Introduction:
After addressing the hypocrisy of Israel’s fasting, Isaiah 58 ends with the hope and heritage of Jacob (Israel) illuminated through repentance and redemption. Now the prophet Isaiah begins an additional rebuke concerning the root of Israel’s sin and the resulting separation which Israel has manufactured between herself and HaShem. Thus, the prophetic rhythm of promised Salvation followed by sober rebuke continues the cyclical message of God’s mercy toward Israel preceding His judgement of her. The ultimate result being everlasting life.
 
59:1 Hein Behold, now, pay attention, lo-katzerah not shortened (small) yad-YHVH is the hand (strength) of HaShem (Mercy) meihoshia from saving ve'lo kavedah and not dull azeno is His ear mishemoa from hearing.
 
The sense here is that Israel might be wondering why she is not delivered already, given her attention to fasting (albeit hypocritical), and her vain assent to the Torah Instruction of HaShem. Thus, the reminder that God is more than able, and even willing to save, more than able and even willing to hear (Isa.58:3). Therefore, there is another reason for Israel’s predicament.
 
The Targum puts it beautifully:
 
“Behold, it is not on account of any deficiency in the power of the Lord that ye are not saved; nor because it is too difficult for Him to hear, that your prayer is not received:” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“And we find (viz.Sanhedrin 98a) that in the days of R. Yehoshua ben Levi he was told (viz. Tehillim 95:6) that the Messiah would come ‘today, if you hearkened to His voice’ — even though the time of the exile decreed for Israel (one thousand years, corresponding to the one thousand year "day" of the Holy One Blessed be He, had not yet passed [viz. Chida, Petach Eiynayim, Sanhedrin, Ibid.])” -Chofetz Chaim Preface 4

59:2 kiy For im-avonoteiychem with your perversity, depravity, hayu has come mavdiliym dividings, separations beineichem among you levein between you and Eloheiychem your God vechatoteiychem and your sins histiyru have hidden His paniym face (faces) from you mikem so as mishemoa not to hear.
 
“But your iniquities separate between you and your God, and your sins have caused Him to take away the favour of His Shekinah from you, not to receive your prayer.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
We note that the perversity of Israel has produced the fruit of separations and divisions between them and God. Thus, the manifestation of division in their social order is evidence of the separation they have made between them and God in the spiritual order. We note further that the sins of Israel have caused God to appear hidden from them, likewise the appearance that He has not heard them. Therefore, although God is all powerful they have refused to receive His power, and although He is all knowing (hearing), it is they who have blocked their ears to His voice.
 
“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.” -Ezekiel 18:30 (NIV) 
 
“In those days people will no longer say,
‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; 
whoever eats sour grapes--
their own teeth will be set on edge.” -Jeremiah 31:29-30 (NIV)
 
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Messiah Yeshua.” -Romans 3:23-24

59:3 Kiy For chapeiychem your palms (hands) negoalu are defiled, polluted, desecrated vadam in blood ve'etzbeoteiychem and your fingers beavon in perversity, depravity siftoteiychem your lips, language, diberu-sheker have spoken lies leshonchem your tongue avlah tehgeh plots injustice.
 
Figuratively speaking the hands denote actions, the fingers accusation, the lips and language sedition.
 
We note that the palms of the hands are defiled with blood. This denotes contemplation of the aftermath of sinful action. Sins of blood are for the most part capital offenses (according to the Torah): murder, abortion etc. They must be atoned for in blood.
 
It is interesting to note that the Talmud explains each element in correlation with the several roles of a court of justice; the ‘hands’ are the judges; the ‘fingers’ of, the Scribes; the ‘lips’ are advocates and solicitors; and the ‘tongue’ is the adversaries, or the contending parties. (T. Bab. Sabbat. fol. 139. 1.)
 
Given the obvious correlation between the present passage and the adjudicators of Israel, it is safe to say that Israel’s rulers, judges and Torah scribes are in part, leading Israel in the sins for which she is to be held accountable.

59:4 Eiyn-korei None call out ve'tzedek in righteousness ve'eiyn and none nishpat judges be'emunah in faithfulness; batoach they trust al-tohu upon formless vanity ve'daver-shav and speak empty falsehood haro conceiving amal trouble veholeiyd bringing forth aven wickedness.
 
“There is none that truly prays, nor any that pleads for faithfulness: they trust in vanity and speak lies; they hasten, and bring forth words of violence out of their heart.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The judicial issues alluded to implicitly in the former verse are now illuminated in the present verse. In a God honouring society righteousness, just judgement, faithfulness, order and truth are essential. In Israel at this time the opposite forces of unrighteousness, unjust judgement, infidelity, disorder, and lies were made manifest as a result of Israel’s rejection of relationship with her God YHVH.
 
There is a progression of the breaking down of moral society in this verse. A lack of righteousness is at the root of Israel’s problem. Not human righteousness but rather the righteousness that comes from God and is imparted to human beings through blood atonement and redemption. Israel has turned her heart away from HaShem, and as a result the heart of HaShem is unknown to her, in spite of her pious performance. Therefore, no one calls from a righteous inner being and as a result no one judges faithfully. It is of course impossible for someone who has chosen to trust in themselves to act out of the faithfulness of God, rather it is from their fallen nature of unfaithfulness that they judge.
 
Rather than trusting in HaShem Israel had chosen to trust in “tohu” empty, formless things. This is a figurative reference to idolatry and a reference to the formless void that preceded the creation of the earth (Genesis 1). It is important to note that the uncreated light precedes the created darkness and emptiness of the Genesis account. Further, truth and light are emanations (attributes) of the Creator, and therefore, are not subject to the created order. Whereas, emptiness, vanity and darkness are subject to the created order.
 
As a result of trusting in false gods Israel bears the fruit of lying lips and her thoughts conceive mischief which results in wickedness.
 
Therefore, the root causes of unrighteousness and rebellion (idolatry) are wreaking havoc on Israel (Judah) during the reign of Manasseh (lifetime of Isaiah). These are the things Israel had chosen for herself.

59:5 Beiytzeiy Eggs tzifoniy of a poisonous serpent bikeiu they hatch vekureiy and a web akaviysh of a spider ye'erogu they weave: haocheil the eating mibeiytzeiyhem of their eggs yamut has killed vehazureh and the crushed eggs tibaka break open revealing efeh snakes.
 
The serpent is associated to sin and the demonic forces that seek to ensnare humanity. It is also literally connected to plague (Numbers 21) and the death of the serpent is figurative of an end to sin and death (Numbers 21:8-9; Genesis 3:14-15; Revelation 12:9; 20:2, 10). Israel is said to be enabling the hatchlings of serpents. It is in the perfect tense meaning that it has and continues to be happening in her midst. Therefore, the poison of evil has been invited and has become invasive.
 
The web of a spider is a snare for its prey. It is also easily torn apart by larger animals and human beings. Therefore, what idolatrous Israel intends as a snare for others will be easily torn apart by the hand of God.
 
The figurative consumption of the eggs, poisons the inner person and any attempt to crush them results in the birth of more poisonous snakes that in turn lay eggs and perpetuate the cycle of evil in the midst of the people.

59:6 Kureiyhem Their webs lo-yihyu don’t become leveged garments (deceit) velo yitkasu and don't cover be'ma'aseiyhem over their works ma'aseiyhem after works: ma'aseiy-aven works of wickedness ufoal and the deed chamas of violence, cruelty bechapeiyhem is on their palms (hands).
 
“Behold, like a spider's web, with which no one can be covered, thus there is no profit from the works of the wicked; their works are the works of violence, and the work of a lie is in their hands.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
A spiders web is unsuitable for use as a garment. It is full of holes, therefore, not cover the naked body. Nor is it a suitable shelter from poor weather. Therefore, figuratively speaking it is not able to cover the many wicked works of apostate Israel.
 
Ultimately this refers back to idolatrous Israel’s blood guilt and the consequence of it, which is death.

59:7 Ragleiyhem Their feet la'ra to evil yarutzu have run viymaharu and make haste lishpoch to shed dam nakiy innocent blood machshevoteiyhem their thoughts machshevot are thoughts aven of wickedness, shod havoc vashever and crushing bimsilotam is in their raised roads.
 
Not only is Israel guilty of the most heinous of physical sins against her fellow man (bloodletting, murder), she is chasing after opportunities to murder the innocent. In addition her thoughts are focused on plotting wicked acts and the result is that any metaphorical roads she might build become the paths that lead to her own destruction.
 
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” -Romans 3:15-17 (NIV)

59:8 Derech A way shalom of peace, wholeness, wellbeing lo yadau they don't know ve'eiyn mishpat and no judgement, justice; bemagelotam their tracks netivoteihem trodden with their feet ikeshu are crooked lehem they kol dorech all lead to lo yada shalom no knowledge of peace, wholeness, wellbeing.
 
Rebellious Israel don’t know the way of peace and wholeness because they have rejected Peace Himself (HaShem). Therefore, they lack judgement and justice as a society. As a consequence of Israel’s lack of peace she treads crooked paths (idolatrous ways), all of which promise peace (spiritual enlightenment, prosperity etc.) but offer none. Thus, idolatrous Israel have no knowledge of Peace Himself.

59:9 Al-kein And truly therefore, rachak we have become far mishpat from justice mimenu as a result ve’lo and nor tasigeinu tzedakah does righteousness overtake us; nekaveh hoping expectantly we look la'or to the light (uncreated) ve'hinei-choshech and behold, pay attention, darkness (created) lingohot to brightness ba'afeilot in gloom nehaleich we walk.
 
We note that the language usage changes adopting the pronoun “we”. Therefore, the speakers in verse 9 through 13 are those who have soberly accessed the state of Israel in light of God’s Torah Instruction (and by the Word of the Prophets), and have found their people wanting. This is the righteous remnant, who, like the prophets, confess on behalf of their entire nation. The tragic conclusion of their observation bringing heart break to their souls.
 
“And truly therefore” means, because of our perversity and depravity, and our separating ourselves from God (v.2). Due to the blood on our hands, our mistreatment of our neighbours (pointing of the finger), our lying lips and our plotting wickedness (v.3). In light of the fact that we don’t demand righteousness or judge fairly, and trust in vain idolatry, speaking falsehood and acting wickedly as a result (v.4). Because we release the demonic and clothe ourselves with the worthless covering of the weak traps we set for others (v.5). Due to the fact that we multiply the work of our depravity and continue to do violence to others (v.6). In light of the fact that we run toward evil and rush to shed innocent blood, and that our thoughts are constantly set on perversity as we pursue paths that will crush us under the weight of our own sin (v.7). Finally, because we do not know a way of peace, wholeness and wellbeing, nor do we know Peace Himself (HaShem YHVH, Sar Shalom, The Prince of Peace [King Messiah]): there is no justice and we tread out tracks of unrepentant evil action, ruts that all lead to us having no knowledge of the way of peace (v.8). Thus, we have moved ourselves far from justice, nor does righteousness come to us and surpass us (v.9).
 
“Hoping expectantly we look to the light and behold, pay attention, darkness to brightness, in gloom we walk.” Idolatrous Israel had wandered so far from God through her own false belief, thoughts and actions, that when she looked for the light (of God) she was unable to see Him, and when she so desperately needed for the path to be lit up, instead it was gloomy, oppressing her steps. All this being self-inflicted blindness, wilful sin, self-destruction. Israel is treasured by Hashem, she has unfathomable worth to Him, and yet she had become blind to her worth through the defiling of herself, and had forgotten the Creator Who alone is able to redeem, sanctify and restore her.

59:10 Negashah We grope, feeling with the hand chaivriym like blind ones kir for a wall uche'eiyn and like those having no eiynayim eyes; negasheishah we grope, feeling with the hand kashalnu we stumble vatzohorayim in the midday kaneshef as if it were twilight ba'ashmaniym in desolation kameitiym as in places of death.
 
The confession of the righteous remnant continues.
 
“We grope, feeling with the hand like blind ones for a wall” Such is Idolatrous Israel’s spiritual blindness that she is unable to find a wall against which to steady herself. Instead she gropes about in useless grasping attempts for even the slightest possibility of touching something secure.
 
“like those having no eyes” This is a reference to Israel’s spiritual state of blindness. Though they have eyes (the potential to see), none the less, they do not see.
 
“we stumble in the midday as if it were twilight” Like the former simile, the meaning is that while it should be easy, even normal for them to see and walk upright, none the less they stumble.
 
“in desolation as in places of death” Ultimately all sin leads to the desolation and domain of death.
 
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” -Romans 5:12 (NKJV)

59:11 Nehemeh We growl kadubiym like bears kulanu all of us vechayoniym and like doves hagoh mourning nehgeh murmuring nekaveh we wait, looking with expectant hope lamishpat for judgement va'ayin and there is none, liyshua for salvation rachakah is far off mimenu on account of us.
 
“We all roar like bears by reason of our enemies, who are gathered against us, and mourn like doves: we hoped for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far removed from us.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
Both the growling of bears and the murmuring of doves are responses born of the expectation of something they long for. In the case of Israel they are longing for deliverance from their self-imposed desolation, and quite literally from the approaching Babylonian captivity.
 
“looking with expectant hope for judgement and there is none, for salvation is far off on account of us.” Idolatrous Israel hopes for a judgement in her favour but none comes. Why? Because God is just and Israel’s just recompense at this point in her history is desolation.
 
We note that “Salvation is far off on account of us.” Therefore, the righteous remnant recognise that Israel has caused her own demise. However, Salvation may seem far off but He is coming to her, not because Israel deserves salvation but because HaShem, Who gave her worth, is willing to suffer for and redeem her.

59:12 Kiy For rabu great, abundant feshaeiynu are our rebellions negdecha which are conspicuously in front of You vechatoteiynu and our sins anetah testify banu against us kiy-feshaeiynu for our rebellions itanu are with us va'avonoteiynu and our perversity yeda'anum we know.
 
The confession of the righteous remnant unreservedly acknowledges the guilt of the people. In the midst of Israel’s debauchery, as is still the case today, there is a righteous, God fearing remnant who cry out in confession and repentance on behalf of the people of Israel.
 
Neither the righteous remnant nor the people in general can deny the conspicuous nature of their individual and national sin. We note again that the root “pesha” meaning rebellion, the root “chat” meaning sin, and the root “avon”, meaning perversity, cover the full gambit of sin born of rebellion, idolatry, witchcraft.
 
“Our perversity we know” is in stark contrast to “A way shalom of peace, wholeness, wellbeing they don't know”.
 
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

59:13 Pashoa Rebelling vechachesh and lying ba'YHVH against HaShem (Mercy) ve'nasog and sliding backward meiachar from Eloheiynu our God daber-oshek speaking oppression vesarah and defection (apostasy) horo conceiving vehogo and murmuring (meditating) meleiv from the inner person (heart, core being) divreiy-shaker words of falsehood.
 
“We have rebelled, and acted falsely against the Word of the Lord; we have turned backward from following after the worship of our God; we have spoken falsehood and apostasy, hastening and bringing forth from their hearts lying words.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) 
 
“Rebelling and lying against HaShem (Mercy) and sliding backward from our God” The tragic irony of rebelling against Mercy and turning away from the Judge that might acquit them, is not lost on Isaiah or the faithful remnant. We notice again that it is the sin of rebellion (idolatry, witchcraft) that is at the root of Israel’s lying against HaShem. Many today persist in trying to convince themselves of God’s demise, and thus turn their backs on their own redemption.
 
“speaking oppression and defection (apostasy)” The oppression of others is born of the oppression of self. Apostasy and rebellion against God results when we forget our value in His eyes.
 
“conceiving and murmuring from the inner person words of falsehood.” When the heart is dark the mouth is dark. Clean water cannot be drawn from a polluted well.

59:14 Vehusag And sliding backward achor to the rear mishpat justice utzedakah and righteousness meirachok are far off ta'amod standing, remaining: kiy chashelah varechov emet for the truth has stumbled in the open plaza unechochah and straightness, equity lo-tuchal doesn't prevail lavo to enter.
 
Here justice, righteousness, truth and equity are personified as forgotten (to the rear), distant (far off), stumbling in public (open plaza), and unable to enter the city (doesn’t prevail to enter). This of course is not because these personifications of the emanations of God’s character are unable to remain present, affecting transformation; rather it is because Israel had refused them a. prominence (to the rear), b. welcome (far off), c. honour (open plaza), d. entry (doesn’t prevail to enter). God forces Himself on no person. Without freewill love cannot exist.

59:15 Vatehiy And it has come about that haemet the truth nederet is lacking vesar and departed mara from evil mishtolel like prey: vayar YHVH and HaShem sees vayera and it is evil be'eiynav in His eyes kiy-eiyn for it is not mishpat justice.
 
Truth has not “failed” as some English translations so foolishly render the text. To the contrary, Truth is available but it is lacking because Israel is lacking. It has departed because Israel has departed from it. Truth is an attribute of God’s character, it never fails because He never fails.
 
HaShem is fully aware (He sees) of the injustice and evil that reigns in the hearts of the apostate Israelites.

59:16 Vayar And He saw kiy-eiyn iysh there was no man (one, person) vayishtomeim and was appalled kiy eiyn for there was no mafgiya intercessor vatusha or salvation lo zero'o therefore, with His own arm vetzidkato and His righteousness hiy He semachatehu upheld it.
 
“He saw there was no man (one, person) and was appalled for there was no intercessor or salvation” Simply put, no human being is righteous of themselves, nor is there anyone who qualifies to save another. God alone saves.
 
“Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.” -Psalm 143:2 (NKJV)
 
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
    no one who does what is right and never sins.” - Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV)
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” -Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) appears to be making a drash on Isaiah 59 when he combines passages from the Tanakh (OT) to say:
“As it is written,

1. “There is no one righteous—no, not one.
   11 There is no one who understands,
       no one who seeks after God.
   12 All have turned aside;
   together they have become worthless.
   There is no one who does good—no, not even one!
   13 Their throat is an open grave;
       with their tongues they keep deceiving.
   The poison of vipers is under their lips.
   14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
   15 Their feet are swift to shed blood.
   16 Ruin and misery are in their paths,
   17 and the way of shalom they have not known.
   18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.” -Romans 3:10-18 (TLV) [Romans 3:18 Ecc. 7:20; Ps. 13:2-3; Ps. 5:10; Ps. 139:4; Ps. 9:28; Isa. 59:7-8; Ps. 35:2.]

“therefore, with His own arm and His righteousness He upheld it.” The subject is salvation and the means by which salvation is upheld is the “arm and righteousness” of God, which represent the King Messiah Yeshua. Thus, HaShem upholds the salvation of His people by the strength and righteousness of His Messiah (own arm), Who is Imanu (with us) El (God).
The Babylonian Talmud interprets this latter clause of the King Messiah, Who will come in an age when there are none but wicked men (T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 1.)

59:17 Vayilbash And He clothed Himself tzedakah with righteousness kashiryan as a breastplate vechova yeshuah and salvation as a helmet be'rosho on His head vayilbash and put on bigdeiy garments nakam of vengeance tilboshet vayat and wrapped Himself in raiment kamiyl as a robe kinah of zeal, jealousy.
 
“It is revealed, that He will work a great salvation for His people, yea, He will render vengeance to His enemies.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
There is a foundational correlation here between the present verse and the armour of God of Ephesians 6:10-18:
 
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you are able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm then! Buckle the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.  15 Strap up your feet in readiness with the Good News of shalom. 16 Above all, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  18 Pray in the Ruach on every occasion, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, keep alert with perseverance and supplication for all the kedoshim.” (TLV)
 
To have the armour of God placed upon us is to be clothed with the nature of the King Messiah: it is to be clothed with the nature of God with us. The armour of God is not the invention of Greco-Roman thought, rather it is firmly rooted in the present text of Isaiah.
 
When we are endowed with the armour of God we are invested with the zeal and jealousy of God for His people and His redemptive purposes for humanity. The breastplate of righteousness protects our inner person (leiv) and the helmet of Salvation (Yeshua) guards our minds and reminds us that our salvation is secure outside of time and space and cannot be compromised because it is entirely reliant on God. We are wrapped in vengeance against the forces of darkness and their resulting sin, and we are robed with zeal for the kingdom of God.
 
“He clothed Himself with righteousness as a breastplate” The previous verse explains how and by what means HaShem will uphold salvation for His people. Now HaShem Himself is pictured wearing righteousness as a breastplate. He is going to war for the salvation of His people Israel (and in turn for the nations). Of course, this is a description of both the Father and the Son, our King Messiah.
 
“And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” -Revelation 19:11 (ASV)
 
“Salvation as a helmet on His head” The head “rosh” is the ruler of the body and the origin of thought (But not of consciousness). HaShem need not wear either the breastplate or the helmet for protection, rather they are symbolic representations of His character. The protection is for us. Therefore, we don the nature of HaShem through Messiah and are prepared for spiritual war in the present sin affected age.
 
“and put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in raiment as a robe of zeal, jealousy.” We note that His righteousness and salvation come with vengeance against the adversary (Satan) and the demonic forces, against sin and its defiling work, against the wilfully wicked and perpetually rebellious sons and daughters of the evil one. This is a war for the redemption of His people, He is jealous for Israel, just as He is jealous for all who would turn to Him in repentance and receive His redemption, love, mercy, and the grace born of His Holiness.
 
“And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” -Revelation 19:13 (ASV)

59:18 Ke'al According to gemulot their deeds ke'al so yeshalem He will fully repay (through a covenant of peace) chemah rage letzarav to His adversaries, gemul recompense leoyevayv to His enemies, laiyim to the islands (of the Mediterranean) gemul recompense yeshalem in full (through a covenant of peace).
 
The peace that had eluded apostate Israel (v.8) is now the mechanism by which judgement comes against the enemies of God both foreign and domestic. The indictment against evil widens to include the Islands of the Mediterranean and in a figurative sense, it includes all who do evil.

59:19 Veyireu And they will fear mima'arav from the west et-sheim the Name YHVH HaShem (Mercy) umimizrach-shemesh and from the eastern sun et-kevodo His glory kiy-yavo for it will come to pass chanahar when like a river tzar the adversary comes, Ruach YHVH the Spirit of HaShem nosesah will raise a sign against him (will cause him to flee).
 
