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Isa 27:1-13.

CONTINUATION OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH, TWENTY-FIFTH, AND TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTERS.

At the time when Israel shall be delivered, and the ungodly nations punished, God shall punish also the great enemy of the Church.

1. sore--rather, "hard," "well-tempered."

leviathan--literally, in Arabic, "the twisted animal," applicable to every great tenant of the waters, sea-serpents, crocodiles, &c. In

Eze 29:3; 32:2; Da 7:1, &c. Re 12:3,

&c., potentates hostile to Israel are similarly described; antitypically and ultimately Satan is intended

(Re 20:10).

piercing--rigid [LOWTH]. Flying [MAURER and Septuagint]. Long, extended, namely, as the crocodile which cannot readily bend back its body [HOUBIGANT].

crooked--winding.

dragon--Hebrew, tenin; the crocodile.

sea--the Euphrates, or the expansion of it near Babylon.

2. In that day when leviathan shall be destroyed, the vineyard

(Ps 80:8),

the Church of God, purged of its blemishes, shall be lovely in God's eyes; to bring out this sense the better, LOWTH, by changing a Hebrew letter, reads "pleasant," "lovely," for "red wine."

sing--a responsive song [LOWTH].

unto her--rather, "concerning her" (see on

Isa 5:1);

namely, the Jewish state [MAURER].

3. lest any hurt it--attack it [MAURER]. "Lest aught be wanting in her" [HORSLEY].

4. Fury is not in me--that is, I entertain no longer anger towards my vine.

who would set . . . in battle--that is, would that I had the briers, &c. (the wicked foe;

Isa 9:18; 10:17; 2Sa 23:6),

before me! "I would go through," or rather, "against them."

5. Or--Else; the only alternative, if Israel's enemies wish to escape being "burnt together."

strength--rather, "the refuge which I afford" [MAURER]. "Take hold," refers to the horns of the altar which fugitives often laid hold of as an asylum

(1Ki 1:50; 2:28).

Jesus is God's "strength," or "refuge" which sinners must repair to and take hold of, if they are to have "peace" with God

(Isa 45:24; Ro 5:1; Eph 2:14;

compare

Job 22:21).

6. He--Jehovah. Here the song of the Lord as to His vineyard

(Isa 27:2-5)

ends; and the prophet confirms the sentiment in the song, under the same image of a vine (compare

Ps 92:13-15; Ho 14:5, 6).

Israel . . . fill . . . world--

(Ro 11:12).

7. him . . . those--Israel--Israel's enemies. Has God punished His people as severely as He has those enemies whom He employed to chastise Israel? No! Far from it. Israel, after trials, He will restore; Israel's enemies He will utterly destroy at last.

the slaughter of them that are slain by him--rather, "Is Israel slain according to the slaughter of the enemy slain?" the slaughter wherewith the enemy is slain [MAURER].

8. In measure--not beyond measure; in moderation

(Job 23:6; Ps 6:1; Jer 10:24; 30:11; 46:28).

when it shooteth--image from the vine; rather, passing from the image to the thing itself, "when sending her away (namely, Israel to exile;

Isa 50:1,

God only putting the adulteress away when He might justly have put her to death), Thou didst punish her" [GESENIUS].

stayeth--rather, as Margin, "when He removeth it by His rough wind in the day," &c.

east wind--especially violent in the East

(Job 27:21; Jer 18:17).