Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 24:14
They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
14. They shall lift up their voice ] Rather: These lift up their voice. The pronoun at the beginning is emphatic and stands in contrast to the “I” of Isa 24:16.
they shall sing, for the majesty ] Better (following the accents) they shout: for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud, &c. The last words from the sea (i.e. the Mediterranean) point to the West as the quarter whence the songs of triumph proceed. Cf. “in the coasts,” Isa 24:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
14 16. Already, indeed, the prophet can hear songs of praise ascending from distant parts of the earth, hailing the dawn of a better day; but he himself cannot share these enthusiastic hopes. It is not likely that this representation is purely ideal. Events must have occurred which excited the premature expectation of an immediate deliverance. It is difficult to conceive the historical situation which is presupposed. The most natural supposition will be that the singers referred to are Israelites of the Dispersion, who follow with sympathetic interest the development of some great crisis in the fortunes of the people of God, but whose vision is unable to perceive the darker signs of the times which are manifest to the prophet. A more exact determination of the circumstances must depend on the date which is found best to harmonise all the indications of the prophecy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They shall lift up their voice – They who are left in the land; or who are not carried away to Babylon. To lift up the voice in the Scriptures may denote either grief or joy; compare Gen 21:6; 1Sa 24:16; Jdg 2:4; Rth 1:9, …, where to lift up the voice is conected with weeping; and Eze 21:22; Psa 93:3; Isa 40:29; Isa 42:11, etc., where it is connected with exultation and joy. The latter is evidently the idea here, that the few who would escape from captivity by fleeing to neighboring countries, would lift up their voice with exultation that they had escaped.
They shall sing for the majesty of the Lord – They shall sing on account of the glory, or goodness of Yahweh, wire had so mercifully kept and preserved them.
They shall cry aloud from the sea – From the isles and coasts of the Mediterranean where they would have escaped, and where they would find a refuge. No doubt many of the inhabitants adjacent to the sea, when they found the land invaded, would betake themselves to the neighboring islands, and find safety there until the danger should be overpast. Lowth renders this,
The waters shall resound with the exaltation of Jehovah,
Where he supposes should be rendered as if pointed mayam waters, not as it is in the present Hebrew text, miyam from the sea. The sense is not materially different; but there seems to be no good reason for departing from the usual interpretation.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. They shall lift up their voice – “But these shall lift up their voice”] That is, they that escaped out of these calamities. The great distresses brought upon Israel and Judah drove the people away, and dispersed them all over the neighbouring countries: they fled to Egypt, to Asia Minor, to the islands and the coasts of Greece. They were to be found in great numbers in most of the principal cities of these countries. Alexandria was in a great measure peopled by them. They had synagogues for their worship in many places, and were greatly instrumental in propagating the knowledge of the true God among these heathen nations, and preparing them for the reception of Christianity. This is what the prophet seems to mean by the celebration of the name of JEHOVAH in the waters, in the distant coasts, and in the uttermost parts of the land. mayim, the waters; , Sept.; , Theod.; not miyam from the sea.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They; the remnant preserved.
For the majesty of the Lord; for his glorious power and goodness manifested in their deliverance.
They shall cry aloud, in way of exultation and thanksgiving to God.
From the sea; from the isles of the sea, as this is explained in the next verse; from those parts beyond the sea, into which they were carried captive, and in which they were miraculously preserved.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. Theythose who are left:the remnant.
sing for the majesty of theLordsing a thanksgiving for the goodness of the Lord, who hasso mercifully preserved them.
