Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
23. them that afflict thee ] thy tormentors. The word occurs three times in the Lamentations (Lam 1:5; Lam 1:12, Lam 3:32).
to thy soul ] i.e. “to thyself,” although without special emphasis (cf. Psa 3:2; Psa 11:1).
Bow down, that we may go over ] The figure is taken from the Eastern custom of treading or even riding on the backs of conquered enemies. Comp. Lane’s account of the Mohammedan ceremony of the Dooseh or “Treading,” as he witnessed it at Cairo in 1834; when the Sheikh of the Saadyeh dervishes, mounted on horseback, rode over the prostrate bodies of a large number of dervishes. (See Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, pp. 417 f., 432 f. [Ed. 1890].)
and thou hast laid &c. ] so that thou madest thy back as the earth. Gesenius cites in illustration an Arabic proverb: “To him who pleases me, I will be earth.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee – The nations that have made war upon thee, and that have reduced thee to bondage, particularly the Babylonians. The calamities which the Jews had suffered, God would transfer to their foes.
Which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over – This is a striking description of the pride of eastern conquerors. It was not uncommon for conquerors actually to put their feet on the necks of conquered kings, and tread them in the dust. Thus in Jos 10:24, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war that went with them, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. So David says, Thou has given me the necks of mine enemies Psa 18:40. The emperor Valerianus being through treachery taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, was treated by him as the basest and most abject slave, for the Persian monarch commanded the unhappy Roman to bow himself down and offer him his back, on which he set his foot in order to mount his chariot, or his horse, whenever he had occasion. (Lactantius, as quoted by Lowth) Mr. Lane (Modern Egyptians, vol. i. p. 199) describes an annual ceremony which may serve to illustrate this passage: A considerable number of Durweeshes, says he (I am sure there were not less than sixty, but I could not count their number), laid themselves down upon the ground, side by side, as close as possible to each other, having their backs upward, having their legs extended, and their arms placed together beneath their foreheads.
When the Sheikh approached, his horse hesitated several minutes to step upon the back of the first prostrate man; but being pulled and urged on behind, he at length stepped upon them: and then without apparent fear, ambled with a high pace over them all, led by two persons, who ran over the prostrate men, one sometimes treading on the feet, and the other on the heads. Not one of the men thus trampled on by the horse seemed to be hurt; but each the moment that the animal had passed over him, jumped up and followed the Sheikh. Each of them received two treads from the horse, one from one of his fore-legs, and a second from a hind-leg. It seems probable that this is a relic of an ancient usage alluded to in the Bible, in which captives were made to lie down on the ground, and the conqueror rode insultingly over them.
Thou hast laid thy body as the ground – That is, you were utterly humbled and prostrated (compare Psa 66:11-12). From all this, however, the promise is, that they should be rescued and delivered. The account of their deliverance is contained in the following chapter Isa 52:1-12; and the assurance of rescue is there made more cheering and glorious by directing the eye forward to the coming of the Messiah Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:1-12, and to the glorious results which would follow from his advent (Isa 54:1). These chapters are all connected, and they should be read continuously. Material injury is done to the sense by the manner in which the division is made, if indeed any division should have been made at all.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. Them that afflict thee – “Them who oppress thee”] The Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac, and Vulgate appear to have read monayich, as in Isa 40:26.” – SECKER.
Which have said to thy soul, Bow down – “Who say to thee, Bow down thy body”] A very strong and most expressive description of the insolent pride of eastern conquerors; which, though it may seem greatly exaggerated, yet hardly exceeds the strict truth. An example has already been given of it in the note, See Clarke on Isa 49:23. I will here add one or two more. “Joshua called for all the men of Israel; and said unto the captains of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings,” Jos 10:24. “Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: As I have done, so hath God requited me,” Jdg 1:7. The Emperor Valerianus, being through treachery taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, was treated by him as the basest and most abject slave: for the Persian monarch commanded the unhappy Roman to bow himself down, and offer him his back, on which he set his foot, in order to mount his chariot or horse whenever he had occasion. – LACTANTIUS, De Mort. Persec. cap. v. AUREL. VICTOR. Epitome, cap. xxxii. – L.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Bow down, that we may go over; lie down upon the ground, that we may trample upon thee, as conquerors. used to do upon their conquered enemies. See Jos 10:24; Psa 110:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. (Isa 49:26;Jer 25:15-29; Zec 12:2).
Bow down that . . . gooverConquerors often literally trod on the necks of conqueredkings, as Sapor of Persia did to the Roman emperor Valerian (Jos 10:24;Psa 18:40; Psa 66:11;Psa 66:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I will put it into the hand of them that afflict me,…. As the Lord did to literal Babylon, Jer 25:15, so will he do to mystical Babylon; he will retaliate upon her all the evils she has done to others, and destroy them that destroyed the earth; see
Re 11:18,
which have said to thy soul, bow down, that we may go over; who not only afflicted the bodies, but tyrannized over the souls and consciences of men; obliging them to a compliance with their idolatrous practices, to bow down and worship the beast, and his image; and thereby acknowledge subjection to the see of Rome, and its authority over them: the allusion seems to be the custom of the eastern kings trampling upon the necks of their conquered enemies, Jos 10:24, and the pope of Rome has, in a literal sense, trampled upon the necks even of kings and emperors.
And thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over; which expresses the low estate of the church of Christ, or holy city, while trodden under foot by the Gentiles during the reign of antichrist, Re 11:2, and may also denote the sneaking outward compliance of some through the force of persecution, when they did not cordially embrace, nor with conscience, and from their heart, submit to the authority of the church of Rome; but though the people of God are represented in such a low and grovelling condition, yet they shall arise out of it, and come into a very flourishing one, as the next chapter shows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. And I will put it into the hand of thy oppressors. This is another part of the consolation, in which he promises that the Lord will not only deliver the Church from those heavy distresses, but will also lay upon her enemies the calamities with which she is afflicted. If therefore we are afflicted, (36) our condition will be speedily changed, and our enemies will be severely punished. Truly, as Paul says, it is righteous with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest along with us, when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven, with the angels of his power, with flame of fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Th 1:6.) Thus the temporary punishments which God inflicts on them are the beginnings of that eternal punishment to which they shall be finally condemned.
Who said to thy soul. In order to describe more fully the insolence and haughtiness of their enemies, such as we too experience every day in our adversaries, he quotes their words, by which they slandered and insulted the unhappy children of God. Impiety is always accompanied by pride and cruelty; for, as the true knowledge of God renders men gentle, so ignorance makes them ferocious and savage. They who are ignorant of God please themselves, and pour out unmeasured reproaches against God and those who truly worship him. This truly is most wretched and base; but since he frequently permits his name to be exposed to the insults of wicked men, let us not wonder that we are assailed on account of his name; for we are not more excellent than God, and our condition ought not to be better than that of the ancient Church. David employs a different metaphor, (Psa 129:3,) when he says that the Church resembles a field which is cut and broken up by the plough; for he shews that frequently it is deeply furrowed and trodden upon, that we may not think that our condition is different.
(36) “ si nous sommes persecutez.” “If we are persecuted.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) Thou hast laid thy body . . .The image is startlingly bold; but our word prostration, as applied to the condition of a people, embodies precisely the same thought. (Comp. Psa. 129:3.) The previous words paint the last humiliation of Eastern conquest (Jos. 10:24).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Bow down, that we may go over This refers to ancient captives, and in some cases subjects, lying closely packed face downward, and the conquering foe or tyrant monarch riding with a cavalcade of horses, treading on legs, backs, shoulders, and heads, as over a bridge, to denote absolute humiliation. See Alexander and Barnes on this verse. Here a figure of that practice is doubtless employed, but the actual thing ofttimes occurred anciently, and sometimes occurs in oriental life at the present day.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
Oh! for grace to seek the Lord, and to follow after righteousness! Blessed the soul, that is thus taught of God; he will hearken unto the Lord. Let it be my portion, O Lord, so to do, and to be the follower of them, who through faith and patience, inherit the promises. And surely, blessed Jesus, I shall fix my eyes, and heart, and affections, all on thee, and prize thy rich salvation while I keep in remembrance the rock from whence I was hewn, and the hole of the pit from whence I was digged.
Oh! for grace, yet in larger, fuller portions, to know the Lord, and so to know him, as to live upon him by faith, until I arrive to the full and everlasting enjoyment of him by sight! Such are the privileges of thy people: Lord, let such be mine! Then shall I not fear the reproaches of men, nor regard their revilings. Occupied with higher objects, my soul will unceasingly be engaged in contemplating thee, and the fulness of that righteousness, which is forever, and thy salvation, which is from generation to generation. Awake then, O Lord, and cause me to triumph in thy strength; and oh! that, through thee; my soul may be perpetually awake to follow thee in the regeneration, that when thou comest to make up thy jewels, I may be found among the redeemed of the Lord, which shall return and come with singing unto Zion, when everlasting joy shall be upon our heads, and we shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall fee away! Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 51:23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Ver. 23. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee. ] Who shall drink it not to drunkenness only, as thou hast done, but unto madness. Jer 25:10 Belshazzar and his Babylonians did so; the revenging hand of God was afterwards upon Antiochus, Vespasian, and his children; Antichristians drink of the wine of God’s wrath. Rev 14:10
Bow down.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thy soul = thee. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will: Isa 49:25, Isa 49:26, Pro 11:8, Pro 21:18, Jer 25:17-29, Zec 12:2, Rev 17:6-8, Rev 17:18
Bow: Jos 10:24, Psa 65:11, Psa 65:12, Rev 11:2, Rev 13:16, Rev 13:17
Reciprocal: Exo 1:14 – was with rigour Lev 26:13 – and I have 2Ch 16:10 – oppressed Job 19:12 – His Job 19:22 – and are not Psa 36:11 – foot Psa 44:25 – General Psa 66:12 – caused Psa 107:12 – he brought Psa 129:3 – The plowers Ecc 4:1 – and considered Isa 14:4 – How Isa 29:4 – thou shalt Isa 42:22 – a spoil Isa 49:17 – thy destroyers Isa 52:2 – Shake Isa 52:5 – make Isa 54:11 – thou afflicted Jer 50:33 – and all Jer 51:24 – General Lam 1:21 – they shall Lam 3:34 – crush Eze 16:6 – polluted Dan 3:19 – was Nebuchadnezzar Oba 1:16 – as ye Mic 7:10 – now Zep 3:19 – I will undo Zec 6:8 – quieted Zec 12:1 – for Rom 11:10 – and bow Gal 2:4 – bring Rev 16:6 – they have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Instead, God would give Israel’s enemies His cup of wrath to drink. They had walked all over Israel, but that would end. The figure of walking on the backs of enemies stresses the victor’s desire to humiliate the captives, not to slay them (cf. Jos 10:24).
To summarize God’s plans for Israel as revealed in Isaiah, unless she repented she would experience His judgment. God would use surrounding nations to punish His people. After this punishment, God would restore Israel and punish her oppressors (cf. Habakkuk 1-2).