 42:1-4). The Hebrew poem is carefully constructed in five three-line stanzas. It begins with the servant’s exaltation (52:13), proceeds to his humiliation (52:14–53:9), and ends with his exaltation (53:10-12). The faithful servant’s suffering would bring reconciliation between God and humans. The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled this prophecy (see ch 40; Matt 8:17; Acts 8:30-35; Rom 10:15-17; 15:21; 1 Pet 2:24-25)."},{"start_chapter":52,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":52,"end_verse":15,"contents":"Despite the servant’s greatness, the actual way he would appear on earth would shock people."},{"start_chapter":53,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":53,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The Ethiopian eunuch was reading this passage when Philip met him (Acts 8:32-33)."},{"start_chapter":53,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":53,"end_verse":12,"contents":"The final stanza of the poem first explains why the servant suffered and was treated unjustly in the place of others; it then explains what the result of that obedience would be."},{"start_chapter":54,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This is an invitation to participate in the restoration to God’s favor made possible through the ministry of the promised servant."},{"start_chapter":54,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":54,"end_verse":17,"contents":"Salvation flows from the vindication of the suffering servant. The promises mentioned here go beyond the return from Babylonian exile and apply to the coming of Jesus Christ, the extension of the kingdom to the church, the benefits of the second coming of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom of the church, and the new Jerusalem."},{"start_chapter":54,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":54,"end_verse":3,"contents":"The prophet encourages Jerusalem, likened to a barren woman, to rejoice because its fate was rapidly changing. She would have so many children that she would outgrow her home (see Gal 4:27)."},{"start_chapter":54,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":54,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The pain of separation would be brief compared to the depth of the renewal of love and compassion. • The Lord abandoned Israel in exile for a little while because of the people’s sins. • everlasting love: The Lord is eternally committed to his people, making the seventy-year punishment of exile seem short indeed (see 25:1; Hos 2:1)."},{"start_chapter":54,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":54,"end_verse":17,"contents":"This is a vision of the renewed Jerusalem as a city under God’s protection, a place of peace and righteousness (see 59:21–60:22). This section forms the background of John’s vision of the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10-21)."},{"start_chapter":55,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This final chapter of the prophecies of comfort (chs 40–55) summarizes the section’s prominent themes: blessing, covenant, witness, word, nations, glory, forgiveness, and joy."},{"start_chapter":55,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":9,"contents":"The prophet calls for a response while the time is right."},{"start_chapter":55,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":9,"contents":"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts: God’s plans are marvelous (Ps 92:5; cp. Ps 94:11). God’s creatures, including humans, can never fully understand the Creator’s thoughts, but his revelation through his messengers gives great insight and knowledge of some of the things he will do."},{"start_chapter":55,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":11,"contents":"The Creator not only sends rain and snow but also his word (Hebrew dabar). In this context, dabar means his will or plan (see 14:24; 40:8). God’s written word, as an expression of God’s plan, accomplishes his purposes. God is effective in whatever he does (see 14:26-27; 46:10)."},{"start_chapter":55,"start_verse":12,"end_chapter":55,"end_verse":13,"contents":"The prophet encourages his people to forget the past, to leave Babylon, and to accept the perspective of the coming age."},{"start_chapter":56,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":66,"end_verse":24,"contents":"This last major division of the book of Isaiah brings together themes from chs 1–39 (sin, justice and righteousness, responsibility, vengeance and vindication) and chs 40–55 (salvation, the age to come)."},{"start_chapter":56,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":56,"end_verse":8,"contents":"This section summarizes chs 1–55 with an invitation to the outcasts to participate in God’s redemption."},{"start_chapter":56,"start_verse":3,"end_chapter":56,"end_verse":7,"contents":"The blessing (56:2) would extend to eunuchs and to the Gentiles."},{"start_chapter":56,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":57,"end_verse":13,"contents":"This is a reflection on the prevalence of evil among God’s people; they were greedy (56:9-12), hostile to the righteous (57:1-2), and idolatrous (57:3-13)."},{"start_chapter":57,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":57,"end_verse":2,"contents":"This is a lament for the righteous who suffer in a wicked society."},{"start_chapter":57,"start_verse":14,"end_chapter":57,"end_verse":21,"contents":"The Lord here promises to be present with the humble, to heal them, and to grant them his peace. The promise extends to all the citizens of Zion, both Jews and Gentiles. The Holy One comes to the humble with an all-inclusive offer of salvation, while dealing justly with the wicked."},{"start_chapter":58,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":58,"end_verse":4,"contents":"This is a charge against religious Israelites who were pleased with themselves because of their religious activities."},{"start_chapter":58,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":58,"end_verse":7,"contents":"True fasting creates an awareness of injustice and oppression and prompts the practitioner to reach out to help the needy in their struggles (see 42:7; Matt 25:35-36; Jas 1:27)."