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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 48:21

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 48:21

And they thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he cleaved the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

21. These are still words of the ransomed people. The allusions are to the miracles in the wilderness of Sinai (cf. Exo 17:6; Num 20:11) which are represented as having been repeated during the desert journey of the returning exiles.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And they thirsted not – This is a part of that for which they would be called to celebrate his name. It was not merely that he had redeemed them, but that he had abundantly provided for their needs in the desert, and guided them safe through the pathless wilderness to their own land (see the notes at Isa 35:6-7; Isa 41:17-18).

He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them – The allusion here is undoubtedly to the fact that God caused the waters to flow out of the rock that Moses smote in the wilderness Exo 17:6; Num 20:11. This is not to be regarded as literally true that God would, in like manner, smite the rocks and cause waters to flow by miracle on their return from Babylon. There is no record that any such event took place, and it is not necessary so to understand this passage. It is a part of the triumphant song which they are represented as singing after their return to their own land. In that song, they celebrate his gracious interposition in language that was familiar to them, and by illustrations that were well known. They therefore speak of his mercy to them as if he had smitten the rock in the desert on their return, and caused the waters to flow; and the sense is, that his mercy to them then was similar to his goodness to their fathers when he led them to the land of promise. He met all their necessities; and his gracious interposition was experienced all the way as really as though he had smitten the rock, or caused cool and refreshing fountains to break out in the desert.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 21. They thirsted not – through the deserts] Kimchi has a surprising observation upon this place: “If the prophecy,’ says he, “relates to the return from the Babylonish captivity, as it seems to do, it is to be wondered how it comes to pass, that in the Book of Ezra, in which he gives an account of their return, no mention is made that such miracles were wrought for them; as, for instance, that God clave the rock for them in the desert.” It is really much to be wondered, that one of the most learned and judicious of the Jewish expositors of the Old Testament, having advanced so far in a large Comment on Isaiah, should appear to be totally ignorant of the prophet’s manner of writing; of the parabolic style, which prevails in the writings of all the prophets, and more particularly in the prophecy of Isaiah, which abounds throughout in parabolical images from the beginning to the end; from “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth,” to “the worm and the fire” in the last verse. And how came he to keep his wonderment to himself so long? Why did he not expect that the historian should have related how, as they passed through the desert, cedars, pines, and olive-trees shot up at once on the side of the way to shade them; and that instead of briers and brambles the acacia and the myrtle sprung up under their feet, according to God’s promises, Isa 41:19; Isa 55:13? These and a multitude of the like parabolical or poetical images, were never intended to be understood literally. All that the prophet designed in this place, and which he has executed in the most elegant manner, was an amplification and illustration of the gracious care and protection of God vouchsafed to his people in their return from Babylon, by an allusion to the miraculous exodus from Egypt. See De S. Poesi, Hebr. Prael. ix.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

This is part of the matter which the Jews are obliged to declare to all people, as they have opportunity, to wit, that God took the same care of them in their return from Babylon to Canaan, which was through many dry and desolate places, as he did in their march from Egypt to Canaan.

They thirsted not, & c., i.e. they shall not thirst. He speaks of things to come, as if they were already past or present, as the prophets commonly do.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21. Ezra, in describing thereturn, makes no mention of God cleaving the rock for them in thedesert [KIMCHI]. Thecircumstances, therefore, of the deliverance from Egypt (Exo 17:6;Num 20:11; Psa 78:15;Psa 105:41) and of that fromBabylon, are blended together; the language, while more immediatelyreferring to the latter deliverance, yet, as being blended withcircumstances of the former not strictly applicable to the latter,cannot wholly refer to either, but to the mystic deliveranceof man under Messiah, and literally to the final restoration ofIsrael.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts,…. As when he led the people of Israel through the wilderness to Canaan’s land, though they sometimes thirsted for want of water, yet they were supplied with it, by which their thirst was extinguished, to which the reference here is. So when they came out of Babylon, and passed through the waste and desert places which lay between that and Judea, they were supplied with all necessaries. Thus the apostles of Christ, when they travelled through the Gentile world, comparable to a desert, publishing redemption and salvation by Christ, had every needful supply, both of temporal and spiritual things; they lacked not any thing. In like manner the people of God, while they pass through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly glory, are furnished and refreshed with living water out of the fountain and fulness of grace in Christ, of which if a man drink, he shall thirst no more, Joh 4:14

