1Tak praví Hospodin: „Mým trůnem je nebe a země podnoží mých nohou. Jaký dům byste mi mohli vystavět, jaké místo pro můj odpočinek? 2Vždyť to všechno učinila má ruka, mně to všechno patří – praví Hospodin. Na koho shlédnu? Jen na pokorného, duchem zkroušeného, plného úcty před mými slovy. 3Kdo zabíjí býka, ten zabíjí i člověka, kdo obětuje ovci, ten láme vaz i psu, kdo přináší dar, ten prolévá i krev vepře, kdo pálí kadidlo, ten se klaní i modle. Jako oni si libují ve vlastních zvyklostech a jejich duše se kochá v ohavnostech, 4tak i já si zalíbím v jejich neštěstí, a uvedu na ně, čeho se bojí, protože jsem volal, a nikdo se neozval, mluvil jsem, a neslyšeli, dělali, co bylo zlé v mých očích, a co se mi nelíbí, to si vyvolili.“ 5Slyšte Hospodinovo slovo, vy, kdo ctíte jeho slovo: Řekli vaši bratři, kteří vás nenávidí, kteří vás odmítají kvůli mému jménu: „Ať se Hospodin oslaví, abychom viděli vaši radost!“ Budou však zahanbeni. 6Slyš hromové dunění z města, hromové dunění z chrámu! Je to hlas Hospodinův, dává odplatu svým nepřátelům! 7Dříve než ji pojala křeč, porodila, dříve než přišly bolesti, přivedla na svět chlapce. 8Kdo to kdy slyšel? Kdo co podobného viděl? Copak se zrodí země za jeden den, či může národ najednou povstat? A přece, jak začala pracovat k porodu, již rodila siónská dcera své syny. 9„Otvírám mateřské lůno, abych nedovolil rodit?“ – praví Hospodin – „či je zavírám já, který dávám rodit?“ – praví tvůj Bůh. 10Plesejte s Jeruzalémem, jásejte nad ním, všichni, kdo ho milujete, radujte se s ním, radujte se, všichni, kdo jste nad ním naříkali, 11abyste sáli do sytosti z prsu, který utěšuje, abyste pili s rozkoší ze zdroje jeho slávy. 12Neboť tak praví Hospodin: „Hle, přivalím na něj blaho jako řeku, jako rozvodněný potok slávu národů. Budete sát, ponesou vás na zádech a na klíně vás budou laskat. 13Jako matka utěšuje svého syna, tak já vás potěším, v Jeruzalémě naleznete útěchu. 14Uvidíte to a vaše srdce se zaraduje, jak tráva vypučí vaše kosti. Hospodinova ruka se ukáže na jeho služebnících a hněv na jeho nepřátelích. 15Neboť hle, Hospodin přijde v ohni, jako smršť jsou jeho vozy, aby vylil svůj hněv v rozhorlení a své hrozby v plamenech ohně! 16Ohněm bude Hospodin soudit, svým mečem každého, kdo má tělo, a mnozí budou pobiti od Hospodina. 17Zahynou ti, kdo se zasvěcují a očišťují v hájích za modlářským knězem, který stojí uprostřed, spolu i ti, jejichž jídlem je vepřové maso, ohavný pokrm a myši – praví Hospodin. 18Znám jejich skutky a jejich myšlenky. Přijdu, abych shromáždil všechny národy a jazyky. Přijdou a uzří mou slávu. 19Udělám na nich znamení a pošlu některé z těch, kdo se zachrání, k národům Taršíše, Putu, Ludu, Mešechu, Rošu, Tubalu, Javanu, k dálným ostrovům, k těm, kteří o mně neslyšeli mluvit a neviděli mou slávu. Budou hlásat národům mou slávu. 20Přivedou všechny vaše bratry ze všech národů jako dar Hospodinu na kaních, na vozech, na nosítkách, na mezcích a na dromedárech na mou svatou horu do Jeruzaléma – praví Hospodin – jako když synové Izraele přinášejí v čistých nádobách dary do Hospodinova domu. 21A také z nich si vezmu kněze a levity – praví Hospodin. 22Neboť jako nová nebesa a nová země, které udělám, budou pevně trvat přede mnou – praví Hospodin – tak potrvá vaše potomstvo i vaše jméno. 23O každém novoluní a každou sobotu přijdou všichni lidé, aby se klaněli před mou tváří – praví Hospodin. 24Když vyjdou, spatří mrtvoly těch, kdo mi byli nevěrní, neboť jejich červ neumře, jejich oheň neuhasne, každému se budou hnusit.“
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE HUMBLE COMFORTED, THE UNGODLY CONDEMNED, AT THE LORD'S APPEARING: JERUSALEM MADE A JOY ON EARTH. (Isa. 66:1-24)
heaven . . . throne . . . where is . . . house . . . ye build--The same sentiment is expressed, as a precautionary proviso for the majesty of God in deigning to own any earthly temple as His, as if He could be circumscribed by space (
1Kgs 8:27) in inaugurating the temple of stone; next, as to the temple of the Holy Ghost (
Acts 7:48-
Acts 7:49); lastly here, as to "the tabernacle of God with men" (
Isa 2:2-
Isa 2:3;
Ezek 43:4,
Ezek 43:7;
Rev 21:3).
