Therefore will I number you - Referring to Meni, which signifies number "Rabbi Eliezar said to his disciples, Turn to God one day before you die. His disciples said, How call a man know the day of his death? He answered, Therefore it is necessary that you should turn to God to-day, for possibly ye may die to-morrow." read more
Threatenings and promises. Both, as it would appear, addressed to the chosen people, though many, including St. Paul, apply the earlier part of the passage to the conversion of the Gentiles. There is a polytheistic party, and a party of true believers in the nation. I. GOD BEFOREHAND WITH MEN . He "allows himself to be consulted;" he "offers answers," or "is heard" by those who came not to consult him. He was "at hand to those who did not seek him." To a nation that did not... read more
As the new wine is found in the cluster ; rather, as when new wine is found in a grape-bunch ; i.e. as when even a single cluster of grapes is spied on a vine-stem, the vine-pruners say one to another, "Destroy not that stem, but spare it," so will God refrain from destroying those stocks in his vineyard, which give even a small promise of bearing good fruit. Destroy it not . The words are thought to be those of a well-known vintage-song, which is perhaps alluded to in the heading ( ... read more
SALVATION PROMISED TO A REMNANT . In Isaiah, and especially in the "Book of Consolation" (Isaiah 40-66.), promises are almost always intermingled with threatenings. The threats extend to the bulk of the nation; the promises are limited to "a remnant," since a remnant only could be brought to "seek" and serve God (verse 10). Here the announcement that a remnant would be spared is introduced by a simile from men's treatment of their own vineyards (verse 8). read more
Where sin abounds, grace yet more abounds. The portrait of Israel in Isaiah 65:2-7 is painted in such dark colours as to suggest that it must almost necessarily be followed by the absolute renunciation of the whole nation. A people " rebellious ," "walking in the way that is not good," "provoking God to anger continually," given over to a sensualistic idolatry, and yet proud, piquing itself upon its elevated religious position as a participant in certain heathen mysteries ( Isaiah... read more
A seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah . Scarcely, "the people of the two captivities" (Delitzsch), though no doubt many Israelites of the ten tribes did return with Zerubbabel ( 1 Chronicles 9:3 ; Ezra 2:2 , Ezra 2:70 ; Ezra 3:1 ; Ezra 6:17 ; Ezra 8:35 , etc.). Rather, a mere pleonasm, as in Isaiah 9:8 ; Isaiah 10:21 , Isaiah 10:22 ; Isaiah 27:6 ; Isaiah 29:23 ; Isaiah 40:27 ; Isaiah 41:8 , etc. (see the comment on Isaiah 40:27 ). An inheritor of my mountains ... read more
From depression to prosperity. We learn here— I. THAT THE PEOPLE OF GOD MAY FALL INTO A STATE OF SAD DEPRESSION . "Jacob" and "Judah," at the time of this prophecy, were reduced to a very low estate. It seemed as if they would produce nothing. II. THAT COMFORT MAY THEN BE FOUND IN GOD 'S RELATION TO THEM . They are still "mine elect;" still those whom the Divine Father pities and purposes to bless, for whom the Divine Saviour died, with... read more
Sharon shall be a fold of flocks . "Sharon," instead of being "like a wilderness" ( Isaiah 33:9 ), shall once more be "a place for flocks "—a rich pasture for the flocks and herds of the returned exiles. (On the position and fertility of Sharon, see the comment upon Isaiah 33:9 .) The valley of Achor (see Joshua 7:24-26 ). The 'Emeq 'Akor was near Jericho. The two places seem to be selected on account of their position, one on the eastern, the other on the western border. My... read more
But ye are they that forsake the Lord ; rather, but as for you who forsake the Lord. And forget my holy mountain ; i.e. either, literally, forget Zion. being absent from it so long ( Psalms 137:5 ), or, possibly, neglect Zion, though you might worship there if you pleased. That prepare a table for that troop ; rather, that prepare a table for Gad. There is ground for believing that "Gad" was a Phoenician deity, perhaps "the god of good fortune" (Cheyne), though this is not... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 65:11
That prepare a table for that troop "Who set in order a table for Gad" - The disquisitions and conjectures of the learned concerning Gad and Meni are infinite and uncertain: perhaps the most probable may be, that Gad means good fortune, and Meni the moon. "But why should we be solicitous about it?" says Schmidius. "It appears sufficiently, from the circumstances, that they were false gods; either stars, or some natural objects; or a mere fiction. The Holy Scriptures did not deign to explain... read more