Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 42:24
Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
24, 25. The enigma of Israel’s history is that Jehovah its God has given it over to its enemies, a truth which the nation as a whole has never yet laid to heart.
for a spoil ] A better reading (which is probably that intended by the consonantal text) is to the spoiler. (Cf. ch. Isa 10:13.)
did not the Lord ] The whole of this answer is regarded by Duhm and Cheyne as spurious. Its removal gets rid of an awkward alternation of persons, and enables us to read Isa 42:25 as a continuation of the question in the first part of Isa 42:24. But Duhm goes too far when he objects to the substance of the answer, on the ground that so explicit a confession of sin is improbable before ch. Isa 43:1 ff. The two last clauses are to be translated as relatives, and in whose ways they would not walk (so R.V.), and whose law they would not obey.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who gave Jacob for a spoil? – Who gave up the Jewish people to be plundered? The object of this verse is, to bring distinctly before them the fact that it was Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and of their nation, who had brought this calamity upon them. It was not the work of chance, but it was the immediate and direct act of God on account of their sins. Probably, as a people, they were not disposed to believe this; and the prophet, therefore, takes occasion to calf their attention particularly to this fact.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. We have sinned – “They have sinned”] For chatanu, “we have sinned,” first person; the Septuagint and Chaldee read chateu, “they have sinned,” in the third person.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Do not flatter yourselves with a conceit of impunity, because you are a people whom God hath favoured and endowed with many and great privileges, which the Jews were very prone to do, as we see, Jer 7:4, &c., and elsewhere; for as God hath punished you formerly, doubt not but if you continue to sin, he will proceed in punishing you more and more for your sins.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. WhoTheir calamity was notthe work of chance, but God’s immediate act for their sins.
Jacob . . . Israel . . .wechange from the third to the first person; Isaiah firstspeaking to them as a prophet, distinct from them; then identifyinghimself with them, and acknowledging His share in the nation’s sins(compare Jos 5:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers?…. To the Roman soldiers, to be spoiled and robbed by them? this was not owing to chance and fortune, or to the superior skill and power of the Roman army:
did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? he did, but not without cause; he was justly provoked to it by the sins of the Jews, which were the meritorious and procuring causes of it; yet the Roman army could not have taken their city and plundered it had it not been the will of God, who for their sins, delivered it up to them; even Titus, the Heathen emperor, himself saw the hand of God in it, and acknowledged it;
“God favouring us (says he c) we have made war; it is God that drew the Jews out of those fortresses; for what could human hands and machines do against such towers?”
for they would not walk in his ways; in Christ, the way, the truth, and the life; nor in the ways of his commandments; or in the ordinances of the Gospel; all which they rejected:
neither were they obedient unto his law; or “doctrine” d; the doctrine of the Gospel, particularly the doctrine of justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ; they went about to establish their own righteousness, and did not submit to his; and also every other doctrine respecting the person, office, and grace of Christ, whom they disbelieved, and refused to receive.
c lb. (De Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 9.) sect. 1. d “non acquieverunt in doctrina ejus”, Forerius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
24. Who gave Jacob for a prey? These are the matters which Isaiah complains that the Jews did not observe; for they thought either that the sufferings which they endured happened by chance, or that they had not the same strength to resist as their fathers had, and that this was the reason why they were conquered by their enemies. In short, having their minds fully occupied with external causes, they did not at the same time observe the threatenings which had been so frequently denounced by the prophets, nor attend to the judgments of God; and therefore the Prophet drags them before the heavenly throne, by declaring that God is the author of these judgments.
Hath not Jehovah? They could not believe that the calamities which they suffered proceeded from God, as the just punishment of their sins; and we know that there is nothing which men can now be with more difficulty persuaded to believe. Everybody acknowledges that God is the author of all things, but if you ask whether or not all adverse events are God’s chastisements, they will be ashamed to confess it; for men are distracted by a variety of thoughts, and, being prejudiced by their opinion of fortune, turn their minds and hearts to this or that cause rather than to God.
Because we have sinned against him. Isaiah next points out the cause of so grievous destruction, the sins of the people, which the Lord justly punished. In like manner, Moses had also shewn,
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How would a thousand flee from the face of one? Doth not the Lord pursue you, and shut you up in the hands of the enemy?” (Deu 32:30.)
We wonder every day at many things which happen contrary to our expectation, and yet we do not acknowledge that the cause lies with ourselves. It is therefore necessary that we be hard pressed and constrained by violence to confess our fault, and consequently this doctrine must be often stated and repeated.
