Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 28:11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
11. Isaiah parries the gibe with a terrible threat. Jehovah is about to employ a more uncouth language, to which their mocking description will fully apply, viz., the harsh barbarous accents of the Assyrian invaders.
stammering lips ] either “stammerings of lip” or “stammerers of lip” (cf. the Greek use of ). Comp. 1Co 14:21.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For – This verse is to be understood as a response to what the complaining and dissatisfied people had said, as expressed in the previous verse. God says that he will teach them, but it should be by another tongue – a foreign language in a distant land. Since they refused to hearken to the messages which he sent to them, and which they regarded as adapted only to children, he would teach them in a manner that should be much more humiliating; he would make use of the barbarous language of foreigners to bring them to the true knowledge of God.
With stammering lips – The word which is used here is derived from a verb ( laag), which means to speak unintelligibly: especially to speak in a foreign language, or to stammer; and then to mock, deride, laugh at, scorn (compare Isa 33:19; Pro 1:26; Pro 17:5; Psa 2:4; Psa 59:9; Job 22:19). Here it means in a foreign or barbarous tongue; and the sense is, that the lessons which God wished to teach would be conveyed to them through the language of foreigners – the Chaldeans. They should be removed to a distant land, and there, in hearing a strange speech, in living long among foreigners, they should learn the lesson which they refused to do when addressed by the prophets in their own land.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 28:11
With stammering lips
Assyrian speech
By men of strange lips Jehovah will speak Assyrian to them; and with a more frightful iteration than the prophet used. (A. B.Davidson, LL. D.)
A great moral principle
We gather from Isaiah that God speaks twice to men, first in words and then by deeds, but both times very simply and plainly. (G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
For; or, therefore, as this particle is oft used. For this seems to be the punishment of their dulness.
With stammering lips; either,
1. In way of condescension, as mothers and nurses teach children, lisping and stammering with them. Or,
2. In way of judgment; which suits best with the next clause.
And another tongue; by people of a strange language, whom he shall bring among them, and into whose power he shall deliver them; which is a great aggravation of their misery: see Deu 28:49; Jer 5:15; Eze 3:5.
Will he speak to this people: seeing they will not hear him speaking by his prophets and ministers, in their own language, they shall hear their enemies speaking to them in a strange and rough language.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Forrather, “Truly.”This is Isaiah’s reply to the scoffers: Your drunken questionsshall be answered by the severe lessons from God conveyed through theAssyrians and Babylonians; the dialect of these, though Semitic, likethe Hebrew, was so far different as to sound to the Jews likethe speech of stammerers (compare Isa 33:19;Isa 36:11). To them who will notunderstand God will speak still more unintelligibly.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. Or “hath spoken” s; as parents and nurses, in a lisping manner, and in a language and tone different from what they use in common, speak unto their children, accommodating themselves according to their capacities and weakness; and so it is a continuation of the method to be used in instructing the Jews, as being like children: or else these words are to be considered as a reason why, since they refused instruction in this plain, easy, and gentle manner, by the ministry of the prophets of the Lord, he would speak to them in a more severe and in a rougher manner in his providences, and bring a people against them of a strange language they understood not, and so should not be able to treat and make peace with them, and who would carry them captive into a strange land; which was fulfilled by bringing the Chaldean army upon them, Jer 5:15 see 1Co 14:21 and afterwards the Romans.