“They shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the oppressors shall come in like an inundation of the river Euphrates, they shall be broken by the Word of the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE).
 
“they will fear from the west the Name YHVH HaShem (Mercy) and from the eastern sun His glory” The western nations will fear and be in awe of the Person of HaShem, His nature, character, redemptive purposes etc. The eastern nations will fear the manifestation of His glory and power.
 
“for it will come to pass when like a river the adversary comes, Ruach YHVH the Spirit of HaShem will raise a sign against him (will cause him to flee).” This verse has found partial fulfilment on many occasions in Israel’s history, and the Targum supports the idea of a physical enemy from the east being defeated in latter times: something that the Revelation also describes. However, its greatest fulfilment has both come and is yet to come. The ultimate enemy of Israel is not the united anti-Semitic nations of the earth, rather the greatest enemy of Israel is Ha-Satan and the fallen nature of the human soul. Therefore, the “nes” miracle, sign, wonder that HaShem has and will raise up by His Spirit: was, is and will be the King Messiah Yeshua, His vicarious sacrificial death and resurrection through which Israel finds atonement, redemption, salvation and restoration, resulting in everlasting life.
 
“This verse is in perfect harmony with the prophecy, And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was, etc. (Dan. 12:1). At that time Israel alone will be saved; therefore this verse is followed by the words, And the Redeemer shall come to Zion.” -Iben Ezra

59:20 Uva And will come letziyon to Zion (parched land) Goel a Redeemer uleshaveiy and will turn back fesha the rebellion beyaakov in Jacob (follower) neum declares YHVH HaShem (Mercy).
 
“And will come letziyon to Zion (parched land) Goel a Redeemer (Kinsman)” We note that the Redeemer will come to Zion, that is Israel (ethnic, religious), the Jewish people.
 
“This is the Messiah” -Iben Ezra
 
“For I am not ashamed of the good proclamation, message, news of Messiah, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first perpetually and also perpetually for the Goyim (nations).” -Romans 1:16
 
“and will turn back the rebellion in Jacob (follower) declares YHVH HaShem (Mercy).” Such will be the power of the Redeemer’s actions, that through Him God will transform the hearts and minds of the Jewish people (Jacob, Israel). So much so that they will turn back from evil, turn back toward HaShem, turn away from the very root of sin itself (rebellion against God) and turn toward Mercy Himself YHVH through the Redeemer, the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“’Unto them that turn from transgression.’ Every one that shall be found written in the book (Dan. 12:1)” -Iben Ezra

59:21 Va'aniy And I zot beriytiy this is My covenant otam with them amar says YHVH HaShem Ruachiy My Spirit asher Who aleycha is upon you udevaray and My words asher which samtiy I have put befiycha in your mouth lo-yamushu will not depart mipiycha from your mouth umipiy nor out of the mouth zaracha of your seed umipiy nor out of the mouth zera zaracha of your seed's seed amar says YHVH HaShem, meiatah from now ve'ad-olam and as far as forever, in a world perpetual.
 
“And I this is My covenant with them says YHVH HaShem” (Romans 11:27) This covenant (bloodshed, cutting) is of God alone. His blood will bind and sustain the covenant.
 
“My Spirit Who is upon you and My words which I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth nor out of the mouth of your seed nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed says YHVH HaShem, from now and as far as forever, in a world perpetual.” The Living Word our King Messiah will, by the Spirit of Hashem, come and indwell the redeemed people of Israel and His life will be passed on from generation to generation. This began at Shavuot (Pentecost) 33 CE (AD) and has continued through the redeemed Messianic remnant of Israel to this day as is testified to in my own life according to the passing on of Messianic Jewish faith by my forebears. This will find its ultimate fulfilment in the salvation of the entire remnant of Israel following the fullness of the nations at the end of this age (Romans 11:25-26), and will be sustained forever perpetually through Messiah in Olam Haba (the world to come).
 
Copyright Yaakov Brown 2019

Introduction:
The previous chapter ends with the sober declaration, “‘There is no peace for the wicked’ says my God!” This is now followed by a more detailed public declaration exposing the hypocrisy of the actions of idolatrous Israel (the house of Jacob). What God promised He would do in Isaiah 57:12, He now sets in motion via the mouth of Isaiah:
 
“I will expose your ‘righteousness’, and your deeds—they will not profit you.”
 
Isa 58:1  Kera Call out, read, recite, proclaim, cry aloud, ve’garon from within your throat, al-tachsoch don’t withhold it,  ka’shofar like a ram’s horn ha’reim the rising kolecha of your voice, ve’hageid and be conspicuous, make known le’amiy to My tribe pisham their rebellion (transgression), ule’veiyt and to the house Ya’akov of Jacob (follower) chatotam their sins.
 
“Cry aloud, O prophet, spare not, lift up thy voice like the voice of a trumpet, and shew unto my people their rebellion, and unto the house of Jacob their sins.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
Here Isaiah is addressed by God and instructed to make himself heard by all the people of Israel (Judah). His declaration is to be like the alarm sounded by the shofarot (rams horns) that call Israel to gather for holy convocations, and alert Israel to the approach of danger. The prophet Isaiah therefore, stands to counter the drunken watchmen of Israel and their false leaders (religious and secular) [Isa.56:10-12].
 
“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.” -Ezekiel 3:17
 
Christians and so called Messianic gentiles should be careful to note that God appoints Jews as watchmen of Israel.
 
Like the prophet Ezekiel who was deported to Babylon in 597 BCE, Isaiah (740-695 BCE) is to be alert, and to hold Israel to account for her sinful syncretistic worship, and her hypocrisy. Believers today who speak out as Isaiah was commanded to do are often labelled critical, unloving, lacking in grace, judgemental, hateful. Isaiah received the same response from the wicked ones of his generation. How sad it is to realise that those who speak out today to challenge the hypocrisy and sin of this generation are most often criticised by the church (albeit the apostate church), the very same church (apostate) that passes judgement on the ethnic-religious Jewish people.
 
“Call out, read, recite, proclaim, cry aloud, from within your throat” The phrase “from within your throat” denotes a cry so loud and repeated so often in so many locations that it makes the throat raw. The passion that is expressed in the guttural throat sounds of the Hebrew language are also being referred to. This is to be a forceful and passionate admonishment, a voice of alarm, warning, and accountability.
 
“Don’t withhold it like a ram’s horn the rising of your voice, and be conspicuous” In some circumstances the prophets were to withhold certain aspects of prophecy from the people (Daniel 9:24; 12:4). This is not the case here. HaShem is instructing Isaiah to speak the full prophetic warning and keep none of it hidden. All Israel (Judah) is to hear this call to repentance in its entirety even to the least child and the lowliest servant who serves in the houses of Israel villages.
 
It’s worth noting that the shofar (rams horn) imagery used here can be linked to the blowing of the shofar at the beginning and end of Israel’s only Biblically commanded fast day, that is Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). Therefore, the subsequent dialogue over fasting in part proposes a discussion over the one fast God has commanded Israel in the Torah.
 
“Make known to My tribe their rebellion (transgression), and to the house Ya’akov of Jacob (follower) their sins.” All humanity needs to repent, and yet, these words are spoken specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious). HaShem says “make known to My tribe” and He affirms the identity of His tribe by naming Yaakov (Jacob, the follower). There are two different words used to describe Israel’s sin. “Pisham” means rebellion and infers idolatry, the root of all sin, and “chatotam” (sin) is the fruit of rebellion.
 
Isa 58:2  Ve’otiy And Me yom yom day after day yidroshun they seek, enquire of, ve’da’at and know derachay my ways yechpatzun having delighted in them: ke’goy as a nation asher-tzedakah after righteousness, asah doing umishpat the judgements of Elohayv their God, lo azav not leaving (forsaking), lishaluniy they ask to borrow mishpeteiy-tzedek My righteous judgments; kirvat approaching Elohiym God (gods) yechpatzun they delight.
 
“And they seek daily instruction from me, as if to know the ways which are right before me, finding delight in my presence as a people that doeth righteousness, and have not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me judgment and truth, as if they delighted to draw nigh to the fear of the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
In the former chapter HaShem spoke of exposing the righteousness of the wicked (57:12). This begins by detailing the apparent religious zeal of Israel.
 
“And Me day after day they seek, enquire of” There can be no doubt that the people of Israel continued to seek God daily at this point in history, however, it seems clear that the motivation of their hearts was sinful.
 
“and know my ways having delighted in them” When the rebuke is issued, no one will be able to say, “We didn’t know what You required” because they were clearly aware of what God required and even appeared to delight in the ways of God.
 
“as a nation after righteousness, doing the judgements of their God” Here is the first indication that the nature of Israel’s worship was idolatrous. Israel (Judah) is called a “goy”, which while technically accurate, is none the less an insinuation that she is acting like the pagan nations that surround her and is mirroring their behaviour in pursuit of her God. Thus, a tacit syncretism is implied.
 
“not leaving (forsaking), they ask to borrow My righteous judgments” The Hebrew seems to convey the sense that the idolatrous Israelites (Judeans) neither forsake the judgements (Torah) of HaShem, nor do they truly practise them, but rather they “borrow” them as an add on to their other practices. This is a description of cultural religion rather than true religion, and can be seen today in numerous Jewish Synagogues and Christian Churches, where God’s existence and supremacy are of little concern in the wake of vain tradition. Too often those who would seek to worship God mistake the architecture of a cathedral for awe and the rhythm of tradition for security.
 
“approaching Elohiym God (gods) they delight” The use of the Hebrew “Elohiym” conveys a subtle message of idolatry and supports the idea of ongoing syncretistic worship. In Hebrew “elohiym” can mean “God, gods, judges, rulers”. While the context denotes the flawed pursuit of the God of Israel, the reality is that Israel was pursuing many elohiym (gods) at this time and simply adding Jewish religious observances to the plethora of other worship practises.
 
“And they come unto you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.” -Ezekiel 33:31
 
Isa 58:3  “Lama Why tzamnu have we fasted, ve’lo raiyta and You don’t see? Iniynu We busied ourselves, afflicting nafsheinu our soul (life, person, existence), ve’lo teidat and without your knowledge (alt. and you’ve not known us)?” Hein Behold, pay attention, be’yom in the day tzomechem of your fast timtze’u-cheifetz you find pleasure, ve’chol-atzeveiychem and all your labours tingosu oppress.
 
“They say, Wherefore do we fast, as it is revealed before Thee? wherefore have we afflicted ourselves, as known unto Thee? The prophet said unto them, Behold, in the day of your fast ye seek your extortions, and ye bring near all your stumbling-blocks.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“Why have we fasted, and You don’t see?” This is the incredulous query of Israel’s observant ones. They believe they have done what’s required to please God with their empty actions and traditions however, God has not responded. It may be that in part they have not seen abundant seasonal rains or fruitful crops among other things that they desired. On the other hand, they may be complaining because they had fasted for their own gain and yet have not received the riches they wanted. There is of course an excellent NT scripture that addresses this:
 
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives so you may spend it on your passions. You adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” -Yaakov (James) 4:3-4 (TLV)
 
“We busied ourselves, afflicting our soul (life, person, existence), and without your knowledge (alt. and you’ve not known us)?” The Hebrew is ambiguous for a reason. “Iniynu” can mean both “afflicted ourselves” and “busied ourselves”. The affliction of the soul is an idiom referring to fasting but there is also an inferred sense here of vain busyness in religious practise. The phrase “And you’ve not known us” is interesting in that it is an idiom that denotes God’s rejecting of the wicked.
 
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” -Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV)
 
“Behold, pay attention, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and all your labours oppress.” We note that God describes Israel’s fast as “your fast” meaning, not the fast I appointed. Further we see that although Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) requires the affliction of the body through fasting and the associated practise of genuine repentance for sin, the fast of Israel (Judah) is one where they seek their own pleasure and worse still, while they seek their pleasure they are requiring there workers (many of whom are either foreigners or fellow Israelites under indentured service) to continue to labour in spite of the Torah requirement for the foreigner living among them to cease work during the observance of the convocations (moediym) of God (Num.9:14). Thus they rob themselves of the true freedom found through God’s instruction and also prevent others from enjoying that freedom.
 
There is a terrible irony throughout this passage regarding the Hebrew “tzum” fast. It comes from the root tzm meaning to press, tie up, constrain, and is related to the phrase “Nefesh ina”, which translates “Do violence to the natural life” or more literally “Soul affliction”. This constraint is meant to invoke repentance. Yom Kippur (the day of atonement (the tenth of the seventh month Tizri. Lev.23:27), Judaism’s Tzum (fast) is a day of sober reflection preceded by many days of preparatory supplication to God. It is the opposite of delight, pleasure and celebration. From sundown to sundown Israel prays, repents, seeks reconciliation with one another and with God. Ironically, rather than constrain themselves, the Israelites of Isaiah’s time were delighting themselves and restraining others. This is the very opposite of what God had instructed.
 
The Jewish people also fasted at other times not commanded in the Torah as a show of repentance and contrition (Zechariah 8:19, Jeremiah 14:12; 36:9; Nehemiah 1:4; 9:1, Esther 4:3, 16, Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15). Therefore, it is not fasting itself that is being brought into question but the motivation behind the fasting.
 
Scripture teaches that fasting is to be a physical reflection of an inner desire to repent, reconcile, make restitution, mourn, be contrite and seek God through sober self-assessment. Nowhere does Scripture teach fasting as a means to earn God's favour or activate His blessing: such fasting infers that our actions determine God's actions. Fasting is not a magic formula for blessing. To the contrary, those who fast in order to get something have entirely misunderstood the reasons for fasting. 

Isa 58:4  Hein Behold, pay attention, le’riyv for strife, controversy, dispute umatzah and contention, tatzumu you fast ulehakot and to smite be’egrof with the fist resha of wickedness: lo-tatzumu you don’t fast chayom for this day le’hasmiya to be heard bamarom on high kolchem your voices.
 
The true motivation for Israel’s fasting is brought into the light. The hypocrisy of the people is great. Though they make all the outward signs of fasting and piety they are none the less seeking to win arguments, contend with enemies. They have not fasted in order to be heard by God.
 
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” -Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)
 
Isa 58:5  Ha’chazeh Is this which yihyeh has come to pass tzom a fast evchareihu I have chosen? Yom A day anot to be busy oppressing adam a man’s nafsho soul (life)? Halachof The bending down ke’agmon rosho of his head like a bulrush, vesak and sackcloth va’eifer and ashes yatziya spread out as a bed? Halazeh For this you tikra-tzom call a fast, veyom and a day ratzon acceptable to HaShem (YHVH: Mercy)?
 
“Is this which has come to pass a fast I have chosen?” It is the motivation and action of the type of fasting being practised that is challenged. God has not chosen a fast of pleasure and oppression, to the contrary, He has commanded a fast (Yom Kippur) of repentance and freedom through atonement.
 
“A day to be busy oppressing a man’s soul (life)?” Once again the language of afflicting the soul conveys a sense of irony, given that this is commanded in connection with the day of atonement but is being misapplied by sinful Israel and thus does not meet the requirements of the fast God has chosen. Nor is it born of the truly contrite heart.
 
“The bending down of his head like a bulrush, and sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed?” In and of themselves these are outward signs of inward contrition, however, they are not the fast God has chosen because they are outward signs alone.
 
“For this you call a fast, and a day acceptable to HaShem (YHVH: Mercy)?” Thus, Hashem exposes the hearts of Israel and berates her for her disgusting hypocrisy.
 
Isa 58:6  Ha’lo zeh Is not this tzom a fast evchareihu I have chosen: pateiach to open chartzubot the bonds resha of guilt, hateir to cause trembling agudot to the bindings motah of the yoke, ve’shalach and send retzutziym oppressed ones chafeshiym free, vechol-motah and every yoke tenateiku you are to break, lift off.
 
“Is not this the fast which I have chosen? to scatter the assembly of wickedness, to loose the fetters of a decree of perverted judgment, to set at liberty the sons of the freeborn, who have suffered violence, and to remove all perverted judgment?” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“Is not this a fast I have chosen” Israel is now given a clear picture of the expectations of God regarding true fasting. What follows are a list of righteous actions that result from a truly contrite heart before God. The Hebrew intentionally says “tzom” a fast, rather than “Ha-tzom” the fast, because God is addressing the actions that result from a right motivation in fasting rather than calling attention to Yom Kippur alone.
 
“to open the bonds of guilt” That is to offer salvation to those who are rightly imprisoned. This is in fact the goal of the modern Yom Kippur observance: to repent and seek to be released from the books of judgement and be sealed in the book of life.
 
“to cause trembling to the bindings of the yoke” Meaning to set free those who have been made captive to oppression of every kind. The yoke is also a figure for false teaching and thus carries the sense of setting people free from idolatry and its subtle influence on the religion of Israel.
 
“and send oppressed ones free” This is an admonition to those in Israel who have held indentured brothers beyond the shmita (seventh year) and or held foreigners under oppressive conditions.
 
“and every yoke you are to break, lift off” This is a summation of the entire list and addresses both the physical and spiritual freedom that is to result from godly fasting.
 
Isa 58:7  Ha’lo zeh Is it not to faros divide laraeiv to the hungry lachmecha your bread, va’aniym and the poor merudiym that are wandering taviy bring in vayit to thy house; kiy-tireh when you see arom a naked one, vechisiyto and you cover him; umibesarecha and from your own flesh, lo tit’alam do not hide?
 
The list of the practical fruit of godly fasting continues.
 
“Is it not to divide to the hungry your bread” Rather than storing up food for yourself, divide it up with the hungry and destitute.
 
“the poor that are wandering bring in to thy house” Bring the wandering and homeless poor into your home. Put a mattress down for them on the living room floor if you must.
 
“when you see a naked one, and you cover him” Clothe the naked.
 
All these practical helps are alluded to by the King Messiah Yeshua in his mashal (parable):
 
“for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” -Matthew 25:35-36 (NKJV)
 
“from your own flesh, do not hide?” Marriage and family are the ultimate figure of God’s relational nature. Therefore, the worst form of general sin regarding relationship with other human beings is the sin of failing to help your own blood.
 
“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” -1 Timothy 5:8 (NKJV)
 
Isa 58:8  Az Then yibaka breaking open kashachar like the dawn orecha your light, va’aruchatecha and your restoration meheirah will speedily titzmach spring forth; vehalach and walking lefaneycha before your face tzidkecha your righteousness; kevod the glory of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) ya’asfecha will be your rear guard (gathering at the rear).
 
Israel had complained that God was not hearing them. Thus, God explained to them the hypocrisy of their practise and the reason that they were not being blessed or rewarded for it. Now, having given Israel a pattern for godly fasting, He also gives them a promise for the progression of blessing and renewal that will result from their repentance and godly actions.
 
“Then” means, once you repent and fast from truly contrite hearts, living godly lives, then you will see this…
 
“breaking open like the dawn your light” The most blinding light in creation as seen from earth is the breaking dawn. Not only will God’s light shine upon Israel, He will dwell in her. Thus, His light will become their light. This is why the Hebrew is formed from the word “or” which indicates uncreated light.
 
“your restoration will speedily spring forth” The restoration promised will come quickly, as soon as Israel truly repents.
 
“walking before your face your righteousness” In a primary sense the righteousness that walks before the face of Israel is the Righteous One the King Messiah Yeshua. In another sense the righteousness that redeemed Israel are bent on performing will be ever before their faces. In both cases that righteousness is born of God through the King Messiah. This righteousness goes before Israel, just as He did when she was being lead out of Egyptian captivity. In fact, this describes in a figurative way the cloud of the presence of the Malakh HaShem, the Angel of the Lord, Who is Himself, Yeshua our King Messiah.
 
“the glory of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) will be your rear guard” Once again the journey of freedom from bondage in Egypt is used figuratively to illuminate God’s present manifest protection at Israel’s rear as she escapes captivity (both physical and spiritual) and returns to the land. The glory of Hashem that guards the rear and gathers the slow travellers is synonymous with the cloud of the presence, the pillar of fire that both lead and guarded Israel on her journey to the land of promise.
 
“Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” -Isaiah 60:21 (ASV)
 
Isa 58:9  Az Then tikra you will call, and HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) ya’aneh will answer; teshava you will cry, veyomar and He will say, “Hineiniy Behold, pay attention, here I am. Im-tasiyr If you take away mitocha from the midst of you motah the yoke, shelach etzba stretching forth of the finger, vedaber-aen and speaking wickedly;
 
“Then, when you have returned to HaShem He will answer” but the journey doesn’t end there. He will call you to pay careful attention and require you to walk in righteousness. When HaShem delivers you, you must remove the yoke of oppression and idolatry from your midst, and cease pointing fingers at your neighbours, demanding their land or accusing them falsely. You must refrain from wicked talk and instead speak rightly.
 
Iben Ezra notes that the pointing of the finger is the stretching out of one’s hand to strike a neighbour or take his property.
 
“A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
” -Proverbs 6:12-14 (NKJV)
 
Isa 58:10  Ve’tafeik And if you pour out laraeiv to the hungry nafshecha your soul (life), na’anah tasbiya and satisfy the afflicted: vezarach then breaking out bachoshech in the darkness orecha your light katzohorayim as the midday;
 
“And if you pour out to the hungry your soul (life) and satisfy the afflicted” This is not just an admonition to give to a food bank from time to time, or minister to the emotionally afflicted once a week at a church meeting. It is a call to a life of service to the hungry and afflicted, both physical and spiritual. This means that God will empower those who serve Him to give of themselves and provide them with the means to perpetuate their giving as a lifestyle rather than a single act.
 
“then breaking out in the darkness your light as the midday;” As a result, not just of repenting and receiving God’s redemption but of putting that redemptive journey into practise, “your light” that is the light of Messiah in you, will break out in the darkness. In every dark and oppressive area of life the light of God will break out in you, and your light will bring midday to the midnight.
 
Isa 58:11  Venachacha HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) will lead you tamiyd continually, vehisbiya and satisfy betzachtzachot in scorched land nafshecha your soul (life), ve’atzmoteycha yachaliytz and equip your bones; vehayita and you will become ke’gan raveh like a watered garden, uchemotza and like a spring mayim of water, asher lo-yechazevu meiymayn whose waters don’t fail.
 
