Isaiah 32:5 - Exposition

The vile person shall be no more called liberal ; rather, the foolish person— as nabal is commonly translated ( Deuteronomy 32:6 ; 2 Samuel 3:33 ; 2 Samuel 13:13 ; Psalms 14:1 ; Psalms 39:8 ; Psalms 74:22 , etc.)—such a man as the "Nabal" of 1 Samuel 25:1-44 . Men are apt to confound moral distinctions, and to call the "fools" who waste their substance in feasting and revelry "generous" or "liberal," and the niggards ( churls ) who hoard their riches "warm men," "wealthy men," "men well to do in the world" (see Isaiah 5:20 ; and comp. Arist.,' Eth. Nic.,' 2.8, § 3; Thucyd; 3.82). This perversion of truth shall not obtain in Messiah's kingdom. Bountiful ; rather, wealthy (comp. Job 34:19 , where the same word is translated "rich").