Isa 29:17-24 | JFB | STEP | 17. turned-- as contrasted with your "turnings of things upside down" ( ), there shall be other and better turnings or revolutions; the outpouring of the Spirit in the latter days ( ); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (see on ; ) then on the Gentiles ( ). fruitful field-- literally, "a Carmel" (see on ). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful field, and vice versa. Compare , Greek: "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert, He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness: vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness.

‏ Isaiah 29:17-24

17. turned--as contrasted with your "turnings of things upside down" (Is 29:16), there shall be other and better turnings or revolutions; the outpouring of the Spirit in the latter days (Is 32:15); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (see on Is 29:2; Zec 12:10) then on the Gentiles (Joe 2:28).

fruitful field--literally, "a Carmel" (see on Is 10:18). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful field, and vice versa. Compare Mt 11:12, Greek: "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert, He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness: vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness.

18. deaf ... blind--(Compare Mt 11:5). The spiritually blind, &c., are chiefly meant; "the book," as Revelation is called pre-eminently, shall be no longer "sealed," as is described (Is 29:11), but the most unintelligent shall hear and see (Is 35:5).

19. meek--rather, the afflicted godly: the idea is, virtuous suffering (Is 61:1; Psa 25:9; 37:11) [Barnes].

poor among men--that is, the poorest of men, namely, the pious poor.

rejoice--when they see their oppressors punished (Is 29:20, 21), and Jehovah exhibited as their protector and rewarder (Is 29:22-24; Is 41:17; Jas 2:5).

20. terrible--namely, the persecutors among the Jewish nobles.

scorner--(Is 28:14, 22).

watch for--not only commit iniquity, but watch for opportunities of committing it, and make it their whole study (see Mi 2:1; Mt 26:59; 27:1).

21. Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [Gesenius], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; compare Is 29:19, "the meek ... the poor."

him that reproveth--rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue.

gate--the place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Ru 4:11; Pr 31:23; Am 5:10, 12).

just--one who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [Horsley].

for a thing of naught--rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [Barnes]. Compare as to Christ, Pr 28:21; Mt 26:15; Ac 3:13, 14; 8:33.

22. Join "saith ... concerning the house of Jacob."

redeemed--out of Ur, a land of idolaters (Jos 24:3).

not now--After the moral revolution described (Is 29:17), the children of Jacob shall no longer give cause to their forefathers to blush for them.

wax pale--with shame and disappointment at the wicked degeneracy of his posterity, and fear as to their punishment.

23. But--rather, "For."

he--Jacob.

work of mine hands--spiritually, as well as physically (Is 19:25; 60:21; Ep 2:10). By Jehovah's agency Israel shall be cleansed of its corruptions, and shall consist wholly of pious men (Is 54:13, 14; 2:1; 60:21).

midst of him--that is, his land. Or else "His children" are the Gentiles adopted among the Israelites, his lineal descendants (Ro 9:26; Ep 3:6) [Horsley].

24. They ... that erred--(Is 28:7).

learn doctrine--rather, "shall receive discipline" or "instruction." "Murmuring" was the characteristic of Israel's rebellion against God (Ex 16:8; Psa 106:25). This shall be so no more. Chastisements, and, in Horsley's view, the piety of the Gentiles provoking the Jews to holy jealousy (Ro 11:11, 14), shall then produce the desired effect.