“And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in the years of drought, and He shall quicken thy body with eternal life, and thy soul shall be full with delicacies like a watered garden, well irrigated, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) will lead you continually” One of the meanings of the Hebrew “tamiyd” is eternal. We call the flame that hangs above the Aron Hakodesh (Torah Ark) the “Nir Tamiyd” eternal flame (light). It is representative of the presence of the glory (shekhinah) of God. Thus, the present verse refers to eternal life. The Targum agrees.
 
“satisfy in scorched land your soul (life),” God will be present with the redeemed within the present world to satisfy their needs when they’re in distress in a scorched land. This infers that eternal life is entered into in this life and proceeds into the Olam Haba (world to come). This is consistent with the words of the King Messiah Yeshua:
 
“Yeshua said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he die, yet will he live.’” -Yochanan (John) 11:25
 
“and equip your bones” Is a euphemism for eternal life. Bones are interred in a tomb, thus, the figurative strengthening of them is an allusion to the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting. The Targum agrees saying, “He shall quicken thy body with eternal life”.
 
“and you will become like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don’t fail.” It is hard to miss the obvious correlation to the words of Yeshua:
 
“Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” -Yochanan (John) 7:38 (TLV) cf. Isa. 44:3, 55:1, 58:11; Ezek. 47; Zech. 14:8.
 
Isa 58:12  Uvanu mimecha And those who come from you will build charevot the waste places olam of antiquity; Mosdei the foundations dor-vador generation after generation tekomem will rise up vekora lecha you will be called “Godeir peretz Mason (repairer) of the breach, meshoveiv Restorer (returner) netiyvot of pathways lashavet to remain, dwell, sit, abide, rest in.
 
“And those who come from you will build the waste places of antiquity” This came to pass quite literally through the returned captives of Babylon lead by Ezra  (458 BCE) and Nehemiah (445 BCE), some 250 years after the present text was spoken and recorded before Israel (Judah), prior to her exile to Babylon. The returned exiles worked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore the Temple.
 
“the foundations generation after generation will rise up” This is both literal and figurative. The generations of Israel (ethnic, religious) have continued to rise up and maintain the foundation of ethno-religious identity. The foundation is that set by God, first as the stone of Mount Zion (Who is the King messiah) and also through the faith of Abraham, which was passed on through Isaac and Jacob and subsequently became the foundation of Israel, having entered into covenant with God and receiving the Torah and the promised goal of the Torah the King Messiah. Therefore, the foundation of Israel’s faith will continue to rise up generation after generation through a righteous remnant set apart by God unto the salvation of all the remnant of Israel in the latter days (Romans 11:25-26).
 
“you will be called “Godeir peretz Mason (repairer) of the breach, meshoveiv Restorer (returner) netiyvot of pathways lashavet to remain, dwell, sit, abide, rest in.” Literally “restorer of the pathways to Shabbat”. The language refers to an individual, as do the titles. “Godeir peretz” is a Repairer of the walls, and “Meshoveiv netiyvot” is a Restorer (returner) of pathways. Therefore, this latter clause describes an individual who will repair the walls of Israel’s cities, particularly Jerusalem and will return her to Shabbat rest in its truest sense. While this may be considered fulfilled in part by the many workers of Israel who worked on the Temple with Ezra and the walls with Nehemiah, it was and is yet to be fully filled by Yeshua the King Messiah in both a metaphysical and eternal spiritual sense. Thus, the everlasting Shabbat of the Olam Haba is inferred.
 
Isa 58:13  Im-tashiv If you turn away mishabat from the Sabbath raglecha your foot, asot from doing chafatzeycha your pleasure beyom kodshiy in My holy day; vekarata and call lashabat the Sabbath oneg exquisite, likdosh and the holy to HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) mechubad from weighty glory; vechibadto and honouring it due to its weighty glory, meiasot not fashioning deracheycha your own ways, mimetzo nor finding cheftzecha your own pleasure, ve’dabeir davar nor speaking excessively:
 
As an act of contrition Israel must stop walking toward her own desires and pleasures on the Shabbat day and instead take delight in the true joy of gathering to rest together in the merciful grace of God that endures forever. Israel must honour the weighty glory of God symbolically alluded to in the seventh day and acknowledge His awesome (fearful), holy presence in their weekly observance of Shabbat. When the Jewish people keep Shabbat in holiness and focus on God’s goodness and provision of redemption and rest through the Messiah, they will truly stand in awe of His weighty glory and find themselves reconciled to Him.
 
We note that Israel is not to pursue her own ways or pleasure, nor is there to be excessive speaking. This is reminiscent of the words of our Messiah:
 
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!  But you, when you pray, go into your inner room; and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you.  And when you are praying, do not babble on and on like the pagans; for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” -Matthew 6:5-8 (TLV)
 
Isa 58:14  Az Then titanag you will become soft al in HaShem (YHVH: Mercy); vehirkavtiycha and I will cause you to ride al-bamoteiy upon the high places of aretz the land; veha’achaltiycha and I will feed you nachalat with the heritage, property, portion, share, inheritance, possession of Yaakov (Jacob, follower) aviycha your father: kiy piy for the mouth of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) dibeir has spoken.
 
“Then you will become soft in HaShem (YHVH: Mercy)” The phrasing is beautiful. As a result of Israel’s reconciliation to God through repentance and the receiving of the King Messiah, each one will become soft of spirit in Mercy (YHVH). Thus they will live as ones who impart mercy to others.
 
“and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the land” Meaning that Israel under the rule of her Messiah will reign over all the earth.
 
“and I will feed you with the heritage, property, portion, share, inheritance, possession of Yaakov (Jacob, follower) your father” The redeemed of Israel will feed quite literally on the produce of the land which has been given to Jacob (Israel) in the progression of the promised covenant made through Abraham and passed on to Isaac. The inheritance of Israel also includes the faith of Abraham and its manifestation through Moses at Sinai where Israel entered into covenant with God and received the Torah and the goal of the Torah the King Messiah Yeshua. Therefore, the redeemed of Israel will feed on the spiritual food of the life, body and redeeming blood of Yeshua the Lamb of God and will thus inherit eternity in Him.
 
Regarding the reason that Jacob is mentioned in connection to the inheritance of the redeemed of Israel:
 
“not Abraham, of whom it is written, "arise, walk through the land in the length of it", &c. Gen 13:17, nor Isaac, of whom it is written, "for unto thee, and to thy seed, will I give all these countries", &c. Gen 26:3, but Jacob, of whom it is written, "and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south", &c. Gen 28:14expressing the larger extent of the inheritance” - T. Bab. Sabbat, fol 118. 2.
 
“because he is the father of all true Israelites, who are, as he was, wrestling and prevailing.” -Kimchi
 
“for the mouth of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has spoken.” All this is firmly and immutably established in eternity and has been revealed to those who have received Messiah as the eternal present reality.
 
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
The former chapter ends with a description of the wicked, lazy, godless false shepherds and rulers of Israel at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy. They are described as drunken fools who are devoid of faith and focused solely on their own unjust gain. They are now starkly contrasted to the righteous who have fallen as a result of the wicked rulers and false shepherds of Israel (Judah).
 
Isa 57:1  Ha-tzadiyk The righteous avad perishes, ve’eiyn and no iysh (man) one sam lays it al upon (within) leiv their core being (heart); ve’ansheiy-chesed merciful men of standing ne’esafiym are taken away (removed), be’eiyn while none meiviyn understand. Kiy-mipeneiy For from before the face ha’ra’ah of the evil ne’esaf ha-tzadiyk the righteous are gathered in, taken away, received;
 
“The righteous die, and no man layeth my fear to heart; and the men who shew mercy are taken away, and they consider not that the righteous are taken away on account of the evil which shall come.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“The righteous perishes, and no one lays it upon (within) their core being (heart)” It seems clear given the context and chronology that righteous Jews living in the midst of their idolatrous countrymen have died as a result of the ungodly rule of the wicked. Specifically the wicked rulers and shepherds of Israel (56:9-12). Therefore, it is members of the righteous remnant that are being referred to.
 
The prophet’s words may well reflect the condition of Judah under the reign of king Manasseh, who is described this way: “Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.” (2 Kings 21:16).
 
“Merciful men of standing are taken away (removed), while no one understands.” The spiritual condition of Judah (Israel) is so debauched that the people barely pay attention to the deaths of the righteous, nor are they able to do the spiritual math and see that this is a sign of how low they have sunk into idolatry and lewdness. The Hebrew “ansheiy” refers not just to men but to men of standing, respected and righteous men who are leaders of the community. We note that the Targum reads, “no man layeth my fear to heart.” This correlates to the idea that those who resist God’s love often choose to celebrate the death of His servants:
 
“and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.” -Revelation 11:10 (ESV)
 
King David’s response to the loss of the godly is the right response, and an example to all:
 
“Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.” -Psalm 12:1
 
He rightly understands that the death of the righteous is an indictment against a community, and at its extension, an indictment against humanity. Therefore, he cries out to the Lord for salvation. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy Judah (Israel) did not follow the good example of David because unlike David the rulers and shepherds of Judah (Israel) were unrepentant and had forsaken God’s Torah, and instead had turned to numbing themselves with debauchery in the worship of false gods.
 
“For from before the face of the evil the righteous are gathered in, taken away, received;” This is an explanation of that which the wicked of Israel are unable to understand in their state of spiritual blindness. For the righteous, death is not an end to life but rather a transitional journey into everlasting life. For the wicked on the other hand, death is an end that gives birth to an everlasting second death. Therefore, the death of the righteous is described as an act of God’s mercy. He has taken the righteous away to Gan Eden (Paradise) in order to spare them the face of evil that will come against the wicked in this temporal sin affected world.
 
Something similar is prophesied by Huldah the prophetess concerning the righteous king Josiah:
 
“Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.” -2 Kings 22:20 (ESV)
 
In a literal historical sense the evil that is about to come upon Judah (Israel) will come in the form of the Babylonian Empire. Thus, the righteous are being spared from captivity. In a greater spiritual sense the Lord continues to deliver the righteous from the plague of evil that is coming upon the world in these latter days. And, like the spiritually blind Israel of old the present generation is oblivious to both the loss of the righteous and the clear sign that this loss presents regarding the coming destruction and judgement.
 
Isa 57:2  Yavo He has and continues to enter into shalom peace (wholeness, wellbeing); yanuchu they have and continue to rest (remain, dwell) al-mishkevotam upon their beds holeich who walk in ne’chocho straightness, rightness (in front of).
 
“They shall enter into peace; they shall rest in the place of their beds, those that do His law.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“He has and continues to enter into shalom peace (wholeness, wellbeing)” The “He” in this phrase is the righteous, the merciful man of standing. Keep in mind that this follows the perishing (death) of the righteous one. Therefore, the text infers an ongoing existence after death in the afterlife (Gan Eden: Paradise).
 
The Hebrew text informs us that the righteous one has (past tense) and continues to (present tense) enter into Peace, wholeness, and well-being. This is a description of the soul dwelling in spirit with the person of Peace, that is the transcendent resurrected Messiah, the Prince of Peace. This is in keeping with the familiar refrain of the Torah, “He was gathered to his tribe” (Gen.25:8). One asks, given that Abraham died and was gathered to his tribe, where is his tribe, and how is it possible to be gathered to one’s ethnic family after death? The answer is of course found in the teachings of our rabbis and in the mashal of Yeshua concerning Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). Sheol, the place of the departed (not the grave: kever), is divided into Gan Eden (Paradise) and Gehenna (Torment), with an uncrossable chasm between the two.
 
“they have and continue to rest (remain, dwell) upon their beds who walk in straightness, rightness.” The bed is used as a euphemism for the sleep of death. Yeshua used the euphemism sleep to describe temporal death, that is, the first death. It is temporal in the fact that the first death lasts only until the judgement, at which time there is a second death for the wicked but eternal life for the righteous (those made righteous through Messiah Yeshua). The use of “bed” as a euphemism for death is consistent with the use of “sleep” for the same purpose. Both infer a temporal state, one that the sleeper (on his bed) will one day awake from. Thus, both Gan Eden and Gehenna are temporal holding places that will give forth their dead at the judgement, after which the righteous will live in the Olam Haba (world to come) in God’s manifest presence and the wicked will be consigned to the place they have chosen, that is the lake of fire that torments perpetually (Rev. 20:14).
 
We note that it is those whose faith causes them to walk in straightness, which is synonymous with righteousness, who are received to rest in peace upon their beds.
 
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” -Revelation 14:13 (ESV)
 
The Hebrew “mishkav” translated bed, is an accurate description of the ancient Jewish interment practice of chiselling out rock beds, and cubicles inside caves, and or setting them in man-made tombs (above ground). These acted as the tombs (graves) of those who had passed on. Therefore, unlike the English word “grave” the Hebrew “kever” denotes an above ground interment rather than an under ground burial.
 
Later in the chapter the bed is seen as a convergent euphemism for both adulterous idolatry and death.
 
Isa 57:3  Ve’atem But you (plural), kirvu-heinah draw near, here, now, beneiy sons (children) onenah of a sorceress, zera seed (offspring) me’naeif from an adulterer v’tizneh and a whore (fornicator).
 
“But ye, come nigh hither, people of a generation whose works are evil, whose plant was of a holy plant; but they are adulterers, and fornicators.” Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE).
 
Now the prophet speaks God’s disciplinary words to the wicked among the people of Judah and Israel.
 
The modern Hebrew convergent phrase for the litany of titles at the end of this verse is “Ben-zonah”, equivalent to “Son of a bitch”, but literally “Son of a whore”.
 
We note that this is a generational indictment. Not only are the generation of Isaiah’s lifetime wicked, they are the children of a wicked generation.
 
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” -1 Samuel 15:23
 
The progression of titles is significant:

1. Sons of a sorceress (Idolatry and rebellion)
2. Seed from an adulterer (Dissolution of Marriage, Destruction of family)
3. Seed from a whore (Wasted seed, Infant murder, Destroying future progeny)

 
The children of the sorceress are children of rebellion. Both they and their parents have rebelled against God. The adulterer destroys families. Therefore, the children of the adulterer are those who destroy families through sexual sin. The children of the whore, however, in addition to destroying families, also participates is the ironic and self-defeating act of wasting seed and by aborting (sacrificing) unwanted babies that result from breeches in birth control for the prostitute. This brings blood guilt (murder) on both the prostitute and the one who lies with her.
 
This list of titles and their sins results in a generation that is destroying itself through rebellion toward God. Thus, a loving God has no other option but to discipline His wayward children in order to save them from themselves.

A similar indictment is brought against the Church in Thyatira, and serves as a warning to the Church today:

“But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” -Revelation 2:20 (ESV)
 
Isa 57:4  Al-miy Against whom tit’an’agu do you mock? Al-miy Against whom tarchivu do you open wide peh your mouth, ta’ariychu lengthening (sticking out) lashon your tongue? Ha-lo-atem Are you (plural) not yildeiy-fesha children of rebellion (transgression), zera seed (offspring) shaqer of lies, deceit, falsehood.
 
“Against whom do you mock? Against whom do you open wide your mouth, lengthening (sticking out) your tongue? In one sense the text speaks of the wicked who mock the righteous representatives of God and indeed God himself. They ridicule and poke out their tongues. In another sense this could be seen as a description of haughty lasciviousness, sexual foreplay. Finally, there is the figurative application of the mouth and the words that proceed from it. The words of the wicked among Israel are words that produce death in opposition to the Word of life spoken by God’s prophet. The lengthening of the tongue could also be understood as an idiom meaning, to use language as a means of deception.
 
“Are you (plural) not children of rebellion (transgression), seed (offspring) of lies, deceit, falsehood.” The title “Children of rebellion” is the other part of the couplet to verse 3’s sorceress. Likewise “Seed of lies” relates to the adulteress and the whore.
 
Isa 57:5  Ha’neichamiym You who get hot with lust baeiliym among the terebinth trees (gods, idols, judges), tachat under kol-eitz ra’anan every green tree, shochateiy who slaughter ha-yladiym the children banechaliym in the valleys, tachat under se’ifeiy clefts ha-selaiym in the rock?
 
“Who worship idols beneath every green tree, who sacrifice the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“Terebinth trees” The terebinth was the chief tree in Canaanite pagan worship, and is possibly the tree associated with the worship of Ashteret. The Ashterot poles/idols were possibly carved from the terebinth.
 
“In the valleys” probably refers to the Hinnom and Kidron in particular. The Hinnom valley is a known location for child sacrifice to the false Canaanite horned bull deity Moloch, aka Molech.
 
Sexual perversion and the sacrifice of children on pagan altars was common practice among the Canaanites whom HaShem had commanded the Israelites to remove from the land. Instead, the generations pursuant to Israel’s coming into the land became seduced by the women of the land and fell into worship of the false gods of Canaan.
 
Sacred prostitutes acted as priestesses and priests of deities such as Ashteret, the Canaanite equivalent to Aphrodite (the Greek godess of love, sex, beauty and fertility). The cult of Moloch demanded the sacrifice of children and was practised by king Manasseh in the Valley of Hinnom below Mount Zion surrounding Jerusalem from west to south (2 Chronicles 33:6). The valley of Hinnom is used as a figure for the holding place of torment known as Gehinnom or Gehenna.
 
However, the current reference to child sacrifice also specifies the location “under the clefts of the rock” which is an allusion to the high place sacrifices made to the Ba’aliym (Husbands, masters, false deities). It is likely that both forms of pagan sacrifice are being referred to.
 
Isa 57:6  Bechalkeiy-nachal Among the smooth stones of the wadi (torrent valley, stream bed) chelkeich is your portion; heim, heim they, they, goraleich are your lot (dice, chance pebbles); gam-lahem shafacht also to them you have poured out nesech a drink he’eliyt offering (ascending), minchah a grain offering, tribute, sacrifice. Ha-al eileh enacheim Am I supposed to relent, regret, be comforted by, console Myself, repent because of these things?
 
“Among the smooth stones of the wadi (torrent valley, stream bed) is your portion” Stones made smooth by the swift current of water that flooded the valleys were often anointed with oil and became objects of pagan worship upon which tribute was left and sacrifices were made.
 
“they, are your lot” This can be understood to refer to either a portion inherited or a chance devise. The commentator Yarchi suggests that the very stones used in pagan worship will be used to stone to death their worshippers. This is certainly an accurate picture of the nature of sinful action. In one sense all idolatry is self-abuse.
 
The use of the Hebrew “minchah” meaning, offering or grain offering, one specifically associated with the worship of HaShem; denotes a syncretistic practice that makes these actions all the more abhorrent.
 
“Am I supposed to relent, regret, be comforted by, console Myself, repent because of these things?” HaShem asks this incredulous rhetorical question as a challenge to the idolatrous Israelites (Judean’s). The Holy God of creation could neither be comforted nor offer consolation in response to such lewd and perverted pagan practices. According to the above explanation regarding the Hebrew minchah, it is more than likely that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea may well have been syncretising these practises with their worship of HaShem, making their sin all the more heinous.
 
It is worth noting that the practises of pagans are intrinsically linked to demons, and ultimately to Ha-Satan (The Devil).
 
“They sacrificed to demons, a non-god,
gods they had not known--
to new ones who came in lately,
ones your fathers had not dreaded.” -Deuteronomy 32:17 (TLV)
 
“No, I’m saying that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God, and I don’t want you to become partners with demons.” -1 Corinthians 10:20 (TLV)
 
Isa 57:7  Al Upon har-gavah ve’nisa a high (exalted) and lofty mountain samt mishkaveich you have set your bed, gam-sham also there aliyt you went up lizboach to slaughter zavach an animal (blood) sacrifice.
 
Ancient pagan worship made sacred places out of high mountains and hills. Some of the righteous kings of Israel removed the objects of worship used on these high places but many others allowed Israel to syncretise its worship of YHVH with the worship of other deities on the mountains and hills of Israel. This is to be considered the gravest of abominations.
 
“You have set your bed” Is a convergent euphemism. It combines the sexual immorality of pagan worship with the death bed that results. In effect the simple statement “You have set your bed also there” infers that the bed of adultery and idolatry set on the high place for all to see, will also become the bed on which the dead idolater lies in full view of everyone.
 
Isa 57:8  Ve’achar And behind ha-delet the door ve’hamezuzah and the mezuzah (container holding the promises of God: Deut. 6:4-9 and 11:13-21) on the doorpost samt you have set zichroneich up your remembrances; kiy for, mei’itiy from Me, giliyt you have uncovered your bed, vata’aliy and have gone up from Me, hirchavt widening mishkaveich your bed; vatichrat-lach mei’em and you have cut off a piece of (made a covenant for) yourself with them, ahavat you have loved mishkavam their bed, yad a penis (figurative use of yad: hand) chaziyt you looked upon.
 
“Behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up the remembrance of thy idols; thou hast been like a woman who is beloved by her husband, but goeth astray after strangers; thou hast enlarged thy bed: thou hast made a covenant with some of them, thou loved the place, the place of their beds, the place thou hast chosen.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE). 
 
“And behind the door and the mezuzah on the doorpost you have set up your remembrances;” This is a description of syncretism. Idolatrous Jews were placing the charms of other deities under the mezuzot on the doors of their houses. This is significant given that Hashem had commanded Israel to write His word on the doorposts of their houses. The mezuzah has the Hebrew character Shin on it to remind the home owner that El Shaddai the all sufficient protector of Israel guards the home and equally, that His shalom is on the home of the true worshipper of Hashem. Thus, instead of the protection and peace of Hashem the Jews of the time were invoking protection from other gods, gods that could never protect them, gods that would in reality, bring about their destruction.
 
“for, from Me, you have uncovered your bed, and have gone up from Me, widening your bed;” This is the figure of a spurned husband whose wife is an adulteress. She leaves her husband’s bed in order to sleep with not one but many lovers. Thus, “widening your bed”.
 
“and you have cut off a piece of (made a covenant for) yourself with them, you have loved their beds, yad a penis (figurative use of yad: hand) you looked upon.” This is a description of the height of lewdness and unabashed perversion. The euphemistic use of the Hebrew “yad” seeks to expose the depths of depravity reached by the idolatrous. The yad (hand, penis) may also be representative of the Ashterot poles, and or the trees of pagan worship. This correlates to earlier references concerning Israel’s “burning with lust under every green tree.”
 
