Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 65:6
Behold, [it is] written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
6, 7. Sentence is now pronounced on the reprobates, who by their persistent idolatries have served themselves heirs to the guilt of their fathers.
it is written before me ] The sins mentioned above stand recorded in the heavenly books, calling constantly for punishment (cf. Jer 17:1). Another interpretation, according to which the subject of the sentence is the Divine decree of judgement, is less acceptable, because the following words can hardly be taken as the contents of such a decree.
I will not keep silence until I have recompensed ] For the construction cf. Gen 32:26; Lev 22:6, &c.
even recompense &c. ] and I will recompense into their bosom, a new sentence, as is shown by the Hebr. pointing of the verb as consec. perf. Cf. Jer 32:18; Psa 79:12.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Behold, it is written before me – That is, the crimes of which they had been guilty, or the sentence which would be consequent thereon. The allusion is to the custom of having the decrees of kings recorded in a volume or on a table, and kept in their presence, so that they might be seen and not forgotten. An allusion to this custom of opening the books containing a record of this kind on trials, occurs in Dan 7:10, The judgment was set, and the books were opened. So also Rev 20:12, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. So here. An impartial record had been made, and God would recompense them according to their deeds.
I will not keep silence – Nothing shall compel me to desist from declaring a sentence which shall be just and right.
But will recompense, even recompense – That is, I will certainly requite them. The word is repeated in accordance with the usual manner in Hebrew to denote emphasis.
Into their bosom – (See Psa 79:12; Jer 32:18; Luk 6:38). The word bosom, here refers to a custom among the Orientals of making the bosom or front of their garments large and loose, so that articles could be carried in them, answering the purpose of our pockets (compare Exo 4:6-7; Pro 6:27). The sense here is, that God would abundantly punish them for their sins.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Behold, it is written before me] Their sin is registered in heaven, calling aloud for the punishment due to it.
I will – recompense into their bosom] The bosom is the place where the Asiatics have their pockets, and not in their skirts like the inhabitants of the west. Their loose flowing garments have scarcely any thing analogous to skirts.
Into their bosom] For al, ten MSS. and five editions have el. So again at the end of this verse, seventeen MSS. and four editions have al. – L.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They may think that I take no notice of these things, or if I take any notice, I will forget them, or at least not enter into judgment with them for them; but I as certainly know and will remember them, as princes or great men that record things in writing which they would not forget. And they shall know that I know and take notice of and will remember them; for
I will not keep silence; I will not long neglect the punishment of them, though for a while I have delayed it, like a man who bites in his wrath, for some wise reasons which are known unto himself best, Psa 50:21.
Will recompense into their bosom; my punishment of them shall be severe and certain, but yet it shall be just, but a giving them what is their own, as they are obnoxious to my justice, Deu 7:10; Jer 32:18; like the payment of an ox for an ox, Exo 21:36 (where the same word is used); they have been froward against me and I will show myself froward against them, Psa 18:26.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. written before me“itis decreed by Me,” namely, what follows (Job13:26), [MAURER]; or,their guilt is recorded before Me (compare Dan 7:10;Rev 20:12; Mal 3:16).
into . . . bosom(Psa 79:12; Jer 32:18;Luk 6:38). The Orientals used theloose fold of the garment falling on “the bosom” or lap, asa receptacle for carrying things. The sense thus is: I will repaytheir sin so abundantly that the hand will not be able toreceive it; it will need the spacious fold on the bosom tocontain it [ROSENMULLER].Rather it is, “I will repay it to the very person from whomit has emanated.” Compare “God did render the evil ofthe men of Shechem upon their heads” (Jdg 9:57;Psa 7:16) [GESENIUS].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, it is written before me,…. This account of their sins; it was in his sight and constant remembrance, and punishment for them was determined by him, written in the book of his decrees:
I will not keep silence; but threaten with destruction, and not only threaten, but execute; plead against them really, as well as verbally, with sore judgments:
but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom; full and just recompence of punishment for all their transgressions, as it follows. The Targum is,
“I will recompense to them the vengeance of their sins, and deliver their bodies to the second death.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The justice of God will not rest till it has procured for itself the fullest satisfaction. “Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence without having recompensed, and I will recompense into their bosom. Your offences, and the offences of your fathers together, saith Jehovah, that they have burned incense upon the mountains, and insulted me upon the hills, and I measure their reward first of all into their bosom.” Vitringa has been misled by such passages as Isa 10:1; Job 13:26; Jer 22:30, in which kathabh ( kittebh ) is used to signify a written decree, and understands by kh e thubhah the sentence pronounced by God; but the reference really is to their idolatrous conduct and contemptuous defiance of the laws of God. This is ever before Him, written in indelible characters, waiting for the day of vengeance; for, according to the figurative language of Scripture, there are heavenly books, in which the good and evil works of men are entered. And this agrees with what follows: “I will not be silent, without having first repaid,” etc. The accentuation very properly places the tone upon the penultimate of the first shillamt as being a pure perfect, and upon the last syllable of the second as a perf. consec. preceded by a future and followed by a perfect signifies, “but if (without having) first,” etc. (Isa 55:10; Gen 32:27; Lev 22:6; Rth 3:18; cf., Jdg 15:7). The original train of thought was, “I will not keep silence, for I shall first of all keep silence when,” etc. Instead of al c heqam , “Upon their bosom,” we might have ‘el c heqam , into their bosom, as in Jer 32:18; Psa 79:12. In Isa 65:7 the keri really has ‘el instead of al , whilst in Isa 