Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 3:7
In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
7. swear ] better, protest, lit. “lift up (sc. his voice).”
healer ] lit. “binder-up” (of the wounds of the state), see Isa 1:6
in my house clothing ] “I am as poor as any of you.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In that day shall he swear – Hebrew, ysha’ Shall he lift up – that is, the voice, or the hand. To lift up the hand was one of the modes of taking an oath. Perhaps it means only that he should lift up the voice – that is, should answer; compare Num 14:1. The Vulgate, the Septuagint, and the Chaldee, read it simply he shall answer.
I will not be an healer – Hebrew, a binder up, Isa 1:6. The Vulgate renders it, I am not a physician. The Septuagint and the Chaldee, I am not sufficient to be a leader. The meaning is, that the state of affairs was so ruinous and calamitous that he would not attempt to restore them; as if, in the body, disease should have so far progressed that he would not undertake to restore the person, and have him die under his hands, so as to expose himself to the reproach of being an unsuccessfill and unskillful physician.
Is neither bread nor clothing – I am not rich. I have not the means of providing for the needs of the people, or to maintain the rank of a ruler. It is customary, says Sir John Chardin, to gather together an immense quantity of clothes, for their fashions never alter. The kings of Persia have great wardrobes, where they have always many hundreds of habits ready, designed for presents, and sorted. – Lowth. The description here is one of very great calamity and anarchy. So great would be the ruin and danger, that men would be unwilling to be chosen to the office of princes and rulers, and none could be found who would desire to possess the highest honors of the nation. Generally men aspire to office; here they were unwilling, on account of the disordered and ruined state of affairs, even to accept of it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. In that day shall he swear – “Then shall he openly declare”] The Septuagint, Syriac, and Jerome, read veyissa, adding the conjunction, which seems necessary in this place.
I will not be a healer] I am not a leche. – Old MS. Bible. Leech was the ancient English word for a physician.
For in my house is neither bread nor clothing – “For in my house is neither bread nor raiment”] “It is customary through all the East,” says Sir J. Chardin, “to gather together an immense quantity of furniture and clothes; for their fashions never alter.” Princes and great men are obliged to have a great stock of such things in readiness for presents upon all occasions. “The kings of Persia,” says the same author, “have great wardrobes, where there are always many hundreds of habits ready, designed for presents, and sorted,” Harmer, Observ., II. 11 and 88. A great quantity of provision for the table was equally necessary. The daily provision for Solomon’s household, whose attendants were exceedingly numerous, was proportionately great, 1Kg 4:22-23. Even Nehemiah, in his strait circumstances, had a large supply daily for his table; at which he received a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came from among the neighbouring heathen, Neh 5:17-18.
This explains the meaning of the excuse made by him that is desired to undertake the government. He alleges that he has not wherewithal to support the dignity of the station, by such acts of liberality and hospitality as the law of custom required of persons of superior rank. See Harmer’s Observations, I. 340, II. 88.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He shall swear, Heb. he shall lift up; understand either,
1. His voice; he shall cry aloud, to show his earnestness in refusing the offer; or,
2. His hand, which was the usual gesture in swearing, Gen 14:22; Deu 32:40, &c., to show his resolvedness.
An healer; a repairer of the ruins of the state.
In my house is neither bread nor clothing; I have not sufficient provisions, either of food or raiment, for my own family; much less, as you falsely suppose, for the discharge of so high a trust.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. swearliterally, “liftup,” namely, his hand; the gesture used in solemn attestation.Or, his voice, that is, answer; so Vulgate.
healerof the bodypolitic, incurably diseased (Isa1:6).