“Cut off a piece of yourself” refers to the practise of self-harm as it applies to pagan worship. The tragic irony of the idolatrous practises of the Jews of Isaiah’s time is that the covenants of God (with the exception of circumcision) shed the blood of animals as a prefigure of the vicarious sacrifice of the Messiah, whereas the demonic pagan practise required an individual to harm themselves in order to enter into covenant (a binding) relationship with the cold deities of stone and wood. This binding agreement made in the blood of the worshipper had significant spiritual consequences, none of them good.
 
Isa 57:9  Va’tashuriy You travelled lamelekh to the king bashemen with oil va’tarbiy and a great amount rikuchayich of your perfumes; vateshalechiy you sent tzirayich your envoys ad-meirachok to far off distant lands, vatashpiyliy to be humbled, abased, made low ad-sheol even (as far as) the place of the departed.
 
It is suggested by some that “lamelekh” can be understood to be “lamoloch” thus rendering the proper noun of the false god of the Canaanites. Of course devoid of the nikudot of the Masorites the text can be understood to refer to either the king of a foreign land or the god Moloch. The Moloch reading is consistent with worship practices associated to it, which are alluded to in the subsequent list of oils and perfumes. However, it is equally likely that the king described is Ahaz, who sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, to say to Him, “I am thy servant and thy son.” Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the house of YHVH, and in the treasures of the palace, and sent a bribe to the king of Assyria (2 Kings 16:7, 10).
 
Whatever the meaning, the motivation is the same. In each instance Israel is seeking comfort and protection from a king other than the King of the Universe HaShem, the God and King of Israel.
 
“you sent your envoys to far off distant lands, to be humbled, abased, made low even (as far as) the place of the departed.” King Ahaz of Israel did this very thing. However, this could also be interpreted to mean that by going in search of the gods of far off lands Israel has instead found humiliation (through captivity) and sheol (the place of the departed) by dying in captivity.
 
Isa 57:10  Berov darkeich yaga’at Abundant were your ways (paths, roads) that wearied you, lo-amart but you didn’t say, “Utter despair (No hope)”; chayat yadeich matzat your hand (penis) has found living al-kein upon it therefore, lo chaliyt you were not faint.
 
In spite of the exhaustion the idolatrous experienced as a result of their pursuit of false gods, they did not give up and acknowledge that there was no hope in the pagan religions. The latter phrasing describes the temporary delight of engaging in sexual immorality, something that the rebellious children of Judah and Israel had pursued with all their might without growing faint. The Hebrew “yad” is again used in an ambiguous way to figuratively represent a phallus.
 
Alternate interpretations see the latter clause as representing unjust gain:
 
"the necessity of thine hands, thou hast found prosperity in thy works:'' -Yarchi
 
Isa 57:11  Ve’et-miy da’agt Whom did you dread vatire’iy and fear, kiy techazeiviy when you lay down, ve’otiy-lo zachart and did not remember Me, lo-samt nor did you lay it al-libeich upon your core being (heart)? Ha-lo aniy Have I not machsheh umeiolam kept silent perpetually, ve’otiy lo tiyraiy and you do not fear, revere Me (hold Me in awe)?
 
“And of whom hast thou been afraid? and on account of whom hast thou feared? Thou hast surely multiplied speaking lies, and thou hast not remembered my service, and hast not had my fear in thine heart: I would have given you the ends of the world, if you had returned to my law; but thou hast not returned to me.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
This verse sums up the previous indictments. Israel, and specifically Judah has rejected God and His Torah, His love and protection. Rather than stand in awe of God and in fear of His just punishment of sin, Israel (Judah) has given Him no second thought as they have pursued the depraved gods of the Canaanites and of the surrounding nations. HaShem has kept silent in the sense that He has not yet put upon Israel the discipline she deserves. He has given her an opportunity to conclude for herself the need to return to Him, and yet she has refused to the point of disregarding Him altogether.
 
“The apostate Israelites took the silence of their God for indifference rather than attribute it to His longsuffering.” -Victor Buksbazen
 
Isa 57:12  Aniy I agiyd will declare (make known) tzidkateich your righteousness ve’et-ma’asayich and your deeds, ve’lo yoiyluch and they will not profit you.
 
“So be it” says HaShem. “I will declare your (version) of righteousness”, which will be seen for the profitless wickedness that it actually is.
 
Isa 57:13  Be’za’akeich When you cry out, yatziyluch kibbutzayich let your assembled heap (of idols) deliver you! Ve’et But the kulam lot of them yisa-ruach will be carried away by a wind, yikach-havel their breath taken away. Ve’hachoseh viy But he who seeks refuge in Me yinchal-eretz will inherit (possess) the land ve’yiyrash and will inherit (take possession of) Har-Kadshiy My holy mountain.
 
Judah (Israel) had chosen to trust in false, demonic deities. Now, when they cry out to the One true God for help He will respond by telling them to seek help from their worthless husbands (gods) whom they had chased after through their adulterous behaviour, having rejected their true Husband HaShem. Even in this we see mercy. HaShem will not allow the total annihilation of His people. This is an act of discipline. The loving father withholds help when that help is nothing more than an act of enabling.
 
“But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit (possess) the land and will inherit (take possession of) My holy mountain.” HaShem never leaves the faithful without the hope and assurance of his promised inheritance.
 
While the majority of Israel had rejected God, there remained a righteous remnant: many of whom were referred to in the previous chapter, some of whom were proselytes. In the midst of Judah’s coming suffering and exile, God was reminding the faithful that He would bring them into their inheritance in the land of Israel and further still, they would inherit that which is unpurchaseable by human beings, the very dwelling place, and manifest presence of God Himself, that is, the Temple Mount, Mount Zion, Har Beit, Mount Moriah.
 
Isa 57:14  Ve’amar And say, “Solu-solu Lift up, lift up, panu-darech turn toward the way, hariymu raise michshol every occasion of stumbling miderech from the way of amiy My people.”
 
“And he shall say, Teach and admonish, turn the heart of this people to the right way; remove the stumbling-block of the wicked out of the way of the congregation of my people.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The repetition, as is always the case, denotes the fact that HaShem has firmly established the future removal of all that seeks to get in the way of His relationship with Israel. Prior to Judah’s exile to Babylon, HaShem promotes His redemptive purpose and the restoration of His people. His mercy always precedes His righteous judgement. His discipline is born of His love. While the disobedient children of God see only the disaster that is before them, God sees the goal from the beginning, and bestows hope upon the undeserving.
 
“A voice cries out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of Adonai,
Make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
4 Every valley will be lifted up,
every mountain and hill made low,
the rough ground will be a plain
and the rugged terrain smooth.
5 The glory of Adonai will be revealed,
and all flesh will see it together.’
For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.” -Isaiah 40:3-5 (TLV)
 
Isa 57:15  For thus says ram ve’nisa the One Who is high and lifted up, shochein ad  Who dwells in eternity, ve’kadosh Holy shemo is His Name: “Marom ve’kadush eshkon I dwell in the high and holy place, ve’et and with daka the one of a contrite ushefal-ruach and humble spirit (breath, wind), lehachayot to revive, sustain the life of ruach shefaliym a humble spirit, ulehachayot and to revive leiv the core being (heart) nidkaiym of the contrite ones.
 
“For thus saith the high and lofty One, that dwelleth in the heavens, and whose name is Holy, who inhabits the height — yea, His holy Shekinah hath promised to save the contrite of heart, and the humble of spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to support the heart of the contrite.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The God of Israel is YHVH, He is above the highest heights that the false gods are worshipped on, further still He is eternal, uncreated and the Creator of the heights upon which the false deities of Israel’s folly have been worshipped. He is set apart, Holy beyond all measure, and yet, He is present with the heart (core being) of those who are humble and contrite in spirit. HaShem will sustain and strengthen the core being of the repentant, humble ones who love and honour His Holy Name (person, character, nature).
 
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God,
    You will not despise.” -Psalm 51:19 (TLV)
 
Isa 57:16  For I will not ariyv contend forever, nor will I always eketzof be angry; kiy-ruach for the spirit milefanay from before My face ya’atof would grow faint (turn away), uneshamot and the soul life breathe that aniy I asiytiy made, fashioned.
 
“For I will not take vengeance of judgment for ever, neither shall my wrath be eternal: for I will revive the spirits of the dead, and the souls I have created.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
If God were to remain angry no human being would be able to stand before Him, for all are guilty of sin and have fallen short of His Glory. Therefore, His mercy precedes His judgement so that He might relent and forgive the repentant, humble, contrite of core being (heart).
 
The Hebrew is interesting. Spirit/wind/breath is “ruach”, and soul is “nefesh” meaning the connected elements of human existence in action. However, while God created numerous living things which have spirit (ruach), and living souls (nefesh), including animal life. According to the Genesis creation account, human beings were uniquely created to exist as a convergence of spirit and soul. The Hebrew word used to convey the human spirit/soul convergence is “neshamah”.
 
“And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” -Matthew 24:22 (ESV)
 
“The elect” of this passage are the Jewish people (ethnic, religious, empirical), the elect (chosen) people of God.
 
Isa 57:17  Ba’avon In the perversity bitzo of his unjust gain katzaftiy I was angry, ve’akeihu and struck him; hastier ve’ektzof I concealed Myself and was angry, vayelech but he went shovav turning back be’derech in the way libo of his own core being (heart).
 
This is a description of the yetzer ha-ra (evil inclination). The fallen nature of human beings means a tendency toward sin (idolatry). Perversity and self-seeking greed are some of the most common manifestations of human sin action.
 
“Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.” -Psalm 78:38 (ESV)
 
“I concealed Myself and was angry” HaShem cannot be seen by those who refuse to see Him because He has afforded humanity the opportunity to choose Him. Love cannot exist without freewill. Therefore, from the point of view of the suffering wicked, HaShem has concealed Himself, though all things exist and have their being in Him.
 
“but he went turning back in the way of his own core being (heart).” This verse describes a life focused on debauchery and selfish gain followed, not by “teshuva” repentance (turning toward God) but by “shovav” turning away from God. Those being observed here are turning inwardly toward their own fallen nature. They have blinded themselves to their own demise. Therefore, God, Who is merciful, choses to refrain from His righteous anger in order to save idolatrous Israel from herself.
 
Isa 57:18  Derachayv His ways raiytiy I have seen, ve’erpaeihu and I will heal him; veancheihu and I will lead him va’ashaleim and restore (make whole) [alt. through a covenant of peace] nichumiym offer comforts to him lo ve’la’aveilayv and his mourners,
 
“His ways I have seen, and I will heal him” The ways of the wicked have made him ill, or else why does he need healing? Therefore, the compassionate God of Israel seeks to heal the disobedient child.
 
“and I will lead him and restore (make whole) [alt. through a covenant of peace] offer comforts to him and his mourners,” HaShem has seen the way of the wayward. He sees that they have so deluded themselves that they are unable to find restoration. Therefore, God has come to lead the idolatrous and wayward children of Israel out of their self-imposed suffering and into His love and prosperity. He will do this through a covenant of peace, and will provide the redeemed who mourn (with Godly sorrow) their sinful actions (the act of a contrite heart), with comfort.
 
Isa 57:19  Borei creating (from nothing) niyv fruit of sefatayim the lips. Shalom, shalom Peace, peace (wholeness, well-being), larachok to the far velakarov and to the near,” says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), “Urefativ and I will heal him.
 
“Creating (from nothing) fruit of the lips…” The Hebrew “Borei” signifies the creative expression of God Himself, the root being “bara”, meaning to create from nothing. Thus, the fruit of the lips of this creating are intrinsically connected to the Word of God and the manifest nature of peace, Who is Himself a person, that is the Prince of Peace.
 
“Shalom, shalom Peace, peace (wholeness, well-being), to the far and to the near,’ says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), ‘and I will heal him.’” The repetition of shalom denotes the firmly established peace, wholeness and well-being imparted by God through the redemptive work of the Prince of Peace (the Servant King Messiah). This peace is being offered to those who are “far off”, that is the Gentiles, and to those who are “near”, that is Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical).
 
The words of Iben Ezra are interesting:
 
“The meaning of the whole verse is: Proclaim, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him who is near; announce, that the Lord has already saved Israel, because I have indeed healed him.” -Iben Ezra
 
In a very real sense, because God knows the end from the beginning and because the lamb of God has been slain before the foundation of the world, the repentant, righteous remnant of Israel have and will be seen to have been already saved through the Servant King Messiah Who brings peace, wholeness and well-being through His vicarious sacrifice.
 
Isa 57:20  Ve’hareshaiym But the wicked kayam nigrash are like the tossing sea; for it hashkeit lo will neither be silent yuchal or prevail, vayigreshu and its waters meiymayv throw up refesh mud vatiyt and clay.
 
While the righteous of Israel will be delivered, those who are determined to pursue wickedness in spite of God’s loving offer of grace and mercy, will be like a storm tossed sea that is unrelenting in its dredging up of worthless mud and debris: its turmult results in damage and its ferocity wrecks destruction. Therefore, the wicked will destroy themselves. This is an intentional choice to refuse God and His mercy.
 
Isa 57:21  Eiyn shalom There is no peace (wholeness),” says Elohay My God, “le’reshaiym for the wicked.”
 
It is impossible for those who are determined to resist God to receive His peace, wholeness and well-being. Why? The answer is quite simple, love is a choice to commit wholeheartedly to another, though the other might love unconditionally, none the less, if that love is refused it cannot be received. The Love, mercy, grace, and peace of God are offered to all but only those who accept His free gift will receive it. An unwrapped gift cannot be enjoyed, a bride cannot be married until she says “I do”, a woman cannot conceive unless she receives her husband, love cannot exist without freewill, and relational love cannot be experienced unless it is responded to. Therefore, “‘There is no (everlasting) peace, wholeness and well-being,’ says My God, ‘for the wicked’”
 
Notice that while the peace afforded to the righteous is “Shalom, shalom” (v.19), the doubling denoting the fact that it is firmly established, immutable; the peace that the wicked have not received awaits the possibility of repentance: the single use of the word “Shalom” allows for mercy to be offered within time and space. Therefore, up until the wicked persons last breath that person may choose to repent and through the righteousness of the Messiah (Peace Himself), receive “Shalom, shalom”, everlasting peace, wholeness and well-being.
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

​Isa 56:1  Koh In this manner amar says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy): “Shomru Guard (Keep) mishpat justice (Judgement), va’asu and do (make, fashion) tzedakah right action, (charity, righteousness), Kiy-kerovah for near is yeshuatiy My salvation lavo to come, vetzidkatiy and My right action, (charity, righteousness) lehigalot to be uncovered (revealed).
 
Referring to the last verse of Isaiah 55, which is a redemptive figure describing the transformation of fallen humanity and in particular idolatrous Israel, HaShem now affirms the mechanism by which the repentant of Israel (and of the tribes) might practically outwork the aforementioned redemption. Therefore, He says “In this manner guard justice and act rightly for My Salvation is near, and My right action is about to be revealed.”
 
“In this manner” refers both to the manner of transformation from thorn-bush (wickedness) to cypress (righteousness) and brier (barreness) to myrtle (fruitfulness) and to the practice that follows:

1. Guard Justice, Judgement (maintain God’s Torah and the just outworking of it)
2. Do what’s right (practice the right actions of the Torah)

 
Why is the remnant of Israel challenged to guard justice and walk in righteousness? Because HaShem’s Salvation is near to her and His right action of redemptive vicarious sacrifice and resurrection is to be uncovered. Meaning that Israel will see that which she has blinded herself to through her sinful actions. Therefore, HaShem will lift the cover off the eyes of Israel. A covering which she herself placed over her vision through wilful disobedience.
 
Covenant relationship is almost always (with the exception of God’s covenant with Abraham concerning the land) a two way street. Israel is to practice justice and right action as a result of God practicing salvation and revealing His right action of redemption which was formulated prior to the foundation of the world and the fall of humanity.
 
We must maintain our contextual and historical understanding of this passage as a start point for any figurative or metaphorical elements that may proceed from it. These words are spoken by Israel’s prophet to Israel (ethnic, religious). They were primarily heard by Israel in the land of Israel, and in particular Judah, living in Judea, Jerusalem etc. prior to the Babylonian exile which occurred tens of years after the prophet spoke and had these words recorded. Thus, we must keep in mind that it is pre-exilic Judah who are the primary initial recipients of this word from God.
 
Iben Ezra concludes wrongly that the present verse teaches “that the coming of Messiah is delayed because of our sin.” This is contrary to the Word of God which says:
 
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us.” -Romans 5:8 (TLV)
 
Chomat Anakh on Isaiah agrees with Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle), explaining that the justice and right action of Israel must be the result of the redemption brought about by the Messiah and not the other way around.
 
“‘Keep judgment and do charity.’ The interpretation of Leichad Tifferet with Tzedakah Malchut ‘Because my salvation is near,’ because it comes from the redemption:” -Chomat Anakh on Isaiah
 
Here we must take courage to address the predominant view and unbiblical mis-teaching of our rabbis in regard to “Tikkun Olam” repairing the world. The false view that says we must work to do right action in order to “earn” the coming of the Messiah (as per Iben Ezra and others), has distorted our view of both God and His redemptive action (which is born of His love). In fact the opposite is true. “Tikkun olam” repairing of the world occurs as a result of our receiving the redemptive work of Yeshua the King Messiah. God does not hold us captive to our own inability to achieve righteousness, rather He empowers us through Messiah to walk in justice and right action. If we accept Yeshua the King Messiah we receive the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and are thus empowered to work with God in the repairing of the world through the vicarious sacrifice of His Son the King Messiah. God doesn’t need our help, but we are invited to participate with Him in His redemptive work.
 
Isa 56:2  Ashreiy Happy is enosh a man ya’aseh-zot who does (fashions, accomplishes) this, uven-adom and a son of man yachazik who in strength, shomeir guards (keeps) Shabbat meichalelo from being defiled (profaned, desecrated), ve’shomeir guards (keeps) yado his hand mei’asot from doing (fashioning, accomplishing) kol-ra all (every, any) evil (bad).”
 
“Happy is a man who does this…” “This” refers to both the former keeping of justice and right action, and to the proceeding keeping of Shabbat and refraining from evil. Therefore, the justice (judgement) of verse 1 corresponds to the Shabbat of verse 2 and the right action of verse 1 corresponds to the refraining from wrong action in verse 2.
 
     Verse 1                                          Verse 2

1. Justice                                     a. Shabbat
2. Right action                             b. Refrain from evil

 
Why “Enosh: a man” and “Ben-Adom: a son of man”? The former represents an Israeli, a Jew and the latter a Gentile. “Ben Adom” is synonymous with Adam (unqualified in the sense of humanity). This is done to prepare the listener/reader for the introduction of the proselytes of the latter verses.
 
We must remember that these Gentile proselytes are complete converts, circumcised and (in the context of the present chapter of Isaiah 700 BCE) have become part of the Jewish ethnic DNA pool. It is unwise to apply these words to all Gentile followers of God throughout the world today. This misses the historical context of the text and reinterprets it to teach something it does not.
 
“Guards the Shabbat…” The weekly Sabbath denotes God’s sovereignty over all creation. Therefore, the Jew and the proselyte who guard (keep) it are testifying to their belief in the fact that the God of Israel Alone is God and the Creator of all things.
 
“Guards (keeps) his hand from fashioning any and every kind of evil…” The hand is the symbol of action. Belief and faith are embodied in the former practice of keeping Shabbat: now action, the outworking of belief and faith is symbolized by the hand of one who intentionally refrains from doing any kind of evil. None of this is possible without the transformation described in the last verse of Isaiah 55. The transformation that results from the redemptive work of the King Messiah Yeshua (the Greater Son of David, the Servant King) is the only means by which a Jew or a human being in general can truly know what it means to keep the eternal present rest (Shabbat) of God and walk in perfect right action. God does not command the impossible in order to disillusion us, rather He instructs the teachable and provides the means by which they might apply His teaching.
 
We notice that in each of these instructions we are commanded to “Guard”. It is misleading to read “keep” the Shabbat. Nor is it right to read “keep” his hand from doing any and every kind of evil. Why? Because we are incapable of keeping or holding fast to the immutable elements of rest (Shabbat) and right action (righteousness). The Hebrew “Shomeir” means “Guard”. Within time and space and through Messiah we become guardians of that which He “keeps”. This is the counterpoint to the unfaithful “Watchmen” of the latter verses, who keep themselves in drunkenness while failing to guard that which God is keeping for Israel (ethnic, religious), and the nations in perpetuity.
 
“Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy. You are to work six days, and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Shabbat to Adonai your God. In it you shall not do any work—not you, nor your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, nor the outsider that is within your gates.” Exodus 20:8-10 (TLV)
 
Note that this commandment, given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) is to be observed by all Jews but only by foreigners (Gentiles) who live within the Jewish (gates) community: specifically among the people of Israel on their way to and within the land of Israel. This does not apply to today’s Christians who worship the God of Israel but live outside of Israel and further still, outside of the Jewish communities within the diaspora. The commandment to keep Shabbat is specifically a sign on the ethnic, religious chosen people of Israel (Jews):
 
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” -Exodus 31:16-17 (TLV)
 
We note that the Shabbat is a sign between God and the ethnic, religious people of Israel (Jews). It is not a sign upon the nations. When Yeshua said “the Shabbat was made for man and not man for the Shabbat” (Mark 2:23-28) the only “men” present were Jews. Further, He used an example from the Tanakh in which only Jews participated. If we interpret His words to apply to all human beings, we are ignoring the historical and Scriptural context of what He said and impugning His character by suggesting that He contradicted the Torah (Exodus 31:16-17). To the contrary, He is making a drash on a commandment given specifically to Israel (ethnic, religious , empirical) and not to the nations. Thus, when He says “man” He means “man” within the context of Israel (Jews) and not humanity in general. If we go further and interpret His words figuratively to apply the Shabbat to all nations, we must by reason of logical progression be speaking of the eternal Shabbat at the end of the age, that is the Olam Haba (world to come) and not to the literal weekly Shabbat commanded specifically to the Jews. All figurative interpretation must submit to the plain meaning of the text. In the context of Yeshua’s words the command to keep Shabbat is not made incumbent on Gentile Christians, who did not yet exist at the time Yeshua spoke, rather He was explaining to the Pharisees that the sign of the Shabbat upon Israel’s “men” was one of rest and restoration through the work of God and was not a form of rest purchased by either the restraint or the actions of Jewish “men” (and women).
 
