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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:
THE WAY OF HOLINESS

Summary

The land of Israel will be blessed as desert-land turns into a burst of flowers and trees. Those who are weak or frightened are strengthened. There is healing for the blind, deaf, mute and crippled. The wasteland will burst forth with water. A Way of Holiness will pass through the land, and on it only the holy, pure and moral may travel the Way. The ransomed will travel there with great rejoicing.

Isaiah 35:1, 2 – Blessings on the Land

IS35:1 Wilderness and wasteland will be completely satisfied. 1447 The desert will triumph and blossom as the meadow-saffron. 1448

1447

Wilderness and wasteland will be completely satisfied: Or, BAS: The waste land and the dry places will be glad; LXX: Be glad, thou thirsty desert. Return to Isaiah 29:17; 32:15. Compare Isaiah 51:3. [Ezekiel 36:35] Though some see a literal fulfillment as the Jews return to their homeland of Israel, many also would apply the prophecy to the spiritual environment within the Christian Church. See notes on verse 3.

1448	The desert will triumph and blossom as the meadow-saffron: Or, BAS: the lowland will have joy and be full of flowers; DAR: the desert [ARABAH] shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose; LXX: let the wilderness exult, and flower as the lily. Return to Isaiah 4:2; 27:6. Compare Isaiah 55:12.

IS35:2 It will blossom abundantly and triumph. 1449 For a certainty there will be jubilance and triumphant shouts. 1450 The splendor of Lebanon will be given the land, as well as the grandeur of Carmel and Sharon. 1451 Then they will all behold the magnificence of Y^eH^oW^aH, the splendor of our God. 1452

1449	It will blossom abundantly and triumph: Or, BAS: It will be flowering like the rose; LXX: he desert places of Jordan shall blossom and rejoice. [Hosea 14:5]

1450	Jubilance and triumphant shouts: Or, BAS: it will be full of delight and songs; JPS: even with joy and singing. It seems clear that the imagery and figures of speech describe the “ransomed” mentioned below.

1451	Lebanon, Carmel and Sharon: Known for their luxuriant vegetation of all kinds. See notes elsewhere on these place-names.

1452

Then they will all behold the magnificence of YeHoWaH, the splendor of our God: Or, BAS: they will see the glory of the Lord, the power of our God; JPS: they shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God; LXX: my people shall see [OPSETAI] the glory [DOXAN] of the Lord, and the majesty of God. On the glory of God see Exodus 33:18. [1 Chronicles 16:27; Psalm 97:6; 104:1; 145:5] What they see is the evidence of God’s glory in the restored land. [Romans 1:20]

Isaiah 35:3-7 – The Weak Strengthened and Healed

IS35:3 All of you strengthen your weak hands that droop, 1453 [Hebrews 12:12] steady your trembling knees. 1454

1453	Strengthen your weak hands that droop: Or, BAS: Make strong the feeble hands; DAR: Strengthen the weak hands; LXX: Be strong, ye relaxed hands. Paul alludes to this phrase at Hebrews 12:12. [Job 4:4] Paul’s use would indicate an application to the Christian Church.

1454	Steady your trembling knees: Or, BAS: give support to the shaking knees; DAR: confirm the tottering knees. The weakness is due to the anxiety next mentioned.

IS35:4 Tell those anxious of heart: 1455 “Be strong. Do not be afraid. Behold, your God is arriving with retribution. 1456 He arrives to save you with the recompense of God.” 1457

1455

Tell those anxious of heart: Or, BAS: full of fear; DAR: of a timid heart; JPS: fearful heart; LXX: Comfort one another, ye fainthearted; RHM: hurried in heart; NJB: faint-hearted. Compare Luke 12:32. [Proverbs 12:25] See the word-group “anxiety” in the Christian Scriptures. [Matthew 6:25, 27, 31, 34; 13:22; Luke 12:11, 22, 25; 21:34]

1456	Your God is arriving with retribution: Or, BAS: your God will give punishment; DAR: behold your God: vengeance cometh; JPS: your God will come with vengeance; LXX: our God renders judgement. Compare notes on Romans 12:19.

1457	He arrives to save you with the recompense of God: Or, BAS: he himself will come to be your saviour.; DAR: He will come himself, and save you; LXX: he will come HEXEI] and save [SOSEI] us. Return to Isaiah 25:9.

IS35:5 At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, and deaf ears will hear. 1458 [Matthew 11:5]

1458	At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, and deaf ears will hear: Or, BAS: Then the eyes of the blind will see, and the ears which are stopped will be open. The language is echoed by the Nazarene at Matthew 11:5. [Luke 7:22]

IS35:6 Then the lame will spring up just like a deer. 1459 The tongue of the mute will shout. 1460 All because waters will gush forth in the desert, and streams in the wasteland. 1461

1459	The lame will spring up just like a deer: Or, BAS: Then will the feeble-footed be jumping like a roe; DAR: leap as a hart; NJB: deer. [Matthew 11:5; Acts 8:7]

1460	The tongue of the mute will shout: Or, BAS: the voice which was stopped will be loud in song; DAR: the tongue of the dumb sing; LXX: the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly. [Matthew 15:30]

1461	All because waters will gush forth in the desert, and streams in the wasteland: Or, BAS: for in the waste land streams will be bursting out, and waters in the dry places; DAR: in the wilderness shall waters break out; JPS: in the wilderness shall waters break out.

