Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 24:16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
16. Other voices from the uttermost part (strictly, “the skirt”) of the earth are heard singing “ Glory to the righteous,” i.e. the righteous people, Israel. But these jubilant utterances of his more fortunately situated fellow-believers only extort from the prophet a cry of despair.
My leanness ] Lit. “emaciation to me,” hence R.V. “I pine away.”
the treacherous dealers ] Cf. ch. Isa 21:2, Isa 33:1. Assonance is here carried to an extreme: “deceivers deceive, yea with deceit do deceivers deceive.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
From the uttermost part of the earth – The word earth here seems to be taken in its usual sense, and to denote countries without the bounds of Palestine, and the phrase is equivalent to remote regions or distant countries (see the note at Isa 11:12). The prophet here represents himself as hearing those songs from distant lands as a grand chorus, the sound of which came in upon and pervaded Palestine. The worship of God would be still continued, though the temple should be destroyed, the inhabitants of the land dispersed, and the land of Judea be a widespread desolation. Amidst the general wreck and woe, it was some consolation that the worship of Yahweh was celebrated anywhere.
Have we heard songs – Or, we do hear songs. The distant celebrations of the goodness of God break on the ear, and amidst the general calamity these songs of the scattered people of God comfort the heart.
Glory to the righteous – This is the burden and substance of those songs. Their general import and design is, to show that there shall be honor to the people of God. They are now afflicted and scattered. Their temple is destroyed, their land waste, and ruin spreads over the graves of their fathers. Yet amidst these desolations, their confidence in God is unshaken; their reliance on him is firm. They still believe that there shall be honor and glory to the just, and that God will be their protector and avenger. These assurances served to sustain them in their afflictions, and to shed a mild and cheering influence on their saddened hearts.
But I said – But I, the prophet, am constrained to say. This the prophet says respecting himself, viewing himself as left in the land of Canaan; or more probably he personifies, in this declaration, Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of the land that still remained there. The songs that came in from distant lands; the echoing praises from the exiles in the east and the west seeming to meet and mingle over Judea, only served to render the abounding desolation more manifest and distressing. Those distant praises recalled the solemn services of the temple, and the happiness of other times, and led each one of those remaining, who witnessed the desolations, to exclaim, my leanness.
My leanness, my leanness – The language of Jerusalem, and the land of Judea. This language expresses calamity. The loss of flesh is emblematic of a condition of poverty, want, and wretchedness – as sickness and affliction waste away the flesh, and take away the strength; Psa 109:24 :
My knees are weak through fasting,
And my flesh faileth of fatness.
Psa 102:5 :
By reason of the voice of my groaning
My bones cleave to my flesh.
See also Job 6:12; Job 19:20; Lam 3:4. Leanness is also put to denote the displeasure of God, in Psa 106:15 :
And he gave them their request;
But sent leanness into their soul.
Compare Isa 10:16.
The treacherous dealers – The foreign nations that disregard covenants and laws; that pursue their object by deceit, and stratagem, and fraud. Most conquests are made by what are called the stratagems of war; that is, by a course of perfidy and deception. There can be no doubt that the usual mode of conquest was pursued in regard to Jerusalem. This whole clause is exceedingly emphatic. The word implying treachery ( bagad) is repeated no less than five times in various forms in this single clause, and shows how strongly the idea had taken possession of the mind of the prophet. The passage furnishes one of the most remarkable examples of the paronomasia occurring in the Bible. bagadu bogidiym bagadu ubeged bogediym. In fact, this figure abounds so much in this chapter that Gesenius contends that it is not the production of Isaiah, but a composition belonging to a later and less elegant period of Hebrew literature.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. But I said] The prophet speaks in the person of the inhabitants of the land still remaining there, who should be pursued by Divine vengeance, and suffer repeated distresses from the inroads and depredations of their powerful enemies. Agreeably to what he said before in a general denunciation of these calamities: –
“Though there be a tenth part remaining in it;
Even this shall undergo a repeated destruction.”
Isa 6:13. See the note there. – L.
My leanness, my leanness – Or, my secret; so the Vulgate, Montanus, and my old MS; razan has this meaning in Chaldee; but in Hebrew it signifies to make lean, to waste. This sentence in the Hebrew has a strange connexion of uncouth sounds: Vaomer, razi li razi li, oi li, bogedim bagadu, ubeged bogedim bagadu. This may be equalled by the translation in my Old MS. Bible: And I seide, my priveye thinge to me: my priveye thinge to me: woo to me: The lawe breykynge thei breken: and in lawe brekynge of the overdon thingis, they breken the lawe.
The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously – “The plunderers plunder”] See Clarke on Isa 21:2.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From the uttermost part of the earth, from all the parts of the earth or land in which the Jews are or shall be,
have we heard songs, songs of joy and praise.
Even glory to the righteous; or, glory be
to the righteous; which may seem to be the matter of the song. By the righteous may be understood either,
1. The generation of righteous and holy men, who formerly were despised, but now upon this eminent deliverance shall be highly honoured; or,
2. The Lord, whom they were exhorted to glorify in the foregoing verse, and who may well be called the righteous one, as he is frequently styled the Holy One, as Hos 11:9; Hab 3:3, &c.; or,
3. The Messiah, to whom this title of just or righteous is frequently given, as Isa 53:11; Jer 23:5; Zec 9:9, &c. And the believing Jews call him righteous emphatically, partly to intimate that he is the author and procurer of all true righteousness, and partly in opposition to their unbelieving brethren, who rejected and condemned him as a malefactor; all which the prophet foresaw by the Spirit of prophecy. But I said; but in the midst of these joyful tidings I discern something which interrupts my joys, and gives me cause of bitter complaint and lamentation. My leanness, my leanness; I faint and pine away for grief, for the following reason. The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; the Jews, who have been frequently guilty of great perfidiousness towards God, are now acting the same part; which he speaks either,
1. Of those who lived in his time; or rather,
2. Of those who should live when the Messias was upon earth, of whom he foresaw by the Spirit that they would forsake God, and reject their Messiah, and thereby bring utter destruction upon themselves. For even the Hebrew doctors expound this place of the perfidiousness of some Jews in the times of the Messiah. And it is not strange that so sad a sight made the prophet cry out, My leanness, &c. The treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously; he repeats it to show the horridness of the crime, and how deeply he was affected with it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. Songs to God come intogether to Palestine from distant lands, as a grand chorus.
