Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 58:12
And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
12. Comp. ch. Isa 61:4, Isa 49:8. The importance attached to the restoration of the ruined places shews that what the prophet has in view is chiefly the recovery of temporal and political prosperity. It may also throw some light on the date of the prophecy. The description of the ruins as “ancient” suggests a period considerably later than the Exile (which only lasted half a century), although the argument is not one that can be rigorously pressed.
they that shall be of thee ] Strictly “some of thee.” Weir and Cheyne emend the text and read “thy children” ( for ). Knig on the other hand ( Syntax, p. 37) suggests a change of the verb (reading ): “and the wastes shall be built by thee.”
the old waste places ] Better, the ancient ruins (Isa 44:26).
the foundations of many generations ] might mean places which had been founded many generations back, but the correspondence with ch. Isa 61:4 seems to shew that foundations which have lain waste for many generations are referred to.
The repairer of the breach &c. ] The restoration of the walls and highways will be an achievement by which the community is remembered.
paths to dwell in ] Cf. Job 24:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And they that shall be of thee – They that spring from thee; or thy people.
Shall build the old waste places – Shall repair the old ruins, and restore the desolate cities and fields to their former beauty. This language is taken from the condition of Judea during the long captivity at Babylon. The land would have been desolated by the Chaldeans, and lain waste for a period of seventy years. Of course all the remains of their former prosperity would have gone to decay, and the whole country would be filled with ruins. But all this, says the prophet, would be restored if they were obedient to God. and would keep his law. Their descendants would be so numerous that the land would be entirely occupied and cultivated again, and cities and towns would rise with their former beauty and magnificence.
Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations – That is, the foundations which had endured for generations. The word foundations here ( mosad), means properly the foundation of a building, that is, on which a building rests. Here it means the foundation when that alone remains; and is equivalent to ruins. The Hebrew phrase translated of many generational ( dor–vador, generation and generation), is equivalent to one generation after another, and is the usual form of the superlative degree. The exact amount of time is not designated; but the phrase is equivalent to a long time – while one generation passes away after another. Vitringa applies this to the gospel, and supposes that it means that the church, after long decay and desolation, would rise to its former beauty and glory. The promise is indeed general; and though the language is taken from the recovery of Palestine from its ruins after the captivity, yet there can be no objection to applying it in a more general sense, as teaching that the people of God, if they are faithful in keeping his commandments, and in manifesting the spirit which becomes the church, will repair the ruins which sin has made in the world, and rebuild the wastes and the desolations of many ages.
Sin has spread its desolations far and wide. Scarce the foundations of righteousness remain in the earth. Where they do remain, they are often covered over with ruined fragments, and are surrounded by frightful wastes. The world is full of the ruins which sin has caused; and there could be no more striking illustration of the effects of sin on all that is good, than the ruins of Judea during the seventy years of exile, or than those of Palmyra, of Baalbec, of Tyre, of Ephesus, and of Persepolis, at present. It is for the church of God to rebuild these wastes, and to cause the beauties of cultivated fields, and the glories of cities rebuilt, to revisit the desolate earth; in other words, to extend the blessings of that religion which will yet clothe the earth with moral loveliness, as though sin had not spread its gloomy and revolting monuments over the world.
And thou shalt be called – The name which shall appropriately designate what you will do.
The repairer of the breach – Lowth, The repairer of the broken mound. The phrase properly means, the fortifier of the breach; i. e:, the one who shall build up the breach that is made in a wall of a city, either by the lapse of time, or by a siege.
The restorer of paths to dwell in – Lowth and Noves render this, The restorer of paths to be frequented by inhabitants. The Septuagint renders it, And thou shalt cause thy paths to rest in the midst of thee; and Jerome. Avertens semitas in quietem – Turning the paths into rest, which the Jewish exposition explains to mean, Thou shalt build walls so high that no enemy can enter them. So Grotius renders it, Turning thy paths to rest; that is, thou shalt leave no way of access to robbers. The Chaldee renders it, Converting the wicked to the law. The common English version has probably expressed correctly the sense. The idea is, that they would repair the public highways which had long lain desolate, by which access was had to their dwelling-places. It does not mean, however, that the paths or ways were to be places in which to dwell, but that the ways which led to their dwelling-places were to be restored, or repaired. These roads, of course, in the long desolations would be ruined. Thorns, and brambles, and trees would have grown upon them; and having been long neglected, they would be impassable. But the advantages of a free contact from one dwelling and one city to another, and throughout the land, would be again enjoyed. Spiritually applied, it means the same as the previous expression, that the church of God would remove the ruins which sin has caused, and diffuse comfort and happiness around the world. The obstructed and overrun paths to a quiet and peaceable dwelling on earth would be cleared away, and the blessings of the true religion would be like giving free and easy access from one tranquil and prosperous dwelling-place to another.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. The restorer of paths to dwell in – “The restorer of paths to be frequented by inhabitants.”] To this purpose it is rendered by the Syriac, Symmachus, and Theodotion.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They that shall be of thee, i.e. either,
