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Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:17

One thousand ... - The sense of this is, that you shall be easily alarmed and overcome by those who are inferior in numbers and strength. The number ‘one thousand,’ is put for a large indefinite number; probably meaning all.At the rebuke of one - The number one here is put to denote a very small number; a number in the ordinary course of warfare entirely disproportionate to those who would be vanquished. There is probably a reference here to the prediction in Deuteronomy 32:30 :How should one... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:18

And therefore - The sense of the words rendered ‘and therefore,’ may be better expressed by the phrase, ‘yet moreover,’ meaning, that notwithstanding their sins, and the necessity of punishing them, Yahweh would be longsuffering, and would yet bring the nation to repentance.And therefore will he be exalted - Lowth renders this in accordance with a conjecture of Houbigant, ‘Shall he expect in silence, by reading ידוּם yâdûm instead of ירוּם yârûm. But there is no authority for this except a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:19

For the people shall dwell in Zion - (see the note at Isaiah 1:8). The language here is evidently adapted to a return from the captivity. The whole design of the passage Isaiah 30:19-26 is to describe a future state of prosperity by images mainly drawn from the idea of temporal enjoyment. The sense is, that in some period subsequent to the calamities that would befall them for their improper reliance on the aid of Egypt Isaiah 30:16-17, there would be prosperity, peace, and joy in Jerusalem.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:20

And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity - The bread that is eaten in a time of calamity; that is, he would bring upon them sore distress and want.The water of affliction - Margin, ‘Oppression.’ That is, water drank in times of affliction and oppression, or in the long and weary days of captivity.Yet shall not thy teachers - Your public instructors and guides Psalms 74:9; Isaiah 43:27; Daniel 12:3; Amos 8:11-12. This refers to “all” those who would be the true guides and teachers of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:21

And thine ears shall hear a word - A command or admonition. You shall not be left without spiritual guides and directors.Behind thee - That is, says Vitringa, the voice of conscience, as an “invisible” guide, shall admonish you. The idea, however, seems to be that if they were ignorant of the way, or if they were inclined to err, they should be admonished of the true path which they ought to pursue. The idea is taken either from the practice of teachers who are represented as “following” their... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:22

Ye shall defile also - That is, you shall regard them as polluted and abominable. This is language which is often used respecting their treatment of the images and altars of idolatry when they became objects of abomination, and when they were induced to abandon them (see 2 Kings 23:8, 2 Kings 23:10, 2 Kings 23:16). It is not improbable that before destroying them they would express their abhorrence of them by some act of polluting or defiling them, as significant of their contempt for the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:23

Then shall he give the rain of thy seed - That is, he shall send rain on the seed which is sown. You will be allowed to cultivate the soil without molestation, and God will give you fruitful seasons and abundant harvests. This is a poetic description of a happy or golden age, when there would be peace and prosperity (compare the notes at Isaiah 11:6-7).And bread of the increase of the earth - And bread which the ground shall produce.And it shall be fat and plenteous - It shall be rich and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:24

The young donkeys that ear the ground - Hebrew, ‘Labouring,’ or ‘cultivating the ground,’ that is, plowing it. The Old English word “ear” (from the Latin aro) meant to till, to cultivate. The word is now obselete, but this is the sense which it has in the Bible Genesis 45:6; Exodus 34:21; Deu 21:4; 1 Samuel 8:12.Shall eat clean provender - Margin, ‘Leavened,’ or ‘savory.’ The word rendered ‘provender’ (בליל belı̂yl) is a verbal from בלל bâlal, “to mix, mingle, confuse;” and denotes provender... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:25

In the day of the great slaughter - When the enemies of the people of God shall have been destroyed - probably in a time subsequent to the slaughter of the army of the Assyrians.When the towers fall - The towers of the enemy; perhaps referring here to the towers of Babylon. After they should fall, the Jews would be favored with the time of prosperity to which the prophet here refers. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 30:26

Moreover - In addition to all the blessings which are enumerated above.The light of the moon - Light is in the Scriptures an emblem of purity, intelligence, happiness, prosperity; as darkness is an emblem of ignorance, calamity, and sin. This figure is often used by the poets. Thus Horace:Soles melius nitent.Carm. liv.: Od. v. 8.The figure of augmenting light to denote the blessings of religion, and especially of the gospel, is often employed by Isaiah (compare the notes at Isaiah 2:5; Isaiah... read more

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