glory to the righteoustheburden of the songs (Isa 26:2;Isa 26:7). Amidst exile, the lossof their temple, and all that is dear to man, their confidence in Godis unshaken. These songs recall the joy of other times and draw fromJerusalem in her present calamities, the cry, “My leanness.”HORSLEY translates, “gloryto the Just One“; then My leanness expresses his sense ofman’s corruption, which led the Jews, “the treacherous dealers”(Jer 5:11), to crucify the JustOne; and his deficiency of righteousness which made him need to beclothed with the righteousness of the Just One (Ps106:15).
treacherous dealerstheforeign nations that oppress Jerusalem, and overcome it by stratagem(so in Isa 21:2) [BARNES].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs,…. Of praise and thanksgivings, on account of the judgments of God on antichrist; for the glorious appearance of Christ’s kingdom; for the spread of his Gospel throughout the world; for the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles everywhere; wherefore these songs are heard from all parts of the world, and the uttermost parts of them; these are the voices said to be heard in heaven, or in the church, everywhere, Re 11:15 so some Jewish writers x interpret the words of the days of the Messiah, and of the songs then to be sung:
[even] glory to the righteous; to the righteous One; meaning either the righteous God, who is essentially righteous in himself, and declaratively in his works of providence and grace, and in the judgments he executes on his enemies; on account of which, particularly, glory is here ascribed unto him, even for his judgments on the great whore, they being just and true, Re 16:6 or to Christ the righteous One, who is so as God, and as Mediator, and is the author of righteousness to his people; who ascribe the glory of deity, of salvation, and of righteousness to him, who is crowned with glory and honour now, and will be glorified on earth at this time; for then he, and he alone, will be exalted, and will reign before his ancients gloriously: or to righteous men, such who are made righteous by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them: it is a glory to have on the righteousness of Christ; and such as have it are all glorious within, and will be remarkably glorious in the latter day, a crown of glory in the hands of the Lord; and especially in the New Jerusalem church state, when they will have the glory of God upon them, as well as in the ultimate state. Ben Melech observes, that signifies desire and good will; and so may suggest, that the righteous at this time will have all that their hearts can wish for and desire, as well as visibly appear to be the objects of God’s light and pleasure. Some think that the word “tzebi”, translated “glory”, signifies the land of Judea, called “the glory of all lands”, Eze 20:6 which will at this time be restored to the Jews, who will now be converted, and be all righteous:
but I said, my leanness, my leanness, woe unto me: the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously: this the prophet said, which brought leanness upon him; he either pining and fretting at the present state of his people, so very unlike to that which he now had a view of; they being a set of treacherous men, there being no faith in them, with respect to God or one another; no religion or truth, no honour nor honesty among them: or having in view the future state of this people when the Messiah should come; whom they would reject, and treacherously betray into the hands of the Gentiles, and crucify: or else, rather foreseeing, by a spirit of prophecy, the sad times that would be previous to those glorious ones before mentioned; as great declensions among professors; great coldness and lukewarmness in religious affairs, the consequence of which is leanness of soul; the interest of Christ brought very low, his witnesses being slain, and prophesying at an end; and all this through the treachery of false teachers that lie in wait to deceive: unless, rather, it can be thought that this refers to the Laodicean state, when there will be great lukewarmness and indifference in the professors of religion; great carnality and security, and much spiritual leanness, though great boasts of riches and fulness; and which will issue in the dissolution of the world, and the personal appearance of Christ, to which the following part of the chapter seems to relate. The Targum interprets the word “razi”, which is repeated, and rendered “leanness”, by a “secret” or mystery, thus,
“the prophet said, a secret, a reward for the righteous is shown unto me; a secret punishment for the wicked is revealed unto me;”
and so Jarchi explains it of two secrets, the secret of punishment, and the secret of salvation; but of the latter especially the prophet would not say woe unto me, nor indeed of the former; for as the one is desirable, so the other is but just and righteous, and neither of them secrets, or mysteries: rather, if the idea of a mystery or secret is to be retained, the prophet may be thought to be thrown into distress, in the foreview of the blindness that should happen to Israel, and continue till the fulness of the Gentiles came in, which the apostle calls a mystery, Ro 11:25 and of their rejection, because of their disbelief of the Messiah, and their perfidious usage of him and his followers, dealing very treacherously with them, and betraying them into the hands of wicked men.
x Midrash Kohelet, fol. 62. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This appeal is not made in vain. Isa 24:16. “From the border of the earth we hear songs: Praise to the Righteous One!” It no doubt seems natural enough to understand the term tzaddk (righteous) as referring to Jehovah; but, as Hitzig observes, Jehovah is never called “the Righteous One” in so absolute a manner as this (compare, however, Psa 112:4, where it occurs in connection with other attributes, and Exo 9:27, where it stands in an antithetical relation); and in addition to this, Jehovah gives (Isa 4:2; Isa 28:5), whilst , and not , is ascribed to Him. Hence we must take the word in the same sense as in Isa 3:10 (cf., Hab 2:4). The reference is to the church of righteous men, whose faith has endured the fire of the judgment of wrath. In response to its summons to the praise of Jehovah, they answer it in songs from the border of the earth. The earth is here thought of as a garment spread out; cenaph is the point or edge of the garment, the extreme eastern and western ends (compare Isa 11:12). Thence the church of the future catches the sound of this grateful song as it is echoed from one to the other.
