‏ Isaiah 1

Book of Isaiah — Quick facts:

Purpose: To warn Judah of impending judgment and to offer hope concerning a remnant of God’s people

Author: Isaiah

Date: Around 740–685 BC

Setting: The southern kingdom of Judah, around the time of Assyria’s conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel



Book of Isaiah — Overview:

Setting
By the time of King Uzziah’s death (740 BC), the southern kingdom of Judah faced a major crisis. The empire of Assyria, dormant for nearly fifty years, was now on the move again. The Assyrian army progressed southwestward from their homeland in what is now northern Iraq toward their ultimate destination, Egypt. The small nations of the Mediterranean coast, including Israel and Judah, stood in Assyria’s path. Assyria had taken Galilee and much of Israel’s territory east of the Jordan River. But they would be satisfied only with total control of Israel, Judah, and all the other smaller nations in the area.
While Judah’s King Uzziah was still alive, Judah was able to ignore the crisis. Overall, Uzziah was a good and effective king, he had a strong army (2 Chr 26:11-15  ^a), and his people hoped that he could somehow save the nation from the Assyrians. When Uzziah died, however, ungodly rulers succeeded him. During this crisis of leadership, God gave Isaiah the vision that launched his ministry and guided him for the next forty years (Isa 6  ^b).
Assyria, meanwhile, pushed steadily southward along the coast of the Mediterranean, conquering one small nation after another. During this time, Judah’s policy on Assyria oscillated between appeasement and confrontation. The prophet Isaiah brought a much-needed message: God is absolutely dependable, and it is utter folly to trust in anything or anyone other than God.
Unfortunately, Isaiah’s central message was not always heeded. Around 734 BC, Israel formed a coalition with Syria to stand against Assyria. When King Ahaz of Judah refused to join this alliance, Israel and Syria attacked Judah in order to force Ahaz to join them. Faced with this crisis, Ahaz foolishly called the Assyrians to rescue him (2 Chr 28:16-21  ^c) rather than trusting God (Isa 7:1-12  ^d). Although the king of Assyria did defeat Syria and Israel, he also subjugated Judah and laid on it a heavy burden of taxation. Just a few years later (722 BC), Assyria defeated the kingdom of Israel again and sent most of its people into exile (2 Kgs 17:5-18  ^e).
In 701 BC, during King Hezekiah’s reign, Assyria again invaded Judah. This time, Judah relied on God’s faithfulness, and as promised, God rescued the nation from the Assyrian army (37:21-36  ^f).
Regrettably, God’s people did not remain faithful to him. As a result, God eventually allowed Judah to be overcome by Assyria’s successor, Babylon (605–586 BC). What would Judah’s destruction and exile to Babylon mean in terms of God’s absolute reliability, which Isaiah had proclaimed? Isaiah answered this as well: God would indeed punish Judah’s wickedness. But he would also preserve a remnant that one day would return to the holy land. This return would not be due to any faithfulness on their part; it would be an act of God’s grace.
Upon returning from exile (538 BC; see Ezra 1:1-4  ^g), the people were again tempted to wickedness, this time by the paganism that had taken root in their homeland during their absence. Isaiah showed that the gracious God who rescued them is also the holy God who demanded their obedience, righteousness, and exclusive devotion.


Summary
Isaiah 1–39  ^h covers the period from the death of Uzziah (740 BC) to 701 BC. The introduction (chs 1–5  ⁱ) contrasts Judah’s present state of sin and injustice with the blessed existence in God’s presence that they had originally been called to. This comparison raises a question: How can the present corruption ever be transformed into glory, purity, and fruitfulness? The prophet answers in chapter 6  ^j, as he recounts his own renewal and calling as an example of how a change could take place nationwide. If Judah wanted to experience such renewal, however, it needed to turn from its sinful ways and learn to trust God. Throughout chapters 13–35  ^k the prophet uses a variety of literary forms and life situations to confirm that God is the only truly trustworthy one; relying on any of the surrounding nations in place of God represents extreme foolishness. Isaiah brackets this message with two historical accounts of experiences with Assyria: King Ahaz’s experience in chapters 7–12  ^l, and King Hezekiah’s in chapters 36–39  ^m. When Ahaz failed to trust God, disaster resulted. By contrast, his son Hezekiah trusted God, and a great rescue occurred. Hezekiah, however, also had times of weakness (ch 39  ⁿ), setting the stage for Judah’s later defeat and exile by Babylon.
Isaiah 40–55  ^o addresses the questions that would arise during Judah’s exile to Babylon in 586 BC. Does the Exile mean that God was defeated, either by the Babylonians or by Judah’s sin? Has God’s purpose for Judah been frustrated, and is he helpless to do anything about it? In chapters 40–48  ^p, Isaiah shows that God is infinitely superior to any idol-god, and his people will be the proof of this when God rescues them out of Babylon’s ultimately helpless hands. In chapters 49–55  ^q, the prophet addresses the deeper question of Judah’s sin. Just as God rescued Judah from Babylon, he also intends to rescue a remnant of the people from the enslaving power of sin; he will accomplish this through the death of his servant.
Isaiah 56–66  ^r addresses Judah’s experience following the end of their exile in 539 BC. God had rescued a remnant from exile as promised; now they needed to be pure, righteous, and holy. God’s servants must not continue to walk in darkness and corruption, for those attitudes and actions had led to exile in the first place. As Isaiah speaks of rescue from sin, the light of God’s own holy and righteous character dawns in his people. As a result, all the nations that Israel once trusted in place of God will now come to Jerusalem to learn God’s ways from Israel.


