Isaiah 27:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 27:1-6

The prophet is here singing of judgment and mercy, I. Of judgment upon the enemies of God's church (Isa. 27:1), tribulation to those that trouble it, 2 Thess. 1:6. When the Lord comes out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth (Isa. 26:21), he will be sure to punish leviathan, the dragon that is in the sea, every proud oppressing tyrant, that is the terror of the mighty, and, like the leviathan, is so fierce that none dares stir him up, and his heart as hard as a stone, and when... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 27:1

In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword ,.... Meaning either the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, quick and powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword, Ephesians 6:17 or else some sore judgment of God: some understand it of the Medes and Persians, by whom the Lord would destroy the Babylonish monarchy; or rather it is the great power of God, or his judiciary sentence, and the execution of it, the same with the twoedged sword, which proceeds out of the mouth of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 27:2

In that day sing ye unto her ,.... The congregation of Israel, as the Targum; or rather the church of Christ; for after, and upon the destruction of his and her enemies, there will be great rejoicing and singing alternately, and by responses, as the word signifies; see Revelation 15:1 . Gussetius F12 Comment. Ebr. p. 622. renders it, "afflict her"; as if spoken by the Lord to the enemies to do their worst to her, and he would take care of her, that it shall be in vain, and to no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 27:3

I the Lord do keep it ,.... The vineyard, the church, not only by his ministers, called the keepers of it, Song of Solomon 8:12 but by himself, by his own power; for unless he keeps it, who is Israel's keeper, the watchmen wake in vain; he keeps his church and people from sin, that it does not reign over them; and from Satan's temptations, that they are not destroyed by them; and from the malice of the world, and the poison of false teachers, that they are not ruined thereby; and from a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 27:4

Fury is not in me ,.... Against his vineyard he takes so much care of, his church and people, whom he has loved with an everlasting love; they are indeed deserving of his wrath, but he has not appointed them to it, but has appointed his Son to bear it for them, who has delivered them from wrath to come, and they being justified by his blood and righteousness, are saved from it; and though the Lord chastises them for their sins, yet not in wrath and sore displeasure; there is no wrath or... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 27:1

Leviathan - The animals here mentioned seem to be the crocodile, rigid by the stiffness of the backbone, so that he cannot readily turn himself when he pursues his prey; hence the easiest way of escaping from him is by making frequent and short turnings: the serpent or dragon, flexible and winding, which coils himself up in a circular form: and the sea monster, or whale. These are used allegorically, without doubt for great potentates, enemies and persecutors of the people of God: but to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 27:2

Sing ye unto her - לה אנו anu lah . Bishop Lowth translates this, Sing ye a responsive song; and says that ענה anah , to answer, signifies occasionally to sing responsively; and that this mode of singing was frequently practiced among the ancient Hebrews. See De Poes. Sac. Hebrews Prael. xix., at the beginning. This, indeed, was the ancient method of singing in various nations. The song was divided into distinct portions, and the singers sang alternately. There is a fine specimen... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 27:3

Lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day - "I will take care of her by night; and by day I will keep guard over her" - For יפקד פן pen yiphkod , lest any visit it, the Syriac read ואפקד veephkod , and I will visit it. Twenty MSS. of Kennicott's, fourteen of De Rossi's, and two of my own, and six editions read אפקד ephkod , I will visit, in the first person. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 27:4

Fury is not in me "I have no wall" - For חמה chemah , anger, the Septuagint and Syriac read חומה chomah , wall. An ancient MS. has חימה cheimah . For בה bad , in her, two MSS. read בם bam , in them, plural. The vineyard wishes for a wall and a fence of thorns - human strength and protection, (as the Jews were too apt to apply to their powerful neighbors for assistance, and to trust to the shadow of Egypt): Jehovah replies, that this would not avail her, nor defend her... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 27:1

THE TRIPLE JUDGMENT ON THE POWERS OF DARKNESS . The crowning judgment of all is now briefly described. "In that day"—the day of God's vengeance—when all his other enemies have been put down, Jehovah shall finally visit with his sword three mighty foes, which are described under three figures—the first as "Leviathan, the swift serpent;" the second as "Leviathan, the crooked serpent; "and the third as "the dragon that is in the sea." It has been usual to see in these three... read more

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