Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 29:20

For the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

20. the terrible one ] or “tyrant” probably denotes an external oppressor (the Assyrian); cf. Isa 25:3-4; the scorner is the despiser of religion (ch. Isa 28:14; Isa 28:22; Psa 1:1, &c.).

all that watch for iniquity ] Perhaps “those who are wakefully intent upon plans of mischief” (Mic 2:1; Amo 8:5). Some think the phrase is ironical, implying that those spoken of were appointed to watch over right, but betrayed their trust in the manner described in Isa 29:21.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For the terrible one – The violent one ( aryts), the oppressor, who had exercised cruelty over them. This, I suppose, refers to the haughty among the Jews themselves; to those who held offices of power, and who abused them to oppress the poor and needy.

And the scorner – (see Isa 28:14, Isa 28:22).

Is consumed – Shall be entirely destroyed.

And all that watch for iniquity – That is, who anxiously seek for opportunities to commit iniquity.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Isa 29:20-21

For the terrible one is brought to nought

Scorners and their punishment

Observe what had been the wickedness of these scorners, for which they should be cut off.

1. They ridiculed the prophets and the serious professors of religion. They despised them, and did their utmost to bring them into contempt; they were scorners, and sat in the seat of the scornful.

2. They lay at catch for an occasion against them. By their spies they watch for iniquity, to see if they can lay hold on anything that is said or done that may be called an iniquity. Or, they themselves watch for an opportunity to do mischief, as Judas did to betray our Lord Jesus.

3. They took advantage against them for the least slip of the tongue; and if anything were never so little said amiss, it served them to ground an indictment upon. They made a man, though he were never so wise and good a man, though he were a man of God, an offender for a word, a word mischosen or misplaced, when they could not but know that it was well meant. They cavilled at every word that the prophets spoke to them by way of administration, though never so innocently spoken, and without any design to affront them. They put the worst construction upon what was said, and made it criminal by strained innuendos.

4. They did all they could to bring those into trouble that dealt faithfully with them and told them of their faults. Those that reprove in the gates, namely, reprovers by office, that were bound by the duty of their place as prophets, as judges, and magistrates to show people their transgressions, they hated these, and laid snares for them. It is next to impossible for the most cautious to place their words so warily as to escape such snares.

5. They pervert judgment, and will never let an honest man carry an honest cause; they turn aside the just for a thing of nought, i.e., they condemn him, or give the cause against him upon no evidence, no colour or pretence whatsoever. They run a man down, and misrepresent him by all the little acts and tricks they can devise, as they did our Saviour. But wait a while, and God will not only bring forth their righteousness, but cut off and consume these scorners. (M. Henry.)

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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

The terrible one; the proud and potent enemies of those meek and poor believers now mentioned, such as the unbelieving Jews and the heathen potentates were in the first age of Christianity.

The scorner; the scornful opposers of Gods word and people. That watch for iniquity; that early and diligently apply themselves to the practice of wickedness, or to do mischief to others.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20. terriblenamely, thepersecutors among the Jewish nobles.

scorner (Isa 28:14;Isa 28:22).

watch fornot onlycommit iniquity, but watch for opportunities of committing it, andmake it their whole study (see Mic 2:1;Mat 26:59; Mat 27:1).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For the terrible one is brought to nought,…. Who before was so to the people of God; meaning not Sennacherib king of Assyria, but some formidable enemy or enemies under the Gospel dispensation; as the Scribes and Pharisees, and the Jewish sanhedrim; who were “violent” c, as it may be rendered, violent persecutors of the followers of Christ, the meek and poor before described; who were brought to nought, and their power ceased at the destruction of Jerusalem; and the Roman emperor, with all subordinate rulers and governors in the empire, who harassed the Christians in a terrible manner, but were at last brought to nought by Constantine, and their persecution ceased; and the Romish antichrist, who has been so terrible, that none could or dared oppose him; he in a little time will be brought to nought, and cease to be. The Septuagint version renders it, “the wicked one faileth”; and uses the same word d, by which antichrist is described, 2Th 2:8 also Satan, that terrible enemy of the saints, shall be brought to nought; first bound for a thousand years; and afterwards, being loosed, shall be taken again, and cast into the lake of fire; all which will be matter of joy to the meek and lowly:

and the scorner is consumed; the same as before, only represented under a different character; the Jew, that mocked at Christ, because of his meanness, and that of his followers, that scoffed at his doctrines and miracles; and the Gentile, that derided his cross, and the preaching of it; and antichrist, whose mouth is full of blasphemies against God, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in it:

and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; that cannot sleep unless they commit it, and seek for and take all opportunities of doing it; or watch for iniquity in others, in Christ, and the professors of his religion; or for anything they could call so, that they might have something to accuse them of, and charge them with, and a pretence to proceed against them in colour of law and justice: which has been the practice of Jews, Pagans, and Papists.

