Nazarene Commentary 2000©
21st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures©
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21st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures©
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THE PROPHET ISAIAH
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:
JERUSALEM WARNED
Summary
Woe is pronounced on Ariel [Jerusalem] as God’s Fireplace, warning of the coming siege. However, the dreams of Babylon will not be realized. YHWH rebukes His own people for a lack of understanding, perversity and disbelief. Despite this better times
are promised. This chapter is the source of many quotations and allusions by Jesus and Paul and so the material has more than one application.
Isaiah 29:1-6 – Woe to Ariel
IS29:1 [YeHoWaH says:] “Ariel!
Woe, Ariel! The city David besieged!
O, all you people, pile year upon year! Let the festivals come again and again!
| 1193 | Ariel: The name is Hebrew and some see it mean “Lion[ness] of God” while others see “Hearth of God.” The
latter is like based on the end of verse 2. It is a prophetic name for Jerusalem. |
| 1194 | The city David besieged:
That is, Salem of the Jebusites. Or, NJB: where David encamped; RHM: the city against which David encamped; LXX: which David besieged. See the Hebrew in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #740. [2 Samuel 5:9] |
| 1195 | Let the festivals come again and again: Likely spoken with divine sarcasm. [Leviticus 23:2; 2 Chronicles 8:13] |
IS29:2 And yet I will bring distressing circumstances upon Ariel.
She will become only mourning and lamentation.
Yes, she will become God’s Fireplace!
| 1196 | I will bring distressing circumstances upon Ariel: Or, LXX: grievously afflict [EKTHYLIPSO]; RHM: straits; JPS: harass; NJB: inflict
trouble; DAR: distress. Compare the Mosaic Curse at Deuteronomy 28:53, 55. Note the Hebrew word at Daniel 7:25 and the Greek at Daniel 12:1, then compare with Matthew 24:21, 29 and Revelation 7:14. The oppression or tribulation is against Israel, and later
against the Church. |
| 1197 | She will become only mourning and lamentation: Or, NJB: signing and sobbing; JPS: sorrow and sighing; RHM: bewailing and wailing; BAS: weeping and cries of grief. [Lamentations 1:4] |
| 1198 | She will become God’s Fireplace: Or, RHM: a veritable Hearth of God; JPS: like Ariel. Return to Isaiah 9:19. [Jeremiah 15:14; 17:4; Zephaniah 1:7] It is possible the idea of an “altar” is meant and so an allusion to God’s “holocaust” against Jerusalem. |
IS29:3 I will
lay siege, surrounding [Jerusalem] – encircled by a siege fortress
[Luke 19:43; 21:24] – siege-works raised against you [Jerusalem].
| 1199 | I will lay siege, surrounding [Jerusalem] – encircled by a siege fortress: Or, LXX: I will compass thee about like David;
JPS: I will camp against you round about. Note Christ’s words at Luke 19:43 and Luke 21:24. If the Nazarene Master does more than just borrow the words – that is gives an inspired application – then we could entertain the idea that there is more than one fulfillment. [2 Kings 24:11; 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1; Ezekiel 4:2; 21:22] Compare the notes on Daniel 11:15; 11:40-44 in Nazarene Apocalypse 2000©. |
IS29:4 You will be brought down so low.
You will speak out of the ground, speaking low from the dust,
just like a spiritualist making voices come from the ground.
From the very dirt you will utter a ghostly birdlike peep.
| 1200 | You will be brought down so low: Or, NJB: laid low; JPS: speak lower than; LXX: thy words shall be brought down to the earth. |
| 1201 | You will speak out of the ground, speaking low from the dust: Or, JPS: your speech shall be humbler than the sod; BAS: and your voice
will come out of the earth, and your words will be low out of the dust. See Isaiah 51:23. [Psalm 44:25] |
| 1202 | Just
like a spiritualist making voices come from the ground: Or, JPS: your speech shall sound like a ghost’s from the ground; RHM: as one that hath a familiar spirit; NJB: speak from the underworld; BAS: like that of a spirit. |
| 1203 | From the very dirt you will utter a ghostly birdlike peep: Or, NJB: rise like a murmur from the dust; RHM: thy speech shall chirp; JPS:
chirp from the sod; BAS: making bird-like noises out of the dust. Return to Isaiah 8:19. |
IS29:5 Then your foreign enemies will multiply as fine dust,
and like swirling chaff tyrants will become a multitude.