65:9 the chethib is al without any keri (for the figure itself, compare Luk 6:38, “into your bosom”). The thing to be repaid follows in Isa 65:7; it is not governed, however, by shillamt , as the form of the address clearly shows, but by ‘ashallem understood, which may easily be supplied. Whether ‘asher is to be taken in the sense of qui or quod (that), it is hardly possible to decide; but the construction of the sentence favours the latter. Sacrificing “upon mountains and hills” (and, what is omitted, here, “under every green tree”) is the well-known standing phrase used to describe the idolatry of the times preceding the captivity (cf., Isa 57:7; Hos 4:13; Eze 6:13). points back to v e shillamt in Isa 65:6, after the object has been more precisely defined. Most of the modern expositors take together, in the sense of “their former wages,” i.e., the recompense previously deserved by their fathers. But in this case the concluding clause would only affirm, by the side of Isa 65:7, that the sins of the fathers would be visited upon them. Moreover, this explanation has not only the accents against it, but also the parallel in Jer 16:18 (see Hitzig), which evidently stands in a reciprocal relation to the passage before us. Consequently ri’shonah must be an adverb, and the meaning evidently is, that the first thing which Jehovah had to do by virtue of His holiness was to punish the sins of the apostate Israelites; and He would so punish them that inasmuch as the sins of the children were merely the continuation of the fathers’ sins, the punishment would be measured out according to the desert of both together.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
6. Lo, it is written before me. He alludes to the ordinary custom of judges, who keep before them in writing the processes of investigation regarding any matter, together with the testimonies, acts, and everything of that nature, in order that, when it shall be found necessary to make use of them, the guilt of the culprit may be easily proved; for we write those things which we wish to be remembered by posterity The Lord therefore testifies that these things can never fade into oblivion, because they have been written; for, although for a time he pass them over in silence, yet the wicked shall not escape unpunished, but shall at length feel that he is a righteous judge.
Hence we ought to learn that we must not abuse God’s patience, because he bears with us long, and does not all at once stretch out his hand to punish us; for all our faults are nevertheless written before him, for which we must at length suffer punishment, if we do not repent. (204) True, indeed, the Lord has no need of writing as an aid to memory; but he makes use of this form of expression, that we may not think that he has forgotten anything, when he is slow in executing his judgments. Jeremiah even says expressly, that
“
the sin of Judah is written with an iron pen and with the nail of a diamond.” (Jer 17:1.)
To recompense into the bosom is a phrase frequently employed in Scripture; for men think either that their sins are concealed, or that they will not be called to account for them; but, hurried along by unbridled lust, or laying the blame on some other person, they drive fear to a distance from them. (Psa 79:12; Jer 32:18.) On this account the Lord threatens that he will “recompense into their bosom,” that they may consider who is the judge with whom they have to do.
(204) “ Si nous ne changeons de vie.” “If we do not change our life.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) It is written before me . . .The thought is that of the great register, the book of Gods remembrance, in which mens deeds, good and evil, are ever being recorded. (Comp. Jer. 17:1; Psa. 56:8; Dan. 12:1; Mal. 3:16.)
But will recompense . . .Literally, without recompensing, or, except I recompense. Men took the long-suffering of God as if it indicated forgetfulness (Rom. 2:4; 2Pe. 3:9). They are told that He will at last requite the impenitent into their very bosom, their inmost self, for all the evil they have done.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6, 7. Behold Something very important.
It is written Or, recorded. Probably for retribution soon to occur. For character as above portrayed shall be visited with deserved decree, or doom. It is poured into their bosom. “Their bosom” may refer to an oriental way of drawing up the loose garment, so as to make a capacious sack around the chest. See Rth 3:15.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 65:6-7. Behold, it is written, &c. The first words of this passage allude to the subsequent sentence. Behold, it is written before me; “It is absolutely written and determined in the divine court, that such shall be your punishment.” Bishop Warburton observes upon the 7th verse, that the execution of the law, wherein the visiting of the iniquity of the parents upon the children is menaced, was appropriated by God to himself. But God has not only reserved this method of punishment to himself, but has likewise graciously condescended to inform us in this passage, after what manner he was pleased to administer it. This verse, like the third and fourth, is to be understood figuratively. See Matt. xxiii 34, 35. We may render the last words, Therefore will I measure out their former wages, or the old arrears into their laps.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 65:6 Behold, [it is] written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
Ver. 6. Behold, it is written before me. ] Heb., Before my face, as your sins were committed to my face, Isa 65:3 which, therefore, I shall surely remember and punish.
But will recompense, even recompense.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it is written. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 32:35. Lev 26. Deut 32).
will recompense, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 32:35, the same word, and is unique in its occurrence). App-92.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
it is: Exo 17:14, Deu 32:34, Psa 56:8, Mal 3:16, Rev 20:12
I will: Isa 42:14, Isa 64:12, Psa 50:3, Psa 50:21
but: Psa 79:12, Jer 16:18, Eze 11:21, Eze 22:31, Joe 3:4
Reciprocal: Gen 8:21 – smelled Exo 20:5 – visiting Num 32:14 – to augment Psa 35:22 – be Isa 65:7 – therefore Eze 9:10 – but Zec 14:2 – shall not Luk 12:45 – to beat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
65:6 Behold, [it is] {k} written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
(k) So that the remembrance of it cannot be forgotten.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord announced that judgment was sure and inescapable. The people had demanded that He speak, but they did not appreciate that when He spoke, His word would be a word of judgment, not a word of deliverance. His repayment would go to the very center of their lives.