Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 26:21
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
21. the Lord is coming forth (fut. instans) out of his place ] i.e. heaven. Cf. Mic 1:3.
the earth also blood ] Uncovered blood cries for vengeance (Gen 4:11; Eze 24:7-8); and the earth, by drinking in innocent blood, seems to conspire with the murderer, by concealing his guilt. Comp. Job’s impassioned cry in Job 16:18.
shall no more cover her slain ] The idea here is the same: the earth will expose the dead bodies as evidence against the persecutors. It is at least doubtful if there is any thought of actual resurrection.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place – That is, from heaven, which is the dwelling-place or residence of God Psa 115:3; Eze 3:12; Mic 1:3. When God executes vengeance, he is represented as coming from his abode, his dwelling-place, his capitol, as a monarch goes forth to war to destroy his foes.
To punish the inhabitants of the earth – The land of Chaldea, or of Babylon.
The earth also shall disclose her blood – Blood, in the Scriptures, often denotes guilt. The sense here is, that the land of Chaldea would reveal its guilt; that is, the punishment which God would inflict would be a revelation of the crimes of the nation. There is a resemblance here to the language which was used respecting the blood of Abel, Gen 4:10 : The voice of thy brothers blood (Hebrew as here, bloods) crieth unto me from the ground.
And shall no more cover her slain – Shall no more be able to conceal its guilt in slaying the people of God. By these hopes, the Jews were to be comforted in their calamity; and no doubt this song was penned by Isaiah long before that captivity, in order that, in the midst of their protracted and severe trials, they might be consoled with the hope of deliverance, and might know what to do when the storms of war should rage around the place of their captivity, and when the proud city was to fall. They were not to mingle in the strife; were to take no part with either their foes or their deliverers; but were to be calm, gentle, peaceful, and to remember that all this was to effect their deliverance. Compare Exo 14:13-14 : Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh; Yahweh shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. There are times when the children of God should look calmly on the conflicts of the people of this world. They should mingle with neither party, for they should remember that Yahweh presides over these agitations, and that their ultimate end is to bring deliverance to his church, and to advance the interests of his kingdom on the earth. Then they should be mild, gentle, prayerful; and should look up to God to make all these agitations and strifes the means of advancing the interests of his kingdom.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 26:21
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place
Associations in judgment
1.
Few circumstances of our life are more mysterious and few more important than the influence of associations.
2. The language suggests a subtle sympathy between the earth and the earth born; the earth, it is suggested, has been the reluctant witness of human guilt: within her bosom she holds the memorials of human crime, and in due course, when her Creator summons her to His bar, she will confess her fatal secrets.
3. This notion of the repugnance of nature to human crime underlies the constant association of physical portents and disturbances with exceptional crimes. They strain the tolerance of nature to breaking point; she proclaims her horror. This involuntary association emerges in the record of the Redeemers Passion. The darkest hour that ever dawned on sinful earth was dark naturally, as well as morally.
4. There is something higher than rhetoric, something deeper than poetry, in the prophetic habit of bringing into their moral witness appeals, earnest to the point of passion, to the familiar features of the country. The patriots affection is blended with the mystics sympathy and the seers insight Mic 6:1-2; Jer 22:29; Jos 24:26-27).
5. I have said that there is more in all this than rhetoric and poetry, and my justification lies in the power over men of associations, their origin in human volition, and the witness they are able to bear to mens character and experience. The dramatic language of the prophet conveys, and perhaps, to modern ears, conceals, a truth which we can ill afford to forget. We may express it in this way. Every man is at once the author and the victim of the associations with which he invests material things; so that, if we could know what associations these possess for him, what thoughts they set in motion in his mind, what coercion they exercise upon his will, what appeals they address to his affections, we should be well informed as to his past life, and his present character. In truth, we may judge ourselves, we ought to judge ourselves, by habitual associations. What is the moral furniture of our earthly environment! Be sure it is the faithful reflection of ourselves. To the pure, says St. Paul, all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. The prophet suggests that associations will appear as accusing witnesses in the day of the Lord. Here they are written in cipher, and each man keeps his own key; but then the cipher shall be open and manifest. The origin of associations will be confessed. The earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Before us an lies exposure, inexorable and complete.