1. A remnant of thee among the captivity, that shall be as persons raised from the dead; or,
2. Thy posterity, expressed thus, because they sprang or proceeded from them.
The old waste places, Heb. wastes of eternity, i.e. which have lain long waste; for holam doth not always signify what is bounded by no time, but what respects a long time, looking either forward, as Gen 13:15; Exo 21:6, or backward, as here, viz. the space of seventy years, and so may truly be rendered the wastes of an age. By waste places he means the city and temple, with cities and places adjacent, turned as it were all into a waste, or wilderness, void and untilled, and which was done not only by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, but by Sennacherib also, and the other kings of Assyria. They had lain so long desolate, that the foxes inhabited them instead of men, Lam 5:18. And it was turned so much into a desert, that they were forced to fight with the beasts that possessed it to get their food, Lam 5:9.
The foundations of many generations; either the foundations that were laid many generations ago, as those of Jerusalem, which was not only built, but was the head of a kingdom, in the days of Melchizedek, who was king thereof in the days of Abraham, as appears, Gen 14:18; if that Salem were Jerusalem, as is generally agreed, and Josephus writes, lib. 1. Antiquit. cap. 10; who was born about the three hundredth year after the flood: the superstructures were now destroyed, viz. of Jerusalem, and divers other cities. Or, that shall continue for many generations yet to come.
Thou shalt be called; thou shalt be honoured with this title, as we use to say the father of our country, i.e. deservedly so called, because thou art so; the like phrase Isa 48:8.
The repairer of the breach: breach is put here collectively for breaches, which were made by Gods judgment breaking in upon them in suffering the walls of their towns and cities to be demolished, and their state broken, Isa 5:5.
The restorer of paths; such a one was Moses, Psa 106:23. And this tends to the same sense with the former expression, because men were wont to make paths over those breaches, to go the nearest way. Or it may more particularly point at the recovering of the ancient paths, and bringing them into their wonted course, which were either those chief streets through the gates of the cities, or other lanes out of those streets, which were now forgotten and lost, partly by being covered with rubbish, and partly by those shorter paths that were trod and made over the breaches; such a restorer of paths was Nehemiah, Neh 6:1. And we read of the several repairers he made use of, Ne 3. Or those paths that leads from city to city, which being now laid desolate, and uninhabited, were grown over with grass and weeds, for want of travellers, or safety of travelling, (of something a like case we read in the time of the judges, Jdg 5:6,7) and so lost as in a wilderness, wherein there is no way; and by building up those cities again the several paths leading to them would be restored.
To dwell in; these accommodations being all recovered, their ancient cities might be fit to be reinhabited.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. they . . . of theethypeople, the Israelites.
old waste placestheold ruins of Jerusalem (Isa 61:4;Eze 36:33-36).
foundations of manygenerationsthat is, the buildings which had lain in ruins,even to their foundations, for many ages; called in theparallel passage (Isa 61:4),”the former desolations”; and in the precedingclause here, “the old waste places.” The literal andspiritual restoration of Israel is meant, which shall produce likeblessed results on the Gentile world (Amo 9:11;Amo 9:12; Act 15:16;Act 15:17).
be calledappropriately:the name truly designating what thou shalt do.
breachthe calamitywherewith God visited Israel for their sin (Isa 30:26;1Ch 15:13).