The prophet feels himself, “in spirit,” to be a member of this church; but all at once he becomes aware of the sufferings which will have first of all to be overcome, and which he cannot look upon without sharing the suffering himself. “Then I said, Ruin to me! ruin to me! Woe to me! Robbers rob, and robbing, they rob as robbers. Horror, and pit, and snare, are over thee, O inhabitant of the earth! And it cometh to pass, whoever fleeth from the tidings of horror falleth into the pit; and whoever escapeth out of the pit is caught in the snare: for the trap-doors on high are opened, and the firm foundations of the earth shake. The earth rending, is rent asunder; the earth bursting, is burst in pieces; the earth shaking, tottereth. The earth reeling, reeleth like a drunken man, and swingeth like a hammock; and its burden of sin presseth upon it; and it falleth, and riseth not again.” The expression “Then I said” (cf., Isa 6:5) stands here in the same apocalyptic connection as in Rev 7:14, for example. He said it at that time in a state of ecstasy; so that when he committed to writing what he had seen, the saying was a thing of the past. The final salvation follows a final judgment; and looking back upon the latter, he bursts out into the exclamation of pain: raz – l , consumption, passing away, to me (see Isa 10:16; Isa 17:4), i.e., I must perish ( razi is a word of the same form as kali , shani , ani ; literally, it is a neuter adjective signifying emaciatum = macies ; Ewald, 749, g). He sees a dreadful, bloodthirsty people preying among both men and stores (compare Isa 21:2; Isa 33:1, for the play upon the word with , root , cf., , tecte agere , i.e., from behind, treacherously, like assassins). The exclamation, “Horror, and pit,” etc. (which Jeremiah applies in Jer 48:43-44, to the destruction of Moab by the Chaldeans), is not an invocation, but simply a deeply agitated utterance of what is inevitable. In the pit and snare there is a comparison implied of men to game, and of the enemy to sportsmen (cf., Jer 15:16; Lam 4:19; yillacer , as in Isa 8:15; Isa 28:13). The in is exactly the same as in Jdg 16:9 (cf., Isa 16:9). They who should flee as soon as the horrible news arrived ( min, as in Isa 33:3) would not escape destruction, but would become victims to one form if not to another (the same thought which we find expressed twice in Amo 5:19, and still more fully in Isa 9:1-4, as well as in a more dreadfully exalted tone). Observe, however, in how mysterious a background those human instruments of punishment remain, who are suggested by the word bogdim (robbers). The idea that the judgment is a direct act of Jehovah, stands in the foreground and governs the whole. For this reason it is described as a repetition of the flood (for the opened windows or trap-doors of the firmament, which let the great bodies of water above them come down from on high upon the earth, point back to Gen 7:11 and Gen 8:2, cf., Psa 78:23); and this indirectly implies its universality. It is also described as an earthquake. “The foundations of the earth” are the internal supports upon which the visible crust of the earth rests. The way in which the earth in its quaking first breaks, then bursts, and then falls, is painted for the ear by the three reflective forms in Isa 24:19, together with their gerundives, which keep each stage in the process of the catastrophe vividly before the mind. is apparently an error of the pen for , if it is not indeed a n. actionis instead of the inf. absol. as in Hab 3:9. The accentuation, however, regards the ah as a toneless addition, and the form therefore as a gerundive (like kob in Num 23:25). The reflective form is not the hithpalel of , vociferari , but the hithpoel of ( ), frangere . The threefold play upon the words would be tame, if the words themselves formed an anti-climax; but it is really a climax ascendens. The earth first of all receives rents; then gaping wide, it bursts asunder; and finally sways to and fro once more, and falls. It is no longer possible for it to keep upright. Its wickedness presses it down like a burden (Isa 1:4; Psa 38:5), so that it now reels for the last time like a drunken man (Isa 28:7; Isa 29:9), or a hammock (Isa 1:8), until it falls never to rise again.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Encouraging Prospects; Degeneracy Predicted. | B. C. 718. |
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. 17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. 19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
These verses, as those before, plainly speak,
I. Comfort to saints. They may be driven, by the common calamities of the places where they live, into the uttermost parts of the earth, or perhaps they are forced thither for their religion; but there they are singing, not sighing. Thence have we heard songs, and it is a comfort to us to hear them, to hear that good people carry their religion along with them even to the most distant regions, to hear that God visits them there and gives encouragement to hope that he will gather them thence, Deut. xxx. 4. And this is their song, even glory to the righteous: the word is singular, and may refer to the righteous God, who is just in all he has brought upon us. This is glorifying the Lord in the fires. Or the meaning may be, “These songs redound to the glory or beauty of the righteous that sing them.” We do the greatest honour imaginable to ourselves when we employ ourselves in honouring and glorifying God. This may have reference to the sending of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, as far as this island of ours, in the days of the Messiah, the glad tidings of which are echoed back in songs heard thence, from churches planted there, even glory to the righteous God, agreeing with the angels’ song, Glory be to God in the highest, and glory to all righteous men; for the work of redemption was ordained before the world for our glory.
II. Terror to sinners. The prophet, having comforted himself and others with the prospect of a saved remnant, returns to lament the miseries he saw breaking in like a mighty torrent upon the earth: “But I said, My leanness! my leanness! woe unto me! The very thought of it frets me, and makes me lean,” v. 16. He foresees,
1. The prevalency of sin, that iniquity should abound (v. 16): The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; this is itself a judgment, and that which provokes God to bring other judgments. (1.) Men are false to one another; there is no faith in man, but a universal dishonesty. Truth, that sacred bond of society, has departed, and there is nothing but treachery in men’s dealings. See Jer 9:1; Jer 9:2. (2.) They are all false to their God; as to him, and their covenant with him, the children of men are all treacherous dealers, and have dealt very treacherously with their God, in departing from their allegiance to him. This is the original, and this the aggravation, of the sin of the world; and, when men have been false to their God, how should they be true to any other?
