Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 31:2
Yet he also [is] wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
2. Yet he also is wise ] as well as the shrewd diplomatists who have negotiated this treaty! The words are ironical, yet they have a serious meaning; the prophet, alone in his view of the political situation, reassures himself by thinking of the transcendent wisdom of Jehovah and the fixity of His purpose.
and will bring evil ] Rather, brings trouble (cf. Amo 3:6) in consequence of His wisdom.
and will not call back (better: and hath not recalled) his words ] The “words” are such prophecies as Isa 28:16 ff., Isa 29:14 ff., Isa 30:13 f., 16 ff.
the house of [the] evildoers is Judah (ch. Isa 1:4); their help (i.e. “helpers “) is Egypt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2, 3. A demonstration of the folly of trusting Egypt rather than Jehovah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yet he also is wise – God is wise. It is in vain to attempt to deceive him, or to accomplish such purposes without his knowledge.
And will bring evil – The punishment which is due to such want of confidence in him.
But will arise against the house of the evil-doers – This is a general proposition, and it is evidently just as true now as it was in the time of Isaiah.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 31:2
Yet He also is wise
God works in history
You have been clever and successful, but have you forgotten that God also is wise, that He too has His policy, and acts reasonably and consistently?
You think you have been making history; but God also works in history, and surely, to put it on the lowest ground, with as much cleverness and persistence as you do. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Forgetfulness of God
The forgetfulness, against which Isaiah directs this shaft of satire, is the besetting sin of very religious people, of very successful people, and of very clever people. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
The religion that ignores God
It is the temptation of an ordinary Christian, churchgoing people, like ourselves, with a religion so full of marvellous mercies, and so blessed with regular opportunities of worship, to think of God only in connection with these, and practically to ignore that along the far greater stretches of life He has any interest or purpose regarding us. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Man no match for God
After Moscow, Napoleon is reported to have exclaimed, The Almighty is too strong for me. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. His words – “His word”] debaro, singular, without yod, two MSS. of Dr. Kennicott’s the Septuagint, and Targ. Hieros. derachaiv, his ways, is found in one MS.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He also is wise: you think you are wise, and act wisely in engaging the Egyptians, who are a wise and warlike people, to help you; but God is not inferior to them in wisdom nor in strength, but much their superior; and therefore you have done foolishly and wickedly in preferring them before him.
Will bring evil; will execute his judgments upon you, notwithstanding all that you or your allies the Egyptians can do to hinder it.
Will not call back his words, his threatenings denounced against you, but will infallibly execute them.
Will arise; though at present he sit still, yet he will bestir himself and fight.
Against the house of evil-doers; against this wicked and rebellious people of the Jews.
The help; the helpers, as it is explained in the next verse; the abstract being put for the concrete.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. he also is wiseas well asthe Egyptian priests, so famed for wisdom (Ac7:22), but who are “fools” before Him (Isa19:11). He not only devises, but executes what He devises without”calling back His words” (Nu23:19).
homethe whole race.
helpthe Egyptiansuccor sought by the Jews.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yet he also [is] wise,…. That is, God, the Holy One of Israel, is, whom they disregarded; and wiser too than the Egyptians, to whom they sought for help, and who were thought to be a wise and political people; and wiser than themselves, who imagined they acted a prudent part, in applying to them; so wise as to know all their schemes, and able to confound them, as well as most certainly and fully to complete his own; and it would have been therefore the highest wisdom to have sought to him, and not to men:
and will bring evil; the evil of punishment or affliction on wicked men, which he has threatened, and which they could in no wise escape, by taking the methods they did:
and will not call back his words; his threatenings delivered by the prophets: these, as he does not repent of, he will not revoke or make void, but fulfil and accomplish; what he has said he will do, and what he has purposed he will bring to pass; and therefore it was a weak and an unwise part they acted, by applying to others, and slighting him:
but will arise against the house of evildoers; not the ten tribes of Israel, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; but rather the people of the Jews, or some particular family among them; it may be the royal family, chiefly concerned in sending the embassy to Egypt, or in advising to it; though it may be the singular is put for the plural, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it “the houses”; and so may design all those great families which joined in this affair, and are therefore called “evildoers”; as all such are that put their confidence in the creature, and not in the Lord; and against such he will “arise”, in a hostile manner, sooner or later, against whom there is no standing; see Job 9:4:
and against the help of them that work iniquity; that is, against the Egyptians, the helpers of the Jews, who were workers of iniquity, and therefore their help and hope in it would be in vain; or else the latter part is descriptive of the Egyptians their helpers, who were a wicked and idolatrous nation, and so not to be sought unto for help, or trusted in, since, God being against them, it would be to no purpose, as he is against all workers of iniquity.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. Yet he also is wise. By calling God “wise,” he does not merely bestow on him the honor of an attribute which always belongs to him, but censures the craftiness of those whom he saw to be too much delighted with their own wisdom. He said a little before, (Isa 29:15,) that they “dug caves for themselves,” when they thought that, by hidden plans and secret contrivances, they avoided and deceived the eyes of God. He now pours witty ridicule on this madness, by affirming that, on the other hand, wisdom belongs also to God; indirectly bringing against them the charge of believing that they could shut God’s mouth as not knowing their affairs. As if he had said, “What shall become of your wisdom?” Will the effect of it be that God shall cease to be “wise?” On the contrary, by reproving your vanity, he will give practical demonstration that “he taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” (Job 5:13;1Co 3:19.)