where--rather, "what is this house that ye are building, &c.--what place is this for My rest?" [VITRINGA].
2 have been--namely, made by Me. Or, absolutely, were things made; and therefore belong to Me, the Creator [JEROME].
look--have regard.
poor--humble (
Isa 57:15).
trembleth at . . . word-- (
2Kgs 22:11,
2Kgs 22:19;
Ezra 9:4). The spiritual temple of the heart, though not superseding the outward place of worship, is God's favorite dwelling (
John 14:23). In the final state in heaven there shall be "no temple," but "the Lord God" Himself (
Rev 21:22).
3 God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (
Isa 1:11;
Pro 15:8;
Pro 28:9).
is as if--LOWTH not so well omits these words: "He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man" (as in
Ezek 23:39). But the omission in the Hebrew of "is as if"--increases the force of the comparison. Human victims were often offered by the heathen.
dog's neck--an abomination according to the Jewish law (
Deut 23:18); perhaps made so, because dogs were venerated in Egypt. He does not honor this abomination by using the word "sacrifice," but uses the degrading term, "cut off a dog's neck" (
Exod 13:13;
Exod 34:20). Dogs as unclean are associated with swine (
Matt 7:6;
2Pet 2:22).
oblation--unbloody: in antithesis to "swine's blood" (
Isa 65:4).
burneth--Hebrew, "he who offereth as a memorial oblation" (
Lev 2:2).
they have chosen--opposed to the two first clauses of
Isa 66:4 : "as they have chosen their own ways, &c., so I will choose their delusions.
4 delusions-- (
2Thess 2:11), answering to "their own ways" (
Isa 66:3; so
Pro 1:31). However, the Hebrew means rather "vexations," "calamities," which also the parallelism to "fears" requires; "choose their calamities" means, "choose the calamities which they thought to escape by their own ways."
their fears--the things they feared, to avert which their idolatrous "abominations" (
Isa 66:3) were practised.
I called . . . none . . . answer--(See on
Isa 65:12;
Isa 65:24;
Jer 7:13).
did . . . chose--not only did the evil deed, but did it deliberately as a matter of choice (
Rom 1:32). "They chose that in which I delighted not"; therefore, "I will choose" that in which they delight not, the "calamities" and "fears" which they were most anxious to avert.
before mine eyes--(See on
Isa 65:3).
5 tremble at . . . word--the same persons as in
Isa 66:2, the believing few among the Jews.
cast you out for my name's sake--excommunicate, as if too polluted to worship with them (
Isa 65:5). So in Christ's first sojourn on earth (
Matt 10:22;
John 9:22,
John 9:34;
John 16:2;
John 15:21). So it shall be again in the last times, when the believing shall be few (
Luke 18:8).
Let the Lord be glorified--the mocking challenge of the persecutors, as if their violence towards you was from zeal for God. "Let the Lord show Himself glorious," namely, by manifesting Himself in your behalf; as the parallelism to, "He shall appear to your joy," requires (as in
Isa 5:19; compare
Isa 28:15;
Isa 57:4). So again Christ on the cross (
Matt 27:42-
Matt 27:43).
appear to your joy--giving you "joy" instead of your "rebuke" (
Isa 25:8-
Isa 25:9).
6 God, from Jerusalem and His "temple," shall take vengeance on the enemy (
Ezek 43:1-
Ezek 43:8;
Zech 12:2-
Zech 12:3;
Zech 14:3,
Zech 14:19-
Zech 14:21). The abrupt language of this verse marks the suddenness with which God destroys the hostile Gentile host outside: as
Isa 66:5 refers to the confounding of the unbelieving Jews.
voice of noise--that is, the Lord's loud-sounding voice (
Ps 68:33;
Ps 29:3-
Ps 29:9;
1Thess 4:16).
7 she--Zion.