2. The prevalency of wrath and judgment for that sin. (2.) The inhabitants of the earth will be pursued from time to time, from place to place, by one mischief or other (Isa 24:17; Isa 24:18): Fear, and the pit, and the snare (fear of the pit and the snare) are upon them wherever they are; for the sons of men know not what evil they may suddenly be snared in, Eccl. ix. 12. These three words seem to be chosen for the sake of an elegant paranomasia, or, as we now scornfully call it, a jungle of words: Pachad, and Pachath, and Pach; but the meaning is plain (v. 18), that evil pursues sinners (Prov. xiii. 21), that the curse shall overtake the disobedient (Deut. xxviii. 15), that those who are secure because they have escaped one judgment know not how soon another may arrest them. What this prophet threatens all the inhabitants of the earth with another makes part of the judgment of Moab, Jer. xlviii. 43, 44. But it is a common instance of the calamitous state of human life that when we seek to avoid one mischief we fall into a worse, and that the end of one trouble is often the beginning of another; so that we are least safe when we are most secure. (2.) The earth itself will be shaken to pieces. It will be literally so at last, when all the works therein shall be burnt up; and it is often figuratively so before that period. The windows from on high are open to pour down wrath, as in the universal deluge. Upon the wicked God shall rain snares (Ps. xi. 6); and, the fountains of the great deep being broken up, the foundations of the earth do shake of course, the frame of nature is unhinged, and all is in confusion. See how elegantly this is expressed (Isa 24:19; Isa 24:20): The earth is utterly broken down; it is clean dissolved; it is moved exceedingly, moved out of its place. God shakes heaven and earth, Hag. ii. 6. See the misery of those who lay up their treasure in the things of the earth and mind those things; they place their confidence in that which will shortly be utterly broken down and dissolved. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard; so unsteady, so uncertain, are all the motions of these things. Worldly men dwell in it as in a palace, as in a castle, as in an impregnable tower; but it shall be removed like a cottage, so easily, so suddenly, and with so little loss to the great landlord. The pulling down of the earth will be but like the pulling down of a cottage, which the country is willing to be rid of, because it does but harbour beggars; and therefore no care is taken to rebuild it: It shall fall, and not rise again; but there shall be new heavens and a new earth, in which shall dwell nothing but righteousness. But what is it that shakes the earth thus and sinks it? It is the transgression thereof that shall be heavy upon it. Note, Sin is a burden to the whole creation; it is a heavy burden, a burden under which it groans now and will sink at last. Sin is the ruin of states, and kingdoms, and families; they fall under the weight of that talent of lead,Zec 5:7; Zec 5:8. (3.) God will have a particular controversy with the kings and great men of the earth (v. 21): He will punish the host of the high ones. Hosts of princes are no more before God than hosts of common men; what can a host of high ones do with their combined force when the Most High, the Lord of hosts, contends with them to abase their height, and scatter their hosts, and break all their confederacies? The high ones, that are on high, that are puffed up with their height and grandeur, that think themselves so high that they are out of the reach of any danger, God will visit upon them all their pride and cruelty, with which they have oppressed and injured their neighbours and subjects, and it shall now return upon their own heads. The kings of the earth shall now be reckoned with upon the earth, to show that verily there is a God that judges in the earth and will render to the proudest of kings according to the fruit of their doings. Let those that are trampled upon by the high ones of the earth comfort themselves with this, that though they cannot, dare not, must not, resist them, yet there is a God that will call them to an account, that will triumph over them upon their own dunghill: for the earth they are kings of is in the eye of God no better. This is general only. It is particularly foretold (v. 22) that they shall be gathered together as prisoners, convicted condemned prisoners, are gathered in the pit, or dungeon, and there they shall be shut up under close confinement. The kings and high ones, who took all possible liberty themselves, and took a pride and pleasure in shutting up others, shall now be themselves shut up. Let not the free man glory in his freedom, any more than the strong man in his strength, for he knows not what restraints he is reserved for. But after many days they shall be visited, either, [1.] They shall be visited in wrath; it is the same word, in another form, that is used (v. 21), the Lord shall punish them; they shall be reserved to the day of execution, as condemned prisoners are, and as fallen angels are reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day, Jude 6. Let this account for the delays of divine vengeance; sentence is not executed speedily, because execution-day has not yet come, and perhaps will not come till after many days; but it is certain that the wicked is reserved for the day of destruction, and is therefore preserved in the mean time, but shall be brought forth to the day of wrath, Job xxi. 30. Let us therefore judge nothing before the time. [2.] They shall be visited in mercy, and be discharged from their imprisonment, and shall again obtain, if not their dignity, yet their liberty. Nebuchadnezzar, in his conquests, made many kings and princes his captives, and kept them in the dungeon in Babylon, and, among the rest, Jehoiachin King of Judah; but after many days, when Nebuchadnezzar’s head was laid, his son visited them, and granted (as should seem) some reviving to them all in their bondage; for it is made an instance of his particular kindness to Jehoiachin that he set his throne above the throne of the rest of the kings that were with him, Jer. lii. 32. If we apply this to the general state of mankind, it imports a revolution of conditions; those that were high are punished, those that were punished are relieved, after many days, that none in this world may be secure though their condition be ever so prosperous, nor any despair though their condition be ever so deplorable.
3. Glory to God in all this, v. 23. When all this comes to pass, when the proud enemies of God’s church are humbled and brought down, (1.) Then it shall appear, beyond contradiction, that the Lord reigns, which is always true, but not always alike evident. When the kings of the earth are punished for their tyranny and oppression, then it is proclaimed and proved to all the world that God is King of kings–King above them, by whom they are accountable–that he reigns as Lord of hosts, of all hosts, of their hosts,–that he reigns in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, in his church, for the honour and welfare of that, pursuant to the promises on which that is founded, reigns in his word and ordinances,–that he reigns before his ancients, before all his saints, especially before his ministers, the elders of his church, who have their eye upon all the out-goings of his power and providence, and, in all these events, observe his hand. God’s ancients, the old disciples, the experienced Christians, that have often, when they have been perplexed, gone into the sanctuary of God in Zion and Jerusalem, and acquainted themselves with his manifestations of himself there, shall see more than others of God’s dominion and sovereignty in these operations of his providence. (2.) Then it shall appear, beyond comparison, that he reigns gloriously, in such brightness and lustre that the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, as the smaller lights are eclipsed and extinguished by the greater. Great men, who thought themselves to have as bright a lustre and as vast a dominion as the sun and moon, shall be ashamed when God appears above them, much more when he appears against them. Then shall their faces be filled with shame, that they may seek God’s name. The eastern nations worshipped the sun and moon; but, when God shall appear so gloriously for his people against his and their enemies, all these pretended deities shall be ashamed that ever they received the homage of their deluded worshippers. The glory of the Creator infinitely outshines the glory of the brightest creatures. In the great day, when the Judge of heaven and earth shall shine forth in his glory, the sun shall by his transcendent lustre be turned into darkness and the moon into blood.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
16. From the uttermost part (128) of the earth. This verse contains two statements which have some appearance of being at variance with each other. It begins with a joyful description of the praises of God, and next passes on to complaints and lamentations, in which he bewails the treachery of transgressors, who overturn religion and godliness. So far as relates to praises, we have said that we can neither praise God nor call upon him, till he reveal himself to us, and give a taste of his goodness, that we may entertain hope and confident expectation of life. Hence those sayings of David,
“
In the grave who shall praise thee, O Lord? In death who shall confess to thee?” (Psa 6:5.)
