Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 10:22
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
22. “For though thy population, O Israel, should be as the sand of the sea, (only) a remnant in it shall turn (and be saved).” (Cf. Hos 1:10; Gen 22:17.)
the consumption decreed righteousness ] Render: extermination is decreed overflowing in righteousness. The “extermination” is the judgment which reduces the teeming population of Israel to a mere remnant; this will be an overwhelming manifestation of Jehovah’s judicial righteousness (see on ch. Isa 1:27). It seems impossible to take this clause in a consolatory sense, as if the verb “decreed” expressed the limitation fixed for the judgment. The very similar phraseology of the next verse, compared with ch. Isa 28:22, shews that the threatening aspect of the decree is prominent.
Isa 10:23 . The verse reads: For an extermination and a decisive work is the Lord Jehovah of Hosts about to execute in the midst of the whole earth (or land): cf. ch. Isa 28:22. The phrase “extermination and decisive work” is repeated in Dan 9:27 (cf. Dan 11:36). The word for “decisive” is from the verb rendered “decreed” in last verse.
Isa 10:24-27 . In view of this ultimate prospect, the prophet turns with a message of consolation to the believing kernel of the nation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For though … – In this verse, and in Isa 10:23. the prophet expresses positively the idea that but a remnant of the people should be preserved amidst the calamities. He had said Isa 10:20-21, that a remnant should return to God. He now carries forward the idea, and states that only a remnant should be preserved out of the multitude, however great it was. Admitting that the number was then very great, yet the great mass of the nation would be cut off, and only a small portion would remain.
Thy people Israel – Or rather, thy people, O Israel, making it a direct address to the Jews, rather than to God.
Be as the sand of the sea – The sands of the sea cannot be numbered, and hence, the expression is used in the Bible to denote a number indefinitely great: Psa 119:18; Gen 22:17; Gen 41:49; Jos 11:4; Jdg 7:12; 1Sa 13:5, …
Yet a remnant – The word yet has been supplied by the translators, and evidently obscures the sense. The idea is, that a remnant only – a very small portion of the whole, should be preserved. Though they were exceedingly numerous as a nation, yet the mass of the nation would be cut off, or carried into captivity, and only a few would be left.
Shall return – That is, shall be saved from destruction, and return by repentance unto God, Isa 10:21. Or, if it has reference to the approaching captivity of the nation, it means that but a few of them would return from captivity to the land of their fathers.
The consumption – The general sense of this is plain. The prophet is giving a reason why only a few of them would return, and he says, that the judgment which God had determined on was inevitable, and would overflow the land in justice. As God had determined this, their numbers availed nothing, but the consumption would be certainly accomplished. The word consumption kilayon from kalah to complete, to finish, to waste away, vanish, disappear) denotes a languishing, or wasting away, as in disease; and then destruction, or that which completes life and prosperity. It denotes such a series of judgments as would be a completion of the national prosperity, or as should terminate it entirely.
Decreed – charyts. The word used here is derived from charats, to sharpen, or bring to a point; to rend, tear, lacerate; to be quick, active, diligent; and then to decide, determine, decree; because that which is decreed is brought to a point, or issue. – Taylor. It evidently means here, that it was fixed upon or decreed in the mind of God, and that being thus decreed, it must certainly take place.
Shall overflow – shoteph. This word is usually applied to an inundation, when a stream rises above its banks and overflows the adjacent land; Isa 30:28; Isa 66:12; Psa 78:20. Here it means evidently, that the threatened judgment would spread like an overflowing river through the land, and would accomplish the devastation which God had determined.
With righteousness – With justice, or in the infliction of justice. justice would abound or overflow, and the consequence would be, that the nation would be desolated.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. For though thy people Israel] I have endeavoured to keep to the letter of the text as nearly as I can in this obscure passage; but it is remarkable that neither the Septuagint, nor St. Paul, Ro 9:28, who, except in a few words of no great importance, follows them nearly in this place, nor any one of the ancient Versions, take any notice of the word shoteph, overflowing; which seems to give an idea not easily reconcilable with those with which it is here joined. I. S. Maerlius (Schol. Philolog. ad Selecta S. Cod. loca) conjectures that the two last letters of this word are by mistake transposed, and that the true reading is shophet, judging, with strict justice. The Septuagint might think this sufficiently expressed by , in righteousness. One MS., with St. Paul and Septuagint Alex., omits bo in Isa 10:22; sixty-nine of Kennicott’s and seventeen of De Rossi’s MSS. and eight editions, omit col, all, in Isa 10:23; and so St. Paul, Ro 9:28.