6. Associations so potent, so relentless, so minatory in their suggestiveness, may be redeemed, cleansed, transformed. The scenes we desecrated with our sins may be purged by our penitence, and reconsecrated by our sacrifice. History records the reclaiming of associations, the transmutation of the symbols and scenes of evil into the very beacons and homes of goodness. But do not underrate the cost of this great conversion. It is no light task to strip off one set of associations and to invest with another. Yet one final stage. Memories of evil may themselves become transmuted into allies of goodness. Christian history is full of this paradox. The protagonists of virtue are, not the flawless saints, but the great penitents. There are who find in their abandoned sins perpetual incitements to service, as she of whom He said, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (H. H. Henson, B. D.)
The earth disclosing her blood
In a characteristic passage Lord Macaulay has described the impression made on observers by the rank growth of scarlet poppies on the battlefield of Landen. During many months the ground was strewn with skulls and bones of men and horses, and with fragments of hats and shoes, saddles and holsters. The next summer the soil, fertilised by twenty thousand corpses, broke forth into millions of poppies. The traveller who, on the road from St. Tron to Tirlemont, saw that vast sheet of rich scarlet spreading from Landen to Neerwinden, could hardly help fancying that the figurative prediction of the Hebrew prophet was literally accomplished, that the earth was disclosing her blood, and refusing to cover the slain. (C. H. Spurgeon)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. The earth also shall disclose her blood] Crimes of cruelty and oppression, which have passed away from the eyes of men, God will bring into judgment, and exact punishment for them. O what a reckoning will the kingdoms of the earth have with God, for the torrents of blood which they have shed for the gratification of the lust of power and ambition! Who shall live when he doeth this?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Cometh out of his place; cometh down from heaven; which God in Scripture is frequently said to do, when he undertaketh any great and glorious work, either of delivering his people, or of destroying their enemies. The speech is borrowed from the manner of princes, who come out of their palaces either to sit in judgment, or to fight against their enemies, which is the case here.
The inhabitants of the earth; all the enemies of God and of his people; for these are here opposed to Gods people. Therefore take heed you be not found in the number of them.
The earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain; the innocent blood which hath been spilled upon the earth shall be brought to light, and shall be severely revenged upon the murderers. For the phrase, see on Gen 4:10; Job 16:18; Eze 24:7.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. (Mic 1:3;Jdg 1:14).
disclose . . . blood(Gen 4:10; Gen 4:11;Job 16:18; Eze 24:7;Eze 24:8). All the innocent bloodshed, and all other wrongs done, so long seemingly with impunity,shall then be avenged (Re 16:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place,…. God, as omnipresent, is everywhere, and cannot be properly said to quit one place, and go to another; but as heaven is the seat of his majesty, and where he more manifestly displays his glory, when he is said to do anything remarkable on earth, he is said to come out of his place, and come down thither, Mic 1:3 especially in the exertion of his power and justice, in a way of punishment of sin; which is his act, his strange act; and comes off from his throne of grace and mercy, in which he delights: the allusion is to a king leaving his throne and palace, to go forth against an enemy abroad, or to quell and punish rebellious subjects: some reference may be had to the Lord’s dwelling in the temple secretly, in the inward part of it, and coming out from thence in the display of his perfections, as Calvin thinks; with which may be compared Re 14:15:
to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; not the same as in Isa 26:10 for those are distinguished from the Lord’s people; but carnal, worldly, and earthly men, particularly the followers of antichrist, called the inhabiters of the earth, who have committed fornication with the whore of Rome, Re 17:2 these the Lord will punish for their iniquity; for he punishes none but for sin, even for their idolatries, adulteries, sorceries, thefts, and murders, particularly their shedding of innocent blood, as follows; and therefore their punishment will be just, God will remember their iniquities, and retaliate; see Re 9:20:
the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain; when God shall make inquisition for blood, the blood of all his saints and prophets will be found in mystical Babylon, and what was hid and covered, or thought to be so, will now be discerned, and brought to light, and just punishment inflicted for it,
Re 18:24 unless this should rather denote the great effusion of blood and carnage that will be made, so that the earth will not be able to drink it in, and the slain will lie unburied on it; see
Re 11:13. The Targum favours the former sense,
“and the earth shall reveal the innocent blood that is shed on it, and shall no more cover her slain.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
21. For, behold, Jehovah cometh out of his place. It is a very grievous temptation to the godly, when they see that the wicked exercise their rage without being punished, and that God does not restrain them; for they look upon themselves as forsaken by him. Isaiah therefore meets this temptation, and shews that the Lord, though he keep himself out of view for a time, will in due season gird himself for yielding assistance, and for revenging the injuries which his people have received.