When we feel nothing but the wrath of God, we are dumb to his praises; and therefore when he says that the praises of God will be heard, he means that the gospel will be spread through the whole world; that men may acknowledge God to be their Father, and may thus break forth into his praise. “From the uttermost part” is a phrase that deserves attention; for at that time the praises of God were confined to Judea, and were not heard at a distance; but afterwards they began to resound everywhere. (Psa 76:1.)
Glory to the righteous. Some consider this to be spoken by all believers, as if the song were, “God is glorified on account of his righteousness.” Others read the two clauses as one, “We have heard that glory is given to the righteous God.” Those who think that the heralds of God’s praises are called “righteous,” bring out a very good sense, but do not attend to the word “Glory,” or at least are constrained to render the word צבי ( tzēbī) joy. (129) He makes use of the preterite, “We have heard,” instead of the future tense; and his reason for doing so is, that he intended to cheer the hearts of the godly by some consolation; “We shall again hear the praises of God;” for this is more than if he had said, “They will be heard.” He speaks also in the first person, in order to include the whole body of the Church, and thus to awaken the attention of the godly.
God is called righteous; and we know that this expression frequently occurs in Scripture, but it belongs to him in a different manner from that in which it belongs to men; for men are called “righteous,” on account of the “righteousness” which has been communicated to them; but God, who is the fountain of righteousness, is called “righteous,” on account of what he performs. (Deu 32:4; Psa 7:9.) And that is a proof of this congratulation and thanksgiving, because from the communication of this righteousness we obtain salvation and life; and therefore, wherever the righteousness of God is, it must be followed by praises and thanksgivings.
When the Prophet predicted these things, how incredible might they appear to be! for among the Jews alone was the Lord known and praised. (Psa 76:2.) To them destruction is foretold, and next the publication of the word, and the celebration of the praises of God; but how could these things be done, when the people of God had been destroyed? Hence we may infer that there were few who believed these predictions. But now that those events have taken place, it is our duty to behold with admiration so great a miracle of God, because, when the Jews had been not only broken down, but almost annihilated, still there flashed from them a spark by which the whole world was enlightened, and all who were kindled by it burst forth into a confession of the truth.
My leanness. (130) This passage is explained in various ways; for some translate רזי (rāzī) secret, and others leanness. Those who translate it secret understand the Prophet to mean that a double secret has been revealed to him, because the Lord has determined to reward the good and to punish the wicked; for when men look only at the outward appearance of things, and see that the wicked succeed to their wish, and that the godly are overwhelmed by afflictions, they are distressed, and doubt whether the affairs of men are governed by the hand of God, or all things happen by chance; and Solomon shews that thoughts of this kind are the seed of ungodliness. (Ecc 8:11.) On this account the Psalmist also says, that he “entered into the sanctuary of God,” that he might examine the subject in another manner than by human reason. (Psa 73:17.) If we adopt that interpretation, the meaning will be, “Though it appear as if there were no reward to the righteous, yet I hold this as a secret imparted to me, that it will be well with them; and although the wicked think that they will escape, yet I know that they will not pass unpunished.” But as this ingenuity appears to be too far-fetched, I prefer a more simple interpretation; and, besides, there immediately follows an interjection expressive of lamentation, אוי, (ōī,) Wo! so that I do not think that Isaiah speaks here about the righteous or about their reward.
Others more correctly explain it leanness; as if he had said, that through grief he shrinks and grows lean; for as the prosperous and flourishing condition of that people might be called “fatness,” so its wretched and distressed condition might be called “leanness.” Here the Prophet stands forth as the representative of the whole race; and when the Lord cuts it down, he justly complains of his “leanness.” This interpretation, I have said, is probable; for when the Prophet saw the people diminishing in numbers, he had good reason for bewailing that diminution. We know that, when the grace of God was very abundantly poured out, the ancient people was greatly diminished, and the posterity of Abraham was almost annihilated.
But we must see if the Prophet does not look farther than to the rejection of his nation, so as to bewail the condition of his bowels, when he foresees that the Church will be heavily distressed; for רז ( rāz,) which some translate secret, may properly be understood to denote the internal part of the body. In this way the exclamation would be, “My bowels, or my entrails, are pained;” for in a pathetic discourse there is no absurdity in supposing that a word is supplied. When the Lord has extended his Church, it appears to be in a flourishing state, and free from all danger; but when its very inwards or bowels, that is, its own members, give it uneasiness, it is grievously tormented. Hypocrites arise, by whom it is more annoyed than by enemies who “are without.” (Rev 22:15.)
Such is also the import of those groanings, אוי, (ōī,) wo to me; and Isaiah, I have no doubt, intended to intimate that the godly should not think that they will be happy in this world, but should believe that they must maintain a continual strife, even when they might imagine that there is nothing to hinder them from enjoying uninterrupted tranquillity and peace. He wishes to express the feeling of poignant grief which torments the Church inwardly, even in her very bowels; and this affliction is the more deeply to be lamented, because it cannot be avoided; for, as some one says, the Church can neither flee from internal and domestic enemies, nor put them to flight. Isaiah can scarcely find terms adequate to express this miserly
The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously. These words abundantly confirm the expositions which have been already given. How heavy this affliction is, and how deeply it ought to be deplored, we ourselves have abundantly experienced, and still experience every day. Whence arose Popery, and all its corruption, but from this internal evil? for it was an imposthume ( ἀπόστημα) bred in the very bowels of the Church, which sent forth offensive and diseased matter. How comes it also that, when the Church begins to revive, we see doctrine corrupted and discipline overturned not only by the common people, but by those who ought to have given a good example to others? Is it not because the Church is always subject to this evil?
(128) Bogus footnote
(129) Bogus footnote
(130) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) From the uttermost part of the earth . . .The words glory to the righteous sound at first like a doxology addressed to Jehovah as essentially the Righteous One. Two facts militate, however, against this view. The word translated glory is not that commonly used in doxologies, but rather honour or praise, such as is applied to men (Isa. 4:2; Isa. 23:9; Isa. 28:1; Isa. 28:4-5; 2Sa. 1:19). (2) The term the Righteous One is never used absolutely as a name of God. On these grounds, therefore, it seems better to render honour to the righteous (comp. Rom. 2:7), to the true Israel of God as a righteous people. The uttermost part is, literally, the wing or skirt of the earth.
