Isaiah 47

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:1

Come down, and set in the dust "Descend, and sit on the dust" - See note on Isaiah 3:26 , and on Isaiah 52:2 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:2

Take the millstones, and grind meal "Take the mill, and grind corn" - It was the work of slaves to grind the corn. They used hand-mills: water-mills were not invented till a little before the time of Augustus, (see the Greek epigram of Antipater, which seems to celebrate it as a new invention, Anthol. Cephalae, 653); wind-mills, not until long after. It was not only the work of slaves, but the hardest work; and often inflicted upon them as a severe punishment: - Molendum in pistrino;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:3

I will not meet thee as a man "Neither will I suffer man to intercede with me" - The verb should be pointed, or written, אפגיע aphgia , in Hiphil. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:4

Our Redeemer "Our Avenger" - Here a chorus breaks in upon the midst of the subject, with a change of construction, as well as sentiment, from the longer to the shorter kind of verse, for one distich only; after which the former subject and style are resumed. See note on Isaiah 45:16 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:6

I was wroth with my people - God, in the course of his providence, makes use of great conquerors and tyrants as his instruments to execute his judgments in the earth; he employs one wicked nation to scourge another. The inflicter of the punishment may perhaps be as culpable as the sufferer; and may add to his guilt by indulging his cruelty in executing God's justice. When he has fulfilled the work to which the Divine vengeance has ordained him, he will become himself the object of it; see ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:7

So that thou didst not "Because thou didst not" - For עד ad , read על al ; so two MSS., and one edition. And for, אחריתה acharithah , "the latter end of it, "read אחריתך acharithecha , "thy latter end;" so thirteen MSS., and two editions, and the Vulgate. Both the sixth and seventh verses are wanting in one of my oldest MSS. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:9

These two things shall come to thee in a moment - That is, suddenly. Belshazzar was slain; thus the city became metaphorically a widow, the husband - the governor of it, being slain. In the time in which the king was slain, the Medes and Persians took the city, and slew many of its inhabitants, see Daniel 5:30 , Daniel 5:31 . When Darius took the city, he is said to have crucified three thousand of its principal inhabitants. In their perfection "On a sudden" - Instead of בתמם ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:11

Thou shalt not know from whence it riseth "Thou shalt not know how to deprecate" - שחרה shachrah ; so the Chaldee renders it, which is approved by Jarchi on the place; and Michaelis Epim. in Praelect. xix.; see Psalm 78:34 . Videtur in fine hujus commatis deese verbum, ut hoc membrum prioribus respondeat . "A word appears to be wanting at the end of this clause to connect it properly with the two preceding." - Secker. In order to set in a proper light this judicious remark, it is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:13

From these things "What are the events" - For מאשר measher , read אשר מה mah asher , so the Septuagint, "what is to happen to thee." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:15

To his quarter "To his own business" - לעברו leebro . Expositors give no very good account of this word in this place. In a MS. it was at first לעבדו leabdo , to his servant or work, which is probably the true reading. The sense however is pretty much the same with the common interpretation: "Every one shall turn aside to his own business; none shall deliver thee." read more

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