Authorship
The book of Isaiah addresses three different historical situations, two of them beyond the prophet’s own lifetime. As a result, many scholars have argued that the prophet Isaiah could not have written the entire book; this view has prevailed since the mid-1800s. However, if God’s inspiration is a reality, predictive prophecy is a real possibility, so it presents no problem that parts of the book address what was in the future for Isaiah. Furthermore, the book displays a remarkable literary unity. When Jesus and the New Testament authors quote from the book of Isaiah, they consistently claim that they are referring to what the prophet Isaiah said (see, e.g., Matt 8:17  ^s; 12:17-21  ^t; Luke 3:4-6  ^u; Acts 8:28-35  ^v; Rom 10:16  ^w).


Date of Writing
It seems likely from the historical references in chapters 6–39  ^x that these materials were recorded at various times throughout the thirty-eight years between Uzziah’s death in 740 BC and Sennacherib’s retreat from Jerusalem in 701 BC. Because of the simpler, meditative, and reflective lyrical style of chapters 40–66  ^y, it seems probable that a period of time elapsed between 701 BC and the writing of these chapters. We do not know when Isaiah died, but tradition dates his death during the period of the sole reign of Manasseh (686–642 BC). It is thus possible that more than fifteen years elapsed between the writing of chapters 1–39  ^z and the writing of chapters 40–66  ^aa.


Literary Genres
Isaiah contains a rich array of sub-genres:
judgment speeches that warn Israel that God will punish them for their sins (9:8-21  ^ab);
prophecies of woe that lament the approaching death of the nation (5:8-30  ^ac; 29:1-12  ^ad; 31:1-9  ^ae);
parables that teach by analogy (5:1-8  ^af; 27:2-6  ^ag);
trial speeches to prove a case (41:21-29  ^ah);
salvation prophecies of hope for the future (2:1-5  ^ai; 32:1-20  ^aj; 60:1-22  ^ak);
hymns of praise to God for his faithfulness (12:1-6  ^al; 26:1-6  ^am);
prophecies against foreign nations (15:1–16:14  ^an; 23:1-18  ^ao);
prophecies of a coming king, the Messiah (9:1-7  ^ap; 11:1-9  ^aq);
servant songs about one who would suffer for the sins of others (42:1-9  ^ar; 52:13–53:12  ^as); and
narratives of current events (36:1-22  ^at; 39:1-8  ^au).


Meaning and Message
The book of Isaiah could be called the Bible in miniature. It has more overtones of the New Testament than any other Old Testament book. Isaiah gives us a picture of God as unique and transcendent (beyond our experience). Yet the holy and exalted God reveals himself and desires to be Immanuel (“God is with us,” 7:14  ^av). Therefore, the transcendent God is also immanent (nearby). God’s nearness prepares Isaiah’s readers to receive God incarnate (in the flesh), Jesus Christ, who is truly the Immanuel (see Matt 1:21-23  ^aw).
Isaiah tackles the foolishness of idolatry head on. He exposes the folly of trying to capture God in any created thing or trying to manipulate God to our own ends. The only way to receive the blessings God wants to pour out upon us is through our surrender and trust. However, the human spirit stubbornly opposes this. We would rather trust anything or anyone other than God, who is beyond our control. Those who stubbornly refuse to submit themselves to the true God and turn instead to false gods become estranged from God and face his judgment.
The prophet tells the story of God’s judgment on his sinful people through exile. However, God graciously returns to his people and declares that he will not cast them away altogether. Instead, he will purify and preserve a remnant that will glorify him among the nations and demonstrate that he alone is the true and living God.
God’s kingdom will be centered in a new Zion (new Jerusalem), populated by a new community of the faithful and ruled by God’s righteous servant, the Messiah. This kingdom will be built on the power of love rather than on the power of oppression and injustice. Only the righteous can belong to this new community. The same grace that rescues God’s people from the consequences of their sin also produces in them obedience to his will. As a result, they will glorify God and transform the world.
1:1  ^ax These are the visions (literally The vision): This term introduces the book as a unified whole, covering Isaiah’s prophecies over a period of some fifty-five years (about 740–685 BC).

• Isaiah son of Amoz: Beyond this, nothing is known of Isaiah’s family background.

• Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah, was the center of Isaiah’s ministry. However, some of his prophecies also relate to the northern kingdom, Israel (referred to as Samaria and Ephraim, 9:8-21  ^ay; 28:1-13  ^az), which fell in 722 BC (see 2 Kgs 17  ^ba).
1:2  ^bb heavens ... earth: All of creation is called to witness the trial that God convened against Judah (cp. Deut 31:28  ^bc; 32:1  ^bd).
1:3  ^be an ox knows its owner: Not so with Judah. Yet despite their rebellion, God still graciously addressed them as my people.
1:4  ^bf The expression Holy One of Israel is frequently used in Isaiah as a title for the Lord. God is the righteous and just King of heaven and earth (6:3-5  ^bg), the incomparable God (40:25  ^bh), and the Redeemer of his people (43:14  ^bi). It was a terrible and foolish sin for Judah to reject him.
1:5  ^bj God sent famine, war, disease, and death as punishment. In most cases, however, God wanted to change stubborn behavior rather than simply to punish.