By the word cometh out, he describes God stretching out his hand to his people in such a manner as if it had formerly been concealed, because the saints did not perceive his aid. For this reason he says, that the Lord “cometh out,” and that he appears in public to yield assistance and exercise judgment, as if he had formerly dwelt like a private person at home. But perhaps there is an allusion to the sanctuary; and this mode of expression occurs frequently in the prophets. (Mic 1:3; Hab 3:13; Zec 14:3.) Though heathen nations despised the ark of the covenant which was laid up in a place little renowned, yet believers knew, by communications of power and grace which they quickly obtained, that it was not in vain or to no purpose that they called on God in that holy place. Yet this principle always holds good, that, though unbelievers ridicule the temple as some mean hut, still God will “come forth” from it at his own time, that the whole world may know that he is the protector of his people
This meaning is more appropriate than if we were to interpret God’s place to mean heaven, from which he “cometh forth;” for Isaiah intended to express something more. When the prophets mention heaven, they exhibit to us the majesty and glory of God; but here he refers to our senses, that is, when we see that God, who formerly appeared to remain concealed and to be at rest, gives us assistance. He employs the demonstrative particle הנה, ( hinnēh,) behold, and the participle of the present tense יצא, ( yōtzē,) coming forth, in order to express certainty, and that believers may not be displeased at bridling their feelings till his coming.
To visit the iniquity. This is to the same purport with what goes before; for it would have been inconsistent with the nature of God, who is the judge of the world, to allow the wicked freely to indulge in sin without being punished. The word visit contains a well-known metaphor; because, so long as God delays or suspends his judgments, we think that he sees nothing, or that he has turned away his eyes. There is emphasis, also, in the phrase עליו, ( gnālāiv,) upon him; as it is frequently said that the wicked are taken in “the snares which they have laid,” (Psa 9:16,) or “in the pit which they have digged.” (Psa 57:6.) The meaning therefore is, that all the injuries inflicted will fall on the heads of those who were the authors of them.
The earth also shall disclose her blood. (188) This also is highly emphatic. When innocent blood is shed and trodden under foot by wicked men, the earth drinks it up, and as it were receives it into her bosom; and, in the meantime, the death of the godly appears to be forgotten, and to be blotted out for ever from remembrance, so that it shall never come to be beheld even by God himself. Men indeed think so, but God makes a widely different declaration; for he declares, that those murderers will one day be “disclosed” and brought into judgment.
On this account he calls it “the blood, or bloods, of the earth,” which the earth has drunk up; and in like manner it is said, that “the earth opened her mouth” when the blood of Abel was shed. (Gen 4:11.) In that passage the Lord represents in strong terms the aggravation of that guilt, by saying, that the earth was polluted with that blood, and therefore he shews how “precious in his sight is the death of the saints,” (Psa 116:15,) how great is the care which he takes of them, and that at length he will not permit their death to pass unpunished. The earth itself will take up arms to avenge the murders and cruelties which the godly have endured from tyrants and enemies of the truth; and not a drop of blood has been shed of which they will not have to render an account. We ought therefore to call to remembrance this consolation, and to keep it constantly before our eyes, when the wicked slay, mock, and ridicule us, and inflict upon us every kind of outrage and cruelty. God will at length make known that the cry of innocent blood has not been uttered in vain; for he never can forget his own people. (Luk 18:7.)
(188) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) The earth also shall disclose her blood.Literally, her bloods (plural of intensity). The prophet has in his thoughts the reckless destruction of life which characterised the great world-powers of Assyria and Babylon. As in the case of Abels blood that cried from the ground (Gen. 4:16), so here the earth first brings to light the blood of those that have been slain, and then the forms of the murdered ones themselves.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Out of his place The Hebrew idea of God’s residence, namely, the heavens; an idea simple, childlike, unmetaphysical as to the divine infinitude.
Inhabitants of the earth Such were the people of the lands, belonging to the great world-powers, accounted the people of Chaldea.
