Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 5:19
That say, Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]!
19. An impious challenge to Jehovah to make good His words spoken through the prophet. This defiant unbelief seems to have been the reigning spirit in the political circles of Isaiah’s time; Isa 28:14 f., 22; cf. Jer 5:12; Jer 17:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That say … – They add one sin to another for the purpose of defying God, and provoking him to anger. They pretend that he will not punish sin; and hence, they plunge deeply into it, and defy him to punish them.
Let him make speed – Let him come quick to punish.
And hasten his work – His punishment.
That we may see it – An expression of defiance. We would like to see him undertake it.
The counsel of the Holy One … – His threatened purpose to punish. This is the language of all sinners. They plunge deep into sin; they mock at the threatenings of God; they defy him to do his utmost; they do not believe his declarations. It is difficult to conceive more dreadful and high-handed iniquity than this.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Let the counsel of the Holy One] Tryphiodorus has an expression something like this: –
______
TRYPH. Il Excid. 239.
Because the counsel of Jupiter was come. “This expression, , is, I believe, something uncommon; but it is exactly paralleled and explained by a passage in Isaiah, Isa 5:19. The Septuagint has expressed it in the very same words with Tryphiodorus: , .” – Merrick’s note, ad loc.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Let him, to wit, God, in whose name thou and other prophets are always reproving and threatening us.
Hasten his work, that we may see it; he only thinks to affright us with bugbears; but he either cannot or will not do us any harm: we do not fear him, let him do his worst; let him begin as soon as he pleaseth. Not that any of the Israelites were so impudent as to use these expressions; but this was the plain language of their actions; they lived as if they were of this opinion; their presumption and security showed their desperate contempt of God, and of all his judgments.
The Holy One of Israel; who by his holiness is engaged to punish us. They scornfully repeated the title usually given by the prophets unto God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. workvengeance (Isa5:12). Language of defiance to God. So Lamech’s boast of impunity(Gen 4:23; Gen 4:24;compare Jer 17:15; 2Pe 3:3;2Pe 3:4).
counselGod’sthreatened purpose to punish.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That say, let him make speed, [and] hasten his work,…. Either the punishment of their sins, threatened by the prophets; which, because not speedily and immediately executed, therefore they did not believe it ever would; and in a daring and insolent manner call upon God to inflict it:
that we may see [it], or feel it; for, as for words or threatenings, they regarded them not; thus deriding God and his judgments, and disbelieving both, like the mockers in the last days, described in 2Pe 3:3 and, in contempt of him, do not so much as mention his name; though the Syriac version expresses the word “Lord”, and the Arabic version “God”: or rather the great work of redemption and salvation by the Messiah; for, as they did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah, so they ridiculed and despised salvation by him, mocking him as a Saviour, and calling upon him, in a sarcastic way, to hasten and do his work he pretended to come about; see Mt 27:42 for to the Jews in Christ’s time this prophecy belongs. The Targum interprets it, “his miracle”; the Jews were always for signs and miracles; they sought them of Jesus of Nazareth; they urged the doing of them; they were very solicitous and importunate, and in haste to have them done, that they might see and believe, as they pretended; and expressed themselves in almost the same words as here; “what sign shewest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work?” Joh 6:30 this is an instance of their drawing iniquity and sin in the manner before complained of:
and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]! not that they believed him to be the Holy One of Israel, but because the prophet had made mention of this title, Isa 1:4 as he often does in this prophecy afterwards, and applies it to the Redeemer; therefore they use it: so the Jews put an “if” upon Christ being the King of Israel, Mt 27:42 wherefore, in a daring, jeering, and ironic manner, urge that what is said to be in the purposes and decrees of God, or what was agreed upon between him and the Messiah, who said he was the son of God, in the council and covenant of grace and peace, as pretended, might speedily come to pass; all which expresses their blasphemy, impiety, and unbelief; and shows that they did not believe, but derided any counsel or decree of God, respecting spiritual and eternal salvation by the Messiah, especially by Jesus of Nazareth: or the conversion of the Gentiles, or the spread of the Gospel, and the enlargement of the kingdom and interest of Christ in the world, are meant, Kimchi, on the text, owns that these words belong to the Jews in the present day, and makes this confession,
“it appears that our prophets said the truth for now we believe not.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Isa 5:19 shows very clearly that the prophet referred to the free-thinkers of his time, the persons who are called fools ( nabal ) and scorners ( letz ) in the Psalms and Proverbs. “Who say, Let Him hasten, accelerate His work, that we may see; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may experience it.” They doubted whether the day of Jehovah would ever come (Eze 12:22; Jer 5:12-13), and went so far in their unbelief as to call out for what they could not and would not believe, and desired it to come that they might see it with their own eyes and experience it for themselves (Jer 17:15; it is different in Amo 5:18 and Mal 2:17-3:1, where this desire does not arise from scorn and defiance, but from impatience and weakness of faith). As the two verbs denoting haste are used both transitively and intransitively (vid., Jdg 20:37, to hasten or make haste), we might render the passage “let His work make haste,” as Hitzig, Ewald, Umbreit, and Drechsler do; but we prefer the rendering adopted by Gesenius, Caspari, and Knobel, on the basis of Isa 60:22, and take the verb as transitive, and Jehovah as the subject. The forms yachishah and taboah are, with Psa 20:4 and Job 11:17, probably the only examples of the expression of a wish in the third person, strengthened by the ah , which indicates a summons or appeal; for Eze 23:20, which Gesenius cites (48, 3), and Job 22:21, to which Knobel refers, have no connection with this, as in both passages the ah is the feminine termination, and not hortative (vid., Comm. on Job, at Job 11:17, note, and at Job 22:21). The fact that the free-thinkers called God “the Holy One of Israel,” whereas they scoffed at His intended final and practical attestation of Himself as the Holy One, may be explained from Isa 30:11: they took this name of God from the lips of the prophet himself, so that their scorn affected both God and His prophet at the same time.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
19. Who say, Let him make speed. He specifies one class of sins, by means of which he shows that they draw sins as by ropes. When men not only lay aside all thought of the Divine judgment, but despise and treat as fabulous all that is said about it, nothing can be worse than this. He intended to say that the utmost contempt is manifested when men, to whom the judgment of God has been declared, say that it would give them joy to see it, and treat it with ridicule as a silly alarm; which is denoted by these words full of contempt and of wicked confidence: Let him come, let him make speed.