• As a result of their persistent rebellion, the people’s head is injured and their heart is sick. The nation was wounded physically from Assyrian aggression, while spiritually they were defiled and overtaken by sin (64:6  ^bk).
1:6  ^bl without any soothing ointments or bandages: Judah’s national condition was like the body of an injured person who had not received medical care.
1:7  ^bm country ... towns: By 701 BC, the Assyrians had destroyed the infrastructure, taken cities, and ravaged the fields (see 64:10  ^bn). This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophetic word (6:11-13  ^bo). Those who survived this Assyrian onslaught would know by experience to heed later warnings of exile to Babylon (39:6-7  ^bp). God does what he says he will do, so the warning of God’s judgment on all the nations is certain.
1:8  ^bq Beautiful Jerusalem (Hebrew The daughter of Zion): Zion, one of the hills on which Jerusalem stands, often served as a synonym for Jerusalem. Zion carried with it the notion of God’s presence (Ps 46  ^br), his protection of his people, and Jerusalem’s resistance to enemy forces. Now, however, the opposite was true. Jerusalem had become weak, like a helpless city under siege and like an abandoned ... shelter or lean-to.
1:9  ^bs The Lord of Heaven’s Armies refers to the millions of angels that are at the Lord’s command (see 2 Kgs 6:16-17  ^bt; Matt 26:53  ^bu). At the Exodus, Moses described God as a warrior fighting for his people (Exod 15:1-21  ^bv). Ironically, in Isaiah’s day, God fought against Judah because of their wickedness (Isa 1:24  ^bw; 3:1-5  ^bx).
1:10  ^by Listen to (literally listen to the word of) the Lord: In this context, listen means to respond in obedience to the law (or teaching; Hebrew torah) of our God (see 2:3  ^bz; 5:24  ^ca).

• leaders ... people: All levels of society were guilty.

• Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Jerusalem had come under divine judgment for its rebellion against God’s laws. Jerusalem might have been utterly destroyed like those cities were it not for God’s grace (1:9  ^cb; see Gen 19  ^cc).
Summary for Isa 1:11-15: 1:11-15  ^cd The people had so offended God through their sin that he took no pleasure any more in their sacrifices. The Lord wanted Judah to stop the religious exercises he had commanded them to do rather than to continue them in a manner that was sinful and false (1:13  ^ce). Ritual is never an acceptable substitute for true godliness.
1:13  ^cf The incense that accompanied offerings was intended as a sweet fragrance to the Lord (see Exod 30:7-8  ^cg), but when offered with hypocrisy it was a nauseating stench and an abomination to God.

• While the Lord had ordered special days for fasting at the Temple (Lev 16:31  ^ch; 23:32  ^ci; Num 29:7  ^cj), they were ruined by the guilt of Judah’s sin (see Isa 58:1-7  ^ck; Matt 6:16-18  ^cl).

• pious meetings: These holy days were associated with the new moon and other festivals (see Lev 23  ^cm).
1:14  ^cn New moon celebrations occurred on the first day of each lunar month (Num 28:11-15  ^co) and included sacrifices, feasting, and rest from work.

• The annual festivals were the festivals of Passover, Harvest, Trumpets, and Shelters (Num 28:16–29:39  ^cp; Deut 16:1-17  ^cq).
1:15  ^cr I will not look ... I will not listen: The Lord does not respond to prayer offered from a life of persistent wickedness. In this case, God charged the people with perverting his laws in order to practice violent injustice toward innocent victims.
1:16  ^cs Wash ... and be clean! The people were defiled by their sin and the uncleanness of their sacrifices. To be clean in God’s eyes, they needed to change their behavior, get rid of their sins, and give up their evil ways (see also 1:18  ^ct).
1:17  ^cu Seeking justice means upholding God’s standards of fairness and advancing the rights of the oppressed, orphans, and widows—those who are weak and marginalized in society (see also Jer 7:5-7  ^cv; 22:3  ^cw; Zech 7:10  ^cx; Matt 23:23  ^cy; 25:31-46  ^cz; Jas 1:27  ^da).
1:18  ^db God called his people to come and settle their dispute so that he could restore his covenant relationship with them. This required Judah to make a decision between obeying or turning away (1:19-20  ^dc). Isaiah says their sins are like scarlet ... they are red like crimson, the color of blood, which Judah had unjustly shed (1:15  ^dd).

• white as snow ... white as wool: The people would be radically transformed—cleansed, purified, and made holy (see also Ps 51:7  ^de; Dan 7:9  ^df).
Summary for Isa 1:19-20: 1:19-20  ^dg Repentance leads to life, whereas resisting God’s will and turning away from him results in death (see Deut 11:26-28  ^dh; 28:1-62  ^di).
1:20  ^dj I, the Lord, have spoken! This statement marks the solemnity of what God has just promised. The phrase is used eleven times in Isaiah.
1:21  ^dk The image of Jerusalem as a prostitute represents Judah’s unfaithfulness to God (see Jer 3:6-14  ^dl; Ezek 16:25-26  ^dm; Hos 1–3  ^dn).
1:24  ^do The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, was usually Israel’s protector (31:5  ^dp). However, in this context, God was coming to take revenge against his own people, who by their wickedness had become his enemies and foes.
1:25  ^dq I will raise my fist against you: God, normally Israel’s protector, would become their attacker. However, he had a purpose beyond punishment.