We may draw from this a general doctrine, that they who shelter themselves under craftiness and secret contrivances, gain nothing but to provoke still more the wrath of God. A bad conscience always flees from the judgment of God, and seeks lurking-places to conceal itself. Wicked men contrive various methods of guarding and fortifying themselves against God, and think that they are wise and circumspect, even though they be covered only with empty masks; while others, blinded by their elevated rank, despise God and his threatenings. Thus, by declaring that “God is also wise,” the Prophet wounds them painfully and sharply, that they may not lay claim to so great craftiness as to be capable of imposing on God by their delusions.
He will arise against the house of the evil-doers. As they did not deserve that he should reason with them, he threatens that they shall feel that God has his arguments at his command, for ensnaring transgressors. First, they did not think that God has sufficient foresight, because he did not, according to the ordinary practice of the world, provide for their safety amidst so great dangers, and because they considered all threatenings to be empty bugbears, as if they had it in their power by some means to guard against them. Hence arises their eagerness to make every exertion, and their hardihood to plot contrivances. He therefore threatens that God will take revenge on so gross an insult, and that he has at his command the means of executing what he has promised; and that no schemes, inventions, or craftiness can overthrow the word of God.
Of the workers of vanity. (317) He gives them this appellation, because they wished to fortify themselves against the hand of God by a useless defense; that is, by the unlawful aid of the Egyptians. Formerly, it might be thought that he silently admitted their claim to the appellation of “wise men,” by contrasting them with the wisdom of God; but now he scatters the smoke, and openly displays their shame and disgrace. This teaches us that there is nothing better than to renounce our own judgment, and to submit entirely to God; because all that earnest caution by which wicked men torture themselves has no solidity, but, on the contrary, as if on purpose, provokes the wrath of God by the deceitful contrivances of the flesh.
(317) “Of them that work iniquity.” — Eng. Ver.
FT574 “Return to him against whom you have entertained deep thoughts; in the same manner as you revolted, and have still revolted, from him, return now to him.” — Jarchi. Among the commentators who belonged to the Hebrew nation, or wrote in the Hebrew language, Jarchi was probably held, on the ground of the first part of his paraphrase, to support that view which our Author condemns; but the second part of it, beginning with “in the same manner as” approaches very closely to the Reformer’s own words. — Ed
FT575 Piscator and others construe לאשר ( lăăshĕr) as equivalent to אשר ממנו אליו, (ē lāiv ăshĕr mĭmmĕnnū,) “to him from whom.” Vitringa does not reject this exposition, which he acknowledges to be supported by an analogous use of מאשר, ( mēăshĕr,) in Rut 2:9; but he pronounces the rendering, “according as.” to be more elegant and probably more correct. Modern critics, however, approve of the meaning given in our common version. “The syntax may be solved either by supposing ‘to him’ to be understood, and giving לאשר ( lăăshĕr) the sense of ‘with respect to whom,’ or by assuming that, as both these ideas could be expressed by this one phrase, it was put but once in order to avoid the tautology.” — Alexander. The other mode of resolving the syntax, by bringing out the sense, “to him from whom,” appears to adhere more closely to the usage of the Hebrew language. — Ed
FT576 העמיקו סרה ( hĕgnĕmīkūsārāh) literally signifies, “they have deepened revolt;” and Professor Alexander justly remarks that the substitution of the second person for the third, in the ancient versions, and in Barnes, (ye have revolted), is wholly arbitrary. — Ed
FT577 “ Enfans rebelles;” — “Rebellious children.”