paths to dwell innotthat the paths were to be dwelt in, but the pathsleading to their dwellings were to be restored; “paths, soas to dwell in the land” [MAURER].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places,…. As the cities in Israel and Judea, which had been long laid waste by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, were rebuilt by those of the Jewish nation, who returned from the captivity of Babylon, to which there is at least an allusion; and as the church of God, the tabernacle of David, which was fallen down, and had lain long in ruins, through corruptions in doctrine and worship, to the times of Christ, when the apostles, who were of the Jews, those wise masterbuilders, were instruments of raising it up again, and repairing its ruins: so, in the latter day, “the waste places of the world” n, as the words may be rendered, shall be built by a set of men, that shall be of the church of God, who shall be instruments in his hand of converting many souls, and so of peopling it with Christians; such places as before were desolate, where before there was no preaching of the word, no administration of ordinances, nor any Gospel churches:
thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; either such foundations as have been razed up, and lay so for ages past; or raise up such as shall continue for generations to come. It may allude to the raising the foundations of the city and temple of Jerusalem; but rather refers to the founding of churches in Gospel times, which, as it was done in the first times of it by the apostles in the Gentile world, so shall be again in the latter day, which will continue for many ages:
and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, and the restorer of paths to dwell in; that is, the church and her builders, that shall be of her, shall be so called; the Jews and Gentiles will be converted in great numbers, and coalesce in the same Gospel church state, and so the breach between them will be repaired. Christians of various denominations, who now break off and separate one from another, will be of the same sentiment and judgment in doctrine and discipline; they shall see eye to eye, and cement together, and all breaches will be made up, and there will be no schism in the body; and they shall dwell together in unity, and walk in the same paths of faith and duty, of truth and holiness; and such who will be the happy instruments of all this will have much honour, and be called by these names.
The Targum is,
“they shall call thee one that confirms the right way, and converts, the ungodly to the law.”
n “desolata seculi”, Munster, Vatablus, Vitringa; “deserta seculi”, Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. And from thee shall be those who shall restore the deserts of the age. By “deserts” Isaiah means frightful desolation, which befell the Jews, when they were carried into captivity; for the country was reduced to a wilderness, the city was sacked, the temple was razed, and the people were brought into bondage and scattered. He calls them “deserts of the age,” (or of perpetuity,) because the temple could not be immediately repaired, and there was no hope of rebuilding it or of delivering the people. If any city has been ruined or destroyed, while its inhabitants remain, it may be speedily restored; but if none of the inhabitants survive, and if they have been carried away into a distant country, and are very far off, there can be no hope of rebuilding that city; and it will be reckoned monstrous if, after it has lain for a long time in ruins, some person shall say that the people who appear to have perished shall restore and rebuild it.
Since therefore the promise appeared to be incredible, the Prophet intended to meet the doubt; for they might have objected, “If God wishes to restore us, why does he suffer us to languish so long?” He replies that no continuance of delay prevents God from raising again to a lofty situation those who had been sunk low for a long period. Nor must this be limited to the rebuilding of the temple, which was begun by Zerubbabel, (Eze 3:8) and continued by Nehemiah; but it includes the restoration of the Church, which followed after the lapse of several centuries.
The phrase “From thee,” means that from that people, though seemingly half dead, there shall arise those who shall repair the melancholy ruins, and shall be architects or workmen to rebuild Jerusalem. The verb בנו ( banu) “shall build,” is translated by some in a passive sense; but as that way renders the meaning doubtful, the active signification ought to be retained. (126) A little afterwards, he appears to ascribe to the whole people what he had said of a few individuals; but the meaning is the same; for, if the question be put, “Who rebuilt Jerusalem?“ undoubtedly it was that people; but out of that vast multitude the Lord selected a small number and cut off the rest. Some suppose the meaning to be, that the cities will be insufficient for the number of inhabitants, so that they shall be constrained to rebuild other cities which had been formerly destroyed; but this appears to be too unnatural.
Thou wilt raise up the foundations of generation and generation. Some think that this clause conveys what the Prophet had formerly said, and that by “the foundations of generation and generation” are meant those which lay long in a ruinous state; because out of them must the building be immediately raised and set up; for various hinderances had arisen, by which that work was interrupted. But we may view it as referring to the time to come: “Thou wilt raise up buildings, which shall last for a very long period;” for he seems to promise that the condition of the Church shall be of long duration; as if he had said, “Other buildings do not last long, but this shall last for many ages.” Yet if any one prefer to view it as referring to the past, I am not much disposed to dispute with him.