The learned Dr. Bagot, dean of Christ Church, Oxford, afterwards Bishop of Bristol and Norwich, in some observations on this place, which he has been so kind as to communicate to me, and which will appear in their proper light when he himself shall give them to the public, renders the word kilayon by accomplishment, and makes it refer to the predictions of Moses; the blessing and the curse which he laid before the people, both conditional, and depending on their future conduct. They had by their disobedience incurred those judgments which were now to be fully executed upon them. His translation is, The accomplishment determined overflows with justice; for it is accomplished, and that which is determined the Lord God of hosts doeth in the midst of the land. – L. Some think that the words might be paraphrased thus: The determined destruction of the Jews shall overflow with righteousness, ( tsedakah,) justification, the consequence of the Gospel of Christ being preached and believed on in the world. After the destruction of Jerusalem this word or doctrine of the Lord had free course, – did run, and was glorified.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Israel; or, O Israel; to whom by an apostrophe he directeth his speech.
A remnant; or, a remnant only, as before; for that this is a threatening in respect of some, as well as a promise in respect of others, is evident from the rest of this and from the following verse.
The consumption decreed shall overflow; the destruction of the people of Israel was already decreed or determined (as it is in the next verse) by the fixed counsel of God, and therefore must needs be executed, and like a deluge overflow them.
With righteousness, as this word is rendered, Rom 9:28; the preposition in or with being here understood, as it is every where. And this is added, to show, that although this judgment of God may seem very severe, yet it is most just, not only by the laws of strict and rigid justice, but even by the rules of equity and clemency, as this word oft signifies, inasmuch as he hath spared a considerable remnant of them, when he might have destroyed, them utterly. And so this word is added as a reason why a remnant, and why but a remnant, should return, because God would both glorify his justice, and manifest his mercy. And in this mixed sense the apostle seems to expound this place, Rom 9:27,28.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. yetrather in the sense inwhich Paul quotes it (Ro 9:27),”Though Israel be now numerous as the sand, a remnant onlyof them shall return”the great majority shall perish. Thereason is added, Because “the consumption (fully completeddestruction) is decreed (literally, decided on, brought toan issue), it overfloweth (Isa 30:28;Isa 8:8) with justice“;that is, the infliction of just punishment (Isa5:16) [MAURER].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea,…. These words are spoken either by the Lord to the prophet, calling Israel his people; or by the prophet to Hezekiah, as Jarchi and Kimchi think; or they may be rendered thus, “for though thy people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea” s; that is, innumerable, as was promised to Abraham, Ge 22:17:
[yet] a remnant of them shall return; or “be converted in it” t, to the Messiah; or “be saved”, as the apostle interprets it,
[See comments on Ro 9:27]; a remnant is a few, as Kimchi explains it, out of a great number: it signifies, that the majority of the Jewish nation should reject the Messiah, only a few of them should believe in him; and these should certainly believe in him, and be saved by him; and that for the following reason, because
the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness; that is, the precise and absolute decree, concerning the salvation of the remnant, God will cause to overflow, or abundantly execute, in a righteous manner, consistent with his divine perfections; and so it makes for the comfort of the remnant of the Lord’s people, agreeably to the intent of the apostle’s citation of it, [See comments on Ro 9:28]; though some understand it of God’s punitive justice, in consuming and destroying the greater part of the Jewish people, the ungodly among them, and saving a remnant, which return and repent; and to this sense are the Targum, and the Jewish commentators.