That men may not accuse God of cruelty, the Prophet adds, that he does it for a just cause; for he does not rush forward (160) to inflict punishment, if he be not constrained by necessity, and he takes no pleasure in our afflictions; and, therefore, we must here observe two separate things. First, no evil happens to us, but from the Lord, so that we must not think that anything happens either by chance or by any external cause. Secondly, we suffer no evil whatever, but for a just cause, because we have sinned against God. In vain, therefore, do men accuse God of cruelty; for we ought to acknowledge his righteous judgments in the chastisements which he deservedly inflicts.
And they would not walk in his ways. Here the Prophet aggravates the guilt of the Jews, but changes the person, because he formerly included himself along with others, as being a member of that body, and confessed his guilt. Not that he resembled the great body of the people, or approved of their crimes; but because, amidst such a huge mass of vices, he could not be free from being in some degree infected by the contagion, like other parts of the body. Because he was widely different from the great body of the people, he changes the person, and adds, “They would not;” by which he declares that such deep-rooted obduracy is offensive to him, so that he cannot in any way either conceal it or express his approbation of it; for the subject now in hand is not ordinary vices, but contempt and rejection of God, manifested by fiercely and haughtily shaking off his yoke. This is the reason why Isaiah excludes himself from their number.
If these things justly befell the Jews, let us know that the same punishment hangs over us and the whole world, if we do not take warning and repent. We see how kindly the Lord invites us to himself, in how many ways he expresses his good-will towards us, how graciously he testifies that he will be reconciled, though he has been offended. Having now been so often and so kindly invited by God, and having experienced his mercy, if we refuse to listen to him, we shall undoubtedly feel that the ruin which they experienced belongs equally to all rebels.
(160) “ Car il n’ empoigne la verge soudainement.” “For he does not seize the rod suddenly.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) Who gave Jacob for a spoil . . .?The sufferers, whether in the nearer or more distant exile, are reminded that they have brought their sufferings upon themselves, and that it is Jehovah who sends them in the wrath which, as aiming at their restoration, is but another aspect of His love.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 42:24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
Ver. 24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil? ] Omnia magno adfectu sunt pronuncianda, debentque singula membra huius orationis expendi. This is a very remarkable passage. Let us cry out, “Oh the severity!” and beware. Cavebimus autem si pavebimus. Moreover, we will beware if we are terrified.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jacob . . . Israel. See notes on Gen 32:28; Gen 32:43, &c.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 10:5, Isa 10:6, Isa 45:7, Isa 47:6, Isa 50:1, Isa 50:2, Isa 59:1, Isa 59:2, Isa 63:10, Deu 28:49, Deu 32:30, Jdg 2:14, Jdg 3:8, Jdg 10:7, 2Ch 15:6, 2Ch 36:17, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:27, Psa 106:40-42, Jer 5:15, Jer 25:8, Jer 25:9, Lam 1:14, Lam 1:18, Amo 3:6, Mat 22:7
Reciprocal: Jdg 16:20 – I will go Neh 9:30 – therefore Job 1:21 – taken away Psa 119:21 – cursed Isa 24:6 – hath Isa 41:4 – hath Isa 43:28 – and have Jer 52:4 – pitched Eze 39:23 – gave them Dan 1:2 – the Lord Amo 4:9 – yet Nah 3:1 – full
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
God’s people needed to observe that sin had led them into their present wretched condition, and that whenever their ancestors had gotten into such a condition, repentance brought restoration to usefulness. Their relationship to God was the key. The Torah, of course, explained what God promised to do if His people obeyed or disobeyed Him (cf. Isa 1:4-8; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28-29), but the Israelites had not paid attention to this teaching. Since they chose to go their own way, the judgment of God had burned them. Most of Isaiah’s contemporaries were still claiming that they did not deserve the hardship that God had sent them.
Chapter 42 thus contains a strong contrast. It opens with one Servant who will discharge His ministry successfully, and it ends with another servant-in servitude to his captors-having failed to minister effectively. The Servant Messiah obeys God and fulfills His task, but the servant Israel refuses to listen to God and draws His judgment.
Even though Israel had failed to learn from the Lord (Isa 42:18-25), He would still deliver her in the future out of pure grace (Isa 43:1-7). He had not cast off His covenant people (cf. Rom 11:1).