But I said, My leanness, my leanness . . .The prophet is recalled from the ideal to the actual, from the glory of the future to the shame and misery of the present. Leanness, as in Psa. 22:17; Psa. 109:24, was the natural symbol of extremest sorrow. In the treacherous dealers, literally, robbers, or barbarians, we may find primarily the Assyrian invaders, who were making the country desolate, or the unjust rulers of Judah, who oppressed the people.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. From uttermost part of the earth From every point of the compass, far and near, the shouts of praise are heard. The same strain continues.
But I said The dark side now looms up to the prophet. In the same instant that he sees glory covering the delivered ones, a new view comes to him of impending calamity on the rejected inhabitants of earth.
My leanness This is another rejected rendering. It should be, Destruction to me; that is, Woe to me! The Septuagint and Vulgate most unsuitably have it, A secret to me; mistaking the true original word.
Isaiah’s mind suddenly takes in a view of destruction to oppressing nations, Babylon especially, as the phrase treacherous dealers unerringly suggests.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Word of Judgment Continues But Yahweh Will Triumph With His People ( Isa 24:16-23 ).
Analysis.
a ‘From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, “Glory to the Righteous One” (Isa 24:16 a).
b But I said, “Leanness to me, (i.e. ‘I waste away’), leanness to me, woe is me for betrayers betray, yes, with betrayal the betrayers betray”. Fear and the pit and the snare are on you, O inhabitant of the earth (Isa 24:16-17).
c And it will come about that he who flees from the noise of the fear, will fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the body of the pit, will be taken in the snare, for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake’ (Isa 24:18).
c The earth is utterly broken, the earth is utterly shattered, the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will be moved to and fro like a hut, and its rebellion will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again (Isa 24:19-20).
b And it will come about in that day, that Yahweh will punish the host of the height in the height, and the kings of the earth on the earth. And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison, and after many days they will be visited (Isa 24:21-22).
a Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed, for Yahweh of hosts will reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory (Isa 24:23).
In ‘a’ we hear songs of ‘glory to the Righteous One’ and in the parallel He reigns in Mount Zion among His people in such glory that moon and sun are ashamed by their own dimness. In ‘b’ there is in contrast leanness and betrayal, and fear and the pit snare the inhabitant of the earth, and in the parallel Yahweh punishes all sin in earth and heaven and they are shut up in a pit and eventually visited for judgment. In ‘c’ we have a picture of worldwide devastation based on descriptions from the Flood narrative, and in the parallel the earth broken, shattered and staggering, with its rebellion heavy on it so that it will not rise again.
Isa 24:16
‘From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, “Glory to the righteous one.” ’
In contrast with the death of song for the world (Isa 24:7-9), the holy remnant from the whole earth will sing loudly, and their song will be ‘Glory to the Righteous One’. Out of hopelessness has sprung hope, out of joylessness, joy, out of judgment, deliverance. For ‘the Righteous One’ has delivered His chosen. Note their emphasis on His righteousness (compare Psa 112:4; Exo 9:27). They exult in what He is and this emphasises the moral goodness that is theirs through Him. They rejoice in Him because they love His righteous covenant.
Others see ‘the righteous one’ as representing Israel as God’s representative among the nations, as the redeemed of the nations give thanks for what God has done through them, but that does not tie in with Isaiah’s continual view of the uniqueness and separateness of God over against the world.
So we have here the assurance that out of the sorrows and sufferings and misery of ‘the last days’ will come joy for the people of God, made up of people from every nation, as they rejoice in the Righteous One (compare Isa 41:2; Isa 53:11).
Isa 24:16
‘But I said, “Leanness to me, (i.e. ‘I waste away’),
Leanness to me, woe is me.
For betrayers betray.
Yes, with betrayal the betrayers betray.” ’
But the picture of the world’s sufferings and betrayal of each other is almost too much for Isaiah. Even while he calls on God’s people to glorify Him, he is conscious of those who suffer and those who betray each other, and it causes him to feel ill. Even while the cry goes up ‘glory to the Righteous One’, Isaiah cries, ‘leanness to me, leanness to me’ (‘I am wasting away, I am wasting away’). He who felt for his own sin and cried ‘woe is me’ (Isa 6:5), now cries in the same way because of his awareness of the sinfulness and destiny of others even in the moment of glory. He is distressed. The burdens that the prophets bore were not easy to bear. Nor should we forget in our rejoicing the world’s need.
There is no word that brings coldness to the heart like that of betrayal, and here Isaiah multiplies the idea. The leanness in Isaiah’s soul expresses itself because he sees himself to be in a world of betrayal. Men betray each other, and they betray God. It is so treacherous that it is even seen as treacherously betraying itself. But it cannot escape the pit and snare of the Hunter.
Isa 24:17-18
‘Fear and the pit and the snare are on you,
O inhabitant of the earth.
And it will come about that he who flees from the noise of the fear,
Will fall into the pit,
And he who comes up from the body of the pit,
Will be taken in the snare,
For the windows on high are opened,
And the foundations of the earth shake.’
The picture here is taken from hunting. The hunters use fear as a weapon by yelling and by the waving of spears, in order to drive frightened and bewildered animals towards their pits, and of those who fall in some manage to struggle from the pits, but they do not escape. They are caught in their further, carefully laid, cunning traps. Here Yahweh is the Hunter and the world the hunted. None will escape of those who are under His judgment. Note the singular ‘inhabitant of the earth’. Every individual person is involved as well as the whole.
These words are later taken by Jeremiah and applied to Moab (Jer 48:43-44), who clearly saw chapter 24 of Isaiah as applying to all the nations described in chapters 13-23.
The windows on high and the shaking of the foundations of the earth are reminiscent of the flood narrative (Gen 7:11). Judgment falls on the world like a flood. The foundations of the earth shaking is evidence of the wrath of God (Psa 18:7), and are a reminder of earthquakes which are regularly seen as signs and judgments from God. Judgment also comes from below. It is God’s flood and God’s earthquake, His all encompassing judgments from above and below, that cause the fear and panic that drive men to their final doom in His pits and traps. Man cannot escape God’s judgments, flee as they will. The foundations of the earth shaking and the floods from heaven are regular pictures used elsewhere of the approach of Yahweh (2Sa 22:8; 2Sa 22:12; Jdg 5:4-5; Psa 68:8-9).