All this is done to keep the Shabbat as a sign on the ethnic, religious Jewish people until the end of the age, when:
 
“‘it will come to pass,
that from one New Moon to another,
    and from one Shabbat to another,
all flesh will come to bow down before Me,’
says Adonai.” -Isaiah 66:23 (TLV)
 
The prophet Isaiah is clearly prophesying a time yet future, and is not, as some suggest, inferring that all nations should keep the Shabbat in the present age. This is also seen in Zechariah 14:16 where, at the end of the age (not now), the survivors of the defeated nations will repent and go up to Jerusalem to join with ethnic, religious Israel in celebration of the festival (signs) placed on the Jews. Neither passage denotes a requirement for weekly Shabbat observance by Gentile Christians.
 
When Yeshua says “The Son of Man is Lord of the Shabbat” He is alluding to the Messianic title given to the Messiah in the prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 7:13-14) in order that He might be recognized as Messiah by His disciples and any among the Pharisees who might understand and repent. While it is true that He is the Messiah over all men, we do not glean this understanding from the context of Mark 2:23-28. 
​
Those who teach that Gentile Christians must keep the Shabbat are in fact teaching Gentile Christians to usurp one of the signs that sets ethnic, religious Israel apart from the nations. Ironically, in doing so, these “Seventh Day Adventists”, “Hebrew roots Christians” and so called “Messianic Gentiles” are literally practicing the “Replacement Theology” they claim to detest. I stand in opposition to those movements who seek to place Gentile Christians under bondage to commandments that were never incumbent upon them. I am a Jew and a follower of Yeshua the King Messiah, Who has set us free for freedom, that we might not return again to bondage.
 
This is not to say that Gentile Christians can’t choose to keep the Shabbat as free members of the body of Messiah Yeshua, rather it is to say that the weekly Shabbat is not incumbent upon Gentile Christians.
 
Isa 56:3  Ve’al-yomar ben-haneichar And don’t let a son of the foreigner speak, hanilvah who has joined el-YHVH to HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) leimor to say, “Havdeil This is the separation yavdiylaniy by which I’m separated HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) mei’al from among amu His people”; ve’al yomar hasariys and don’t let the eunuch (emasculated man) say, “Hein Behold, pay attention, Aniy  I am eitz a tree yaveish that is dried up.”
 
Before addressing this verse we need to have an understanding of the significance of the proselyte (foreign convert to Judaism) and the eunuch (castrated, emasculated man).
 
“16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your [a]offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. 18 For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a [b]disfigured face, or any deformed limb, 19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a [c]defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles.21 No man among the [d]descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’” 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.” -Leviticus 21:16-26 (NASB)
 
We note that the descendant of Aaron with crushed testicles is not denied a place in the congregation of Israel, rather he is specifically excluded from priestly duties regarding the offering of sacrifices on the altar beyond the veil of the entry to the Mishkan (Tent of meeting). This instruction is intended to protect those with physical defects that might cause them to inadvertently stumble into the manifest Divine presence and die.
 
“No one who is [a]emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord. 2 No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord. 3 No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord,” -Deuteronomy 23:1-3 (NASB)
 
The emasculated male may not enter the “bikhal” (in the convocation, holy gathering) of HaShem. Once again, this does not mean that this person may not be present in the community, rather it means that this person cannot participate in the appointed times and Sabbaths, and the sacrificial worship practices of God, imparted to Israel. If this were not the case the Scripture Deuteronomy 23:1-3 would be in contradiction of Leviticus 21:16-26.
 
It is thought that Ruth the Moabitess who became an Israelite through marriage to Boaz entered Israel’s holy community in the eleventh generation following the instruction against Moabite entry (Deut. 23:1-3). Thus, there was always revealed grace concerning those who appeared to be excluded. This is not the result of progressive revelation but rather it is evidence of progressive understanding on our part. It’s interesting to note that Ruth became the mother of Obed, King David’s grandfather.
 
“Moreover concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a distant country because of Your Name— 42 for they will hear of Your great Name, of Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm—when he comes to pray toward this House, 43 then may you hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner asks of You. So all the peoples of the earth may know Your Name, to fear You as Your people Israel do, and know that this House that I have built is called by Your Name.” -1 Kings 8:41-43 (NASB)
 
We see that the Name of YHVH is intrinsically connected to Jerusalem and in particular the Temple, and the Temple Mount. Thus, there is a requirement for the foreigner to acknowledge the God of Israel and seek Him out in worship. Foreigners who reject God are not welcomed by King Solomon in this prayer of supplication during the inauguration of Solomon’s Temple.
 
“20 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “Peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will again come. 21 The inhabitants of one city will go to another saying ‘Let us go to entreat the favor of Adonai and to seek Adonai-Tzva’ot. I also am going.’ 22 Indeed, many peoples and powerful nations will come to seek Adonai-Tzva’ot in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Adonai.” 23 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “In those days it will come to pass that ten men from every language of the nations will grasp the corner of the garment of a Jew saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” -Zechariah 8:20-23 (TLV)
 
Like Isaiah in the present passage, Zechariah also prophecies of a time yet future when foreigners will acknowledge that God is with the Jewish people and will seek out devote Jews and ask them to lead them to Jerusalem because they have heard of Israel’s God YHVH.
 
“But if an outsider dwells with you, who would keep the Passover for Adonai, all his males must be circumcised. Then let him draw near and keep it. He will be like one who is native to the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat from it.” -Exodus 12:48 (TLV)
 
We note that a foreigner living among the Israelites was able to participate in Passover only providing he became a full proselyte through circumcision. These are the foreigners that Isaiah is referring to in the present passage.
 
“5 Now Jewish people were staying in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound came, the crowd gathered. They were bewildered, because each was hearing them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “All these who are speaking—aren’t they Galileans? 8 How is it that we each hear our own birth language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and visitors from Rome 11 (both Jewish people and proselytes), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own tongues the mighty deeds of God!” 12 And they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?” -Acts 2:5-12 (TLV)
 
The New Testament confirms the fact that the “foreigners” of Isaiah’s prophecy are in fact converts to Judaism, full proselytes. Given that, the account of Acts 2 is one of the fulfilments of Isaiah’s prophecy.
 
The fact that those being spoken of are proselytes to Judaism is evident in the following verses where they are seen to observe the central practices and signs of God’s covenant relationship to Israel.
 
Therefore, in addition to the instructions of verses 1 and 2, Israel is instructed not to allow the foreign proselyte to speak of himself as being separate from God and from Israel (ethnic, religious).
 
Likewise, don’t allow either the eunuch who is an ethnic Israelite or the converted eunuch of another nation, be he an official or otherwise, say of himself that he will have no offspring (a tree without sap). Why? Because the God of Israel is promising everlasting offspring through the passing on of faith. Thus, even the eunuch can become a spiritual father through the redemptive work of God in Messiah. All this follows the transformational imagery of Isaiah 55.
 
Iben Ezra rightly identifies the foreigners of this passage as “true proselytes”, and notes that the text uses the past tense to say that these foreigners have already become devoted followers of the God of Israel and members of the community.
 
“You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.” -Ezekiel 47:22 (ESV)
 
The eunuchs in this passage are predominantly those of Israelite descent. We know this because the text specifies “the son of a foreigner” but says only “eunuch”. Hebrew eunuchs were not made that way by Jews for obvious reasons. This would have been a grave desecration of the Torah. Therefore, the eunuchs alluded to here are most likely returned exiles who had previously been emasculated by their captors. Thus the inclusion of them is an act of mercy that is consistent with the redemptive theme of the Torah.
 
The language of “separation” used here is significant. The primary motivation of the cry of the proselyte is one seeking inclusion beyond the court of the Gentiles. Isaiah is offering a prophetic future beyond that of the future historical fulfilment of this prophecy, to a time when there would no longer be a wall of separation.
 
“13 But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. 14 For He is our shalom, the One who made the two into one and broke down the middle wall of separation. Within His flesh He made powerless the hostility-- 15 the law code of mitzvot contained in regulations. He did this in order to create within Himself one new man from the two groups, making shalom,” -Ephesians 2:13-15 (TLV)
 
Isa 56:4  For thus says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy): “La-sariysiym To the eunuchs (castrated men) who yishmeru guard (keep) et-shabetotay My Sabbaths, uvacharu and who decide (choose, elect) ba’asher on that which chafatzetiy delights (pleases) Me umachaziykiym and who do so from strengthening biveriytiy in My covenant,
 
Now Hashem speaks directly to the eunuchs of Israel who are devoted in their religious observance and in keeping both the weekly Shabbat, one of the signs of God’s covenant (Ex. 31:16; Lev. 24:8) with Israel (ethnic, religious), and the holy convocations of God Shabbatot (Ex. 31:13; Lev. 19:3, 30; 23:15, 38 Eze. 20:12, 19-20).
 
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.” -Exodus 31:16 (TLV)
 
“Every Yom Shabbat he is to set it in order before Adonai continually. It is an everlasting covenant on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael.” -Leviticus 24:8 (TLV)
 
“I also gave them My Shabbatot, as a sign between Me and them, so that they would know that I am Adonai who made them holy.” -Ezekial 20:12 (TLV)
 
“19 I am Adonai your God. Walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances and do them. 20 Keep My Shabbatot holy, so they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am Adonai your God.’” -Ezekiel 20:19-21 (TLV)
 
“Who holds fast to My covenant” This refers to the covenant God has made with Israel from the covenant made with Abraham concerning the land, through circumcision, and as a result of deliverance through the blood of the Pesach Lamb, the signs of the convergence of these covenants are seen in circumcision, Torah observance, guarding the weekly Sabbath, and keeping the festivals (Shabbatot) etc.
 
Isa 56:5  Ve’natatiy For I will give lahem to them be’veiytiy in My house uvechomotay and within My walls yad a hand (memorial, strength, sign) vasheim and a name tov that is good (pleasant) mibaniym from sons u’mibanot and from daughters; sheim a name olam everlasting eten-lo I will give them that will not be yikareit cut off.
 
“Even unto them will I give in the house of my sanctuary, and in the land of the house of my Shekinah a place, and a name that is better than that of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
We note that the Targum understands the House of the manifest presence of God “Shekinah” to be the location of the eunuchs’ names. Thus the Targum at least, is referring to the Heavenly court. We know this because the manifest presence is not recorded after the inauguration of Solomon’s Temple.
 
“I will give to them…” Who are the “them”? The precedent subjects are the eunuchs (Jews) of Israel who had previously been looked down upon or pitied due to their emasculation and inability to produce children and continue their family name. This was considered the highest physical blessing in Biblical Judaism. Those whose names were cut off for their lack of progeny were considered accursed. Now, through His prophet Isaiah, God is revealing the greater blessing of spiritual progeny to all Israel by restoring the honour of the devout emasculated Jewish men in Israel’s midst.
 
I am able to use myself as a modern example in order to share the spiritual principle at work. As a younger man, after fathering two beautiful daughters, I decided with my wife, and for her health’s sake that I would undergo a vasectomy. For all intents and purposes, regarding the production of children, I had become a type of modern eunuch (albeit my parts still attached). The point I’m making is that I had come to terms with the idea that I would have no further children to bear my name, and indeed, in a Judeo Biblical sense, no son to carry on my name. However, as a follower of Messiah redeemed unto eternity I have since been privileged to become a spiritual father to a number of people whom I now consider sons and daughters in the faith. Thus, like the ancient eunuchs of Israel, being unable to physically reproduce does not prevent me from playing my role in the spiritual reproduction of God’s redemptive purposes for humanity. All who are born again in Messiah Yeshua are born into the family of God. He is of course the greatest of father’s and defines what it means to truly be a father.
 
“In My House” Refers to the Temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Notice that this is “My (God’s) House”.
 
“and within My walls” Refers to the city walls of Jerusalem. Notice that these are “My (God’s) walls”.
 
“a hand (memorial, strength, sign) and a name that is good (pleasant)” In the past the family name of a eunuch was considered accursed, synonymous with disfavour. Now, through God’s redemptive action the names of the Jewish eunuchs would be given honour, not only in the city of Jerusalem but also in the very precincts of the Temple. The Hebrew “yad” literally means “hand” and is figuratively understood as a memorial. The hand imagery is one of strength: in this case it refers to the strength of spiritual progeny in place of the removal of the male sex organ (which was seen to weaken the male). The Hebrew “sheim” means “name” and denotes renown. Thus, not only will the faithful eunuchs of Israel be given an opportunity to produce spiritual progeny, they will also be renowned for it, honoured as priests in spite of the fact that they do not qualify to serve as priests.
 
The Hebrew phrase “yad vasheim” literally “Hand and a name” or “Memorial and a name”, is the name of the Shoah (Holocaust) Memorial Museum in Jerusalem built overlooking the Judean hills. This is significant, given that the victims of the Shoah were cut off and yet they have been given a memorial and a name in Israel. Like the eunuchs of old they have produced spiritual progeny through their great suffering and remain in the hearts and minds of Jews throughout the world.
 
“from sons and from daughters; a name everlasting I will give them that will not be cut off. We note the literal Hebrew translation differs significantly from the standard English rendering of the words in most English Bibles. Most English Bibles read something like “Better than sons or daughters”. While it is true that in a spiritual sense the names given to the restored eunuchs are better than those of mere physical progenitors, it is none the less a misreading of the text. The Hebrew literally says, “from sons and from daughters” In other words, the names of the eunuchs will be intrinsically linked to Israel’s sons and daughters so that their names will be carried on in the future heritage of the ethnic religious Jewish people. To put it simply, the eunuchs spoken of are “from” Israel, therefore, their names of renown will also be “from” Israel and will be everlasting because they belong to the transformed Israel pictured in the last verse of Isaiah 55. The poignant poetry of the last phrase is both graphic and redemptive. “That will not be cut off” Though the sex member of the eunuch’s body had been “cut off”, his redeemed and restored name would “not be cut off!”
 
The correlation to the Gospel of our Messiah is clear. God has no grandchildren, His children are born again of the Spirit and not through the copulation of men and women.
 
Isa 56:6  “U’veneiy And the sons haneichar of the foreigner hanilviym who join themselves al together with (upon) HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), leshareto to minister to Him, u’leahavah and to love et-sheim the Name of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), lihyot to become His la’avadiym servants, kol-shomeir all who guard (keep) Shabbat meichalelo from pollution (defilement) and do not profane it, umachaziykiym and who do so from being strengthened bi’veriytiy in My covenant--
 
Note that these are not included in the former promise to the Jewish eunuchs, rather they are alluded to in light of the promise that follows. Thus, the prophet makes a clear distinction between the roles of each group.
 
These foreigners are those who, as the Torah illuminates, are living among the people of Israel, within the community, and are keeping Jewish law and custom as strangers within the camp. These foreigners are proselytes, complete converts to Biblical Judaism, they are not equivalent to modern Gentile Christians. These ones who keep the Shabbat had also entered into the covenant of circumcision. We no this because the Judaism of ancient times did not allow uncircumcised Gentiles to join in worship. This is also affirmed by the last clause “from being strengthened in My covenant”.
 
“Sons of the foreigner” This indicates children born to foreigners living among the people of Israel. These foreigners had married into Israel and had converted to Judaism. Thus, while the gentile convert who marries a Jew is never considered fully Jewish (being devoid of Jewish blood), the children born to the couple are considered Jewish because one of the parents has Jewish blood and has passed that bloodline on to the child. A Biblical example of this is the marriage of Ruth and Boaz and the Jewish identity of Obed their firstborn, who became the grandfather of David.
 
“Who join themselves together with (upon) HaShem (YHVH: Mercy)” These Gentiles have fully converted to the religion of Israel and have joined themselves through circumcision and immersion to the God of Israel YHVH, forsaking all other gods.
 
“to minister to Him, and to love the Name of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy),” They actively participate in worship practice and spiritually love the Name of the God of Israel YHVH. That is, the understand and delight in all the character attributes associated with God’s Name and the nature He exhibits to Israel and the nations.
 
“to become His servants, all who guard (keep) Shabbat from pollution (defilement) and do not profane it” These Gentiles are willing servants of God and therefore, willing servants of His chosen people Israel. Thus, they both serve God (but not as priests) and His people, ethnic, religious, empirical Israel.
 
“and who do so from being strengthened in My covenant” These Gentiles are full converts who have entered the covenant (cutting) of circumcision. They subsequently bear the fruit of Torah observance.
 
Isa 56:7  Vahaviyotiym And these I will bring el-har kadshiy to My holy mountain, ve’simachtiym and make them joyful beveiyt tefilatiy in My house of prayer; oloteiyhem their burnt offerings (ascending) ve’zivcheiyhem and their (blood) sacrifices (from zabach, to slaughter) leratzon will be accepted al-mizbechiy on My altar; Kiy beiytiy for My house shall be called beiyt-tefilah a house of prayer lechol-haamiym for all the tribes (peoples).”
 
“And these I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer;” Who are the “these”? They are the “Sons of foreigners” (from the preceding verse) meaning, sons born to foreigners already living in the midst of Israel. It is true that they are brought from the nations to worship among the community of Israel. However, this does not negate the evidence of their conversion and observance.
 
“their burnt offerings (ascending) and their (blood) sacrifices will be accepted on My altar;” It is important to understand that only full proselytes qualify to offer sacrifices. As is the case in the account of Acts 2, the Gentiles being brought to God’s Holy Mountain (Zion) and His House of Prayer (Temple complex), are converts to Judaism.
 
“How is it that we each hear our own birth language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and visitors from Rome 11 (both Jewish people and proselytes), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own tongues the mighty deeds of God!” -Acts 2:8-11 (TLV)
 
“for My house shall be called a ‘house of prayer for all the tribes (peoples)’.” King Solomon spoke the following words as a prayer of dedication during the inauguration of the Temple He had built for HaShem atop Mount Zion:
 
“Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to [a]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [b]this house which I have built is called by Your name.” -1 Kings 8:41-43 (NASB)
 
Yeshua was incensed when He witnessed money changers and traders in the outer court (court of the Gentiles [nations]) of the Temple precinct (Herod’s reconstruction of the Temple). As a witness against the sinful practices of the traders and money changers He quoted this text from Isaiah:
 
“16 and He would not permit anyone to carry [a]merchandise through the temple.17 And He began to teach and say to them, ‘Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”? But you have made it a robbers’ [b]den.’18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.” -Mark 11:16-18 (NASB)
 
The Greek text of Mark’s Gospel uses the Septuagint translation of the prophet Isaiah. The Hebrew “amiym” (tribes) being translated by the Greek word “ethnon” from “ethnos” which is the etymological root to the modern English “ethnicity”. Thus, Yeshua is reminding the devout Jews of the first century that HaShem as made a way for people from all the tribes of the earth to come and join with Israel in worship. Note that the Hebrew “amiym” does not allow for the translation “nations”, the Hebrew for nations is “goyim”, therefore, the text is referring to ethnicities, tribes, even peoples, but not to nations.
 
It is interesting to note that the Babylonian Talmud understands this verse to be speaking of the times of the King Messiah (T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 18. 1.)
 
Isa 56:8  Thus says Adonay HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) the Lord GOD, mekabeitz Who gathers nidcheiy outcasts (throw-aways; downcast etc.) of Yisrael Israel, “Od Perpetually akabetz I will gather alaiv unto him more lenikbatzayv to those already gathered.”
 
“Thus says the Lord GOD, Who gathers outcasts (throw-aways; downcast etc.) of Israel,” The prophecy now returns to the subject of gathering Israel’s outcasts: the eunuchs, lame, leprous, blind, disfigured etc. (Leviticus 21:16-26). The outcasts of Israel may also be a reference to the future return of the exiles from Assyria, Babylon etc.
 
“I will continually gather unto him (Israel, specifically Israel’s outcasts), others besides those already gathered.” Here God speaks of continuing to gather others to join the redeemed of His people Israel. These others will follow the inclusion of the outcasts of Israel so that the new covenant will always be first to the Jew and also always to others (the tribes).
 
“For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the [a]barrier of the dividing wall,” -Ephesians 2:14 (NASB)
 
Yeshua may well have had in mind the present verse when He used the mashal (teaching figure) of the sheep pen in order to explain that He would draw Gentile followers from other tribes to become worshippers of the God of Israel and disciples of Israel’s Messiah.
 
“ I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” -John 10:16 (NASB)
 
Isa 56:9  Kol chayto All you living things saday of the field, eitayu arrive le’echol to eat— Kol chayto All you living things baya’ar in the forest (wooded height).
 
Here the prophet refers to Israel’s enemies as “living things, beasts”. HaShem invites them to come and devour Jerusalem.
 
“I have forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have given the beloved of My soul
Into the hand of her enemies.
8 “My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has [e]roared against Me;
Therefore I have come to hate her.
9 “Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the beasts of the field,
Bring them to devour!” -Jeremiah 12:7-9 (NASB)
 
Isa 56:10  Tzafu His watchers (alt. Tzofav keep watch) ivriym blind ones kulam all lo yadau all without knowledge; kulam all kelaviym dogs ilemiym mute (unable to speak); lo yuchelu linboach they cannot bark, hoziym dreaming, raving, babling shocheviym lying down, ohaveiy lanum loving to slumber.
 
This is a terrible indictment against those tasked with keeping watch from Jerusalem’s walls. They are described as being blind and without knowledge. They are wilfully blind and unable to see the coming destruction that will be wrought by Israel’s enemies.
 
“all dogs mute (unable to speak); they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.” This is particularly harsh (for good reason): the dog is used throughout Scripture as a figure for the members of wicked nations. In fact dogs and pigs are both synonymous with the wicked (Matt. 7:6). Yeshua said in response to the request of the Canaanite women, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” (Matt.15:26).
 