It will happen so suddenly – in the blink of an eye.
| 1204 | Then your foreign enemies will multiply as fine dust: Or, DAR: the multitude of thine enemies shall be like small dust. That is,
the multitude of Babylonian armies. |
| 1205 | Like swirling chaff tyrants will become a multitude: Or, BAS: all the cruel ones like dry stems gone before the wind; DAR: the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away. Return to Isaiah 17:13. |
| 1206 | It will happen so suddenly – in the blink of an eye: Or, JPS: suddenly, in an instant; RHM: in a twinkling, suddenly. See Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #6621. [Isaiah 47:9; 48:3] |
IS29:6 YeHoWaH of [angelic] armies will turn His attention to you [Jerusalem]
– with thunder, earthquake, and gigantic noise!
– tornado and cyclone, and a devouring fire-storm!” | 1207 | Turn His attention to you [Jerusalem]: Or, visited, punished; LXX: visited [EPISCOPE]. |
| 1208 | With thunder, earthquake, and gigantic noise: Or, NJB: mighty din; RHM: great noise; JPS: roaring, and shaking, and deafening noise; LXX: earthquake [SEISMOU]. |
| 1209 | Tornado and cyclone, and a devouring fire-storm: Or, JPS: tempest; RHM: hurricane; DAR: whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. [Jeremiah 50:25; Nahum
1:3] |
Isaiah 29:7, 8 – War against Ariel a Dream
IS29:7 It will all be just like a dream during the night when the tremendous crowd of all the nations come making war on Ariel
– coming with all those who wish to war against her, with
those besiegers laying siege against her.
[Luke 19:43]
| 1210 | It will all be just like a dream during the night when the tremendous crowd of all the nations come making war on Ariel: Or, NJB:
like a vision at night: the horde of all the nations at war with Ariel; LXX: that war against Jerusalem; BAS: And all the nations making war on Ariel, and all those who are fighting against her and shutting her in with their towers, will be like a dream, like
a vision of the night. [Zechariah 14:2] That is, a nightmare. |
| 1211 | Those besiegers laying siege against her:
See the possible allusion by Jesus at Luke 19:43. |
IS29:8 It will turn out to be just as when a hungry person dreams and begins eating while asleep.
Or, just like the thirsty person, and look! drinking while asleep! But then the dreamer wakes up and is faint from hunger as the soul craves.
So it will be for that tremendous crowd of nations that have arrive to war against Mount Zion. | 1212 | Just as when a hungry person dreams and begins eating while asleep: Or, BAS: it will be like a man desiring food, and dreaming that he is feasting; but when he is
awake there is nothing in his mouth. |
| 1213 | Faint from hunger as the soul craves: Or, BAS: when he is awake he
is feeble and his soul [NEPHESH] is full of desire; LXX: his soul [PSYCHE] has desired in vain. |
| 1214 | War
against Mount Zion: Note Zechariah 14:1-3, 16 and compare with Revelation 11:2, 3. |
Isaiah 29-9-12 – Blind and Asleep!
IS29:9 Stand completely still!
And stare in amazement! Act like the blind – and so be blinded!
They are all drunk, but not from wine.
They stagger, but not from intoxicating liquor.
| 1215 | Stand completely still: Or, RHM: stand ye stock still. |
| 1216 | Act like the blind – and so be blinded: Or, RHM: NJB: go blind, unseeing; RHM: besmear your eys and be blind; LXX: faint ye, and be amazed; BAS: Be surprised and full of wonder; let your eyes be covered and be blind. Return to Isaiah 6:9. |
| 1217 | They are all drunk, but not from wine: Compare Jeremiah 51:7. [Revelation 18:3] |
IS29:10 For
YeHoWaH has poured over all of you a spirit of deep sleep. Yes, your eyes – the prophets – shut tight their own eyes;
and your heads – the visionaries – He has covered. [Romans 11:8]
| 1218 | YeHoWaH has poured over all of you a spirit of deep sleep: Or, LXX: spirit of [PNEUMATI]. The verse is paraphrased by Paul at Romans 11:8. He applies it to Jews in his day. |
| 1219 | Prophets: Return to Isaiah 3:2; 9:15; 28:7. |
IS29:11 So all vision has become to all of you like written words that are sealed.