c “violentus”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. d

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

20. For the violent man is brought to nought. He states more clearly what we have already mentioned in the former verse, namely, that the restoration of the Church consists in this, that the Lord raises up those who are cast down, and has compassion on the poor. But that purification of the Church, of which we have already spoken, is first necessary; for so long as the Lord does not execute his judgment against the wicked, and the bad are mixed with the good, so as even to hold the highest place in the Church, everything is soiled and corrupted, God is not worshipped or feared, and even godliness is trampled under feet. When therefore the ungodly are removed or subdued, the Church is restored to its splendour, and the godly, freed from distresses and calamities, leap for joy.

First, he calls them עריצים, ( gnărītzīm,) “violent.” There are various interpretations of this word; but I think that the Prophet distinguishes between those who are openly wicked, and have no shame, (279) and those who have some appearance of goodness, and yet are not better than others, for they mock at God in their hearts. But perhaps by the two adjectives, “violent” and “scorners,” he describes the same persons; because, like robbers among men, they seize, oppress, treat with cruelty, and commit every kind of outrage, and yet are not withheld by any fear of God, because they regard religion as a fable.

And they who hastened early to iniquity. (280) Under this class he includes other crimes. He speaks not of the Chaldeans or Assyrians, but of those who wished to be reckoned in the number of the godly, and boasted of being the seed of Abraham.

(279) Bogus footnote

(280) Bogus footnote

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(20) The terrible one.The word stands, as in Isa. 29:5, for the Assyrian invader; the scorner, for the prophets enemies who derided his message, and sought, watching for iniquity, to find an accusation against him.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20, 21. For the terrible one The haughty and overbearing among the worldly Jewish leaders.

Watch for iniquity For opportunities to commit it.

That make a man an offender for a word Hold a man criminal, perhaps, for a reproving word; the prophet, for example, who was faithful to announce the truth front God, or any pious, uninfluential man, whose modest remonstrance they would not endure, and whom they would have condemned in a mock trial at the gate, the place for holding court.

Turn aside the just The man who had a just cause, by a decision that was a mere mockery of justice.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isa 29:20-21. For the terrible one, &c. The terrible and fierce were such as Herod Agrippa, who persecuted the apostles; the scorners and blasphemous, such as those who reproached the apostles when filled with the Spirit, as being drunk with wine. The watchers for iniquity, or of iniquity were such as those priests and scribes, who consulted together to take Jesus by subtilty: they who make a man an offender for a word, such as those who condemned Stephen for certain words imputed to him: those who lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, such as those who laid wait for Paul, after he had so fully reproved and baffled them; and lastly, they who overturn the just for a thing of nought, for no cause, were such as they who put to death James the less, surnamed the Just, and others of the first Christians, against whom they could lay no just cause of offence. See Vitringa.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

This prophecy surely had its accomplishment, also, when the Scribes and Pharisees sought to entangle Jesus in his talk; Mat 22:15-22 ; Luk 20:20 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Isa 29:20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

Ver. 20. For the terrible one is brought to nought. ] This is part matter of the just man’s joy; where observe the contrary characters given to the godly and the wicked; those are said to be lowly, meek, poor in spirit; these to be tyrants, scorners, sedulous in sin, publicans, incorrigible, such as turn aside the just, &c. Isa 29:20

And all that watch for iniquity. ] Surgunt de nocte latrones; they also break their sleep to devise mischief; Psa 36:4 Mic 2:1 but they should watch for a better purpose, Mar 13:37 as Seneca also could say, and Pliny, Qui vitam mortalium vigelium esse pronunciat; a who calleth man’s life a watch.

a Proaem. Nat. Hist.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)