Isa 24:19-20
‘The earth is utterly broken,
The earth is utterly shattered,
The earth is moved exceedingly,
The earth will stagger like a drunken man,
And will be moved to and fro like a hut,
And its rebellion will be heavy on it,
And it will fall and not rise again.’
Compare Isa 24:1; Isa 24:3. Isaiah ends as he began, with ‘world’ disaster. The picture is of a huge and disastrous earthquake shaking the very foundations of mankind and flattening all around. The earth (along with mankind, for the rebellion is man’s) breaks up, things begin to fall all around, the earth shakes even more, it staggers like a drunken man who staggers along the road, having lost his ability to go straight. It moves to and fro like a building prior to it collapsing. And because of the weight of its sin and rebellion it will collapse and fall, never to rise again. God’s judgment will be final. Man has chosen to manage without God and so His support has been withdrawn.
The vivid pictures are a deliberate attempt to portray eschatological judgments in terms of known experiences, the invading armies, the earthquakes, the blight, but all magnified. How they will interconnect is not described. Whether they will mainly be in the Mediterranean world (the world of the prophet) or in the wider world is also not made clear. The prophets knew little of the wider world. We should feel the impact without being dogmatic about the content. The point is that God will come in final judgment, as He regularly comes in judgments through the ages. Every disaster is pointing to the final disaster, and is pointing us towards the need to trust in Him.
In spite of many attempts it has actually been impossible to piece together all the pictures of God’s final judgments in the end days. The descriptions are so many and varied that they do not fit into a pattern except by ignoring what does not fit into particular schemes. And this is what we would expect. For as the end approaches different parts of the world will be affected in detail in different ways. And many of the final events themselves will be of a heavenly nature, thus defying human description. So the descriptions are not to be simply literalised. They are to be taken for what they are. Isaiah taking devastating earthly happenings and using them to depict the undepictable.
Isa 24:21-22
‘And it will come about in that day,
That Yahweh will punish the host of the height in the height,
And the kings of the earth on the earth.
And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit,
And will be shut up in the prison,
And after many days they will be visited.’
And that day will affect all both in the heavens and on earth. All creation, and beyond creation, is to be affected. For this is the final summing up of all things in preparation for everlasting perfection (1Co 15:24-28; Eph 1:10; Revelation 21-22).
‘In that day’ simply means whenever what is being described happens. Here the thought is of ‘the end times’ because that is what the previous verses have had in mind. But ‘in that day’ is not specific as to time. It is simply referring to any time in Isaiah’s future when God acts.
‘Yahweh will punish the host of heaven (‘the height’) in heaven (‘the height’), and the kings of the earth on the earth.’ For the first time we learn that heaven will be affected as well as the earth. The idea is probably that the kings are seen as having been driven on by these heavenly powers, ‘the host of the height in the height’. They had worshipped ‘the host of heaven’, so the host of heaven must also be punished. This startling idea reminds us of Genesis 3 where a shadowy heavenly figure lay behind the activities of the snake, and Gen 6:1-4 where further heavenly figures, ‘the sons of God’ (only ever used of angels in the Old Testament), brought the world into sin of such an extreme kind that it warranted the judgment of the Flood. Compare also Job 1-2; Deu 32:16-17.
That they are seen as princely here (in the New Testament they are called ‘thrones, principalities and powers’ – Eph 6:12; Rom 8:38; Eph 1:21; and see also Daniel 10) comes out in the fact that they are paralleled with the kings of the earth. But note that each will be punished within their own sphere, ‘in the height’ and ‘in the earth’.
‘And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison, and after many days they will be visited.’ The idea here is of their ignominious treatment, and utter inability to prevent it. Just as they had herded others into pits they too will be herded into pits. As they have done to others so will be done to them. They will be shut up in a dark, gloomy prison, kept waiting in suspense, until the time of their judgment is decided, when they will be visited by their executioners. All his readers would be aware of the darkness and dankness of ancient prisons, and how prisoners were kept waiting in them whether guilty or not. All this is in direct contrast with the picture of glory that follows (compare Jud 1:6).
Isa 24:23
‘Then the moon will be confounded,
And the sun ashamed,
For Yahweh of hosts will reign in Mount Zion,
And in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory.’
In contrast with the fate of the host of heaven and of the kings of earth imprisoned in darkness and gloominess is the glorious exaltation of Yahweh and the people over Whom He reigns. Before His glory the moon and the sun will be as nothing (Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5). Though brilliant to us their comparatively dim light will be revealed in its paucity. They will hide themselves in shame. The words used for moon and sun are ones used in poetry which tend to bring out their glory (‘the white one’ and ‘the burning one’), but here that glory is dimmed. They cannot compete with the glory of Yahweh.
And He will reign in Mount Zion, His heavenly dwellingplace (see end note on Isa 2:4; and compare Heb 12:22), in contrast with the host of heaven, and in the new Jerusalem (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22), through His Davidic king, in contrast with the kings of earth. His wonderful reigning glory will be revealed to the elders as it was so long before (Exo 24:9-11). Revelation 4-5 interprets this of heavenly elders who represent the people of God in heaven, where God is on His throne, a throne which is shared by the Lamb.
This picture need not be interpreted literally, any more than the destiny of the host of heaven and the kings is to be taken literally. It is the ideas that are important, not the detail. The thought is that He will rule over heaven and earth, and as he later tells us, it is a new heaven and a new earth (Isa 66:22). In the New Testament the Jerusalem that counts is always the heavenly Jerusalem (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22 compare Joh 4:21-23). If anything is clear about this verse it is that it is the final glorious state that is being spoken of, when God reigns in His glory, a glory that will outshine all known light, (compare Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5). It is not describing some temporary millennial kingdom. Here earth has merged with Heaven. The full glory of God is being revealed before His ‘elders’, as previously His glory had been revealed before the elders of Israel on behalf of the whole of Israel (Exo 24:9-11). See also Rev 4:4; Rev 4:10-11, where the ‘elders’ in Heaven are the representatives of both the Old and New Testament saints in the congregation of God’s true people (twenty four representing the twelve patriatrchs and the twelve Apostles – Rev 21:12; Rev 21:14).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Isa 24:16. From the extremity of the land we hear songs, “To the righteous glory.” These words contain the alleviation of the preceding judgment; and their reference to the history of the Maccabees is abundantly plain. The sum of them is this, “It shall come to pass, that while the whole land of Judaea, at this time part of Syria, shall be laid waste, its inhabitants in general being either killed or carried into captivity, or scattered by flight into the islands of the Mediterranean sea, or Egypt itself, and others lurking in dens and caves, in the extremities of southern Judaea,Judas Maccabeus, with his brothers, shall arise, a captain and a leader, who, after having conquered, by the divine help, the enemies of his country in several battles, and purified the temple for three years deserted, and spread far and wide the same of his exploits, shall shine as an unexpected light upon the Jews, the lovers of their country and religion; who, whether they had fled to Cyprus, Cilicia, Egypt, or the isles of the Mediterranean sea, or whether they yet fearfully lurked in the dens and caves of Judaea, shall all unite to praise the supreme grace and power of God, and to acknowledge the virtues of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers.” We have seen from former parts of the Jewish history, particularly that of David, an account of the remarkable caverns with which Judaea abounded; and which, we learn from the history of the Maccabees, were much frequented in those disastrous times.