And when given to someone who can read – and then told, “Please read this” – the response is, “I can’t because it is sealed.”
| 1220 | So all vision has become to all of you like written words that are sealed: Or, BAS: the vision of all this has become to you like
the words of a book which is shut. Return to Isaiah 8:16. Note Daniel 12:4 and Revelation 5:1. The words here are used by one Christian group to prove their special book. However, observe the context as well as the context of Paul when quoting. [Compare Daniel
12:9 and Revelation 22:10. |
IS29:12 Or, when the writing is given to someone who can’t read – and then told, “Please, read this” – and the response is, “I
can’t read!”
Isaiah 29:13, 14 – Human Commandments Condemned
IS29:13 And so YeHoWaH says: “This people approaches with just their mouth, and only with their lips to they honor Me. Their heart remains distant from Me, and so their reverential awe comes only from human commandments they have been taught by ritualized speech.
[Matthew 15:8, 9 Mark 7:6-8; Acts 28:27]
| 1221 | This people approaches with just their mouth: Jesus quotes the verse against the Jewish hierarchy of his day as well as those misled by them. [Matthew 15:8, 9; Mark 7:6-8] Paul quotes it among Jewish believers in Rome. [Acts 28:27] |
| 1222 | So their reverential awe comes only from human commandments: Or, LXX: in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men; JPS: and its worship of Me has been a commandment of men; RHM: so their reverence of me hath become a commandment of men; NJB: and reverence for me, as far as they are concerned, is nothing but human commandment; BAS: their fear of me is false, a rule given them by the teaching of men; YLT: precept of men is taught. See Jesus’ application in Matthew 15:8, 9. Worship can be “vain” or worthless if only from a human source. |
| 1223 | They have been taught by ritualized speech: Or, NJB: a lesson memorised; RHM: in which they have been taught [footnote: taught by rote]; JPS: learned by rote; BAS: a rule given them by the teaching of men. See notes on Colossians 2:22. |
IS29:14 And so, watch Me! I am once again treating these people in an awesome manner,
doing something awesome in an awesome manner.
Thus,
the wisdom of their wise will perish, and the intelligence of their intellectuals will disappear!”
[1 Corinthians 1:19]| 1224 | I am once again treating these people in an awesome manner: Or, BAS: For this cause I will again do a strange
thing among this people; DAR: I will proceed to do marvellously with this people, to do marvellously. Return to Isaiah 28:22. [Habakkuk 1:5] |
| 1225 |
Doing something awesome in an awesome manner: Or, JPS: I shall further baffle that people with bafflement upon bafflement; RHM: doing wonderfully a wonderful thing; NJB: astounding this people with prodigies and wonders. |
| 1226 | he wisdom of their wise will perish: Or, NJB: doomed; JPS: shall fail; LXX: destroy. The phrasing is quoted by Paul at 1 Corinthians
1:19. The LXX Greek is TEN SOPHIAN TON SOPHON. |
| 1227 | The intelligence of their intellectuals will disappear:
Or, LXX: will hide the understanding of the prudent; RHM: the intelligence of their intelligent shall vanish; NJB: the understanding of any who understand will vanish; BAS: the sense of their guides will no longer be seen. [Jeremiah 8:9; Acts 28:26; Romans
1:28] |
Isaiah 29:15, 16 – Perverted Counselors
IS29:15 Woe to those who think their deep counsels are too deep for YeHoWaH!
[Those] who keep giving mystical instruction in dark, secret places of performing.
They assert: “Who can see us? Who will understand us?”
| 1228 | Woe to those who think their deep counsels are too deep for YeHoWaH: Or, JPS: hide their plans deep from; NJB: who burrow down
to conceal their plans from Yahweh; RHM: too deep for Yahweh; BAS: Cursed are those who go deep to keep their designs secret from the Lord. |
| 1229 |
Keep giving mystical instruction in dark, secret places of performing: Or, NJB: who scheme in the dark; JPS: who do their work in dark places. [Job 24:15; Ezekiel 8:12] |
IS29:16 You
perverts!