• I will melt you down. ... I will remove all your impurities: God would use the Exile to remove the wicked from among his people and to refine those who would return.
1:26  ^dr The restoration of the community would be marked by new leaders who uphold justice rather than perverting it (see 1:23  ^ds). Jerusalem would again be pure silver (see 1:22  ^dt), the Home of Justice and the Faithful City.
1:27  ^du Here, Zion refers to the remnant community. Only those who repent would receive God’s salvation and purification and would dwell in his presence. Zion was required to be the bastion of justice and righteousness, for God loves righteousness. God expected the covenant community to reflect the holy standards he cares about.
Summary for Isa 1:29-30: 1:29-30  ^dv The rebels (1:28  ^dw), who practiced idolatry in groves of sacred oaks and in gardens dedicated to idols, would become like drought-stricken oaks and gardens. They would lack the nourishing vitality of the true God’s presence. Those who followed the Canaanite fertility religion of Baal treated gardens and trees as sacred, believing that they brought blessings. Instead, they brought spiritual death.

‏ Isaiah 2

2:1  ^dx vision (literally word): This heading (see 1:1  ^dy) likely introduces the revelation of chs 2–12  ^dz. The main focus of this section is on Judah, but a handful of passages expand that focus to include the nations in general (2:2-4  ^ea), humanity at large (2:6-22  ^eb), Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel (chs 7–9  ^ec), and the Assyrians (ch 10  ^ed).
Summary for Isa 2:2-4: 2:2-4  ^ee God’s gracious salvation would one day extend beyond Israel and Judah. This would prompt the nations to come to Zion, not in battle but to be blessed there and live by the rules of God’s kingdom. Isaiah encouraged Judah to look at the benefits that the nations would enjoy. He wanted to stimulate the people of Judah (2:5  ^ef) to jealousy and provoke them to follow the Lord so that they would not be left out in that day. This section is repeated almost verbatim in Micah 4:1-3  ^eg. 2:2  ^eh In the Old Testament, the expression the last days is a general reference to the future era (see Jer 49:39  ^ei; Ezek 38:16  ^ej; Hos 3:5  ^ek); in the New Testament, it is used to refer to the period that began with the coming of the Lord Jesus (Heb 1:2  ^el) and more specifically to the period immediately preceding the end of the present age (2 Pet 3:3  ^em).

• The mountain of the Lord’s house referred to the Temple Mount. This location symbolized God’s glorious exaltation (see Isa 6:1  ^en) and his kingdom on earth. Isaiah’s focus on God’s exalted and supreme kingship flows out of his famous vision of God (ch 6  ^eo).

• Far from being a narrow nationalistic dream, Isaiah’s prophetic hope extended beyond Judah and Jerusalem to include people from all over the world.
2:3  ^ep Human society will undergo changes as people conform to God’s revelation and follow his ways and paths.

• Judah received the revelation (teaching ... word) but did not obey it (1:10-15  ^eq); however, the nations will be ready to do God’s will.
2:4  ^er The Kingdom of God is evident when conflict and violence end, and it is characterized by peace (Rom 14:17  ^es). People will cooperate willingly or they will be forced to end their hostilities (Ps 46:9  ^et). The nations will submit to divine arbitration rather than go to war (see Isa 1:18-20  ^eu).

• The words mediate and settle refer to God’s acts here, but later verses show the Messiah as the executor of justice (11:3-4  ^ev). When this takes place, war will cease, and the nations will change their instruments of war into agricultural tools.

• swords into plowshares: Cp. Joel 3:10  ^ew, where the nations are exhorted to hammer their plowshares into swords.
Summary for Isa 2:5-4:1: 2:5–4:1  ^ex Isaiah condemned Israel’s and Judah’s arrogance and self-exaltation, warning them that only God was to be exalted. All attempts by humans to lift themselves up will actually result in humiliation.
Summary for Isa 2:5-22: 2:5-22  ^ey The prophet threatened judgment and scoffed at human pride. All human structures (religious, economic, military, social) will come under divine scrutiny and be found deficient on the day of the Lord—that final day in history when God will judge the wicked once and for all (1 Cor 1:8  ^ez; 1 Thes 5:2  ^fa; 2 Thes 2:2  ^fb; 2 Pet 3:10  ^fc; Rev 20:7-15  ^fd). At times, the prophets also used the expression “the day of the Lord” (or others like it, such as “that day”) to refer to special instances of God’s judgment upon wickedness during the course of history (see Isa 13:6  ^fe, 9  ^ff; Ezek 13:5  ^fg; 30:3  ^fh; Obad 1:15  ^fi). On the day of the Lord, God alone will be exalted, while all human wickedness and pride will be struck down. The glorious day of God’s coming will fill wicked and arrogant humans with terror (Isa 2:10  ^fj, 19  ^fk, 21  ^fl). 2:5  ^fm Come ... let us walk: Walking in God’s light (his revelation) will lead to glorious participation in his kingdom (see 60:1  ^fn; 1 Jn 1:7  ^fo). God is the only light that overcomes the darkness of sin and evil (Isa 9:2  ^fp). People cannot generate such light in and of themselves (59:9  ^fq) but must walk in the light God provides, as they trust him and live in obedience to his will (50:10  ^fr).

• The phrase descendants of Jacob alludes to Israel’s special historic relationship with the Lord as well as their history of sinfulness and rebellion (see 14:1  ^fs; 48:1  ^ft).
2:6  ^fu The Lord had rejected his people to discipline them (8:17  ^fv). While not permanent, the rejection seriously threatened their expectations of a glorious future.

• sorcerers: These practitioners of pagan religion were expressly banned from Israel (Deut 18:10-11  ^fw).

