Verse 13
13. and it shall return, and . . . be eaten—Rather, "but it shall be again given over to be consumed": if even a tenth survive the first destruction, it shall be destroyed by a second (Isaiah 5:25; Ezekiel 5:1-5; Ezekiel 5:12), [MAURER and HORSLEY]. In English Version, "return" refers to the poor remnant left in the land at the Babylonish captivity (2 Kings 24:14; 2 Kings 25:12), which afterwards fled to Egypt in fear (2 Kings 25:26), and subsequently returned thence along with others who had fled to Moab and Edom (Jeremiah 40:11; Jeremiah 40:12), and suffered under further divine judgments.
tell—rather, "terebinth" or "turpentine tree" (Jeremiah 40:12- :).
substance . . . when . . . cast . . . leaves—rather, "As a terebinth or oak in which, when they are cast down (not 'cast their leaves,' Jeremiah 40:12- :), the trunk or stock remains, so the holy seed (Ezra 9:2) shall be the stock of that land." The seeds of vitality still exist in both the land and the scattered people of Judea, waiting for the returning spring of God's favor (Romans 11:5; Romans 11:23-29). According to Isaiah, not all Israel, but the elect remnant alone, is destined to salvation. God shows unchangeable severity towards sin, but covenant faithfulness in preserving a remnant, and to it Isaiah bequeaths the prophetic legacy of the second part of his book (the fortieth through sixty-sixth chapters).
Be the first to react on this!