Will the Potter be considered the clay? Will the thing made say
to its Maker, “He did not make me!” Or, will the thing created say to the Creator, “He knows nothing!” [Romans 9:20, 21]| 1230 |
You perverts: Or, JPS: how perverse; RHM: your perverseness; BAS: You are turning things upside down. |
| 1231 | Will the Potter be considered the clay: Paul quotes the verse at Romans 9:20, 21 in the context of why God permits wickedness. |
Isaiah 29:17-21 – Blessings when Tyranny Ends
IS29:17 It just a little more time Lebanon will be converted into a garden,
and the garden will be considered a forest.
| 1232 | Lebanon will be converted into a garden: Lebanon was famous for its great trees. These would become as the short vegetation of
a garden, and then these would be like trees. Countries who have seen a great deal of war are absent ancient trees which have been cut down for fuel or siege-works. [Luke 19:43] |
IS29:18 And
so in that day the deaf will hear
the written word, and out of gloomy darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
| 1233 | The deaf will hear: See Isaiah 35:5 and Luke 4:18. |
IS29:19 Then
the oppressed who have been humiliated will rejoice
in YeHoWaH, and humankind’s needy will triumph
in the Holy One of Israel.
| 1234 | Then the oppressed who have been humiliated will rejoice: Or, BAS: the poor will have their joy in the Lord increased; DAR: the
meek shall increase their joy in Jehovah; RHM: again shall the humbled [footnote: oppressed] in Yahweh have joy. |
| 1235 |
Humankind’s needy will triumph: Or, JPS: the neediest of men; NJB: the poorest of people; RHM: the needy of mankind. |
IS29:20 For the ruthless tyrant has disappeared,
and the skeptic no longer exists.
Yes, those who keep searching for wrongdoing will be cut off,
| 1236 | Ruthless tyrant has disappeared: Or, NJB: the tyrant will be no more; LXX: the lawless; BAS: the cruel one has come to nothing. |
| 1237 | The skeptic no longer exists: Or, scoffer, scorner; BAS: those who make sport of the Lord are gone. Return to Isaiah 28:14. |
| 1238 | Those who keep searching for wrongdoing will be cut off: Or, BAS: those who are watching to do evil are cut off. [Micah 2:1] There are
those who character is so foul that they constantly look for something evil or harmful. Some of these are described in the following phrases. |
IS29:21 including those who arrest and judge someone merely by slander.
And also those who use reproof at the gate as a trap,
and those shunning righteous people without a basis. | 1239 | Those who arrest and judge someone merely by slander: Or, NJB: incriminate others by their words; JPS: cause men to lose their lawsuits; LXX: they that cause men to sin by a word; RHM: who bring a man into condemnation
with a rumour. Note this danger in the words of the Nazarene Master at Matthew 12:35-37. |
| 1240 | Those who use reproof
at the gate as a trap: Or, JPS: laying a snare for the arbiter at the gate; BAS: who put a net for the feet of him who gives decisions in the public place. [Amos 5:10] In Jerusalem elders – often retired priests – heard judicial cases at the
gates in public, and here it is suggested that this evil person manipulates matters against an innocent person. |
| 1241 |
Those shunning righteous people without a basis: Or, RHM: have driven away for a thing of nought one who was righteous. |
Isaiah 29:22-24 – They Will Sanctify My Name
IS29:22 And so YeHoWaH says regarding the house of Jacob – even the One who redeemed Abraham – says: “Jacob will turn pale no longer, and no more will their faces turn white.
| 1242 | No more will their faces turn white: That is, with shame and fear. Or, BAS: will not now be put to shame, or his face be clouded
with fear. |
IS29:23 For when [Jacob] looks upon his children – the work of His hands in his midst – they will sanctify My Name.
Yes, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and they will stand in awe
of The God of Israel.
| 1243 | They will sanctify My Name: Or, JPS: hallow; NJB: acknowledge my name is holy. [1 Chronicles 23:13; Isaiah 5:16; Ezekiel 36:23]
Compare notes on Matthew 6:9. God’s Name is a major theme in the Bible. [Leviticus 22:32] |
| 1244 | They will stand in awe: Or, RHM: regard with awe; LXX: shall fear. Return to Isaiah 8:13. [Revelation 15:4] |
IS29:24 Then those who made a mistake in their spirit
will pay attention to understanding, and those who whispered slander will learn [true] doctrine.” | 1245 | Made a mistake in their spirit: Or, LXX: erred in spirit [PNEUMATI]; JPS: the confused shall acquire insight; NJB: erring spirits [RUWACH] will learn to understand;
BAS: whose hearts were turned away from him will get knowledge; DAR: of erring spirit. |
| 1246 | Those who whispered
slander will learn [true] doctrine: Or, RHM: murmurers accept instruction; JPS: grumblers; LXX: stammering tongues; BAS: those who made an outcry against him will give attention to his teaching; DAR: the disobedient shall learn doctrine. |
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Nazarene Commentary 2000©
Mark Heber Miller
©2000 All Rights Reserved
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