• The Philistines were Israel’s ancient enemies (Isa 9:12  ^fx; 11:14  ^fy; 14:29  ^fz, 31  ^ga).
Summary for Isa 2:7-8: 2:7-8  ^gb Isaiah pointed out all the things that people substitute for the true God: material achievements and securities (silver ... treasures), military strength (warhorses ... chariots), and objects of affection (idols). Such wealth and military strength characterized the reign of King Uzziah (2 Chr 26:6-21  ^gc). Elsewhere, Isaiah pointed out the sheer folly of worshiping anything that is made with one’s own hands (see Isa 44:9-20  ^gd; 45:16  ^ge).
2:10  ^gf In the day of God’s judgment, people will seek refuge in caves in the rocks, natural hiding places in the rocky land of Judah, rather than repent in humility before almighty God. Kings and leaders as well as slaves and free persons will seek protection from judgment (see also Rev 6:15  ^gg).

• The terror of the Lord refers to God’s unbridled wrath against wickedness that will be revealed on the day of the Lord’s judgment. The prophecy shifts from Israel (Isa 2:5-6  ^gh) to humanity at large. The Lord is against anything and anyone that exalts and trusts in human structures and beliefs rather than in him (2:11-12  ^gi, 22  ^gj).
Summary for Isa 2:11-12: 2:11-12  ^gk A key theme in Isaiah is that the Lord will be exalted and humble people will be restored (57:15  ^gl), while proud and mighty people are humbled (26:5  ^gm).

• The day of judgment and the “day of reckoning” are also called the “day of the Lord.” There are seven such references in chs 2–4  ^gn (2:11  ^go, 17  ^gp, 20  ^gq; 3:6  ^gr, 18  ^gs; 4:1  ^gt, 2  ^gu).
Summary for Isa 2:13-16: 2:13-16  ^gv The prophet used several images of human strength to elaborate on 2:11-12  ^gw. 2:13  ^gx The cedars of Lebanon were prized trees used in the construction of Solomon’s Temple and palace (1 Kgs 5:6  ^gy) and other important buildings (Ezra 3:7  ^gz). They represented wealth and power (2 Chr 25:18  ^ha; Pss 92:12  ^hb; 104:16  ^hc), yet these mighty trees were as nothing before the Lord (Isa 10:34  ^hd; 33:9  ^he; see the boast of Sennacherib in 37:24  ^hf).

• The oaks of Bashan were also an image of strength and splendor (Ezek 27:6  ^hg); they, too, will disappoint (Isa 33:9  ^hh; Nah 1:4  ^hi; Zech 11:2  ^hj).
2:16  ^hk every magnificent vessel: Ornate sea-going vessels were a sign of prosperity.
2:17  ^hl The day of judgment is the “day of the Lord” (see 13:4-13  ^hm).
Summary for Isa 2:20-21: 2:20-21  ^hn Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment.
2:22  ^ho The judgment prophecy of 2:6-21  ^hp is set between two related exhortations: to trust the Lord (2:5  ^hq) and not to put trust in human beings (2:22  ^hr).

• Human strength is temporary, frail as breath (see Ps 90  ^hs).

‏ Isaiah 3

Summary for Isa 3:1-12: 3:1-12  ^ht These verses continue the subject of judgment against Israel’s leadership (see 1:23-25  ^hu). The removal of leadership at all levels would allow the mob to gain control. Chaos and famine would turn Judah and Jerusalem into a social wasteland. 3:1  ^hv take away ... bread ... water: God had long ago warned of famine, with its horrible conditions that sometimes led to desperate acts, as one possible judgment for wickedness (Lev 26:26-29  ^hw).
Summary for Isa 3:2-3: 3:2-3  ^hx Regardless of their status, all military, civil, judicial, and religious leaders would be removed in the day of judgment (39:7  ^hy; 2 Kgs 24:14-16  ^hz). God would eventually give his people good leaders again (Isa 1:26  ^ia) but not diviners and others who used pagan forms of revelation (47:9  ^ib, 12-13  ^ic; see Deut 18:10-12  ^id).
3:4  ^ie Conditions would be so severe that boys and toddlers would qualify as candidates for office. By this, Isaiah either meant that adult leaders would be so decimated that only children would be left alive to assume the role or simply that the new leaders would be as immature, unwise, strong willed, and inexperienced as children.
Summary for Isa 3:6-7: 3:6-7  ^if Things would be so bad (a heap of ruins) that no one would want to take leadership. The people would become so desperate that anyone providing food or clothes (3:7  ^ig) could be the leader of the people. In fact, however, no one would have food or clothing (see 4:1  ^ih).
Summary for Isa 3:8-9: 3:8-9  ⁱⁱ The failure of human strength and societal organization can be a form of divine judgment.

• to his face: The people of Judah had become bold in their wickedness like the people of Sodom (3:9  ^ij; see also 1:9-10  ^ik).
3:9  ^il The very look on their faces: At this time people boldly displayed their rebellion against God.
3:10  ^im The godly—the righteous remnant—will receive God’s rewards (see 40:10  ⁱⁿ).
3:11  ^io The wicked who practice and execute injustice will receive God’s just punishment.
3:13  ^ip The Lord is both the prosecutor and the supreme judge in this trial against his people.
3:14  ^iq elders and rulers: Wickedness and abuse by ungodly and incompetent leadership thwarts God’s purpose for his people (see also 3:12  ^ir). Therefore, leaders come under more severe judgment because they bear responsibility for the welfare of those under them.