IS35:7 At that time sand shimmering under the heat of the sun will become a lake. 1462 Then springs of water in thirsty ground, right in the burrow of the jackal. 1463 It will become plots for green reeds and papyrus plants.

1462	At that time sand shimmering under the heat of the sun will become a lake: Or, BAS: the burning sand will become a pool; DAR: the mirage shall become a pool; JPS: parched land shall become a pool. [Isaiah 44:3]

1463

Then springs of water in thirsty ground, right in the burrow of the jackal: Or, DAR: in the habitation of wild dogs, where they lay down, shall be grass with reeds and rushes; JPS: in the habitation of jackals herds shall lie down, it shall be an enclosure for reeds and rushes. Return to Isaiah 34:13. [Jeremiah 9:11]

Isaiah 35:8-10 – The Way of Holiness

IS35:8 A raised path will go through the land. 1464 It will be called the Highway of Holiness, 1465 and the unclean will not follow it. 1466 The path will be only for those following the Way. 1467 [Acts 9:2] The immoral will never stray on to it. 1468

1464	A raised path will go through the land: Or, BAS: a highway will be there; LXX: There shall be there a pure way [HODOS]. Return to Isaiah 11:16. [Isaiah 49:11; 62:10; Jeremiah 31:21]

1465

It will be called the Highway of Holiness: Or, BAS: its name will be, The Holy Way; DAR: way of holiness; LXX: a holy way; RHM: Highroad of Holiness; NJB: Sacred Way. The LXX Greek is HODOS AGIA, that is, Sacred Way, or Way of Saints. The first designation to the Christian Church was The Way [TES HO-DOU]. [Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22]

1466

The unclean will not follow it: Or, BAS: the unclean and the sinner may not go over it; LXX: there shall not pass by there any unclean [AKATHARTOS] person. On this Greek word see notes on Galatians 5:19. [Isaiah 52:1] Compare also 2 Corinthians 6:17; 12:21; Ephesians 4:19; 5:3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Uncleanness cannot be permitted on The Way of Holiness.

1467	The path will be only for those following the Way: Or, BAS: those who go on it will not be turned out of the way by the foolish; DAR: it shall be for these; LXX: the dispersed [DIESPAREKEI] shall walk on it.

1468

The immoral will never stray on to it: Or, JPS: fools, shall not err therein; RHM: the perverse shall not stray there-into; NJB: the fool.The JPS Tanakh footnotes portions of this verse, “Hebrew uncertain.” The LXX reads: “And by no means will the unclean one pass along there; no unclean way will be there. But the dispersed ones will walk on it and will by no means go astray.” The Syriac Pheshitta says: “And no uncleanness will pass along in it. And there will be no way beside it, and fools themselves will not wander about there.” Jerome’s Latin Vulgate renders it: “No polluted one will pass over it, and this will be for you a direct way, so that the foolish ones may not err in it.”

IS35:9 No lion-like [person] will be there, nor any ferocious beast-like [person]. 1469 None of these will be found there. Only the ransomed will travel it. 1470

1469	No lion-like [person] will be there, nor any ferocious beast-like [person]: Or, BAS: No lion will be there, or any cruel beast; DAR: nor shall ravenous beast; LXX: evil beast. Compare Acts 20:29. Certain people and their dispositions are compared to beasts.

1470	Only the ransomed will travel it: Or, BAS: those for whom the Lord has given a price; DAR: the redeemed shall walk.

IS35:10 Then the ransomed of Y^eH^oW^aH will return. 1471 They will enter Zion with a joyful shout. A gladness that lasts will be upon their heads. 1472 They will be overcome with rejoicing and gladness, and any grief and groaning will pass away. 1473 [Revelation 21:4]

1471	Then the ransomed of YeHoWaH will return: Or, BAS: Even those whom he has made free, will come back again; DAR: the ransomed of Jehovah shall return; LXX: redeemed and gathered on the Lord’s behalf. Compare Isaiah 62:12.

1472	A gladness that lasts will be upon their heads: Or, BAS: on their heads will be eternal joy; DAR: everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; NJB: joy unending; RHM: gladness age-abiding; TAN: crowned with everlasting joy. [Jeremiah 33:11]

1473	Grief and groaning will pass away: Or, BAS: sorrow and sounds of grief will be gone for ever; DAR: sorrow and sighing shall flee away; LXX: sorrow and pain, and groaning have fled away. The language may be echoed by Revelation 21:4. Compare Isaiah 30:19; 65:19.