s So Gataker.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The prophet takes the ki (“for”) out of their mouths, and carries it on in his own way. It was quite right that their ungodliness should show itself in such a way as this, for it would meet with an appropriate punishment. “For through men stammering in speech, and through a strange tongue, will He speak to this people. He who said to them, There is rest, give rest to weary ones, and there is refreshing! But they would not hear. Therefore the word of Jehovah becomes to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, a little here, a little there, that they may go and stumble backwards, and be wrecked to pieces, and be snared and taken.” Jehovah would speak to the scoffing people of stammering tongue a language of the same kind, since He would speak to them by a people that stammered in their estimation, i.e., who talked as barbarians (cf., and balbutire ; see Isa 33:19, compared with Deu 28:49). The Assyrian Semitic had the same sound in the ear of an Israelite, as Low Saxon (a provincial dialect) in the ear of an educated German; in addition to which, it was plentifully mixed up with Iranian, and possibly also with Tatar elements. This people would practically interpret the will of Jehovah in its own patios to the despisers of the prophet. Jehovah had directed them, through His prophets, after the judgments which they had experienced with sufficient severity (Isa 1:5.), into the true way to rest and refreshing (Jer 6:16), and had exhorted them to give rest to the nation, which had suffered so much under Ahaz through the calamities of war (2 Chron 28), and not to drag it into another way by goading it on to rise against Assyria, or impose a new burden in addition to the tribute to Assyria by purchasing the help of Egypt. But they would not hearken ( = , Isa 30:15-16; Ges. 23, 3, Anm. 3). Their policy was a very different one from being still, or believing and waiting. And therefore the word of Jehovah, which they regarded as en endless series of trivial commands, would be turned in their case into an endless series of painful sufferings. To those who thought themselves so free, and lived so free, it would become a stone on which they would go to pieces, a net in which they would be snared, a trap in which they would be caught (compare Isa 8:14-15).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
11. For with stammering lips. (224) Some supply, that “it is as if one should say;” but that is superfluous. I therefore view these words as relating to God, who became, as the Prophet tells us, a barbarian (225) to a people without understanding. This reproof must have wounded them to the quick, because by their own fault they made God, who formed our tongues, to appear to be “a stammerer.” He does not as yet threaten them, but lays the blame on their indolence, that they rendered the proclamation of heavenly doctrine a confused noise, because of their own accord they shut their eyes, and thus derived no advantage from it. Their infatuation, in not hearing God speaking to them, is compared by the Prophet to a prodigy.
(224) Bogus footnote
(225) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) With stammering lips and another tongue . . .The stammering lips are those of the Assyrian conquerors, whose speech would seem to the men of Judah as a barbarous patois. They, with their short sharp commands, would be the next utterers of Jehovahs will to the people who would not listen to the prophets teaching. The description of the stammering tongue re-appears in Isa. 33:19. (Comp. Deu. 28:49.) In 1Co. 14:21, the words are applied to the gift of tongues, which, in its ecstatic utterances, was unintelligible to those who heard it, and was therefore, as the speech of the barbarian conquerors was in Isaiahs thoughts, the antithesis of true prophetic teaching.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11, 12. For One explanation of this is, that the wicked prophets were about to continue, and got as far as “for,” when Isaiah snatched the word from them and proceeded thence himself: “Yes, for,” etc. Another translation is, “Yea, or truly,” the prophet’s own commencing words.
Stammering lips “Yes, with a stammering tongue,” that is, with another dialect, “will God speak to this people.” That dialect shall be the semi-Semitic patois of the fierce people beyond the Euphrates. It is said that the Assyrian Semitic was to Jewish ears much the same as the provincial lower Saxon (Platt-Deutsch) is to the pure high German language said patois being mixed perhaps with Iranian, possibly with Tartar elements. See 2Ki 18:26-28; Isa 36:11. It is proper to suppose, from the exigences of the text, that exile to Assyria is here threatened in consequence of such scoffing, which was alarmingly becoming the rule, not the exception, in the conduct of the Jews.
To whom The scoffing Jews. God had repeatedly said, This is the rest, namely, trusting in Jehovah of Hosts, and not in Syrian (chap. 7) nor in Egyptian (chapter 37) alliances.