Before . . . travailed . . . brought forth--The accession of numbers, and of prosperity to her, shall be sudden beyond all expectation and unattended with painful effort (
Isa 54:1,
Isa 54:4-
Isa 54:5). Contrast with this case of the future Jewish Church the travail-pains of the Christian Church in bringing forth "a man child" (
Rev 12:2,
Rev 12:5). A man child's birth is in the East a matter of special joy, while that of a female is not so; therefore, it here means the manly sons of the restored Jewish Church, the singular being used collectively for the plural: or the many sons being regarded as one under Messiah, who shall then be manifested as their one representative Head.
8 earth--rather, to suit the parallelism, "is a country (put for the people in it) brought forth in one day?" [LOWTH]. In English Version it means, The earth brings forth its productions gradually, not in one day (
Mark 4:28).
at once--In this case, contrary to the usual growth of the nations by degrees, Israel starts into maturity at once.
for--rather, "is a nation born at once, that Zion has, so soon as she travailed, brought forth?" [MAURER].
9 cause to bring forth, and shut--rather, "Shall I who beget, restrain the birth?" [LOWTH], (
Isa 37:3;
Hos 13:13); that is, Shall I who have begun, not finish My work of restoring Israel? (
1Sam 3:12;
Rom 11:1;
Phil 1:6).
shut--(compare
Rev 3:7-
Rev 3:8).
10 love . . . mourn for her-- (
Ps 102:14,
Ps 102:17,
Ps 102:20;
Ps 122:6).
11 suck-- (
Isa 60:5,
Isa 60:16;
Isa 61:6;
Isa 49:23).
abundance--Hebrew, "the ray-like flow of her opulence," that is, with the milk spouting out from her full breasts (answering to the parallel, "breast of her consolations") in ray-like streams [GESENIUS].
12 extend--I will turn peace (prosperity) upon her, like a river turned in its course [GESENIUS]. Or, "I will spread peace over her as an overflowing river" [BARNES], (
Isa 48:18).
flowing stream--as the Nile by its overflow fertilizes the whole of Egypt.
borne upon . . . sides--(See on
Isa 60:4).
her . . . her--If "ye" refers to the Jews, translate, "ye shall be borne upon their sides . . . their knees," namely, those of the Gentiles, as in
Isa 49:22; and as "suck" (
Isa 60:16) refers to the Jews sucking the Gentile wealth. However, English Version gives a good sense: The Jews, and all who love Jehovah (
Isa 66:10), "shall suck, and be borne" by her as a mother.
13 mother-- (
Isa 49:15).
comforteth-- (
Isa 40:1-
Isa 40:2).
14 bones--which once were "dried up" by the "fire" of God's wrath (
Lam 1:13), shall live again (
Pro 3:8;
Pro 15:30;
Ezek 37:1, &c.).
flourish . . . herb-- (
Rom 11:15-
Rom 11:24).
known toward--manifested in behalf of.
15 (
Isa 9:5;
Ps 50:3;
Hab 3:5;
2Thess 1:8;
2Pet 3:7).
chariots . . . whirlwind-- (
Jer 4:13).
render--as the Hebrew elsewhere (
Job 9:13;
Ps 78:38) means to "allay" or "stay wrath." MAURER translates it so here: He stays His anger with nothing but fury," &c.; nothing short of pouring out all His fiery fury will satisfy His wrath.
fury--"burning heat" [LOWTH], to which the parallel, "flames of fire," answers.
16 Rather, "With fire will Jehovah judge, and with His sword (He will judge) all flesh." The parallelism and collocation of the Hebrew words favor this (
Isa 65:12).
all flesh--that is, all who are the objects of His wrath. The godly shall be hidden by the Lord in a place of safety away from the scene of judgment (
Isa 26:20-
Isa 26:21;
Ps 31:20;
1Thess 4:16-17).
17 in . . . gardens--Hebrew and the Septuagint rather require, "for (entering into) gardens," namely, to sacrifice there [MAURER].
behind one tree--rather, "following one," that is, some idol or other, which, from contempt, he does not name [MAURER]. VITRINGA, &c., think the Hebrew for "one," Ahhadh, to be the name of the god; called Adad (meaning One) in Syria (compare
Acts 17:23). The idol's power was represented by inclined rays, as of the sun shining on the earth. GESENIUS translates, "following one," namely, Hierophant ("priest"), who led the rest in performing the sacred rites.
in . . . midst--namely, of the garden (see on
Isa 65:3-
Isa 65:4).
mouse--legally unclean (
Lev 11:29) because it was an idol to the heathen (see on
Isa 37:36;
1Sam 6:4). Translate, "the field mouse," or "dormouse" [BOCHART]. The Pharisees with their self-righteous purifications, and all mere formalists, are included in the same condemnation, described in language taken from the idolatries prevalent in Isaiah's times.