• my vineyard: See the Song of the Vineyard (5:1-7  ^is).
3:15  ^it The Lord cares for the poor. These were the marginalized and oppressed (see 1:17  ^iu), but God is their protector (see 25:4  ^iv). God called for his people to share his concern for the poor, but the Israelites were exploiting them to gain wealth (see 3:14  ^iw).
Summary for Isa 3:16-4:1: 3:16–4:1  ^ix This passage applies the prophet’s teaching on arrogance (see 2:11-12  ^iy) to the people of Jerusalem. An alternate understanding is that this passage applies specifically to the women of Jerusalem. 3:16  ^iz The dramatic descriptions show how the people of Jerusalem loved their refined way of life. They openly displayed their proud self-reliance, power, and prestige.

• Beautiful Zion: See thematic note for Zion at end of chapter.
Summary for Isa 3:17-25: 3:17-25  ^ja In a reversal of fortune, the affluent and proud people of Jerusalem would suffer disgrace. Some of their ornaments (3:18  ^jb) likely were amulets to keep evil away, but they could not ward off the calamity of judgment. These items of beauty were status symbols and represented financial security.
3:25  ^jc The men ... will die in battle: Part of the city’s hopeless destitution would be the deaths of the men.

Thematic note: Zion
Zion is the Hebrew name for the mountain in Jerusalem where the Temple was located (2 Sam 5:7  ^jd; see also 2 Chr 3:1  ^je). Zion is used as a synonym for Jerusalem, and the NLT often translates Zion as “Jerusalem” (e.g., Pss 69:35  ^jf; 87:2  ^jg; 97:8  ^jh; 132:13  ^ji). Thus Zion can refer to the actual, physical city of Jerusalem that was destroyed in 586 BC (see 102:13  ^jj; 126:1  ^jk; 137:1  ^jl) and again in AD 70.
Zion also signifies the city of God that transcends geographical location. Zion is God’s universal kingdom, the city in which he dwells (74:2  ^jm; 76:2  ^jn; 84:7  ^jo; 135:21  ^jp; see Isa 26  ^jq). This city embodies trust, justice, righteousness, and commitment, for the Lord does not tolerate impurity, uncleanness, idolatry, injustice, or unrighteousness (Isa 1:21-28  ^jr). The prophets and poets of Israel speak of the city of God as being more extensive than the physical city. The citizens of this city come from Judah, Israel, and the nations (see Ps 87:5-6  ^js; Heb 12:22-24  ^jt). Zion is on a high mountain (Ps 48:2  ^ju) at the center of God’s kingdom on earth (99:2  ^jv; 132:13  ^jw), and God’s throne is there (9:11  ^jx). Therefore, godly prayers and praise focus on Zion (53:6  ^jy; 65:1  ^jz; 147:12  ^ka; 149:2  ^kb), and redemption is sought there (14:7  ^kc; 20:2  ^kd; 50:2  ^ke; 53:6  ^kf). David’s descendants are the legitimate heirs who rule over Zion to establish God’s universal kingdom (2:6  ^kg; 110:2  ^kh).
Zion is symbolic of God’s protection and blessings (Pss 46:4-11  ^ki; 48:1-14  ^kj; 51:18  ^kk; 128:5  ^kl; 134:3  ^km). Anyone who trusts in the Lord is as secure as Mount Zion (125:1  ^kn), but those who reject the Lord also reject the security of Zion and have no future (129:5-8  ^ko).
The New Testament speaks of Mount Zion as a heavenly Jerusalem, the spiritual home of those from all nations who have been reborn through faith in Jesus Christ (Heb 12:22-24  ^kp; see also Gal 4:24-26  ^kq; Rev 3:12  ^kr; 21:2-4  ^ks). Abraham looked forward in faith to “a city with eternal foundations” (Heb 11:10  ^kt), a city in which all men and women of faith are citizens (Heb 12:22-24  ^ku). Because the Lord knows no geographical limitations (1 Kgs 8:27  ^kv), the true Zion he inhabits is the hearts of all who worship him.


Passages for Further Study
2 Sam 5:7  ^kw; 1 Kgs 8:1  ^kx; Pss 14:7  ^ky; 48:1-14  ^kz; 50:2  ^la; 51:18  ^lb; 68:16  ^lc; 78:68  ^ld; 87:2  ^le, 5  ^lf; 125:1  ^lg; 128:5  ^lh; 132:13  ^li; 133:3  ^lj; 135:21  ^lk; 147:12  ^ll; Isa 1:27  ^lm; 2:3  ^ln; 3:16-17  ^lo, 26  ^lp; 4:3-5  ^lq; 8:18  ^lr; 10:12  ^ls, 24  ^lt, 32  ^lu; 16:1  ^lv; 24:23  ^lw; 29:8  ^lx; 30:19  ^ly; 31:4  ^lz, 9  ^ma; 33:20  ^mb; 37:22  ^mc, 32  ^md; 40:9  ^me; 41:27  ^mf; 52:1-2  ^mg; 60:14  ^mh; 62:1  ^mi; 64:10  ^mj; Jer 26:18  ^mk; 51:35  ^ml; Lam 2:13  ^mm; Joel 2:32  ^mn; 3:16-17  ^mo; Amos 1:2  ^mp; Obad 1:21  ^mq; Mic 3:12  ^mr; 4:2  ^ms; Zeph 3:14  ^mt, 16  ^mu; Zech 1:14  ^mv, 17  ^mw; 2:7  ^mx; 8:2-3  ^my; 9:9  ^mz; Heb 12:22  ^na; Rev 14:1  ^nb