FT578 “ Et pourtant il marque la repentance par les fruits;” — “And therefore he points out repentance by the fruits.”
FT579 See Commentary on Isaiah, vol. 1 p. 118
FT580 That is, he does not follow the ancient versions, by viewing it as an adjective, qualifying the word “hands,” — “your sinful hands.” — Ed
FT581 לא איש ( lōīsh,) not of a man, that is, of one who is totally different from a man. The word לא ( lō) often unites with a substantive, so as to form one word, which shall bear a quite different and even opposite meaning; as תהו לא דרך ( tōhūlōdĕrĕch ‘desolation not-a-way,’ that is, ‘an impassable way.’ Psa 107:40; and לא שם לו, ( lōshēm lō,) ‘he shall have not-a-name,’ that is, ‘he shall have public disgrace.’ (Job 18:17.)” — Rosenmüller. “An Hebrew idiom; of one far different from a man, viz., an angel.” — Stock
FT582 “And his young men shall be discomfited. (Heb. for melting or tribute.)” — Eng. Ver.
FT583 “And he shall pass over to his stronghold (or, his strength) for fear, (Heb. his rock shall pass away for fear.” — Eng. Ver.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Yet he also is wise.The words have a ring of sarcasm in them. Isaiah admits ironically that the counsellors of Hezekiah were wise in their generation. He reminds them that there might be some little wisdom in Jehovah, and in the prophet by whom He spake.
And will not call back his words.Such words, e.g., as those of the preceding chapter (Isa. 30:12-13; Isa. 30:16-17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 31:2. Yet he also is wise There are two things which those who placed their confidence in Egypt peculiarly extolled in the Egyptians; namely, their wisdom and strength; particularly the strength of their cavalry. The prophet, comparing the Egyptians in each respect with God, beats down the vanity of their carnal confidence; for, though the Egyptians were wise and powerful, yet he acquaints them that God was more wise and more powerful, who could never want understanding to conceive the most proper means, nor power to carry those means into execution. The prophet makes use of the figure called meiosis, expressing much less than is meant, when speaking of God he says, Yet he also is wise; and in the third verse, though he denies not the strength of the Egyptians, yet he sets forth the imbecility of that strength when compared with God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 31:2 Yet he also [is] wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
Ver. 2. Yet he also is wise. ] Yea, he is “the only wise God,” whatever the world’s wizards think of him or of themselves. They counted the voyage down to Egypt the wisest way; a and to rest altogether upon God, to be altogether impolitic as the case now stood. Egypt also, they knew, was famous for wisdom, Isa 19:11-12 but considered not how God had fooled them, Exo 1:10 ; Exo 1:12 and taken those foxes in their own craft. 1Co 3:19
And will bring evil.
“ H ”
a Tacita antithesis in qua latet Antanaclasis.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil. evildoers. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
iniquity. Hebrew. ‘aven. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he also: 1Sa 2:3, Job 5:13, Jer 10:7, Jer 10:12, 1Co 1:21-29, Jud 1:25
will bring: Isa 30:13, Isa 30:14, Isa 45:7, Jos 23:15, Amo 3:6
will not: Num 23:19, Jer 36:32, Jer 44:29, Zec 1:6, Mat 24:35
call back: Heb. remove
arise: Isa 28:21, Isa 63:4, Isa 63:5, Num 10:35, Psa 12:5, Psa 12:6, Psa 68:1, Psa 68:2, Psa 78:65, Psa 78:66, Zep 3:8
against the help: Isa 31:3, Isa 20:4-6, Isa 30:3, Jer 44:29, Jer 44:30, Eze 29:6
Reciprocal: Job 9:13 – the proud helpers Jer 21:12 – Execute
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
31:2 Yet he also [is] {c} wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
(c) And knows their crafty enterprises, and will bring all to nought.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The politicians in Jerusalem who advocated alliance with Egypt undoubtedly considered their policy wise (cf. Isa 5:21; Isa 19:11-15; Isa 28:14-15; Isa 30:1-2). But Isaiah, in irony, pointed out that the Lord, who purposed disaster for those who refused to trust Him, was the truly Wise One. He would be faithful to His Word to oppose the party of evildoers and those wicked "helpers" in whom the Judeans trusted.