Work, is here put, by way of eminence, ( κατ ἐξοχὴν,) for judgment; for God appears to be doing nothing when he does not punish the crimes of the ungodly; but when he rises up to execute judgment, and inflicts punishment, his work is then seen, and becomes visible (as is commonly said) by action; because from the very fact we learn that the world is governed by his authority and power. Work, therefore, is taken specially for judgment; because by means of it we see that God is by no means unemployed, but performs his office. Now, ungodly men speak of him with reproach and contempt, and at this very day we have abundant instances of such wickedness and rebellion; and the same war which was formerly waged by the prophets is that which we also are called to maintain.
The ungodly think that God does nothing, and cares not about the affairs of men; as Epicurus thought that God’s highest happiness consisted in his being free from all occupation. Though they imagine that there is some God, yet they do not at all acknowledge his judgment; and in the meantime they bid themselves be of good cheer, and resolve that they will not wear themselves out by such thoughts. “Let these prophets and ministers cry, and bawl, and hold out terrors and threatenings; we will wait without any concern for what they tell us, and in the meantime we will enjoy our mirth.” In this way the Prophet relates the speeches of the ungodly, by which they expressed ridicule and contempt of the word. Not only do they say, Let his work come, but, Let him hasten, Let him make speed; for when he delays, they conclude that everything which God does not execute as soon as he has spoken it is idle talk. Thus Peter represents the ungodly as saying,
“
Since the world was created, the course of nature has been uniform; and, therefore, after so many ages, it is idle to expect a day of judgment.” (2Pe 3:4.)
In the meantime, they purposely, as it were, provoke God to exert his power immediately, if he has any.
Let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come. To work is added counsel, as if they had said, “Why does God deliberate so long, or say what he intends to do? Let him rather show that what he has decreed is accomplished.” It is a great aggravation of their crime, that they wickedly dared to set aside the doctrine which was well known to them. They were more wicked than the heathen Gentiles in this respect, that they despised the doctrine by which he had adopted them to be his peculiar people.
That we may see it. These are proofs of infidelity; for ungodly men will not acknowledge God, unless they have immediate evidence of his presence, and they refuse to believe his words. Now, if the Holy Spirit, by means of this mark, holds up ungodly men to detestation, we ought to testify our faith and piety by the opposite sign, that is, by relying on the word of God, though the effect does not immediately appear; for it is the peculiar excellence of faith to hold us dependent on the mouth of God. True, we next derive confirmation from works, but we must not begin at them; for this is the distinction between the elect and the reprobate, that the elect simply rely on the word, but do not disregard works, while ungodly men scorn and disdain the word, though God speak a hundred times; and yet they continually and eagerly call upon him for works. And when the judgment of God is declared, they say, “Where is it?” They cannot endure the mention of it, unless it be immediately made known by action. When men are so immoderate, it follows that they have no faith, but rather obstinate rebelliousness, Which more and more withdraws and estranges man from God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
SCEPTICISM
Isa. 5:19. That say, Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it.
Scepticism, I. Denies the judgments of God. II. Draws an argument from their delay [661] III. Impiously scoffs at the Divine counsels. IV. Defies God to do His worst.J. Lyth, D.D.