from the seafrom thedistant lands beyond the sea, whither they have escaped.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing,…. That is, as the Septuagint version adds,
“they that are left upon the earth;”
these shall lift up their voice, in singing the praises of God, for his judgments on Babylon, and avenging the blood of his saints; and for their deliverance and salvation, and the inestimable blessings they are now put into the possession of; these are they, who, having gotten the victory over the beast and his image, sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, Re 15:2:
for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea: so the Hebrew accents distinguish these clauses; and the sense is, that from the west, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it, from the western nations, where Protestantism chiefly prevails; or from the Mediterranean Sea, which lay west of Judea; from the maritime countries, the countries bordering upon it, where at this time will appear many that will embrace the Gospel of Christ; or from the isles of the sea, as the phrase is explained in the next verse
Isa 24:15, such as our isles of Great Britain and Ireland; great acclamations will be made unto the Lord, on account of his glorious majesty, seen in the destruction of antichrist, and in setting up his own kingdom and glory: these are the four and twenty elders, who will fall down, and give thanks to Christ, for taking to himself his great power, and reigning; and these triumphant and victorious persons are represented as standing on a sea, while they make their shouts and hallelujahs; see Re 11:16 this, with what follows in the two next verses Isa 24:15, belong to the Philadelphian church state, or spiritual reign of Christ, and express the light and joy that will attend that.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
There is now a church there refined by the judgment, and rejoicing in its apostolic calling to the whole world. “They will lift up their voice, and exult; for the majesty of Jehovah they shout from the sea: therefore praise ye Jehovah in the lands of the sun, in the islands of the sea the name of Jehovah the God of Israel.” The ground and subject of the rejoicing is “the majesty of Jehovah,” i.e., the fact that Jehovah had shown Himself so majestic in judgment and mercy (Isa 12:5-6), and was now so manifest in His glory (Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17). Therefore rejoicing was heard “from the sea” (the Mediterranean), by which the abode of the congregation of Jehovah was washed. Turning in that direction, it had the islands and coast lands of the European West in front ( iyyi hayyam ; the only other passage in which this occurs is Isa 11:11, cf., Eze 26:18), and at its back the lands of the Asiatic East, which are called ‘urim , the lands of light, i.e., of the sun-rising. This is the true meaning of ‘urim , as J. Schelling and Drechsler agree; for Dderlein’s comparison of the rare Arabic word awr , septentrio is as far removed from the Hebrew usage as that of the Talmud , vespera . Hitzig’s proposed reading (according to the lxx) diminishes the substance and destroys the beauty of the appeal, which goes forth both to the east and west, and summons to the praise of the name of Jehovah the God of Israel, , i.e., because of His manifested glory. His “name” (cf., Isa 30:27) is His nature as revealed and made “nameable” in judgment and mercy.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14. They shall lift up their voice. He follows out and increases the consolations which he had briefly sketched; for, having formerly (Isa 10:19) said that, out of that vast multitude, a few drops would be left, which would nevertheless overflow the whole world, in like manner he now says, that the small number of the godly, which shall be left out of an abundant vintage, will nevertheless rejoice and utter a voice so loud that it will be heard in the most distant countries. This was done by the preaching of the gospel; for, as to the condition of Judea, it appeared to be entirely ruined by it: the national government was taken away, and they were broken down by foreign and civil wars in such a manner that they never could rise above them. The rest of the world was dumb in singing the praises of God, and deaf to hear his voice; but as the Jews were the first fruits, I shall willingly admit that they are here placed in the highest rank.
Hence we obtain a remarkable consolation, that the Lord can in a moment restore his Church, and make it most flourishing; or rather, he can, as it were, create it out of nothing; for even out of death, as we have seen, he brings life. Now, this is contrary to nature and to ordinary custom, that so small a number of persons should lift up their voice, and be heard in distant places; for where there are few persons, there is silence, and where there is a crowd, there is commonly a noise. It is therefore a work of God, which goes beyond the course of nature and the ability of men; for otherwise it would appear as if the Prophet uttered what was contradictory, that when the whole of Judea had been laid waste and the world had been emptied, there would be few or almost none left, and yet that their shouting would be heard everywhere. This is in itself incredible, or rather absurd; but, as we have already said, it is an astonishing work of God.