The watchmen of Israel are described here as being unable to speak, unable to bark a warning because they prefer comfort, sleep, dreaming to the reality of the task before them. In their disregard for God they have become negligent in protecting their people Israel. The blind watchers are the fruit of an idolatrous majority within the nation of Israel at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy..
 
There is an ironic play on words in the Hebrew text. Instead of Israel’s watchmen being “choziym” meaning “seers” they were “hoziym” ravers, babblers, fanciful dreamers, utterly deluded.
 
Isa 56:11  Ve’hakelaviym And the dogs azeiy-nefesh have a fierce soul; lo yadeu save’ah they never know satisfaction. Ve’heimah But they are roiym shepherds who lo yadeu haviyn don’t know discernment; kulam all ledarkam to their own ways they have panu turned, iysh each man (one) levitzo to his own gain (profit, unjust gain), mikatzeihu to the extreme end.
 
These dogs (watchmen, leaders) of Israel have mindless and fierce animal hunger. They care only for the things of the flesh (fallen nature) and pursue the desires of the flesh without ever finding satisfaction in that which they consume.
 
“they are shepherds who don’t know discernment;” This is a heart wrenching statement. The figure of shepherd is best represented in the Good Shepherd Hashem (Yeshua). However, the shepherds of Isaiah’s day were negligent, lazy, selfish and without self-control. They were devoid of discernment because true discernment comes from God through the Holy Spirit and they had chosen to shun God and ignore His precepts.
 
“all to their own ways they have turned, each man (one) to his own gain (profit, unjust gain), to the extreme end.” Not just some but “all” of Israel’s leaders at that time had turned to their own ways (fallen nature). They had reached a time of greater sin than that of the time of the judges of Israel. During the time of the judges there was a repeated refrain that said. “There was no King in Israel at that time and each man did what was right in his own eyes…” At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy Israel had a king, therefore, the greater indictment, “There was a king over Israel at that time, and yet each man did what was right in his own eyes, including the king…”
 
We note that each leader desired personal gain and pursued it in excess. This is a description of idolatry.
 
Yeshua spoke of some of the Parushiym (Pharisees) of the first century in a similar way:
 
“Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard this saying?”
13 But He replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” -Matthew 15:12-14 (TLV)
 
“Woe to you, Torah scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel over land and sea to make one convert. And when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourself. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘Whoever swears by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple, he is obligated.’ 17 O fools and blind ones! Which is greater, the gold or the Temple that made the gold holy?” -Matthew 23:15-17 (TLV)
 
Isa 56:12  Eitayu He arrives ekchah-yayin to receive wine ve’nisbeah and drink heavily sheichar strong drink (liquor, spirits), ve’hayah and it has come to pass kazeh yom this day will be like machar tomorrow, gadol great (abundant) yeter remainder (excess) meod exceedingly.
 
"saying, come, let us take wine, and be inebriated with old wine; and our dinner tomorrow shall be better than today, large, very large.'' -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
Isaiah has previously described the spiritual leaders of Israel in a similar way:
 
“But these also reel from wine
and stagger from strong drink
—the kohen and the prophet reel from strong drink--
are confused because of wine,
they stagger because of strong drink,
they are muddled in vision,
they stumble in judgment.
8 Since all the tables are full of the filth of vomit,
no place is left.” -Isaiah 28:7-8 (TLV)
 
The drunkenness of Israel’s watchmen, shepherds, leaders, both spiritual and secular was such that it continued from one day to the next without breaking. They were practicing a lifestyle of debauchery more common to pagan idolatry than to the moral Torah observant culture of a spiritually healthy community.
 
“But Yeshua said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the material goods he possesses.” [c] 16 And Yeshua told them a parable, saying, “The land of a certain rich man produced good crops. 17 And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do? I don’t have a place to store my harvest!’ 18 And he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do! I’ll tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I’ll store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, ’O my soul, you have plenty of goods saved up for many years! So take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! Tonight your soul is being demanded back from you! And what you have prepared, whose will that be?’ [d] 21 So it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich in God.” -Luke 12:14-21 (TLV)
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

​Isa 55:1  “Hoy Oiy, alas, wow, woe, relief, exhale, an invitation to kol-tzamei everyone who thirsts, lechu (from halak walk) walk toward la’mayim to the waters; ve’asher and the one eiyn-lo kasef without money, lechu walk toward, shivru purchase ve’echolu and eat! lechu walk toward, shivru purchase belo-kesef without money uvelo and without mechiyr hire, yayiyn wine ve’chalav and milk.
 
The previous chapter ended with the certain promise of God to Israel, that “no weapon formed against” her would prosper. As the prophet indicated, there would be weapons formed against her but they would not be of God but of the enemies of God and of Israel His people. Thus, the present chapter begins with an exclamation of warning mixed with relief. The Hebrew “Hoy” is difficult to translate. The sense is that of woe mixed with an exhaling and causative awe: an invitation. It is as if HaShem were saying, “It’s true that weapons will be formed against you by other nations and peoples, and after all those weapons have been defeated, ‘Hoy’, relax and pay careful, even woeful attention: because once these things have passed God will offer His waters to all, both to you and to the repentant among your former enemies…”
 
“kol-tzamei everyone who thirsts,” This is obviously addressed to everyone in both Israel and among the nations who thirst. The thirst is clearly spiritual (Isa. 41:17; 44:3; Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1) and can only be satiated by the spiritual waters that come from God.
 
Iben Ezra sees the “water” as being a metaphor for the Torah (Instruction, Law). This is consistent with the idea that the living Word of God, the King Messiah (John 1; 4:14; 7:37), offers water that will satisfy the human soul for all eternity.
 
“Yeshua replied to her, ‘Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty. The water that I give him will become a fountain of water within him, springing up to eternal life!’” -Yochanan (John) 4:13-14 (TLV)
 
The Jewish commentator Kimchi says, “after the war of Gog and Magog (an eschatological battle at the end of the age), the nations shall know that the Lord reigns, and shall come and be desirous of learning his judgments and laws.”
 
The Targum also understands “waters” as a metaphor for the doctrines (Law) of God:
 
“Ho, every one that is willing to learn, let him come and learn, and he that hath no silver, come, hear and learn; come, hear and learn, without price and money, doctrine that is better than wine and milk.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.E.)
 
“lechu (from halak walk) walk toward la’mayim to the waters” The standard translation “Come to the waters” falls short of conveying the greater meaning of the Hebrew text. The Hebrew reads “lechu” lit. “He walks”, from the root “Halak” meaning “To walk”. Therefore, the waters must be walked toward in repentance. These waters are offered to all but are not received by all, rather, they are received by all who come in repentance. Halakhah is the way we walk, it is more than coming, it is coming in humility and repentance.
 
Notice that the Hebrew “mayim” is intense, plural, “waters”. It is not “water” but “waters” that are being offered. God’s Word (alluded to later in the chapter in relation to the waters of the heavens) is perpetual, intense, everlasting, and the waters of verse one are a metaphor for God’s Word, essence (D’var).
 
“And the one without money, lechu walk toward, shivru purchase ve’echolu and eat!” Again, this is a metaphor regarding spiritual food.
 
“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what you find—eat this scroll. Then go, speak to the house of Israel.’” -Ezekiel 3:1 (TLV)
 
Produce from the earth is sold by human beings to one another but the produce of the heavens cannot be bought and sold. The food that is purchased without money is the food of the heavens, the sustenance of the everlasting soul of humanity that comes from God and can be received from no other source. We notice that this must be “walked toward”: it is not forced on anyone. Those who refuse freely offered food will starve according to their own decision. God doesn’t send fallen angels or people to the lake of fire (Rev.19:20; 20:10-15), to the contrary, they choose to go by refusing God’s present, redeeming, loving action.
 
“lechu walk toward, shivru purchase belo-kesef without money uvelo and without mechiyr hire, yayiyn wine ve’chalav and milk.” The wine and milk are also metaphors for the Torah (Instruction, Law). In fact, the waters, food (bread), wine and milk to which the prophet refers are all aspects of God’s Word (D’var, essence).
 
Water is essential to life. Without water life as we know it cannot exist. Likewise, food sustains life, bread is the fuel of a healthy existence (according to an ancient middle eastern diet and not the modern forms of grain which contain modified gluten). Wine is both a comfort in sorrow and a delight in our celebrations. It was often used medicinally in the ancient middle east and is a constant reminder of the need for blood atonement. Finally, milk is essential to early childhood development. In the case of a mother’s milk the nutrients and enzymes present offer strengthened immunity to the new-born and sustain the baby’s growth to a point where the child can consume and digest solid foods. Each of these symbols conveys an aspect of God’s written (Ketuviym: Scriptures) and living Word (D’var: essence, Yeshua: John 1) at work in the lives of those who believe and receive Him in repentance.
 
The living waters of God are offered freely and received in repentance and humility. No matter how wealthy a person becomes in this world, a human being cannot buy the everlasting waters of God. This living water has been purchased for humanity by God’s Servant Redeemer, it cannot be earned, it can only be received in humility and repentance.
 
“For the payment for sin is death; but the gift of God is everlasting life through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord.” -Rav shaul’s letter to the Roman believers 6:23
 
Isa 55:2  Lamah Why tishkelu-kesef do you weigh out (spend) your money belo-lechem for that which is not bread, viygiyachem and your labour (toil, working) belo lesave’ah for that which does not satisfy (fill you up)? Shimu shamoa Listen, hear, understand with diligence (pay careful attention) eilay to Me, ve’ichlu-tov and you eat what is good, vetit’anag and delight badeshen nafshechem your souls in fatness (rich food, fertility, blessing).
 
“Wherefore do ye weigh out your silver for that which is not food? and your wealth for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently to my Word, and ye shall eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.”-Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.E.)
 
It is interesting to note that the Targum equates the “Word” to “God.”
 
“Why do you weigh out (spend) your money for that which is not bread, and your labour (toil, working) for that which does not satisfy (fill you up)?”
 
If the former verse uses metaphor to convey spiritual truth then so does the present verse. The money spent by the hungry is the wealth they have earned from their temporal labour. They spend it on “that which is not bread”, bread being the metaphor for the Word of Hashem (Both written and living). Therefore, “That which is not bread,” is an allusion to the idolatry of Israel and of all humanity.
 
“He afflicted you and let you hunger, then He fed you manna—which neither you nor your fathers had known—in order to make you understand that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai.” -Devarim (Deuteronomy) 8:3 (TLV)
 
It is God Who allowed Israel’s hunger as a result of her sin. Israel continued to purchase false spiritual food from other gods and as a result her spiritual hunger was not satisfied. She was constantly tormented in body, mind and spirit because the spiritual food she received from false gods did not satisfy her need. In fact, the spiritual food purchased from false gods did harm to Israel’s body (collective and individual) because it is the spiritual equivalent of junk food. Israel, like all the nations of the world, hungered for right relationship with God her Creator but foolishly sought to satisfy that hunger with the temporal junk food of false gods.
 
We note that the waters of God are offered freely but the worthless food of false gods (Satanic forces) costs dearly. The waters of God give life and sustain it, whereas the food of false gods harm the body and soul and bring death. Therefore, the incredulous question “Why do you weigh out (spend) your money for that which is not bread…” is more than justified in the mouth of God’s prophet.
 
“Shimu shamoa Listen, hear, understand with diligence (pay careful attention) eilay to Me, ve’ichlu-tov and you eat what is good, vetit’anag and delight badeshen nafshechem your souls in fatness (rich food, fertility, blessing).”
 
The Hebrew “Shimu shamoa” translates as “Listen, listen carefully”. God demands Israel’s attention, indeed, He demands that all humanity pay attention to His Word. The inference is, “Stop listening to those who do not satisfy your hunger for truth…”
 
“Eat what is good…” In other words, “Stop eating the damaging food of false gods and start eating My Word.”
 
Yeshua challenged Israel (ethnic, religious) to see the manna of her desert wanderings as a figure for His body, life, spirituality, and to feed on Him through His sacrificial atoning death and resurrection. He identified Himself as the “the true bread that comes down from heaven”. His teaching, His life, His example, His offer of redemption, is all symbolised by the bread that comes from heaven. This is what the prophet Isaiah is referring to when He writes on HaShem’s instruction, “Eat what is good”. Elsewhere Yeshua says, “Why do you call me good, only God is good” (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). He says this in order to reveal to the one who called Him good, that He is Imanu (with us) El (God). In other words, “You are right to call Me good, Only God is good”.
 
“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘Out of heaven He gave them bread to eat.’” 32 Yeshua answered them, “Amen, amen I tell you, it isn’t Moses who has given you bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the One coming down from heaven and giving life to the world.” 34 So they said to Him, “Sir, give us this bread from now on!” 35 Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. 36 But I told you that you have seen Me, yet you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and anyone coming to Me I will never reject. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will but the will of the One who sent Me.” - John 6:31-38 (TLV)
 
“Delight your souls in fatness (rich food, fertility, blessing).” The modern reader could be confused by the use of the word “fatness”, after all, in our society an over indulgence in “fat” is frowned upon: it is a cause of obesity and its related health concerns. However, there are two things to consider: first, fat is not the problem, excessive consumption (the sin of gluttony) is. Second, the ancient Israeli diet consisted mainly of grains, vegetables, milk, the occasional meat or fish (usually on festive occasions or once a week at Shabbat dinner), and received the majority of its fat from olive oil with the obvious exception of the lamb and beef consumed on a less regular basis to modern western practice. To the ancient Jew “fat” meant abundance, blessing, fertility, true wealth, strength, security, satisfaction, and joy. This is what God is offering, only He is offering the spiritual equivalent to the temporal earthly metaphor. This is in fact a picture of the Olam Haba (World to come), where the righteous will “feast” with God and His King Messiah.
 
“On this mountain, Adonai-Tzva’ot
will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples--
a banquet of aged wine--
of rich food, of choice marrow, of aged wine well refined.” -Isaiah 25:6 (TLV)
 
“I will fill the soul of the kohanim with fatness
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.” -Jeremiah 31:13 (14) (TLV)
 
“Then the angel tells me, ‘Write: How fortunate are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb!’ He also tells me, ‘These are the true words of God.’” -Revelation 19:9 (TLV)
 
“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” -Psalm 36:7-9 (ESV)
 
Isa 55:3  Hatu Incline (stretch out) azenechem your ear, ulechu and walk toward Me; Shimu hear, listen, understand utechiy nafshechem and your soul will live; ve’echretah and I will cut (make) lechem with you beriyt a covenant (cutting) olam everlasting, perpetual, chasdiy my love, loving actions, for David hane’emaniym are faithfulness, certain, steadfast, sure, supportive.
 
“Incline your ear and receive instruction of my law, obey my Word and your soul shall be quickened, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the mercies of David, which are sure.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.E.)
 
“Incline (stretch out) your ear, ulechu and walk toward Me; Shimu hear, listen, understand utechiy nafshechem and your soul will live…” 
 
In order for Israel and indeed all humanity to receive the waters (Word of God, Yeshua) from the heavens and live (eternally), they must have ears to hear, listen, understand. From the Hebrew we could translate, “Walk your ears toward me with your ear canal tilted to receive what I have to say…” Only the willing, repentant, teachable person is able to receive the water from the heavens and live.
 
“‘And your soul shall live.’ That is, your soul shall live for ever after the death of the body, or you will receive new life through Messiah, when you will return to the Divine Law (Torah).” -Iben Ezra
 
“Ve’echretah and I will cut (make) lechem with you beriyt a covenant (cutting) olam everlasting, perpetual, chasdiy my love, loving actions, for David hane’emaniym are faithfulness, certain, steadfast, sure, supportive.”
 
This everlasting covenant is intrinsically connected to the line of David and is made complete in keeping with the promises God has made to David.
 
“So your house and your kingship will be secure forever before you; your throne will be established forever.” -2 Samuel 7:16 (TLV)
 
“And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.” Ezekiel 34:23 (ESV)
 
“I will maintain My love for him forever,
and My covenant with him will be firm.” -Psalm 89:29 (TLV)
 
“But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” -Jeremiah 30:9 (ESV)
 
“It is also possible, that by David in this verse Messiah is meant, who will be of the family of David. As the prophet is sometimes called Israel for the same reason (49:3); and the meaning of ‘hane’emaniym chasdiy Daveed’ is in that case: for the kindness of Messiah is sure. This explaination is supported by the next verse.”  -Iben Ezra
 
This covenant which is connected to the covenant of peace of Isaiah 54:10 and is clearly a reference to the work of the Servant Redeemer, the King Messiah Yeshua. The covenant concerning the mercies toward David cannot be a reference to David himself, who died centuries before this prophecy was first spoken, rather it refers to the Messiah Who is the greater son of David and the One through Whom God carries out His redemptive purposes for Israel and the nations.
 
It is also clear from the previous verses that this everlasting covenant is the fruit of the Word Who came like waters from the heavens to bring life to humanity and to all creation which had been held hostage to the drought caused by sin.
 
“And we proclaim to you Good News—the promise to the fathers has arrived! 33 For God has fulfilled this promise to the children—to us—by raising up Yeshua, as it is also written in the second psalm:
‘You are My Son.
    Today I have become Your Father.’
34 “But since He raised Him up from the dead, never to return to decay, He has spoken in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure mercies of David.’ 35 Therefore He also says in another psalm, ‘You will not permit Your Holy One to see decay.’ 36 For after David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he went to sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay. 37 But the One whom God raised up did not see decay.
38 “Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One is proclaimed to you the removal of sins, including all those from which you could not be set right by the Torah of Moses. 39 Through this One everyone who keeps trusting is made righteous.” -Acts 13:32-38 (TLV)
 
Isa 55:4  Hein Behold, Now, Pay attention, eid lumiym (from am tribe, people) He is a witness to the tribes (peoples), netatiyn I have given Him nagid as a ruler (leader) umetzaveih and commander leumiym for the tribes (peoples).
 
“He is leader of the tribes, I have given Him as a ruler and commander over the tribes.”
 
As Iben Ezra rightly notes, the nearest subject is David or rather, the Messiah as the greater son of David, for David, now dead cannot be the future ruler over the tribes. Thus, it is the Servant King Messiah Who is being referred to here.
 
The Jewish commentators Iben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melekh all interpret this verse as referring to the Messiah.
 
The use of the Hebrew “umiym” tribes is important. To the modern English reader the translation “peoples”, while technically correct, is none the less misleading. The better translation is “tribes”. Israel is a “goy” nation made up of “umiym” tribes (peoples). The modern English reader misunderstands the word “peoples” to refer to all the peoples of the earth, however, in this context it does not. The following verse affirms this by speaking of a “goy” nation that will run to the individual in the present verse who is a witness to the tribes of Israel and in fact is born of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical).
 
It is here that Isaiah joins the two images of the Servant into one. By comparing Isaiah 11:10 we see that the Servant (King Messiah) is first a sign to the amiym tribes of Israel and as a result becomes a sign to the goyim nations.
 
“And in that day there shall be a root of Yishay which shall stand for a nes miracle (sign) of amiym the tribes: toward Him the goyim nations shall seek: and His rest shall be glorious.” -Isaiah 11:10
 
When combining the message of these verses it is clear that by amyim (tribes, peoples) Israel as a corporate entity is meant, and when the term goy is used in the next verse it refers to a nation other than Israel.
 
Isa 55:5  Hein Behold, Now, Pay attention, goy a nation lo-teida not known to you tikra you will call, ve’goy and a nation lo-yedaucha you didn’t know eilecha in your direction yarutzu will run lema’an because of Hashem (YHVH: Mercy) Eloheycha your God, ve’likdush Ysirael and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
 
This second “Hein” draws attention to a new related subject. These words are spoken to the individual of the former verse (The Servant King Messiah Yeshua), and to Israel, who through her greater son the King Messiah, has made it possible for those who would believe among the nations to enter God’s kingdom through the redemptive and vicarious sacrifice and resurrection of His Son the Messiah Yeshua.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” -John 10:14-16 (NIV)
 
Notice that it is “because of Hashem” that the “nation” made up of peoples (amiym) from among the nations (goyim) will come to Israel’s God. Thus, Israel is glorified because of the work of the Servant King Messiah, performed by her God, the Holy One of Israel.
 
This verse offers hope to those among the nations who receive Messiah while also warning those who refuse God’s continued purposes for the Jewish people.
 
“For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them. I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets. You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses. The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—” Psalm 18:39-46 (ESV)
 
Isa 55:6  “Diroshu Seek with care, enquire of Hashem (YHVH: Mercy) behimatzeo while He may be found, encountered, learned from; kera’uhu call upon Him bihyoto in His becoming (while He is) karov near;
 
Historically this warning relates to God’s presence manifest among the people of Israel and to the coming Babylonian exile and subsequent return. God will not allow death to continue on the earth indefinitely. Therefore, Israel has a limited time to seek and find Him, as do all who live on the earth.
 
“Seek ye the fear of the Lord whilst ye are alive, supplicate before His presence whilst ye remain.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.C.)
 
The Targum rightly understands this verse as referring to the time frame of a person’s life. In other words, a person may seek out the free gift of God’s redemptive action as long as that person lives in this sin affected world. There is no opportunity for salvation after death for, “It is appointed unto each human being to die once (in finality), and then the judgement.” (Heb. 9:27).
 
The Jewish commentator Kimchi compares the present verse with Eccl. 9:10:
 
“God is certainly everywhere at all times… but the meaning of this phrase is, while the decree is not yet resolved upon: in a similar way the phrase, while He is near is to be explained, namely, while He permits His glory to rest upon the Temple.” -Iben Ezra
 
We must remember that at the time of this prophecy Israel (Judah) was yet to be taken into Babylonian captivity.
 
Everyone, the Jew first and also the nations, must receive the saving work of the Messiah and walk in, learn from Him.
 
“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” -Psalm 95:7-8 (KJV)
 
Isaiah speaks of the “Acceptable year of our Lord”, and Luke quotes the same phrase from Isaiah 61:2 (Luke 4:19). That “Acceptable year” remains in time and space through the redemptive work of the Messiah and until the return of the Messiah. However, those who refuse God’s offer of acceptance and wilfully resist Him until the “Acceptable year” reaches its goal, will find themselves refusing Him on their way into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).
 