[661] The whole force of life and experience goes to prove that right or wrong-doing, whether in relation to the physical or the spiritual nature, is sure, in the end, to meet its appropriate reward or punishment. Penalties are often so long delayed, that men think they shall escape them; but some time they are certain to follow. When the whirlwind sweeps through the forest, at its first breath, or almost as if the fearful stillness that precedes had crushed it, the giant tree, with all its boughs, falls crashing to the ground. But it had been preparing to fall for twenty years. Twenty years before it received a gash. Twenty years before the water commenced to settle in at some crotch, and from thence decay began to reach in with its silent fingers towards the heart of the tree. Every year the work of death progressed, till at length it stood, all rottenness, only clasped about by the bark with a semblance of life, and the first gale felled it to the ground. Now, there are men who, for twenty years, have shamed the day and wearied the night with their debaucheries, but who yet seem strong and vigorous, and exclaim, You need not talk of penalties. Look at me! I have revelled in pleasure for twenty years, and I am as hale and hearty to-day as ever. But in reality they are full of weakness and decay. They have been preparing to fall for twenty years, and the first disease strikes them down in a moment.
Ascending from the physical nature of man to the mind and character, we find the same laws prevail. People sometimes say, Dishonesty is as good as honesty, for aught I see. There are such and such men who have pursued for years the most corrupt courses in their business, and yet they prosper, and are getting rich every day. Wait till you see their end. Every year how many such men are overtaken with sudden destruction, and swept for ever out of sight and remembrance! Many a man has gone on in sin, practising secret fraud and villanies, yet trusted and honoured, till at length, in some unsuspected hour, he is detected, and, denounced by the world, he falls from his high estate as if a cannon-ball had struck himfor there is no cannon that can strike more fatally than outraged public sentimentand flies over the mountains, or across the sea, to escape the odium of his life. He believed that his evil course was building him up in fame and fortune; but financiering is the devils forge, and his every act was a blow upon the anvil, shaping the dagger that should one day strike home to his heart and make him a suicide. The pea contains the vine, and the flower, and the pod, in embryo, and, I am sure, when I plant it, that it will produce them and nothing else. Now, every action of our lives is embryonic, and, according as it is right or wrong, it will surely bring forth sweet flowers of joy, or the poison fruits of sorrow. Such is the constitution of this world, and the Bible assures us that the next world only carries it forward. Here and hereafter, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.Beecher.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(19) That say, Let him make speed.We have here, as in Isa. 28:10, and Jer. 17:15, the very words of the wealthy scoffers of Judah. Such taunts are not peculiar to any age or country. We find them in the speech of Zedekiah (1Ki. 22:24), in that of the mockers of 2Pe. 3:4. In the name of Isaiahs second son (Isa. 8:3) we may probably find an answer to the taunt. The words the counsel of the Holy One of Israel were obviously emphasised with a sneer at the name on which Isaiah dwelt so constantly. (Comp. Isa. 30:11.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Let him make speed In a tone of defiance they say, Let him come on.
And hasten his work His work of direful providence and threatened judgment.
That we may see it We are ready for him. When he does what he threatens, we will believe him.
Counsel The prophet’s predictions; evident from the words Holy One of Israel, which not they, but only the prophet, would use. In effect they say: “‘The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth.’ Eze 12:22. We doubt their truth. Let him show his hand in these threatened woes. Only then can we believe you, his prophet.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know [it]!
Ver. 19. That say, Let him make speed. ] That jeer when they should fear, jest at God’s judgments, and mock at his menaces, as if they were only bugbear terms, devised on purpose to frighten silly people, but that themselves had more wit than to regard them. This also was the guise of those atheists in later ages. Jer 17:15 Eze 12:23 Amo 5:18 2Pe 3:3 E , they made children’s play of God’s direful threats, as the Greek word signifieth. And that they may not plead ignorance, the apostle addeth, Isa 5:5 that they were “willingly ignorant”; they choked their natural light, and contradicted the testimony of their own consciences. Magna eorum hodieque seges est; such dust heaps are found in every corner.
And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel.
a M .
b Oecolamp.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
That say, &c. Compare Jer 17:15.
the Holy One of Israel. See notes on Isa 1:4 and Psa 71:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Let him: Isa 66:5, Jer 5:12, Jer 5:13, Jer 17:15, Eze 12:22, Eze 12:27, Amo 5:18, Amo 5:19, 2Pe 3:3, 2Pe 3:4
let the: Isa 30:11, Jer 23:18, Jer 23:36
Reciprocal: Gen 37:19 – Behold Deu 32:35 – the things Psa 71:22 – O thou Psa 107:11 – contemned Ecc 8:11 – sentence Isa 1:4 – the Holy Isa 3:8 – because Isa 5:12 – they regard Isa 28:15 – We have Isa 29:15 – seek Isa 60:22 – I the Lord Jer 36:23 – he cut Eze 11:3 – It is not Amo 9:10 – The evil Mic 2:3 – go Zep 1:12 – The Lord Mal 2:17 – Where Mal 3:13 – Your Joh 6:30 – see Act 4:28 – and Eph 1:11 – the counsel 2Pe 2:3 – whose
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:19 That say, {z} Let him make speed, [and] hasten his work, that we may see [it]: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know [it]!
(z) He shows what are the words of the wicked, when they are menaced by God’s judgments, 2Pe 3:4 .