Isa 49:10: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for thee; that is, for the Israelites in the wilderness, when they were come out of Egypt, and wanted water, Ex 17:6:

he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out; Ps 78:15, the rock was a type of Christ, from whom the living waters of grace flow, to the support, supply, comfort, and refreshment of the saints in this world, 1Co 10:4. Grace is often signified by waters, because purifying and cleansing, reviving and refreshing, softening and fructifying, and an extinguisher of thirst: their gushing out denotes the abundance of it, which is received from Christ, not only at first conversion, in the regeneration and quickening of men; in the pardon of their sins, and the justification of their persons; but in the large communications of grace, after made, for the supply of their wants: and all which come from Christ the Rock, that is higher than they, from whence their bread is given them, and their waters are sure unto them; and who is the Rock of their refuge and salvation: and the cleaving of this Rock may signify his sufferings and death; his being smitten, bruised, and broken for his people, that they may partake of his grace, and the blessings of it.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

21. Therefore they thirsted not. Because the Jews did not see the way opened up for their return, and because great and dangerous wildernesses intervened, the Prophet asserts the power of God, and brings forward examples of it, that they may not be terrified by any difficulty. He therefore bids them consider whether or not God had sufficient power to rescue their fathers from the slavery of Egypt, and to lead them through desolate wildernesses, in which he supplied them with food and water and everything that was necessary for them. (Exo 16:1.) Here the Jews, according to their custom, contrive absurd fables, and invent miracles which were never performed; and they do this, not through ignorance, but through presumption, by which anything that is plausible, though there be no ground whatever for it, easily gains their support.

The design of the Prophet was to recall to their remembrance the former departure from Egypt, and the miracles which the Lord performed at that time, which we have already remarked to be customary with the Prophets, when they wish to extol in lofty terms the works of God. Thus David, when he was celebrating the victories which he had obtained, says that

the mountains trembled and flowed down, that the air was cleft asunder, and that the Lord was seen from heaven,” (Psa 18:7,)

though nothing of this kind ever happened to him; but he imitates the description of the deliverance from Egypt, in order to shew that God, who was the author of it, had also been his supporter and leader in conquering his enemies, and that the power of God ought not to be less acknowledged in his victory than in those signs and wonders.

In like manner the Prophet wishes that the people should now contemplate those miracles, in order to correct their unbelief, and that they may not be tempted by any distrust. The holy servants of God were always accustomed to cast their eyes on that deliverance, in order that, by the remembrance of so great a benefit, they might strengthen the hearts of all in hope and confidence; as we have formerly said that it was the duty of believers in every age to expect the fruit of this redemption, that the Lord, by uninterrupted progress, might be the guardian of a redeemed people. Thus Isaiah means that the Lord will easily surmount every obstacle, will open up a way which is shut, and will supply them abundantly with water, so that they shall not die of thirst, in the same manner as he formerly brought water out of rock by an extraordinary miracle, when the people thought that their condition was hopeless; and consequently, that there is no reason why they should despair of their return, if they wish to contemplate, and cordially to believe, that power of God which they have already experienced.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(21) He caused the waters to flow . . .A dead prosaic literalism makes men wonder that there is no record of such wonders on the return from Babylon. A truer insight recognises that the water out of the rock is, as ever, the symbol of spiritual refreshment (Isa. 41:17-19; Isa. 43:19-20; Joh. 4:10).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Isa 48:21 And they thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

Ver. 21. And they thirsted not when he led, &c. ] Your fathers did not of old: nor shall you now in your return homeward. The Jews tell us of many miracles then wrought also, but we read of no such matter in Ezra; and we know that God’s pilgrims shall want no necessary accommodation: that he will be sure to see to.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

He led them, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 8:2).

caused. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 17:6. Num 20:11). App-92.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

they thirsted: Isa 30:25, Isa 35:6, Isa 35:7, Isa 41:17, Isa 41:18, Isa 43:19, Isa 43:20, Isa 49:10, Jer 31:9

he caused: Exo 17:6, Num 20:11, Neh 9:15, Psa 78:15, Psa 78:20, Psa 105:41

Reciprocal: Num 20:8 – bring forth Deu 32:13 – honey 2Ki 3:17 – Ye shall not Neh 9:20 – gavest Psa 36:8 – and thou Psa 74:15 – cleave Pro 5:16 – thy Isa 11:16 – like as it was Isa 44:3 – floods 1Co 10:4 – did

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

48:21 And they {z} thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he broke the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

(z) He shows that it will be as easy to deliver them, as he did their fathers out of Egypt.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

In terms reminiscent of the first Exodus, Isaiah anticipated God’s miraculous and abundant providential provision of refreshment for His people when they returned to the Promised Land from Babylonia (cf. Isa 43:18-28).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)