Isa 55:7  Ya’azo rasa darco Let the wicked forsake his way, veiysh and the man aven of idolatrous machshevotav thoughts, plans, inventions; veyashov and return to Hashem (YHVH: Mercy), viyrachameihu and He will have compassion (love deeply, show mercy to) on him, ve’el-Eloheiynu and to our God, kiy-yarbeh lisloach for He will greatly pardon, forgive.
 
“Let the wicked forsake his way of wickedness, and the man of violence his thoughts, and let him return to the worship of the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and into the fear of our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.E.)
 
We note that the “wickedness” of humanity is related to the “idolatrous thoughts” of humanity. In fact, idolatry is the root of all sin. Yaakov the brother of Yeshua puts it this way:
 
“But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is full grown, it brings forth death.” -Yaakov (James) 1:14-15 (TLV)
 
“Return to HaShem (Mercy), and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will greatly pardon.” As is constantly the case, God opens His arms wide to receive the returning one. Yeshua’s mashal (parable) of the returning son is one of the best examples of How great the compassion of God is toward all who would humbly return to Him (Luke 15:11-32).
 
We can see that the “way” of the wicked and the “thoughts” of the wicked are intrinsically linked, distinct and inseparable. When we walk in God’s grace our actions are the fruit of thoughts that echo that grace, however, when we despise and spurn God’s love our actions are the fruit of our own fallen thoughts.
 
Isa 55:8  Kiy lo machshevotay For my thoughts, plans, inventions, are not machshevoteiychem your thoughts, plans, inventions; velo darcheiychem neither are your ways derachay My ways, neum declares Hashem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
This verse beautifully juxtaposes God’s thoughts and actions against the thoughts and actions of fallen (sin affected) humanity.
 
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” -Genesis 6:5 (NIV)
 
“The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
 
When the Hebrew text speaks of machashebet “thought, invention, purpose,” it is speaking of that which comes from the core being “lev” heart. The Hebrew lev (heart) is the point at which all other aspects of human existence converge. Therefore, “thought” in this context applies to the will and in particular to the sin affected will which in Hebrew is known as yetzer ha-ra (the inclination toward evil).
 
It is impossible for we as human beings to fully fathom the thoughts and actions of God except by the revelation of God’s Spirit and only to the extent which God allows us to understand Him from our point of view within time and space (sin affected). Thus, God has revealed Himself through His Word (D’var), both written (Scripture) and living (Messiah).
 
Having said this, the present verse is not only a statement of fact it is also an invitation to the sin affected human being to receive the thoughts and ways of God as far as they are available to each person through Messiah. This happens when we forsake our idolatrous thoughts and their related actions and instead turn to Mercy Himself in order to receive His Spirit, Who in turn through right thinking, births right action in us. One practical outworking of this is seen in the diligent, Holy Spirit filled study of His Word (Scripture).
 
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Messiah loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to Himself as a radiant community of faith, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” -Ephesians 5:25-27
 
“I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” -Romans 12:1-2 (TLV)
 
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Messiah Yeshua:” -Philippians 2:5
 
Isa 55:9  Kiy gavehu shamayim For as the heavens are higher (exalted) meiaretz than (from) the earth, kein gavehu derachay so are My ways higher (exalted) midarcheiychem than (from) your ways umachshevotay and My thoughts, plans, inventions machshevoteiychem than (from) your thoughts, plans, inventions.
 
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.” -Job 11:7-9 (NIV)
 
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.” -Psalm 103:11 (NASB)
 
One of the reasons God’s thoughts and plans are beyond human understanding is that His thoughts and actions are intrinsically connected to His lovingkindness, where His nature is selfless love, human nature exhibits selfish desire.
 
“God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent;
Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” -Numbers 23:19 (NASB)
 
One of the reasons God’s ways are beyond human understanding is that He is unable to lie. We as human beings on the other hand are inclined to lie when it suits our purposes.
 
“Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counsellor has informed Him?
With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge
And informed Him of the way of understanding?” -Isaiah 40:13-14 (NASB)
 
These rhetorical questions from earlier in the scroll of Isaiah illuminate the irony in humanity’s pretentious claims to deity. At the heart of the matter we find that it is the nature of God that sets Him apart in every way. Therefore, His thoughts, inventions, purposes, and His actions, paths, and ways are higher. He offers to impart His nature to us through His Messiah and by His Spirit but first we must acknowledge that His thoughts and ways are beyond our understanding.
 
The Nature of God                                                                 
1. Self-Existing (uncreated, eternal)                                      
2. Self-sufficient (Reliant on nothing)
3. Spirit (Unseen)
4. Love (God defines love)
5. Immutable (unchanging)
6. Omniscient (All knowing)
7. Omnipotent (All powerful)
8. Omnipresent (All present)
9. Truth (He cannot lie)
10. Sovereign (He Rules over all things)
11. Holy (There is none like Him)
12. Just
13. Blessed
14. Good
15. Merciful
16. Patient
17. Compassionate
18. Gracious
 
In Messiah we are filled with His Spirit and reflect His nature but devoid of Messiah human beings are unable to truly comprehend or reflect His nature. Of course aspects of His nature are seen even in fallen humanity because of the common grace that allows us to seek Him in our sinful state. However, this common grace has a set limit, following which only those who have received God’s saving grace will enjoy an eternity of dwelling within the manifest presence of His good nature.
 
Isa 55:10  “Kiy ka’asher yeireid For as the coming down of hageshem the rain vehasheleg and the snow min-hashamayim from the heavens ve’shamah and there lo yashuv do not return kiy until they hirvah satiate, satisfy the thirst of et-haaretz the earth (land), veholiydah and it brings forth vehitzmiychah and sprouts, venatan and gives zera seed lazoreia to the sower velechem and bread laocheil to the eater,
 
“He sends forth His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.
19 He declares His words to Jacob,
His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His ordinances, they have not known them.
Praise the Lord!” - Psalm 147:18-20 (NASB)
 
In beautiful poetic form the psalmist connects the flowing waters to the words and instructions of God to Jacob (Israel). The Word of the Lord being Messiah Yeshua (John 1), Who has come from the heavens:
 
“No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” -John 3:13-15 (NASB)
 
Messiah, like the waters of the heavens, comes and does not return (precipitation) until He has accomplished His purpose of satisfying the spiritual thirst of those who live on earth and seeding in them the fruit of redemption. Through His death and resurrection He offers water (The Holy Spirit) to the thirsty soil of the human soul.
 
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now He said this about the Ruach, whom those who trusted in Him were going to receive; for the Ruach was not yet given, since Yeshua was not yet glorified.” -John 7:37-39 (TLV)
 
A careful reading of John 4:5-38 shows a correlation between the words of Isaiah 55 and the complete dialogue Yeshua engaged in with the Samaritan woman and the disciples and people of the village of Sychar (Shechem).
 
“Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” -Hosea 6:3 (ESV)
 
Isa 55:11  Kein yihyeh So will it come to pass that Devariy My Word asher yeitzei which goes out mipiy from My mouth; lo-yashuv will not return eiliy to Me reiykam void, empty, vainly, kiy for im-asah rather, it will accomplish, make, fashion (asah, from something) that which chafatztiy I delight in, desire, am pleased with, take pleasure in, vehitzliyach and will rush, advance, prosper, succeed in asher that for which shelachtiyv I sent it.
 
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword—piercing right through to a separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12 (TLV)
 
In one sense the word is that of the Torah, prophets and writings, and as Yeshua says “Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass.” (Matthew 5:18) Ultimately however, Messiah is the Word that goes out from the mouth of God (John 1:11-18). He comes to water the spiritual desert of Israel’s soul, and in turn the spiritual thirst of humanity. Due to the sinful practices of Israel God would withdraw His Word from her “for a brief moment”. 
“Behold, days are coming”
—declares my Lord Adonai--
“when I will send a famine on the land
—not a famine of bread
    nor a thirst for water,
    but of hearing the words of Adonai.” -Amos 8:11 (TLV)
 
However, as we came to understand from the previous chapter, He will not leave her forsaken:
 
“For a brief moment I deserted you,
but I will regather you with great compassion.” -Isaiah 54:7 (TLV)
 
Thus, the living Word of God Yeshua the King Messiah will accomplish, make, fashion that which God delights in, desires, and is pleased with, and takes pleasure in, that is the redemption of the repentant: He will rush, advance, prosper, succeed in that for which God sent Him. He will not return to God void but will return having seeded a harvest of everlasting fruit.
 
In hindsight we see that this is exactly what Yeshua has done and like the precipitating rains of the heavens He has returned to the heavens and has rained down the Spirit of the Father and the Son on all who have received Him.
 
Isa 55:12  “Kiy vesimchah For in joy (gladness) tetzeiu you will go out uveshalom and in peace, wholeness, well-being tuvalun be led forth; hehariym the mountains vehagevaot and the hills yiftzechu will break out, burst forth lifneiychem before your faces rinah in a shrill ringing cry, vechol-atzeiy and all the trees hasadeih of the field yimchau-chaf will clap their hands.
 
First this is a description of Israel’s return from exile in Babylon (Ezra 1:3), and further still, from every exile subsequent to that. Second, it is a description of the spread of the Gospel of the Messiah from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth and then back to Jerusalem to await His return.
 
The exultant creation described here shows the prophet’s view of an intrinsic connection between the restoration of Israel and humanity, and the restoration of the created order.
 
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” -Romans 8:19-21 (TLV)
 
Isa 55:13  Tachat Instead of hana’atzitz the thorn-bush ya’aleh verush a cypress will come up; vetachat and instead of hasirpad the brier (desert nettle) ya’aleh hadas the myrtle will come up; vehayah and it will come to pass la’YHVH to HaShem (Mercy), leshem for a name leot for a miraculous sign olam everlasting lo never yikareit cut off.”
 
“Instead of the wicked the righteous shall rise up, and instead of sinners shall rise up those that fear sin: and it shall be before the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign, that shall not cease.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century C.E.)
 
The Targum rightly understands the thorn-bush and brier to represent the wicked and sinners, and the cypress and myrtle to represent the righteous and those who fear God.
 
The plants chosen to reflect the incredible transformation that will take place in the return of Israel both to the land and to the Lord through Messiah, have an important symbolic meaning.
 
The thorn-bush and the brier are symbols of satanic barbs (2 Corinthians 12:6-8), death, drought, and fruitlessness. They are good only for throwing on the fire. This brings to mind the warning spoken to Israel by Yochanan the Immerser: 
​
“The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” -Matthew 3:10 (NIV)
 
Likewise Yeshua warned:
 
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” -Matthew 7:15-20 (NIV)
 
The good news is that in the day of Israel’s corporate spiritual redemption (Romans 11:25), cypress and myrtle will be found in place of thorn-bushes and briers. This is a picture of spiritual transformation.
 
In ancient Israel the cypress (being an evergreen) represented healing, uprightness, eternal life. It is a long living tree that is able to endure harsh climates and poor soil. Biblically trees are used as symbols of kingdoms and in particular the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 17:22-24) sees David’s Messianic dynasty symbolised in a cedar tree that the nations (birds) will shelter in. We see this same imagery used in Yeshua’s mashal (parable) where He makes a drash on Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning the kingdom of God (Mark 4:30-32). There is an obvious correlation to the present passage.

The myrtle is a slow growing fragrant tree with a beautiful white blossom. It is a deciduous shrub, always green (though not an evergreen), and has a strong root system. Even when it is cut to a stump, it’s roots cause it to sprout again. There are many parallels to be drawn with the journey of Israel (ethnic, religious) and the walk of a Messiah follower. Israel in her redeemed and transformed state will be always green, fragrant with the sweet salvation of the Gospel, rooted deeply on the mountain of the Lord and flowering with the majesty of God.
 
This portion of Isaiah leaves us with a hopeful picture of the future restored remnant of Israel and those nations who will come to her in Messiah to be joined with her in the worship of Hashem the God of Israel. Just as the many miracles performed by God on Israel’s behalf became signs to the nations, so too this great miracle of redemption and restoration will be a sign. One that will never be cut off. This of course is an allusion to the redemptive act of Messiah and the resulting spiritual transformation of Israel (ethnic, religious) in the last days following the fullness of the nations (Romans 11:25).

 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
 
Having illuminated the character of the Servant-Redeemer in Isaiah 53, the prophet now resumes his message concerning the redemption of the people of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical). The present chapter picks up where 52:12 left off, beginning with a song of rejoicing at the restoration of Zion in the favour and actionable love of God, Who has maintained His unbroken love for her throughout her wayward journey of discipline.
 
We should remember that these words were spoken to Israel prior to her exile in Babylon and refer to that yet future time when she will be returned to the Land of Israel following her captivity. In turn, these are prophetic words that reach beyond Israel’s ancient history and into the future in order that they might be truly complete in the redemption of Israel through Messiah Yeshua.
 
We are witness to days when weapons are being formed against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical), in the land and in the diaspora. These weapons are manifest in many forms, arms, media, political rhetoric, ideologies, spiritual theologies and many more. Worse still, some of these weapons are the fruit of so called “Christian” ministries, NGOs and members of governments and church councils (WCC, EAPPI). It is timely therefore, that we warn of the fate awaiting those who form weapons against God’s chosen ethnic people the Jews, Israel.
 
Isa 54:1  “Raniy Overcome, cry out, shout for joy, akarah barren one, who did not yaladah bear, give birth (a breaking forth from the womb); pitzchiy break forth, break out rinah into a ringing cry ve’tzahaliy and a shrill cry, you who have not chalah, travailed in labour! Kiy rabiym For many are beneiy-shomeimah the children of the desolate, devastated, stunned, deflowered a.mibeneiy as opposed to the children ve’ulah of those under the rule of husbands (baaliym) alt. a. will be more than the children of her who is married,” says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
“Sing praise, O Jerusalem, which was as a barren woman that bears not;'' -Targum Yonatan (2 Century CE)
 
Both the Targum and the commentator Iben Ezra agree that the remnant of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) are being referred to here.
 
To be barren in ancient Jewish culture was a thing of great shame. The bearing of children and in particular male heirs who would continue the family name, was at the forefront of ancient cultural norms. Thus, the ancient Hebrew reader of Isaiah is significantly impacted by this figure of the barren woman and the resulting restoration of her womb and the fruit that comes forth from her. This is perhaps the ultimate illustration of true prosperity as understood by the ancient Jewish mind.
 
As a result of her sin and in the discipline of her captivity Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) was like a rejected wife. Though, as I made clear in my commentary on Isaiah 50, she had not been utterly divorced (re: Judah has never been given a certificate [Get] of divorcement).
 
Therefore, the returning exiles are pictured here as the restored barren woman who now has children more numerous than the woman (Israel prior to exile living in the land) who had been married (albeit under false husbands, the Ba’aliym).
 
In other words, disobedient Israel had fathered children while worshipping false gods in the land and as a result had been sent into captivity where she became barren, physically, emotionally, spiritually. However, her return to God, her true Ba’al (Husband), will mean that she bears more children, physically, spiritually, and fills the promised land given to her forebears by God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the end, due to God’s mercy, she will become greater in number than she was prior to her exile (Isa.49:19-20). This is unheard of. We have seen it time and again throughout Israel’s history of exile and return. We witness it today as the population numbers of Jews grow toward 14,700,000 after being reduced to 9,500,500 following the pogroms and Shoah (holocaust) of the early 20th century CE.
 
“No longer will you be termed ‘Forsaken’,
no longer your land termed ‘Desolate’.
Instead you will be called, ‘My Delight is in Her’
    and your land, ‘Married’.
For Adonai delights in you,
and your land will be married.” -Isaiah 62:4 (TLV)
 
In his letter to the Galatian believers (Gal. 4:27) Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) explains the present text of Isaiah as an allegory for the figurative son bound by the consequences of sin according to the Torah (Ishmael) and the figurative son set free from sin according to the Spirit of God (Isaac). Thus, the Rav shaul retrospectively shows that it is redeemed Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) that is being referred to by the prophet Isaiah as being once barren (in sin) and now fruitful (in right action) through the redemptive work of the Servant-Redeemer of the previous chapter.
 
The figure of the barren woman is used throughout Scripture (Genesis.11:30; 16:1-2; 25:21; 29:31; Judges 13:2; 1 Sam 1:1-5; Luke 1:7) and is ultimately referring to Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, the matriarchs of Israel (Gen.11:30; 16:1-2; 25:21; 29:31; ). Therefore, it’s fitting that it be used here in reference to collective Israel (ethnic, religious) and her restoration.
​
Jewish commentators understand this prophecy to refer to our (Jews) deliverance from our present condition by the Messiah; and of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the prosperity of it (Tishbi, p. 227; Lexic. Talmud. col. 996, 2229). While this understanding sees a physical restoration (Which is of course part of what has happened and will be made complete in the future), it is not opposed to a spiritual restoration (Which is of course necessary). Those commentators who demand one interpretation over the other offer nothing more than a false choice that seeks to place limits on the redemptive work of God. Like children we must accept the truth that both outcomes are true, cohesive and made manifest in the eternal present according to God’s will.

Isa 54:2  “Harchiyviy Enlarge, widen, grow mekom a place oholeich of your tent, viyriyot and let the curtains mishkenotayich of your dwellings (from mishkan) be yatu stretched out, extended; lo-tachshochiy do not hold back; lengthen your cords and chazekiy strengthen your stakes.
 
Once again the enlargement of Israel’s Tent (worship centre), the stretching out of her dwellings, and the securing of her cords by staking them in the land, is both literal and figurative, physical and spiritual. It applies to exiled Israel’s (ethnic, religious) final return to the land of Israel and at the same time to the coming of the eternal Jerusalem out of the heavens. The physical restoration and the spiritual restoration will converge at the second coming of the King Messiah.
 
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the LORD. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” -Jeremiah 31:38-40 (ESV)
 
The Hebrew “mekom” place, denotes Ha-Makom (The Place), a reference to the Temple Mount. Likewise, the Hebrew “mishkenot” dwellings, denotes Ha-Mishkan (The Dwelling, The Tent of Meeting). Therefore, by way of remez we see an allusion to the connection between the Holy Mountain and the faith of the individual, the family, and collective Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) within their own dwellings.
 
The drash that is born from this is one that encourages the practice of being constantly aware that wherever we are we are in the presence of God. Our tents (families, bodies) are, through the Servant King Messiah, an extension of the Tent (Mishkan) of meeting. Thus, we are to strengthen our diligent actions in the practice of worshipping God in spirit and in truth. The enlargement and extension, the strengthening and securing of our tents as an extension of God’s tent, will result in the Gospel of redemption possessing the nations for their good.
 
“Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.” -Isaiah 33:20 (ESV)
 
Isa 54:3  For yamiyn by the right hand usemol and to the left side tifrotziy you will break through, burst over, breach, abroad, ve’zar’eich and your offspring goyim yiyrash will possess, inherit the nations and ve’ariym and the cities (full of terror) neshamot made desolate, yoshiyvu they will inhabit, dwell in.
 
This is not a spreading out that results from captivity and diaspora, rather this is a spreading out of the kingdom of God from Israel (both the land and the people) to the nations of the world. This is a precursor to the Olam Haba (World to Come), and of the continued ministry of Israel through the Messiah. The possession of the nations is for the benefit of the nations, that they might receive God’s redemptive offer through the King (Servant) Messiah Yeshua.
 
“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.” -Genesis 15:18-21 (ESV)
 
“For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” -Psalm 37:9-11 (ESV)
 
“Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.” -Isaiah 60:21 (ESV)
 
“I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.” -Isaiah 65:9 (ESV)
 
The phrase “break through…” is a poetic allusion to the breaking forth of children (Gen.38:29; Hosea.13:13) from the fruitful womb of the restored people of Israel represented by the figure of the once barren woman in verse 1. Thus, the spiritual fruit that gave birth to the physical fruit, will in turn bring spiritual rebirth to Israel (ethnic, religious) and from Israel life will proceed to the nations.
 
Isa 54:4  “Al-tiyriy No Fear, kiy because you will not teivoshiy be put to shame; ve’lo tikalmiy and no humiliation, confusion, reproach, kiy because you will not be disgraced; for voshet the shame of your youth you will forget, and the scorn of your widowhood you will not remember od perpetually, going round, continually.
 
“Al-tiyriy No Fear, kiy because you will not teivoshiy be put to shame…” This will be a physical, emotional, mental reality for the returned and restored captives of Israel. Furthermore, it is a profound spiritual truth. The Shaliach (Sent one) Yochanan (John) writes:
 
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Yeshua. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” -1 John 4:17-19
 
The Hebrew text of Isaiah 54:4 does not say “Fear not” rather it says, “No fear”. This is a statement of fact and not a commandment. There is no fear because, “you will not be put to shame.” This is the counterpoint to those who will be ashamed at the judgement for lack of repentance and because they have no covering for their sin. Therefore, the present verse of Isaiah (while also a physical historical reality) is a word to the elect remnant of repentant Israel (ethnic, religious). It is an illumination of what the Servant King Messiah has birthed among them.
 
They will have no fear because they have been redeemed, forgiven, covered, restored in Him, and will not be put to shame, nor confused or disgraced as a result of sin. “The shame of your youth you will forget…” The past sins of the nation of Israel, both individual and corporate will be forgotten both by God and by Israel because of the saving vicarious sacrificial death and the resurrection of the Servant King Messiah (referred to in the previous chapter).
 
“So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,
    a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who relies on it
    will never be stricken with panic.’” -Isaiah 28:16 (NIV)
 
“The shame of your youth” is probably a reference to Israel’s Egyptian bondage, and “the scorn of your widowhood” to her exile in Babylon.
 
“I warned you when you felt secure,
    but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;
    you have not obeyed me.” -Jeremiah 22:21 (NIV)
 
“Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.” -Psalm 25:7 (NIV)
 
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:
“This is what the Lord says:
“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,
    how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,
    through a land not sown.” -Jeremiah 2:2 (NIV)
 
Isa 54:5  Kiy For vo’alayich your Husband (from Ba’al) osayich (from asah fashion from something) is your Maker, HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) Tze’vaot Who goes warring (of hosts) shemo is His name; ve’goaleich and your (Kinsmen) Redeemer Kedush Yisrael the Holy One of Israel, Eloheiy the God chol-ha’aretz of the whole earth (land) yikarei He is called.
 