neither . . . clothingsoas to relieve the people and maintain a ruler’s dignity. A nation’sstate must be bad indeed, when none among men, naturally ambitious,is willing to accept office.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In that day shall he swear,…. Or “lift up”, that is, his hand e, which was a gesture used in swearing, and therefore is so rendered; the meaning is, that he shall at once immediately give an answer, and for the solemn confirmation of it shall say an oath with it, saying,
I will not be a healer, or “a binder”; that is, of wounds, of political wounds, made in the nation, and which were incurable. See Isa 1:6 for the meaning is, that he neither was fit to be, nor could he be, a healer of the distempered state of the nation, it was so desperately bad. The Targum is,
“I am not fit to be a head or governor;”
and so Kimchi explains it of a governor, who, he says, is so called, because he binds and imprisons those that transgress his commands; and to this sense Jarchi and Abarbinel:
for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing; not a sufficiency of either to support such grandeur and dignity; not enough to keep a proper table, and a suitable equipage:
make me not a ruler of the people; this shows that the state of the nation must be very bad indeed, that men, who are naturally ambitious of power and honour, should refuse government when offered to them.
e “attollet manum”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. In that day shall he swear. The word swear expresses an absolute and vehement refusal; for frequently he who at first excuses himself, or declares that he will not do it, at length yields to entreaty; but he who, in refusing, employs an oath, shuts out all hope, because he gives them to understand that his purpose is firm and decided. Perhaps, too, the phrase in that day, means “ immediately, without any delay, and without long consultation;” but as it may also be viewed demonstratively, ( δεικτικῶς,) as pointing out more fully the time of the calamity, I do not express a strong opinion. The general meaning is obvious, that their ruinous condition will be past remedy.
As to the word חבש, ( chobesh,) though commentators differ in their interpretation of it, yet I cheerfully concur with those who think that the metaphor is here borrowed from surgeons; (57) for nothing can more fully meet the case. It is as if one, to whom application had been made to heal a sick man, should declare that he has no skill in the art of healing, or that the disease is too inveterate to admit of being cured.
The next copulative ו, ( vau,) means for; as if he had said, “And undoubtedly I have not ability to do so.” (58) His meaning therefore is, that the state of affairs will be so desperate, that no man, even when matters are at the worst, will venture to take measures for their defense.
(57) חבש ( chabash) literally signifies to bind I will not be a binder; that is, “I will not be one who binds up your wounds.” Jarchi renders it, “ I will not be a binder, that is, I will not be one of those who bind up.” His annotator, Breithaupt, explains it thus: “that is, who employ any remedy, or apply a plaster, teaching in the school or synagogue what should be done, and what should be avoided.” This accords with the rendering, healer, as in the English version, which is supported by that of Lowth, “I will not be a healer of thy breaches.” — Ed
(58) ובביתי ( ubebethi,) and in my house; that is, for in my house is neither bread nor clothing. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Isa 3:7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
Ver. 7. In that day shall he swear, saying. ] It is come to pass in some places at this day, Ut ambigant prudentiores, otium, an officium aliquod Reip. sint persecuturi, that wise men doubt whether they had best bear office or not; but true goodness is public spirited, though to private disadvantage.
I will not be an healer,
In mine house is neither bread nor clothing.
a In caducum parietem non inclinabo.
b ‘ A from medela cure.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
swear. Hebrew “lift up [the hand]”: i.e. swear. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 14:22. Exo 6:8. Num 14:30. Deu 32:40). App-92.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
swear: Heb. lift up the hand, Gen 14:22, Deu 32:40, Rev 10:5, Rev 10:6
healer: Heb. binder up, Isa 58:12, Jer 14:19, Lam 2:13, Hos 5:13, Hos 6:1
neither bread: Princes and great men in the East, as Sir J. Chardin testifies, are obliged to have a great stock of clothes in readiness for presents on all occasions; and a great quantity of provisions for the table is equally necessary – see 1Ki 4:22, 1Ki 4:23. Neh 5:17, Neh 5:18. Hence the person desired to undertake the government, alleges as an excuse that he is not able to support the dignity of his station.
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:7 In that day shall he {g} swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house [is] neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
(g) Fear will cause him to forswear himself, rather than to take such a dangerous charge upon himself.