18 know--not in the Hebrew. Rather, understand the words by aposiopesis; it is usual in threats to leave the persons threatened to supply the hiatus from their own fears, owing to conscious guilt: "For I . . . their works and thoughts," &c.; namely, will punish [MAURER].
it shall come--the time is come that I will, &c. [MAURER].
gather . . . nations--against Jerusalem, where the ungodly Jews shall perish; and then the Lord at last shall fight for Jerusalem against those nations: and the survivors (
Isa 66:19) shall "see God's glory" (
Zech 12:8-
Zech 12:9;
Zech 14:1-
Zech 14:3,
Zech 14:9).
tongues--which have been many owing to sin, being confounded at Babel, but which shall again be one in Christ (
Dan 7:14;
Zeph 3:9;
Rev 7:9-
Rev 7:10).
19 sign--a banner on a high place, to indicate the place of meeting for the dispersed Jewish exiles, preparatory to their return to their land (
Isa 5:26;
Isa 11:12;
Isa 62:10).
those that escape of them--the Gentile survivors spared by God (see on
Isa 66:18;
Zech 14:16).
Isa 2:2-
Isa 2:3;
Mic 5:7; and
Zech 14:16-
Zech 14:19 represent it, not that the Jews go as missionaries to the Gentiles, but that the Gentiles come up to Jerusalem to learn the Lord's ways there.
Tarshish--Tartessus in Spain, in the west.
Pul--east and north of Africa: probably the same as Philoe, an island in the Nile, called by the Egyptians Pilak, that is, the border country, being between Egypt and Ethiopia [BOCHART].
Lud--the Libyans of Africa (
Gen 10:13), Ludim being son of Mizraim (Egypt): an Ethiopian people famous as bowmen (
Jer 46:9): employed as mercenaries by Tyre and Egypt (
Ezek 27:10;
Ezek 30:5).
Tubal--Tibarenians, in Asia Minor, south of the Caucasus, between the Black Sea and Araxes. Or, the Iberians [JOSEPHUS]. Italy [JEROME].
Javan--the Greeks; called Ionians, including all the descendants of Javan, both in Greece and in Asia Minor (
Gen 10:2-
Gen 10:4).
my glory . . . Gentiles-- (
Mal 1:11).
20 they--the Gentiles (
Isa 66:19).
bring . . . your brethren--the Jews, back to the Holy Land (
Isa 49:22). It cannot mean the mere entrance of the Jews into the Christian Church; for such an entrance would be by faith, not upon "horses, litters, and mules" [HOUBIGANT]. "Offering" is metaphorical, as in
Rom 15:16.
horses--not much used by the Jews. The Gentiles are here represented as using their modes of conveyance to "bring" the Jews to Jerusalem.
chariots--as these are not found in Oriental caravans, translate, "vehicles," namely, borne, not drawn on wheels.
litters--covered sedans for the rich.
upon swift beasts--dromedaries: from Hebrew root, "to dance," from their bounding motion, often accelerated by music [BOCHART]. Panniers were thrown across the dromedaries' back for poorer women [HORSLEY].
21 of them--the Gentiles.
priests . . . Levites--for spiritual worship: enjoying the direct access to God which was formerly enjoyed by the ministers of the temple alone (
1Pet 2:9;
Rev 1:6).
22 (
Isa 65:17;
2Pet 3:13;
Rev 21:1).
23 Literally, "As often as the new moon (shall be) in its own new moon," that is, every month (
Zech 14:16).
sabbath--which is therefore perpetually obligatory on earth.
all flesh-- (
Ps 65:2;
Ps 72:11).
before me--at Jerusalem (
Jer 3:16-
Jer 3:17).
24 go forth, and look--as the Israelites looked at the carcasses of the Egyptians destroyed at the Red Sea (
Exod 14:30; compare
Isa 26:14-
Isa 26:19;
Ps 58:10;
Ps 49:14;
Mal 4:1-
Mal 4:3).
carcasses, &c.-- (
Isa 66:16), those slain by the Lord in the last great battle near Jerusalem (
Zech 12:2-
Zech 12:9;
Zech 14:2-
Zech 14:4); type of the final destruction of all sinners.
worm . . . not die-- (
Mark 9:44,
Mark 9:46,
Mark 9:48). Image of hell, from bodies left unburied in the valley of Hinnom (whence comes Gehenna, or "hell"), south of Jerusalem, where a perpetual fire was kept to consume the refuse thrown there (
Isa 30:33). It shall not be inconsistent with true love for the godly to look with satisfaction on God's vengeance on the wicked (
Rev 14:10). May God bless this Commentary, and especially its solemn close, to His glory, and to the edification of the writer and the readers of it, for Jesus' sake!