Yet they would not hear God’s fruitless patience and teachings will not always be continued.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 28:11-13. For with stammering lips, &c. Instead of refreshing, in Isa 28:12 we may read, happy place; and the 13th may be rendered, But the word of the Lord shall be unto them,that they may go, &c. These verses contain the spiritual punishment consequent upon the fault before specified. When the teachers of the church, says Vitringa, little regard the wholesome doctrine of the word of God, but follow their own simple and trifling ideas, God interposes with his judgment, and permits them to be alienated more and more from the sound and salutary doctrine of faith, which alone brings comfort to the conscience; and to be delivered up to the vanity of their own understandings, to the destruction of their souls; an example whereof the prophet here proposes in the Pharisees, but which is often verified among Christians themselves, so called. God had said to this people, (that is to say, those of Jerusalem, as appears from Isa 28:14.) This is the rest, &c. that is, the doctrine of grace and remission of sins through Jesus Christ: See Mat 11:28. But they would not hear; they (the Pharisees and teachers of those times) rejected the counsel of God towards themselves; their sins therefore, as it is usual with the divine justice, were turned into their punishment, as is expressed metaphorically in the 11th verse, and properly in the 13th; the meaning whereof is, that as the Pharisees and teachers of those times preferred their own blind and foolish doctrines to the pure word of grace, God would give them up to the blindness and belief of those doctrines; and hence their Talmuds, Cabbalas, and all the foolishness and profaneness of those doctrines which they had preferred to the genuine truths of the Gospel, and which have caused all those evils denounced at the latter end of the 13th verse. See chap. Isa 8:14-15. Concerning the more elevated and mystical sense which the apostle has given to the words of the 11th verse, we shall speak when we come to 1Co 14:21. In the mean time we refer to Vitringa.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Ver. 11. For with stammering lips, &c. ] With a lisping lip. Heb., With scoffs of lip, or with language of mocks. Surely God scorneth the scorners, Pro 3:34 for he loveth to retaliate, and proportion choice to choice, Isa 66:3-4 device to device, Mic 2:1 ; Mic 2:3 frowardness to frowardness, Psa 18:26 scoffing to scoffing. Pro 1:25-26
And with another tongue.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
For = Yea, verily. Taking the words out of their own taunting lips, and turning them against themselves. Quoted in 1Co 14:21.
stammering = jabbering.
another = foreign. Referring to the Assyrian language they were (alas!) soon to hear (Compare Isa 33:19. Deu 28:49).
He speak: i.e. by the Assyrians.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
with: Deu 28:49, Jer 5:15, 1Co 14:21
stammering lips: Heb. stammerings of lips
will he speak: or, he hath spoken.
Reciprocal: Psa 81:5 – where Isa 33:19 – deeper Act 2:4 – began
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 28:11-12. For Or, rather, therefore, as the particle is often used. For the prophet here evidently intends to express the punishment of their dulness. With stammering lips, and another tongue By people of a strange language, whom he will bring among them, and into whose power he will deliver them; will he speak to this people Seeing they will not hear him speaking by his prophets and ministers, in their own language, they shall hear their enemies speaking to them in a strange language. It was a great aggravation of the misery of the Jews, during their captivity, that they did not understand the language of the Chaldeans, whose captives they were. To whom he said To which people, the Lord, by his ministers, said, This This doctrine, or the word of the Lord, as it follows, Isa 28:13; is the rest The only way, in the observance of which you will find rest. Wherewith, &c. The word wherewith is supplied by our translators, there being nothing for it in the Hebrew, which is, cause ye the weary to rest Namely, your weary minds and weary country. As if he had said, As rest is offered you by the prophets in Gods name, do you embrace it; which is to be done by hearkening to Gods word. So shall this people, which hath been so often, and so long, wearied and harassed by great and manifold calamities, find rest and peace. Yet they would not hear They were wilfully ignorant, and obstinately refused the very means of instruction.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:11 For with stammering {k} lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
(k) Let one teach what he can, yet they will no more understand him, than if he spoke in a strange language.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Isaiah turned his critics’ words back on themselves; what they had said about his words in mockery would overtake them. If God’s people refused to listen to words spoken in simple intelligibility, He would give them unintelligibility as a judgment (cf. Mat 23:37). Since they refused to learn from a prophet who appealed to them in their own language, He would teach them with plunderers whose language (Akkadian) they would not understand, but whose lances they would take in. They would learn to rest on Yahweh from their foreign foe’s treatment of them if they refused to learn that lesson from Isaiah.
The Apostle Paul used Isa 28:11 to remind the Corinthians that messages in tongues (foreign languages), far from being a sign of spirituality, indicate that the recipients are spiritually immature (1Co 14:20-21). Likewise, Isaiah revealed that when people are so spiritually dull that simple messages do not move them, God will teach them through experience.