‏ Isaiah 4

4:1  ^nc During Isaiah’s ministry, Jerusalem’s population was so decimated through war, famine, and disease (3:1-3  ^nd; 6:13  ^ne; 14:30  ^nf; 22:2  ^ng; 37:4  ^nh) that there were few men left, creating an absence of leadership (see 3:1-12  ⁿⁱ). Even worse conditions lay ahead with the approaching war between Judah and the alliance of Syria and Israel in 734–732 BC (2 Chr 28  ^nj) and eventually the conquest and fall of Jerusalem (605–586 BC).
Summary for Isa 4:2-6: 4:2-6  ^nk In bold contrast to the desperate picture of 3:16–4:1  ^nl, this prophecy of salvation and hope (see also 2:2-4  ^nm) promised cleansing, consecration, and the renewal of God’s presence with the remnant. The imagery in 4:5-6  ⁿⁿ alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, when a pillar of cloud and of fire guided and protected them. Israel’s restoration from exile would be a second exodus. 4:2  ^no The branch in this context probably refers to the remnant that would constitute Israel’s new beginning after the Exile (see 6:13  ^np). Some also understand it as representing the ideal descendant of David, the Messiah (see 11:1  ^nq; Jer 23:5  ^nr; 33:15-16  ^ns; Zech 3:8  ^nt; 6:12  ^nu).

• A beautiful and glorious transformation from shame and disgrace (Isa 3:17-25  ^nv) to fertility and beauty would manifest God’s presence and blessing among the remnant (4:6  ^nw).

• The fruit of the land, nature itself, would also be transformed from desolation to glory. Elsewhere, Isaiah described the future circumstances as resembling the Garden of Eden (see 51:3  ^nx; 65:22  ^ny). The message of renewal finds its ultimate fulfillment in the new creation (see Rom 8:19-27  ^nz; 2 Cor 5:17  ^oa; Gal 6:15  ^ob; Eph 2:15  ^oc; 4:24  ^od; Rev 21:22-27  ^oe).

• Those who survive in Israel—the remnant—would be the true citizens of Zion.
4:3  ^of To be holy was the requirement for citizenship in Zion, where God dwells in his glorious majesty (see 6:3  ^og; Heb 12:14  ^oh).

• The remnant would have their names recorded among the living in the Book of Life (Exod 32:32  ^oi; Dan 12:1  ^oj; Mal 3:16  ^ok; Rev 3:5  ^ol; 20:12  ^om).
4:4  ^on God’s judgment has a purifying effect on his covenant people (see Mal 3:3  ^oo). Justice must be satisfied before restoration can be offered.
4:5  ^op The references to a canopy of cloud ... and smoke and flaming fire recall God’s continuous presence and protection during the exodus from Egypt (Exod 13:21-22  ^oq; 14:21-22  ^or).
4:6  ^os shelter (literally shadow; see 32:2  ^ot): See 32:2  ^ou; God’s protection would keep the remnant safe from enemies and from the destruction he would bring on the wicked (33:14-16  ^ov).

‏ Isaiah 5

Summary for Isa 5:1-30: 5:1-30  ^ow The prophet pronounced judgment through song (5:1-7  ^ox) and prophecies of woe (5:8-30  ^oy). Although Israel’s future condition would be one of purity and fellowship with God (4:2-6  ^oz), that future cannot ignore the present sinful condition of the people and their leaders.
Summary for Isa 5:1-7: 5:1-7  ^pa The Song of the Vineyard expresses in poetic form God’s indictment of the wicked leadership that had ruined his vineyard, Israel. Like some wisdom literature, it presents readers with an account of a puzzling situation (5:1-2  ^pb) before giving its spiritual significance (5:3-7  ^pc). The theme of the vineyard’s transformation is found again in ch 27  ^pd and in Jesus’ teaching (Matt 21:33  ^pe; Mark 12:1  ^pf). 5:1  ^pg The one I love refers to the Lord; the prophet was singing this song on the Lord’s behalf.

• At first, the song sounds like a love song, but by 5:3  ^ph readers realize it is actually a complaint.

• On Israel as God’s vineyard, see also 3:14  ^pi; Matt 21:33-46  ^pj; John 15:1-17  ^pk.
5:2  ^pl The Lord gave the best care to his vineyard, preparing and nursing it as an expert agriculturalist. He watched over it with great attentiveness, planting the best vines—ones that had the potential for abundant sweet grapes. God had great expectations of Israel as his people (see Exod 19:5-6  ^pm), so the bitter grapes they produced—their unrighteous deeds—were useless and disappointing (cp. Gal 5:22-23  ^pn).
Summary for Isa 5:3-4: 5:3-4  ^po Clearly, the Lord had graciously done everything possible for the vineyard. He was not to blame for the bitter grapes.

• you judge: Isaiah wanted the audience to condemn the vineyard before he revealed that in fact they were the vineyard (5:7  ^pp). This rhetorical tactic is similar to the one Nathan used to confront David (2 Sam 12:1-5  ^pq).
Summary for Isa 5:5-6: 5:5-6  ^pr The Lord promised to make his vineyard, Israel, a desolate place because it was fit only for destruction. Later, Isaiah prophesied the gracious, glorious transformation of Israel from desolation to fruitful vitality (see 55:13  ^ps).
5:6  ^pt The withholding of rain was at times a divine judgment (Deut 28:23-24  ^pu; Hag 1:11  ^pv; 2:16  ^pw). It was especially devastating to a society that depended heavily on agriculture.
5:7  ^px The identification of Israel as the vineyard is a surprise that resolves the riddle of this passage.