Isa 24:16. But I said, My leanness, my leanness But I said, Leanness to me, leanness to me! The latter part of the first section begins at this verse, which contains the prophet’s introduction, together with the cause of a new judgment, which he was about to denounce. Having set forth, in the former verses, the pleasing appearances of restoration to the people of God, a new calamity presents itself before him, namely, the mournful death of Judas Maccabeus, with its melancholy consequences: upon which he bursts forth into words strongly expressive of the perturbation of his mind, Leanness to me, leanness to me: as much as to say, that upon the appearance of this new calamity, he was full of horror and trembling; whatever was florid in his flesh fell, and grew pale; his limbs became flaccid, and his former appearance was lost and changed (Comp. ch. Isa 10:16. Psa 109:24.). The following words are so constructed, as to raise in us a sense of the highest perfidy and injustice with which that pious people, who had just now been raised to better hopes, should be oppressed. See Jer 12:1. The history of the period here referred to will very much elucidate the prophet. See 1Ma 7:1; 1Ma 7:18; 1Ma 9:20-27.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
God’s people feel their leanness, in times of general calamity. And no doubt, sorrow for sinners, as well as the distress they feel in themselves, have a great tendency to waste, and lower the spirits. When the Lord’s judgments are in the earth, the righteous cannot but tremble. Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake; Heb 12:21 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 24:16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
Ver. 16. From the uttermost part of the land have we heard songs. ] Or, Psalms, aliquid Davidicam. The martyrs sang in the fire. Luther in deep distress called for the 46th Psalm to be sung in contemptum diaboli, in despite of the devil.
Even glory to the righteous.
But I said, My leanness, my leanness.
Woe unto me.
The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously.
a Merore ac macie conficior.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the righteous = the righteous One (singular): i.e. the One referred to in Isa 24:15; or, the nation, as in Isa 26:2. compare Act 3:14; Act 7:52; Act 22:14.
I said = I had said: i. e the land. Figure of speech Prosopopaeia.
My leanness, my leanness. Figure of speech Epizeuxis, for emphasis.
treacherous dealers, &c. = traitors have betrayed.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
uttermost part: Heb. wing, Isa 26:15, Isa 45:22-25, Isa 52:10, Isa 66:19, Isa 66:20, Psa 2:8, Psa 22:27-31, Psa 67:7, Psa 72:8-11, Psa 98:3, Psa 107:1-43, Mic 5:4, Mar 13:27, Act 13:47
glory: Exo 15:11, Psa 58:10, Rev 15:3, Rev 16:5-7, Rev 19:1-6
But: Isa 10:16, Isa 17:4, Psa 106:15
My leanness: Heb. Leanness to me, or, My secret to me
the treacherous: Isa 21:2, Isa 33:1, Isa 48:8, Jer 3:20, Jer 5:11, Jer 12:1, Jer 12:6, Lam 1:2, Hos 5:7, Hos 6:7, Hab 1:3
Reciprocal: Lev 6:2 – in fellowship Job 16:8 – my leanness Psa 34:1 – General Psa 66:1 – all ye lands Psa 113:3 – General Psa 117:1 – O praise Isa 6:3 – the whole earth Isa 42:4 – and the isles Isa 42:12 – General Mic 7:1 – woe Luk 1:46 – General Act 15:17 – the residue Rom 10:18 – unto the ends Rom 15:8 – truth Eph 2:13 – were
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 24:16. From the uttermost part, &c. From all parts of the earth, or land, where the Jews are, or shall be, have we heard songs Songs of joy and praise; even glory to the righteous By the righteous, may be here understood, either, 1st, righteous and holy men, who formerly were despised, but now shall be honoured; or, 2d, the Lord, the righteous one, as the Hebrew , being singular, properly means; or, 3d, the Messiah, to whom this title of the just, or righteous one, is frequently given. But I said But in the midst of these joyous tidings, I discern something which interrupts my joys, and gives me cause of bitter complaint and lamentation; My leanness! my leanness! I faint and pine away for grief; for the following reason: The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously The Jews, who have been frequently guilty of great perfidiousness toward God, are now acting the same part. This he speaks of those who should live when the Messiah should be upon earth, fore- seeing, by the Holy Spirit, that they would forsake God and reject their Messiah, and thereby bring utter destruction upon themselves. For even the Hebrew doctors expound this place of the perfidiousness of some Jews in the times of the Messiah. And it is not strange that so sad a sight made the prophet cry out, My leanness, &c., the treacherous dealers, &c. This he repeats, to show the horridness of the crime, and how deeply he was affected with it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
24:16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the {k} righteous. But I said, {l} My leanness, my leanness, woe to me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
(k) Meaning to God, who will publish his gospel through all the world.
(l) I am consumed with care, considering the affliction of the Church, both by foreign enemies and domestic. Some read, My secret, my secret: that is, it was revealed to the prophet, that the good would be preserved and the wicked destroyed.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Isaiah anticipated himself and others hearing the remnant praise God for His righteousness (in judging the ungodly).
But as the prophet contemplated this end-times scene, he also felt the condemnation of others as deeply as he formerly felt his own (cf. Isa 6:5). Even though God was judging the wicked, they proceeded to act as bad as ever, betraying one another treacherously (cf. Isa 21:2; Rev 9:20-21).