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":20,"contents":"The Lord alone can and will usher in his salvation. Like a warrior, he will break into the world to avenge himself on his enemies and to vindicate his holy people."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":8,"contents":"The people complained that the Lord could not rescue them, but the real problem was that they had not repented (59:20) and were still living in sin."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The images of deadly snakes and spiders’ webs represent plans designed to destroy others’ lives and relationships."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":8,"contents":"Paul quotes from these verses in his description of the depravity of all people (Rom 3:15-17). • Misery and destruction: The people lamented being victims of oppression (Isa 51:19), yet they were oppressors themselves."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":9,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":15,"contents":"Israel’s history of rebellion was well established. The prophet here confesses the nation’s sins and laments that they could not apprehend the light of God’s salvation."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":11,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":14,"contents":"The people growl and moan with longing for redemption, finally coming to terms with their sinfulness."},{"start_chapter":59,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":59,"end_verse":17,"contents":"The Lord goes out as a warrior intent on achieving victory against the wicked (cp. Eph 6:14)."},{"start_chapter":60,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":60,"end_verse":3,"contents":"God will come to be with his people and will transform Zion’s destiny from the darkness as black as night caused by sin and judgment."},{"start_chapter":60,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":60,"end_verse":7,"contents":"Zion’s losses from warfare will be restored by the wealth of many lands; foreign nations will be eager to make a contribution (60:11; 61:6; 66:12; see Rev 21:26)."},{"start_chapter":60,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":60,"end_verse":16,"contents":"Those who previously oppressed the people of God will one day participate in restoring the holy city (see 2:2-4; 19:18-25; Neh 2:8; Amos 9:12)."},{"start_chapter":60,"start_verse":17,"end_chapter":60,"end_verse":20,"contents":"These verses portray Zion’s future grandeur (cp. Rev 21:10–22:4)."},{"start_chapter":60,"start_verse":19,"end_chapter":60,"end_verse":20,"contents":"Natural sources of light such as the sun and the moon will be as nothing in comparison to the brightness of God’s presence (see also 9:2; 30:26; Zech 2:5; Rev 21:23-24)."},{"start_chapter":61,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":61,"end_verse":3,"contents":"The servant here proclaims the good news that his ministry will restore Zion. The Lord Jesus applied these words to his own mission (Luke 4:18-19)."},{"start_chapter":62,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":62,"end_verse":12,"contents":"The servant here commits himself to proclaiming the good news continuously until the glory of Zion is realized."},{"start_chapter":62,"start_verse":6,"end_chapter":62,"end_verse":7,"contents":"The watchmen probably represent the prophets. • they will pray day and night: They will continually seek the full restoration and blessing of Zion, unlike the destructive watchmen of 56:10."},{"start_chapter":62,"start_verse":10,"end_chapter":62,"end_verse":12,"contents":"This call to prepare for God’s coming salvation combines elements from all parts of Isaiah: the proclamation (the signal or banner, see 5:26), the preparation of the road (40:3; 57:14), the coming of God with his reward (40:5, 9-10), and the holy and redeemed citizenry (35:8-10)."},{"start_chapter":63,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":63,"end_verse":6,"contents":"The judgment of Edom typifies God’s judgment of all the nations (see also 34:5-15)."},{"start_chapter":63,"start_verse":7,"end_chapter":63,"end_verse":14,"contents":"The prophet reflects on Israel’s past, how God showed his unfailing love and how his people alternatively rebelled against him, suffered hardship, returned to the Lord, and experienced his blessing."},{"start_chapter":63,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":64,"end_verse":12,"contents":"The prophet’s reflections on the past (63:7-14) inspire him to pray that God would now rescue his people as he has done before."},{"start_chapter":64,"start_verse":5,"end_chapter":64,"end_verse":6,"contents":"constant sinners . . . infected and impure with sin: See also 59:1-15. The only hope for salvation and transformation is through Jesus Christ (see Rom 7:25–8:11)."},{"start_chapter":65,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":66,"end_verse":24,"contents":"Here the Lord responds to the prayer in 63:7–64:12."},{"start_chapter":65,"start_verse":1,"end_chapter":65,"end_verse":2,"contents":"The Lord opened up every opportunity for the people of Israel to seek him (55:6; 58:2), but they did not do so."},{"start_chapter":65,"start_verse":8,"end_chapter":65,"end_verse":16,"contents":"The Lord planned to spare and reward a remnant of righteous people."},{"start_chapter":65,"start_verse":13,"end_chapter":65,"end_verse":15,"contents":"The contrast between the wicked (addressed as you) and God’s servants pertains to all areas of life. God punishes the wicked but blesses those who truly serve him (see 65:17-25)."},{"start_chapter":65,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":65,"end_verse":19,"contents":"Jerusalem here symbolizes God’s eternal kingdom (Rev 21:1-4)."},{"start_chapter":66,"start_verse":15,"end_chapter":66,"end_verse":16,"contents":"the Lord is coming with fire: God will appear with furious judgment against his enemies (see Ps 7:13). By contrast, he will reveal his glory to his people (see Isa 40:5, 10). • God will judge all creation as a part of the process of renewing the earth (see 24:1-4; 65:17)."},{"start_chapter":66,"start_verse":18,"end_chapter":66,"end_verse":23,"contents":"When God reveals his glory to all people, the nations join in God’s plan of redemption; they can even serve as priests and Levites before him. The godly from all nations last from generation to generation as they serve the living God."}]}