s “Nam etsi fuerit populus tuus, O Israel, sicut arena maris”, Piscator. t “convertetur in eo”, Montanus, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To Him the remnant of Israel would turn, but only the remnant. “For if thy people were even as the sea-sand, the remnant thereof will turn: destruction is firmly determined, flowing away righteousness. For the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, completes the finishing stroke and that which is firmly determined, within the whole land.” As the words are not preceded by any negative clause, ci ‘im are not combined in the sense of sed or nisi ; but they belong to two sentences, and signify nam si (for if). If the number of the Israelites were the highest that had been promised, only the remnant among them, or of them ( bo partitive, like the French en ), would turn, or, as the nearer definition ad Deum is wanting here, come back to their right position. With regard to the great mass, destruction was irrevocably determined ( rachatz , , then to resolve upon anything, , 1Ki 20:40); and this destruction “overflowed with righteousness,” or rather “flowed on ( shoteph , as in Isa 28:18) righteousness,” i.e., brought forth righteousness as it flowed onwards, so that it was like a swell of the penal righteousness of God ( shataph , with the accusative, according to Ges. 138, Anm. 2). That c illayon is not used here in the sense of completion any more than in Deu 28:65, is evident from Isa 10:23, where c alah (fem. of c aleh , that which vanishes, then the act of vanishing, the end) is used interchangeably with it, and necheratzah indicates judgment as a thing irrevocably decided (as in Isa 28:22, and borrowed from these passages in Dan 9:27; Dan 11:36). Such a judgment of extermination the almighty Judge had determined to carry fully out ( oseh in the sense of a fut. instans) within all the land ( b’kereb , within, not b’thok , in the midst of), that is to say, one that would embrace the whole land and all the people, and would destroy, if not every individual without exception, at any rate the great mass, except a very few.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
22. For though thy people be. He casts down hypocrites from foolish confidence; for they reckoned it enough to be the descendants of holy Abraham according to the flesh, and, therefore, on the sole ground of their birth, they wished to be accounted holy. Yet he exhorts the godly to patience, that they may learn to await calmly that calamity and diminution of their number, lest, when it took place, it should be unexpected, and give them uneasiness. He therefore comforts them, that they may not be grieved at so great desolation; for the Lord will at least collect a remnant of it.
The consumption decreed. כלה ( chalah) means to finish, and it means also to consume. The latter is more appropriate. He calls this diminution of the people a consumption, and one that is completed; for he employs exaggerated language, the import of which is, that they were not far from utter extermination, there being very few that were saved.
The word Israel may be taken either in the genitive case, of Israel, or in the vocative case, O Israel, (168) so that in this way he addresses the patriarch Jacob, or all the godly under his name. But it is of little importance, for the meaning is the same, in whichsoever of these ways it be taken; and therefore it may be read in the genitive case, of Israel. Yet I am more inclined to view it as a proper name, to denote the true, and not the spurious Israelite. The bold address to the patriarch has a striking effect; for God, addressing a dead man, declares to the living that what he had formerly promised, (Gen 13:16,) that the posterity of Abraham would be like the sand of the sea, did not apply to a promiscuous multitude, which had apostatized from godliness, but that there would be a kind of interruption in a corrupt nation, till shortly afterwards it should be renewed.
Overflowing with righteousness, or overflowing righteousness. (169) Another consolation is added, that this very small company will overflow righteousness. When we see the Church distressed by such heavy calamities, that we think that it cannot be far from destruction, we are in danger of giving way to despondency, and of entertaining doubts about the mercy of God. Those whose minds are impressed with just views of the judgment of God, feel that this is the severest of all temptations. It was therefore necessary that godly minds should be fortified against it, that they might soothe their grief by pondering the benefit which would result from this calamity. The benefit was, that righteousness would overflow the whole world like a river; and he had formerly noticed this, when he said (Isa 10:20) that the remnant would trust in God in truth
The word righteousness is explained in various ways. Some refer it to the preaching of the gospel, because by means of it, as Paul says,
the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, (Rom 1:17😉
and by the agency of the Apostles, who were a small remnant of the Jews, it spread over the whole world. (Mar 16:15.) Others choose rather to view it as meaning that that consumption was an evidence and proof of the righteousness of God in inflicting punishments so severe on his own people. But I prefer a more general exposition of it, namely, “This consumption will be sufficient to fill the whole world with righteousness. The remnant which shall survive it, though small, will be sufficient to cause such rivers of righteousness to flow, that the whole world shall be overflowed by them.”
(168) That is, the passage may either be rendered, Though thy people of Israel be as the sand of the sea; or, Though thy people, O Israel, be as the sand of sea. — Ed.
(169) Shall overflow with (Heb. in, or, among) righteousness — Eng. Ver.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) Though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea.The word remnant has, however, its aspect of severity as well as of promise. Men are not to expect that they, the hypocrites and evil-doers, shall escape their punishment. The promise of restoration is for the remnant only. (Comp. St. Pauls application of the text in Rom. 9:27-28).