And thou shalt be called. Here the Prophet includes both statements; namely, that the people would resemble a ruined building, and next, that they would be perfectly restored. He ascribes this to the Jews, that they shall be repairers and directors of the ways; that is, that the Lord will make use of their labors; for we ought to ascribe everything to the power of God, who is pleased to bestow upon us so high an honor as to permit our hands to be applied to his work. We have here a remarkable promise about gathering and raising up the ruins of the Church; and since the Lord is pleased to make use of our labor, let us not hesitate to be entirely devoted to it; and although the world oppose and mock at us, and account us fools, let us take courage and conquer every difficulty. Our hearts ought to cherish assured confidence, when we know that it is the work of the Lord, and that he has commanded us to execute it.
(126) “Ewald reads בנו ( bunnu,) [in the Puhal form,] ‘They shall be built by thee;’ but this passive form does not occur elsewhere, and is here sustained by no external evidence.” — Alexander
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) Shall build the old waste places.The prophet contemplates primarily the restoration of the public and private buildings of Jerusalem, but the words have obviously a wider spiritual application.
The foundations of many generationsi.e., those that had been lying in ruins, with no superstructure, for even a longer period than the seventy years of exile.
Thou shalt be called . . .This was to be the special work, and was to constitute the enduring fame, of the new Israel.
Paths to dwell ini.e., the streets of the city shall be once more flanked with houses on either side, and not merely roads from one point to another.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Build the old waste places The beautiful figures used here are unsurpassable. The prose of it is, Thy children or posterity shall inherit your renewed character, and build up Zion in the far future, and in and through them, thyself shall be called the repairer of the breach, so fearfully made in the spiritual Zion.
The restorer of paths That is, the old paths. Jer 6:16.
To dwell in The figure relates, most likely, to the demoralized Jerusalem which, on the return from Babylon, is to be rebuilt, and its streets and walks restored.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 58:12. And theyshall build, &c. The meaning is, (for the whole of this and the preceding verse is metaphorical,) that from the city of God, flourishing in the manner above described, should go forth those who should renew and restore the churches long laid waste, as immersed in thick darkness and superstition, and governed by faithless pastors, and so unworthy, the name of the churches of God; and who should collect together, erect, and build anew the foundations of those churches; that is to say, the heads of Christian doctrine delivered by the prophets and apostles, which, though they had retained them in the confession of their faith, they had mixed with heterogeneous doctrines; so that they might be esteemed as wholly subverted and overthrown. And thou shalt be called, says the prophet, the repairer of the breach, &c. as much as to say, “Thou shalt be truly called, or become a reformed church.” See ch. Isa 60:14 and compare ch. Isa 49:8 and Isa 54:3.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 58:12 And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Ver. 12. And they that shall be of thee. ] Thy posterity, that have taken their being and beginning from thee.
Shall build the old waste places.
And thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach.
a Turkish History, 269.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
build = rebuild. This is still future.
to dwell in: or, leading home.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
build: Isa 61:4, Neh 2:5, Neh 2:17, Neh 4:1-6, Jer 31:38, Eze 36:4, Eze 36:8-11, Eze 36:33, Amo 9:14
waste: Isa 51:3, Isa 52:9
The repairer: Neh 4:7, Neh 6:1, Dan 9:25, Amo 9:11
Reciprocal: Jdg 21:15 – a breach 2Ki 12:5 – let them repair 2Ki 22:6 – masons Neh 2:6 – So it pleased Neh 7:4 – the houses Job 22:30 – He shall deliver the island of the innocent Psa 11:3 – If the Psa 48:13 – consider Psa 51:18 – build Pro 14:11 – the tabernacle Pro 28:2 – but Son 8:9 – we will Isa 3:7 – healer Isa 44:26 – and I will Isa 49:8 – to cause Eze 13:5 – gaps Eze 36:10 – the wastes Zec 9:11 – I have Act 27:24 – lo Heb 12:13 – make
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
58:12 And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old {n} waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
(n) Signifying that of the Jews would come such as would build again the ruins of Jerusalem and Judea: but chiefly this is meant of the spiritual Jerusalem, whose builders were the Apostles.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
True worshippers would also rebuild what their sin had previously torn down. This refers not only to the return and rebuilding of Jerusalem and Judah following the exile. [Note: Watts, Isaiah 34-66, p. 276.] It also refers to the Promised Land in the Millennium and to the restoration of other types of "ruins" caused by sin.
The remaining two verses continue the explanation of true worship begun in Isa 58:6, but they also conclude this chapter by returning to consider proper response to a specific aspect of the Mosaic legislation, namely: Sabbath observance.