They shall cry aloud from the sea. By those heralds he means not only those who were the descendants of the Jews according to the flesh, but those who were descended from them by faith. The crying aloud denotes not only cheerful voices, expressive of gladness and joy, but likewise confidence; for they will freely and boldly utter with a loud voice the praises of God. He states, at the same time, that it is right that believers should be employed in extolling God’s perfections and not their own claims to approbation. By the sea, he obviously means distant countries, and those which lay beyond the sea and were unknown to the Jews.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) They shall cry aloud from the sea . . .The utterers of the praise are obviously the remnant of the saved, whether of the Jews of the dispersion, or of the Gentiles. To them there appears in the midst of the desolation, the vision of the glory of the Lord, and far off, from the sea (the Mediterranean, as the great sea of the ancient world) they raise their song of praise.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. They shall lift up their voice Here is another of Isaiah’s lightning-like transitions. The humble gleaned ones the remnant the returned escaped ones, of Isa 24:13 the representatives of all the delivered faithful ones of Israel the sifted and purified Church of Jehovah.
They In the original the pronoun is locatively emphatic, designating the righteous few as a special class.
They shall sing Shall celebrate by loud acclamation.
The majesty of the Lord In overpowering oppressors, and in bringing deliverance to the meek and true children of God “the remnant.”
They shall cry aloud This verb is what in Hebrew is called the preterite present. The people have shouted aloud, and do still, as a habit. The verbs preceding this are in the future present: They, from this time on, shall cry, as a habit also.
Cry aloud from the sea Which may mean for deliverances from the sea, or, more than the sea; that is, than at the sea, namely, the Red Sea, under Miriam:
see Exodus chap. 15; or, from the direction of the sea, that is, from the west. This last is to be preferred, as will be seen from the next verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
Ver. 14. They shall lift up their voice, &c. ] Laudabunt Deum et laetabuntur: this elect remnant in all countries shall be filled with spiritual joy and peace through the belief of the truth, which shall vent itself by singing praises to God. And here we have the very mark of the true Church, which is to celebrate and profess the great and glorious name of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the majesty of the Lord.
They shall cry aloud from the sea,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sea. Note the Figure of speech Ellipsis = sea [saying]. See note on Psa 109:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Inescapable Penalty of Sin
Isa 24:14-23
There is always a godly remnant, as we are told in Isa 24:13, remaining in times of shaking, on the topmost boughs. The survivors who had fled across the seas from the judgments, would adore Jehovah for His goodness and mercy.
The fires of the East are in contrast to the isles of the West, Isa 24:15. Perhaps they stand for the fires of tribulation, in which we must glorify God. To whatever part of the earth the fugitives fled, they would be compelled to acknowledge the glory of righteousness, or perhaps of the Righteous One. The dispersion of the Church in the early days carried the message and music of the gospel everywhere. Though we may travel to the limits of sorrow, let us glorify our God.
Note the instability of all earthly things, Isa 24:18, etc. Woe to those who trust in them! Remember to build within the borders of the everlasting kingdom of Heb 12:23-28. When all the world kingdoms are destroyed, that of Israel, Gods ancient choice, shall stand, Isa 24:23. May we as the brethren of the King share His glory and reign with Him in those great coming days! In the meanwhile glorify Him in the skies.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Isa 12:1-6, Isa 25:1, Isa 26:1, Isa 27:2, Isa 35:2, Isa 35:10, Isa 40:9, Isa 42:10-12, Isa 44:23, Isa 51:11, Isa 52:7-9, Isa 54:1, Jer 30:19, Jer 31:12, Jer 33:11, Zep 3:14-20, Zec 2:10
Reciprocal: Psa 67:4 – O let Psa 97:1 – let the multitude of isles Psa 100:1 – Make Psa 139:9 – dwell Isa 17:7 – General Isa 49:6 – that thou mayest Isa 52:8 – lift Isa 59:19 – shall they Isa 60:5 – abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee Isa 65:14 – my servants Jer 31:7 – Sing Jer 31:10 – declare Zep 2:11 – the isles Mal 1:11 – and in Rom 15:10 – General Heb 8:1 – the Majesty Rev 5:13 – such
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from {i} the sea.
(i) From the utmost coasts of the world, where the gospel will be preached as in Isa 24:16 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
These survivors will rejoice over the Lord (cf. Mat 25:21; Mat 25:23).
"One feature of chapters 24-27 that reminds the reader of the Book of Revelation is the way declarations of coming judgment are interspersed with songs of thanksgiving." [Note: Grogan, p. 153.]