The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.Literally, a finished (or final) work, decisive, overflowing with righteousness. A like phrase meets us again in Isa. 28:22; Dan. 9:27. The finished work is that of Gods judgment, and it overflows with righteousness at once punitive and corrective.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. The use of the word remnant, though connected with a threatening, is attended with promise.
Though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea So numerous as to be impossible to count them, yet only a “remnant” shall return This is the threatening. But they, the few, shall certainly “return,” and in penitence. This is the promise. A visible Church shall remain, even on the plains of Babylon. And St. Paul (Rom 11:12) reveals a mystery contained in this promise, namely, its enlargement in the upheaval of the Gentile world, whose destiny was so long unexplained. Israel’s abasement becomes thus the occasion of the riches of the Gentiles. Israel revolts. Its consumption is decreed determined on in the divine mind and through the fidelity of the few a great world of new people shall be brought in. The consumption is the result of an overflow with righteousness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 10:22-23. For though thy people Israel be as the sand The prophet had said that a remnant only of Judah and Ephraim would be preserved, and would return in true repentance to God; which might justly cause the wonder of both Jews and Israelites at the time when the prophet spoke these things; for it implied that the far greater part of the people would perish. This might justly offend the Jews, as they must have conceived it highly improbable that God should thus forsake his people; especially when they were at that time very numerous and flourishing. The prophet therefore declares more explicitly, that it was determined by God to exercise his justice and severity upon the Jews, the consequence of which would be, that the far greater part of them would be cut off and perish; and that a few only would remain. This is the sense of the present period, though there is some difficulty in the expressions. Vitringa renders the verses, The consumption shall be precise or limited, overflowing with righteousness or mercy. Isa 10:23. For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, but a precise or limited one, in the midst of the whole earth. Though this prophecy might be in part fulfilled at the Babylonish captivity, yet there can be no doubt that it has a farther reference to the times of the Messiah. See Rom 9:27 where we shall have occasion to speak more fully concerning it.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 10:22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
Ver. 22. Yet a remnant of them shall return, ] i.e., Shall be saved from Sennacherib, but especially from Satan, that old man slayer. Rom 9:27 ; Rom 9:29 ; Rom 11:5 The greater part of the Jews were then cut off by the Assyrians; and so they are spiritually still by the evil spirits which hold them in their hardness of heart, and hinder them from embracing the Christian faith. But this befalleth them by God’s holy decree Rom 9:27-28 and just judgment.
The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
though, &c. Quoted in Rom 9:27, Rom 9:28.
as the sand, &c. Figure of speech Paraemia. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12, &c).
consumption = full end, or finish. Hebrew. killayon. Reference to Pentateuch. Occurs only here, and Deu 28:65. App-92.
with = in.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
though thy: 1Ki 4:20, Hos 1:10, Rom 9:27, Rom 11:5, Rom 11:6, Rev 20:8
yet a remnant: Isa 6:13
of: Heb. in, or, among
the consumption: Isa 6:11, Isa 8:8, Isa 27:10, Isa 27:11, Isa 28:15-22, Dan 9:27, Rom 9:28
with: or, in, Gen 18:25, Act 17:31, Rom 2:5, Rom 3:5, Rom 3:6
Reciprocal: Gen 18:26 – General 2Ki 21:13 – I will stretch Isa 1:9 – a very Isa 17:6 – General Isa 26:15 – increased Isa 28:17 – Judgment Isa 28:22 – a consumption Isa 37:4 – for the Isa 46:3 – the remnant Isa 48:19 – seed Jer 3:14 – one of a city Jer 44:28 – a small Eze 12:16 – I will Joe 2:32 – and in Amo 5:3 – The city Mic 4:7 – I will Heb 11:12 – as the sand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
10:22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant of them shall return: the full end {q} decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
(q) This small number which seemed to be consumed and yet according to God’s decree is saved, will be sufficient to fill all the world with righteousness.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand grains of the sea (Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12). This did not mean, as the Israelites in Isaiah’s day apparently concluded, that they would always be a large people. No, God would so thoroughly destroy them because of their sin that only a small number would survive (cf. Rom 9:27-28). The sovereign Yahweh of armies would destroy them throughout the whole Promised Land, not just in the Northern Kingdom.