• Here, a powerful play on Hebrew words indicted Israel. The Lord expected justice (Hebrew mishpat) but saw only oppression (mispakh) of the needy. Instead of righteousness (tsedaqah), there were cries of violence (tse‘aqah) against the poor (see 1:21-23  ^py).
Summary for Isa 5:8-23: 5:8-23  ^pz This section contains six pronouncements of sorrow—six threats of dreadful judgment (5:8  ^qa, 11  ^qb, 18  ^qc, 20  ^qd, 21  ^qe, 22  ^qf). The sorrows identify some of the “bitter grapes” produced by the vineyard of Israel (5:1-7  ^qg).
Summary for Isa 5:8-10: 5:8-10  ^qh What sorrow: The first threat of judgment was against oppressive greed. Properties (house and field) were being taken by illegal means. The new owners were thugs who used every avenue to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor (see 1 Kgs 21:1-29  ^qi; Amos 2:6-7  ^qj).
5:10  ^qk As with drought (5:5-6  ^ql), the reduction of crops was at times a divine judgment (see Hag 1:6  ^qm, 9  ^qn; 2:16  ^qo).
Summary for Isa 5:11-17: 5:11-17  ^qp What sorrow: The second threat of judgment concerned indulgent lifestyles. The language throughout this section indicates a life of corruption.
5:12  ^qq Self-indulgent and contented, these people never think about the Lord. They were too busy enjoying their drunken parties to reflect on why things went bad in the first place, such as why God sent no rain, or why they lost a battle.
5:13  ^qr Israel and Judah would go into exile to Assyria (722 BC) and Babylon (586 BC).

• The people did not respond to the Lord because they did not know him (see 1:3  ^qs). They likely knew about him, but their behavior showed that they did not know him in any intimate way.
5:14  ^qt The grave (Hebrew Sheol) represented the place of the dead in ancient Near Eastern thinking (see 14:9  ^qu).
5:16  ^qv God’s kingship is by definition just and righteous, and he will be exalted by his justice. At his exaltation, oppressors will be condemned (see 1:21-23  ^qw).
Summary for Isa 5:18-19: 5:18-19  ^qx What sorrow: The third threat of judgment was against mockers, who openly treated God’s authority with contempt. 5:18  ^qy God’s ropes were “ropes of kindness and love” for Israel (Hos 11:4  ^qz).
5:19  ^ra The people challenged God to hurry up and do something to prove that he really exists and is in control of this world. The verb hurry up translates two Hebrew verbs: maher (“be quick”) and khush (“be speedy”). The same Hebrew words are used in the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isa 8:1  ^rb).

• God’s plan was revealed to Isaiah. Little did the people know that God’s purposes would turn against them.
5:20  ^rc What sorrow: The fourth threat of judgment was against a lack of integrity.

• evil is good ... dark is light ... bitter is sweet: This twisted way of looking at life corrupts God’s holy order.
5:21  ^rd What sorrow: The fifth threat of judgment concerned the folly of self-deception.
Summary for Isa 5:22-24: 5:22-24  ^re What sorrow: The sixth threat of judgment was against the indulgent lifestyle of the wicked.
5:24  ^rf The image of rotting roots reflects human transience (cp. 11:1  ^rg; 27:6  ^rh; 37:31  ^ri).

• To despise the Lord’s word means to ignore it, to live without regard for keeping it. Such an attitude toward God’s revelation leads to folly and ruin (Prov 1:30  ^rj; 5:12  ^rk; 15:5  ^rl).
5:25  ^rm mountains tremble: God’s wrath against sinners is often expressed as the shaking of the earth’s foundations (13:13  ^rn; 23:11  ^ro; 24:18-19  ^rp; 29:6  ^rq; 54:10  ^rr). God’s appearance in judgment or salvation in natural phenomena such as smoke, darkness, lightning, and earthquake is called a theophany (see 6:1-4  ^rs, 6  ^rt; 13:13  ^ru; Exod 19:18-19  ^rv; Ps 18:7-15  ^rw; Mic 1:3-4  ^rx; Rev 8:5  ^ry; 16:17-18  ^rz; 18:21-22  ^sa).
5:26  ^sb The signal was a banner raised on a long pole and often placed on a high hill (see also 13:2  ^sc; 18:3  ^sd; 30:17  ^se). The expression signal to distant nations is common in Isaiah and might be a call for participation in battle (as here) or in salvation (11:10  ^sf, 12  ^sg; 49:22  ^sh; 62:10  ^si).

• Distant nations refers to the Assyrians and Babylonians, who served as instruments of God’s judgment on Israel (722 BC) and on Judah (586 BC). They were the wild “animals” (5:5  ^sj) called in to trample the vineyard (5:1-7  ^sk). They would fiercely attack Israel and Judah, not letting up until God’s judgment was complete (5:27-30  ^sl).
5:30  ^sm day of destruction (literally that day; see study note on 2:5-22).

• In Old Testament prophecy, darkness represents the experience of God’s alienation, wrath, and judgment (see also 8:22  ^sn), while light stands for his holy presence (see especially 60:2  ^so, 19  ^sp).