Blood Guilt is here meant guilt for the shedding the blood of the righteous. See Gen 4:10.
Cover her slain The same idea expanded. They shall no more conceal their guilt for shedding righteous blood.
The people of God are ever avenged for wrongs done them. See Exo 14:13-14. “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah. Jehovah shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
MY soul! canst thou sing this gospel song of salvation, which the Lord said should be sung in Judah? Surely that sweet note is thine. Thou hast a strong city; for Jesus is both the foundation, and the walls of it; yea, Jesus is the all in all of it; for upon all the glory, he is the defense. Jehovah thy God and Father hath founded his Church upon Jesus, and Jesus is both the husband and king of his Chinch, and hath by his Holy Spirit opened the gates to the nation made righteous in his righteousness to enter in. And surely, Lord, he kept in peace, yea, perfect peace, while kept in thee, and by thee, and living upon thee. Oh! for grace to trust in my Lord God forever: for in my Lord God Jehovah, there is Christ the Rock of Ages.
And Lord, I pray thee, that amidst all the circumstances of my passing pilgrimage, by night, or by day, when thy judgments are in the earth, and when by thy sweet ordinances thou art leading thy people to the enjoyment of thyself, in every state, and under every change in me, my soul may desire to rest in thee who art unchangeable; and who having loved thine own that are in the world, thou lovest them to the end. Oh! let it be the language of mine heart, that with my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within me have I sought thee early. And do thou, Lord, bring me into thy chambers. Give me to see that in thy covenant-engagements to my glorious Head I am secure from all danger. All thine attributes, all thy promises, thy word, and thine oath, do secure to me salvation with all its blessings. Surely, Lord, while thus blessed, and thus redeemed in Jesus, I may well sing the song of salvation in this house of my pilgrimage, neither shall any stop me in my triumphs in Christ Jesus. Every day, and all the day, will I chant aloud, The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Ver. 21. For, behold. ] This is as a crier to prepare attention.
The Lord cometh out of his place.
The earth also shall disclose her blood.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
disclose her blood. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 4:10, Gen 4:11).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lord: Isa 18:4, Psa 50:2, Psa 50:3, Eze 8:6, Eze 9:3-6, Eze 10:3-5, Eze 10:18, Eze 10:19, Hos 5:14, Hos 5:15, Mic 1:3-8, 2Th 1:7-10, Jud 1:14, Jud 1:15
also: Gen 4:10, Gen 4:11, Num 35:32, Num 35:33, Job 16:18, Eze 24:7, Eze 24:8, Luk 11:40, Rev 6:9-11, Rev 16:6, Rev 18:24
blood: Heb. bloods
Reciprocal: Gen 7:1 – Come Exo 20:13 – General Lev 18:25 – therefore Deu 21:1 – General 1Ki 21:17 – General 2Ch 21:13 – hast slain Job 14:13 – until Job 20:27 – earth Job 31:39 – caused the owners thereof to lose their life Psa 5:6 – the bloody Psa 9:12 – When Psa 94:13 – mayest Psa 106:38 – the land Pro 14:26 – his Pro 22:3 – prudent Pro 27:12 – General Isa 3:10 – Say ye Isa 4:4 – have purged Isa 10:3 – the day Isa 27:1 – that day Isa 27:4 – Fury Isa 32:2 – an hiding Isa 34:8 – General Isa 35:4 – behold Jer 26:19 – Thus Jer 51:35 – The violence Dan 12:1 – there shall Mic 7:3 – wrap Hab 3:16 – that I Zep 2:3 – hid Zec 2:13 – for Mal 3:17 – and I Mat 2:16 – and slew Mat 23:35 – upon Mat 24:6 – see Luk 11:50 – the blood Act 28:4 – a murderer Rev 6:11 – that they Rev 7:3 – till Rev 13:10 – he that killeth Rev 18:20 – God
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her {y} blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
(y) The earth will vomit and cast out the innocent blood, which it has drunk, that it may care for vengeance against the wicked.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Yahweh would come out of His heavenly place of quiet to punish earth-dwellers during the Tribulation for their secret sins. The earth itself, with the forces of nature, would assist the Lord, metaphorically, by exposing sins that lay hidden (cf. Isa 26:12).