Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 8:22
And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and [they shall be] driven to darkness.
22. The last words of the previous verse should be taken along with this one: and he shall look upward and shall look to the earth: and behold, &c. Whether he look to heaven or earth, no ray of hope shall appear (cf. ch. Isa 5:30).
trouble and darkness ] Render with R.V. distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. The word here translated “gloom” is slightly different in form from that in Isa 9:1, and does not occur again.
and they shall darkness ] Probably: and he shall be chased into thick darkness. A somewhat similar phrase in Jer 23:12. Others render: “and darkness shall be driven (upon him)”; others: “but (the) darkness shall be dispelled.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And they shall look unto the earth – They would look upward and find no relief, and then in despair cast their eyes to the earth to obtain help there. Yet equally in vain. The whole image is one of intense anguish brought on the nation for leaving the counselor the true God.
And behold … – see the note at Isa 5:30.
Trouble – Anguish, oppression, tsarah, from tsur, to oppress, to straiten, to afflict. This is a remarkable instance of the prophet Isaiahs manner – of a rapid, impetuous, and bold style of utterance. He accumulates images; piles words on each other; and deepens the anxiety by each additional word, until we almost feel that we are enveloped by the gloom, and see objects of terror and alarm on every side.
Dimness of anguish – These words should be kept separate in the translation – meup tsuqah, darkness, oppression – accumulated epithets to heighten the gloom and terror of the scene.
And they shall be driven to darkness – Hebrew, va’apelah menudach a darkness that is driven, or that is urged upon itself; that becomes condensed, accumulated, until it becomes terrible and frightful. The idea is that of a driving tempest, or an involving obscurity ( menudach from nadah, to push, thrust, impel, urge on, as a driving storm). The prophet has thus accumulated every possible idea of gloom and obscurity, and probably there is not anywhere a more graphic description of gathering darkness and trouble, and of the consternation of those involved in it, than this. So fearful and terrific are the judgments of God when he comes forth to punish people!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
They shall look unto the earth; finding no help from heaven, they turn their eyes downward, looking hither and thither for comfort.
Trouble and darkness. &c.; many words expressing the same thing are put together, to signify the variety, and extremity, and continuance of their miseries.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they shall look unto the earth,…. As persons in distress, upwards and downwards, backwards and forwards, on the right hand and on the left, particularly into the land of Judea; a land that used to flow with milk and honey, a land of light, plenty, and prosperity:
and behold trouble and darkness; adversity, and miseries of all kinds, expressed by a variety of words; and even words fail to express the tribulation of these times, which were such as were not from the beginning of the world, Mt 24:22:
dimness of anguish; or “fleeing from affliction” e, multitudes everywhere fleeing from one place to another, to avoid the calamities coming upon them, Mt 24:16:
and [they shall be] driven to darkness; when they endeavour to escape one calamity, they shall be driven and fall into another; the whole land shall be full of nothing else.
e a “volare”, Forerius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22. And when they shall look to the earth. The meaning will then be, that the Jews will be converted to God, because they will be deprived of every assistance on the earth, and will see nothing but frightful calamities, to whatever side they turn their eyes.
Behold, trouble and darkness. These words are partly figurative and partly literal; for by dimness and darkness he means nothing else than adversity, according to the custom of Scripture. But he adds, driven to darkness. This aggravates the calamity to an amazing degree; for if one who is in darkness be driven or pushed forward, he is far more in danger of stumbling than before. Thus he intimates, that to a heavy calamity another still heavier will be added, that they may be more completely ruined; for he means nothing else than that the judgments of God will be so dreadful, and the punishments so severe, that, whether they will or not, they shall be constrained to look up to heaven.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
22. Then from looking upward they look to earth again; to enchantments and sorcery they look, only to feel woes more bitter, and to see forever no dawn, NO dawn.
Trouble darkness dimness anguish Accumulated images. Each one, as it rapidly flits before Isaiah, deepens the horror of gathering gloom and darkness. So fearful are God’s moral judgments on men when they to the last refuse to look to him for aid and guidance.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
How truly blessed and profitable it is to watch the Lord’s care over his people! Though in times of general wickedness, the Lord visits a nation and a kingdom; yet will he take care of his chosen in the general overthrow. If men will look unto an arm of flesh, that arm shall be their confusion. But if his people do but sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, then he will be for a sanctuary; and when he sends troubles and visitations on the earth, yet like a Father to his children, who seeth a storm approaching, he brings them into the house and shuts the door after him, and thus secures them from the danger; so the Lord saith, Come my people, enter thou into the chambers of my providence and the covenant of my love, and shut, thy doors about thee, until the indignation be overpast. Oh! the love of God in Christ to his people!
Precious Jesus! I must not close my meditation on this Chapter, until that I have first bent the knee of my soul in thanks to thee, thou dear Lord, that here, as in other portions of thy blessed word, I discover, that thou who art to me the Rock of ages, and the rock of my salvation, hast been, in all ages, to the unbeliever, a stone of stumbling, and a rock offense. Lord! how is it that thou hast manifested thyself unto me, and not unto the world? How is it that thy humiliating state, thy life of sorrow, and death of shame, should appear to me so lovely, while it becomes so offensive to others? Surely it is grace makes all the difference. I should have fallen on this stone and been broken, as well as thousands have done, hadst thou not kept me from it! Yea, Lord, there was a time when I saw no beauty in thee, to desire thee: and art thou now the altogether lovely, the fairest among ten thousand! To thee, Lord, be all the praise! I bless thee, my adorable Redeemer, for that sweet scripture thou hast said, and left upon record: And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and [they shall be] driven to darkness.
Ver. 22. Trouble and darkness, &c. ] A huge heap of words all to one sense; to set forth their deepest distress without all hope of help.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the earth = the land.
dimness of anguish = the gloom of anguish.
driven to = thrust out into.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
look: Isa 5:30, Isa 9:1, 2Ch 15:5, 2Ch 15:6, Jer 13:16, Jer 30:6, Jer 30:7, Amo 5:18-20, Zep 1:14, Zep 1:15, Mat 8:12, Mat 24:29, Luk 21:25, Luk 21:26, Jud 1:13
driven to darkness: Job 18:18, Pro 14:32, Jer 23:12, Mat 22:13
Reciprocal: Gen 4:14 – driven Exo 10:21 – darkness Job 15:22 – He believeth not Job 20:26 – darkness Job 22:11 – darkness Job 38:15 – from Psa 88:12 – dark Pro 19:3 – fretteth Isa 9:19 – is the land Isa 24:11 – all joy Isa 50:11 – ye shall Joe 2:2 – A day of darkness Nah 1:8 – darkness Rev 16:10 – full
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:22 And they shall look to the earth; and behold trouble and {c} darkness, dimness of anguish; and [they shall be] driven to darkness.
(c) They will think that heaven and earth and all creatures are bent against them to trouble them.