There is a depth of poetic irony in the counter distinctions of this verse that can be easily lost to those who either don’t know Israel’s history of prostitution to false husbands (Ba’aliym) or are unaware of the Hebrew idioms present. The prophet Hosea, who began his ministry prior to Isaiah, and for a short time, a contemporary of Isaiah, writes:
 
“There I will give her back her vineyards,
    and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will respond  as in the days of her youth,
    as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
‘In that day,’ declares the Lord,
    “you will call me ‘Iyshiy my man (Husband)’;
    you will no longer call me ‘Ba’aliy my master (Husband).’
I will remove the names of the ha-ba’aliym (Husbands, masters, false gods) from her lips;
    no longer will their names be invoked.” -Hosea 2:15-17
 
“Your Ba’al Husband (Master) is your Maker” HaShem makes clear to Israel that He is her true Husband (Ba’al, Master) as opposed to the false Husbands (Ba’aliym) she has been worshipping. HaShem alone is Israel’s Maker. The Hebrew here is “osayich” (from asah fashion from something). Thus, Israel the ethnic people through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were fashioned from humanity (Bara, created from nothing).
 
God draws Israel’s attention to His character as it relates to her transformation. Ancient Israel, like so many modern Christians, had submitted her faith to the popular worldview of her time rather than allowing her faith to transform her and the world around her. In the present verse HaShem identifies Himself to Israel in the following ways:

1. Ba’al – Husband (El Elyon, Supreme God, God above all gods)
2. Osayich – Maker (He Who both created “bara” all things from nothing, and makes “asah” things out of that which He has already created according to His redemptive purpose)
3. YHVH Tzevaot – Mercy Who Goes Warring  (YHVH of heavens armies, God of all strength)
4. Goaleich – Redeemer (Kinsman Redeemer)
5. Kedush Yisrael – Holy One of Israel (Set apart, like no other, God of those who overcome in God)
6. Eloheiy chol-ha’aretz – God of All the Earth (The tribal God of Israel is the Creator of all things and the God over all the earth and its people)

 
Following these Names, the Hebrew text says, “yikarei” He is proclaimed! Because He has placed His name on Israel (ethnic, religious), His reputation is both soiled and honoured in her. Thus, discipline always begins with her. She must be made aware of Who He is and in repentance receive His love for her, so that all humanity might behold the One true God YHVH.

1. Therefore, He begins by reminding Israel that she is His wife and He is her Master. Israel is the wife (servant) of no other.
2. Second, He made her to be a light to the nations.
3. Third, As Mercy Himself He goes warring for the Holiness of His Own Great Name. Mercy precedes judgment, therefore, He must zealously guard the honour due His Name. The alternative would mean the removal of mercy.
4. Fourth, He alone is the Redeemer, only He can save (neither Israel nor any other nation or individual can atone for the sins of humanity).
5. Fifth, He is the Holy One of Israel: the nations can come to the knowledge of the Creator YHVH only through recognising His hand on Israel and by receiving the Messiah born of Israel.
6. Finally, through acknowledging that He is all this and more, the nations (those who are willing) will receive the God of Israel as the God of all the earth.

 
“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
    and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” -Zephaniah 3:9 (NIV)
 
Isa 54:6  Kiy-cheishah For a woman (wife) azuvah forsaken, desolate va’atzuvat and grieved, in pain, ruach of spirit: HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has called you, ve’eishet and like a wife ne’uriym of youth when she is timaeis rejected, cast off, amar says Elohayich your God.
 
The imagery here is that of a woman who has been left to fend for herself in a hostile climate. In Israel’s case God had left her in this situation as a result of her sin and by means of discipline. This is why the text refers to the woman being “grieved of spirit”. This grief is that of a realisation of the sinful nature as a result of the grief of the flesh (earthly life). HaShem has identified Israel this way. In other words, He sees her grief and the potential of her repentant heart. Israel is also seen as a woman cast off in youth who did not please her husband, however, as I mentioned in the introduction to this chapter in reference to my commentary on Isaiah 50, Israel had not been utterly divorced (re: Judah has never been given a certificate [Get] of divorcement) [see my commentary on Isaiah 50:1].
 
“I will betroth you to me forever;
    I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
    in love and compassion.” -Hosea 2:19
 
God’s betrothal to Israel (ethnic, religious) is an everlasting one that is maintained by His faithfulness and not subject to Israel’s failures.
 
“For as a woman forsaken, and afflicted in spirit, the Shekinah, the Lord, met thee, like a woman of youth which was forsaken, says thy God.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
It is interesting to note that the 2nd Century Targum sees the “Shekinah” (A Talmudic Hebrew word denoting the feminine manifest presence of God) as being present with Israel in her forsaken state. This fits the spirit of the text which clearly shows that even in her seeming abandonment, God was present, observing and guiding Israel toward redemption and restoration.
 
Isa 54:7  Be’rega katan In a brief (small) moment (wait a moment) azavtich I forsook you, uverachamiym gedoliym but with great compassion (like that of a mother’s womb) akabetzeich I will gather you.
 
“Be’rega katan In a brief (small) moment (wait a moment) azavtich I forsook you…” What seemed to Israel to be a long period of suffering is none the less called “small, brief” by HaShem, Who in the eternal view of redemption considers the 70 year time frame of Israel’s Babylonian exile to be nothing more than a moment. In light of the restoration of Israel and the life awaiting those restored ones in the Olam Haba (World to Come), the exile is truly brief. In truth God was present during Israel’s exile and the word “forsook” is an expression that conveys the perspective of the captive Israelites.
 
“With great compassion (like that of a mother’s womb) I will gather you.” The juxtaposition of the Hebrew is delightful. The katan (small) moment of forsaking is compensated for by gedoliym (greatness, expanses) of compassion. The compensation is not equitable to the suffering of discipline, for HaShem “does not repay us as our sins deserve” (Psalm 103:10). How is this possible in light of His justice? It is possible because He has paid the price that is owed for our sins through His Son our Servant King Messiah. Thus, though we suffer the consequences of our sin for a short (katan) time, we who in repentance have received Him  will none the less be gathered in great (gedoliym) compassion.
 
In Yeshua, this great compassion is continually offered to all who would believe, first and always for the Jew and also always for the nations.
 
 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” -Matthew 23:37 (TLV)
 
Isa 54:8  Beshetzef In a flood ketzef of anger histartiy panay I concealed My face rega for a moment (wait a moment) mimeich from you, u’ve’chesed but in loving kindness, faithfulness, olam everlasting richamtiych I will have compassion, mercy on you,” says goaleich your (Kinsmen) Redeemer HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
“For a little moment I removed the presence of my Shekinah, yea, for a short time from thee, but with everlasting kindness, which shall not cease, will I have mercy on thee, says the Lord thy Redeemer.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The Targum alludes to the removal not of God’s presence but rather of His manifest presence (Shekinah). Thus, all things exist in God and He manifests Himself within time and space in order that we might come to realise what this truly means.
 
We note that the Hebrew speaks of a flood of anger. This is because there is a poetic comparison being made with the flood of Noah mentioned in the following verse.
 
“I concealed My face for a moment (wait a moment) from you” God’s face is ever present but our ability to perceive His countenance is limited by our sin. Thus, we are reliant on His loving kindness everlasting compassion and mercy in order to behold Him in His glory. And this is made possible only because He acts as our Redeemer, giving of Himself in the manifest form of His Son the King Messiah. There is a sense in which God is speaking to us in our captivity and saying, “Wait a moment, I’m coming” while at the same time being present, even closer than breathing (Deut.30:14).
 
Once again the use of Hebrew conveys the immenseness of God’s Mercy and compassion when compared to our temporary (seeming) isolation as a result of our sin. He is angry for rega (a moment), but as a result of His loving action (chesed) He affords us olam (everlasting) compassion, faithfulness, wellbeing. All because He is our Redeemer (As Messiah, our kinsman) Mercy (YHVH) Himself.
 
In anger God allowed Israel’s temporary disciplining. However, because His love and mercy precede His judgement, and because He has placed His Name on the people of Israel, His compassion will bring about the promised Messianic reign. The repentant remnant of Israel once given into the hands of the nations, will one day rule over all the nations under the greater son of David, the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” -Daniel 7:27 (NIV)
 
“The Lord will have compassion on Jacob;
    once again he will choose Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.
Foreigners will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.” -Isaiah 14:1 (NIV)
 
Isa 54:9  “Kiy For meiy the waters Noach (rest) of Noah zot so is this liy to Me: asher which nishbatiy as I have sworn me’avor no more going over the meiy-Noach waters of Noah od perpetually, continually al -haaretz on the earth (land), Ken yes, of course true, so nishbatiy I have sworn miketzof that I will not be angry allayich with (on) you, umigeor-bach and rebuke you.
 
The waters of Noah (the flood) are here compared to the flood of God’s anger against rebellious Israel in the previous verse. Put simply, “In the same way that I have promised to never flood the earth again, I also affirm that upon your repentant return I will never withdraw from you in anger again.” This is an allusion to the final redeemed state of the remnant of Israel who accept the Servant King Messiah and come under the atonement of His vicarious sacrifice. We note that in reference to the removal of anger the Hebrew says “od” perpetual, going round forever.
 
The Targum Yonatan further illuminates the means for the removal of God’s anger from Israel (ethnic, religious) by using the figure for Messiah from John 1, “Word” D’var (The Word), Messiah Himself.
 
“This shall be before me as the days of Noah, when I swore by my Word, that the waters of the deluge, which were in the days of Noah, shall no more pass over the earth; thus I swear by my Word, that my anger shall not be hurled upon thee, neither will I reprove thee.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The Babylonian Talmud interprets Isaiah 54:9 as referring to the times of the Messiah (Talmud. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1.). Therefore, it is clear that this verse refers to that time following the fullness of the nation’s when all the remnant of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) will be saved (Romans 11:25).
 
Isa 54:10  For hehariym the mountains yamushu may depart (be removed) u’hagevaot and the hills temutenah be shaken (overturned), ve’chasdiy and my loving kindness, steadfast love, faithfulness will mei’iteich lo-yamush not depart from you, u’veriyt and the covenant (cutting) shelomiy of My peace (wholeness, wellbeing, security) will lo tamut not be shaken, overturned, removed,” says merachameich the One Who outworks mercy, has compassion on you, HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
The opening phrase is an allusion to the removal of the sin affected created order and the restoration of all things.
 
“The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” -Revelation 6:14 (ESV)
 
HaShem assures Israel’s remnant that even at the passing away of the known world His love and faithfulness will remain as it always has. Included in this eternal promise is the covenant that brings Israel everlasting peace, wholeness, wellbeing. This is the covenant made in the blood of the Servant King Messiah (as explained in the previous chapter) bears the fruit of eternal peace.
 
“Covenant of My Peace” finds its origin in the text of the Torah and is given to Phinehas, who is a type for the Messiah.
 
“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” -Numbers 25:11-13 (ESV)
 
Isa 54:11  “Aniyah afflicted one, so’arah storm-tossed and lo nachamah not comforted, hineih behold, now, pay attention, anochiy I marbiytz will lay bapuch antimony (A lustrous sparkling grey metalloid) avanayich as your stones vi’sadtiych and your foundations basapiyriym in sapphires.
 
Iben Ezra suggests that the “afflicted storm tossed one” refers to Jerusalem. This is consistent with the remainder of the verse which clearly talks about a future manifestation of Jerusalem reconstructed with precious stones. This future Jerusalem is described in the Revelation of Yeshua to Yochanan (John):
 
“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,” -Revelation 21:19 (ESV)
 
The Hebrew “Hineih” calls the reader to attention. In response to the afflicted one who is devoid of comfort, Hashem speaks of walls (security) made of precious immovable stones. This is both literal and figurative. The Jerusalem promised to redeemed Israel will offer eternal protection in the presence of God Himself made manifest on the new earth at the end of the age.
 
Isa 54:12  Ve’samtiy And I will make (appoint) kadchod agates (a translucent variety of microcrystalline quartz) shimshotayich your windows, pinnacles (sun reflecting objects), u’shearayich and your gates leavneiy ekdach of fiery glowing stones, ve’col-gevuleich and all your borders, territory leavneiy of stones cheifetz that are precious, delightful, longed for, desirable.
 
The ramparts of the future Jerusalem will reflect the light of God and shine as a beacon to the nations. The gates of the future Jerusalem will be fiery, symbolising the judgement through which all will enter. That fire symbolising that which warms the redeemed and destroys the wicked.
 
The New Jerusalem of Revelation is described as follows:
 
“18 The material of the wall was jasper (red); and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper (purple: Gad); the second, sapphire (blue: Simeon); the third, Carnelian (translucent multi-coloured: Reuben); the fourth, emerald (deep green: Zebulun); 20 the fifth, sardonyx (red laced black: Issachar); the sixth, sardius (red: Judah); the seventh, chrysolite (yellow: Dan); the eighth, beryl (light green multi-coloured: Asher); the ninth, topaz (greyish blue: Naphtali); the tenth, chrysoprase (greenish yellow: Ephraim); the eleventh, jacinth (deep blue: Manasseh); the twelfth, amethyst (violet: Benjamin). 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 I saw no Sanctuary in it, for HaShem (Merciful) God (Judge) the Almighty (Shaddai) and the Lamb are its Temple.” -Revelation 21:18-22
 
Each of the jewels listed here represent the jewels embedded on the High Priests breastplate. They each represent a tribe of Israel but are listed in an unusual way.
 
The traditional birth order of the tribes of Israel is:
Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasseh.
 
The order of the tribes as they appear on the priestly breastplate is:
Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Naphtali.
 
We’re told that the foundation stones have the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb on them. In other words the foundations of the apostolic ministry, the tribes of Israel, have the apostles’ names written on them in the same way that the messengers of the twelve gates have the names of the twelve tribes written on them.
 
The purpose of these patterns is to illuminate the meaning of God’s dwelling with humanity based on the premise that He gave a pattern of foreshadowing in the encampment of Israel during her desert wandering.
 
Shaliyachim (Apostles)                                                                       Shevetiym (Tribes)
 
1.) Simon Peter (Shimon Kefa) HE HAS HEARD/ ROCK                  Reuben BEHOLD A SON
2.) Andrew MANLY                                                                             Simeon HEARS AND OBEYS
3.) James (Yaakov Ben-Zavdai) FOLLOWER                                      Judah    PRAISE
4.) John (Yochanan) G-D IS GRACIOUS                                             Issachar REWARD
5.) Philip FRIEND                                                                                 Zebulun DWELL, HONOUR, GIFT
6.) Bartholomew (Bar-Talmai) COVENANT SON OF FURROW     Benjamin SON OF MY RIGHT HAND
7.) Thomas (T’oma) TWIN                                                                  Dan JUDGE
8.) Matthew (Levi) JOINED                                                                 Naphtali WRESTLE
9.) James (Yaakov Bar-Halfai) FOLLOWER                                       Gad PROVIDENCE
10.) Thaddaeus (Taddai) COURAGEOUS HEART                            Asher HAPPY
11.) Simon the Zealot (Shimon) HE HAS HEARD                            Ephraim FRUITFULL
12.) Paul INQUIRED OF G-D                                                              Manasseh FORGET
                                                                                                             (Shaul [Paul] replaces Judas Iscariot by heavenly edict)     
 
So why are the jewels representing the tribes listed contrary to the birth order? The answer is in the connection between the priesthood (breastplate), the encampment (tribes/jewels) and the Mishkan, dwelling of God with His people (Rev. 21:3).
 
The order of the jewels corresponds to the order of the tribes as per their encampment around the Mishkan (Tent of meeting) in the desert, beginning with Gad at the south west corner of the camp, followed by the remaining tribes in an anti-clockwise direction, circling the tent of meeting and ending with Benjamin alongside Gad on the opposite side of the south west corner.
 
All of this is a beautiful and elaborate way of connecting God’s temporal dwelling with Israel in the desert to His eternal dwelling (New Jerusalem, new heavens and new earth) with humanity in the Olam Haba (world to come). The names of the apostles combine with the tribes of Israel to unite the people of G-d in an eternal priesthood born of the redemptive work of G-d through His Son, our Messiah Yeshua.
 
The Rabbis agree with Yochanan’s vision of a New Jerusalem with gates made from pearls:
 
“The Holy One, Blessed is He, will in the Olam Haba (World to come), bring precious stones and pearls which are 30 cubits by 30 cubits and will cut out from them openings which are 10 cubits by 20 cubits, and will set them up in the gates of Jerusalem.” –Baba Bathra 75a
 
The transparent gold/glass streets emphasise the flawless state of the city.
 
The reason for there being no Sanctuary (holy place) in the city is that the city itself is the Holy of Holies (cube, foreshadowed by the Holy of Holies of Solomon’s temple). G-d Himself and the Lamb are its temple, and the redeemed are the bricks of the temple:
 
“Don’t you realize that all of you together are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you (both corporately and individually)?” –1 Corinthians 3:16
 
The trifold title of G-d, “HaShem (Merciful) G-d (Judge) the Almighty (Shaddai)” emphasizes His primary attributes: He is merciful, just and all powerful.
 
Isa 54:13  Vechol-banayich And all your children limudeiy will be taught by HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), ve’rav and great will be shalom the peace, wholeness, wellbeing of banayich your children.
 
“And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” -Jeremiah 31:34 (ESV)
 
This speaks of a time when God will make Himself the personal teacher of everyone who receives Him. This is made possible through the Servant King Messiah. Redeemed Israel will be taught by God through His Messiah and through the Spirit. The result will be everlasting peace, wholeness and well-being.
 
A midrash applies this verse to the times of the Messiah, when all Israel will learn the Torah directly from the Lord (Midrash Tillim, apud Yalkut in Psal. xxi. 1).
 
Yeshua says:
 
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” -John 6:43-45 (NIV)
 
Isa 54:14  Bitz’dakah In righteousness (right action) tikonaniy you shall be established, made firm; rachakiy you shall be far meioshek from oppression, because you will lo tiyraiy not fear; u’mimechitah and from terror, destruction, ruin, for it will lo tikrav eilayich not come near you.
 
Without the righteousness of God Israel could never remain firmly established; not in the land, not in faith, not in posterity. The righteousness spoken of here is not the righteousness of Israel’s faithful but the righteousness of God, purchased for Israel by the faithful Servant King Messiah Who is born of her in the flesh and of God in the Spirit. Thus, the righteousness that is the fruit of Messiah’s vicarious sacrifice is the righteousness that will perpetually establish redeemed and restored Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical).
 
“The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
    never again will you fear any harm.” -Zephaniah 3:15 (NIV)
 
“Open the gates
    that the righteous nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.” -Isaiah 26:2 (NIV)
 
“And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning…” -2 Samuel 7:10 (NIV)
 
“But I will encamp at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.” -Zechariah 9:8 (NIV)
 
The better translation of “Kiy lo tiyraiy” is, “Because No Fear!” In short, due to the righteousness of Israel in Messiah which firmly establishes God’s eternal kingdom on earth, oppression wont touch you, because, No Fear!
 
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Yeshua. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” -1 John 4:17-19
 
Isa 54:15  Hein Now, pay attention, gor if a stranger yagur stirs up strife, efes naught (zero), nothing of it meiotiy is from Me; miy-gar whoever stirs up strife itach with you alayich yipol will fall because of you.
 
The shorter form “Hein” carries a similar sense to “Hineih”. Pay attention! This is the second of three “Pay attention” proclamations in this chapter, all of which occur in the latter quarter of the passage. It’s as if God were firmly establishing peace for His people by forewarning her that there is a time coming when it would appear that they are doomed despite God’s promises: however, this would be a last flailing attempt by the enemies of God and of Israel, nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Those who gather against Israel will be destroyed in her midst.
 
“Behold, the captivity of thy people shall surely be gathered unto thee: in the end, the kings of the nations, who are gathered together to oppress thee, Jerusalem, shall be cast down in the midst of thee.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) 
 
The Targum which reads “Shall be cast down in the midst of you” may well be referring, albeit unwittingly, to Revelation 11:13, where 7000 perish in the midst of an earthquake in Jerusalem, following which Israel gives glory to God. This is probably the catalyst for the time of Israel’s restoration through Messiah to God as an entire remnant nation (Romans 11:25).
 
Iben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, interpret those who stir up strife for Israel in the latter days as being the prophetically significant figurative enemy nations of Gog and Magog.
 
The Revelation of Yeshua to Yochanan (John) describes those who will stir up trouble against Israel in the last days:
 
“And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Ha-Meggido.” -Revelation 16:12-16
 
This is a transitional warning to the restored remnant. Redeemed Israel is not to allow any perceived temporary threat to cause her fear. Nor is she to doubt the promise of Hashem in regard to her security in His righteousness. Those that appear to have the power to stir up trouble for Israel will be defeated because of her association with Hashem, made manifest in righteousness through the King Messiah. The same God Who has returned and restored Israel will also fully fill all the promises He has made to her.
 
This remains a dire warning today to all those nations who plot against the modern Jewish State and the Jewish people throughout the world. Know this, if you stir up trouble against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) you will fall because of God’s devotion to her.
 
Isa 54:16  Hineih Behold, now, pay attention, anochiy I baratiy I have created (from nothing) charash the smith nofeiach who blows be’eish on the fire pecham coals u’motziy and brings out, produces cheliy a weapon, instrument, vessel lemaaseihu for his purpose, work. Ve’anochiy And I baratiy I have created (from nothing) mashchiyt the corrupt, decaying, destroyer le’chabeil to bind;
 
This is now the third and final “Hineih” of the chapter, “Now Pay Attention!” Before God makes it clear that any and all weapons formed against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) will be defeated, He reminds Israel that He is the Creator of all things and that her enemies cannot form anything except that which God has allowed them to use. He does this in part to show that the enemies of Israel are formed of the created things but the God Who protects her is all existing, uncreated, everlasting, and relies on nothing and no one in order to act in her defence. This certain and immutable security is given to Israel as a promissory note prior to the events of the latter days.
 
“The blacksmith takes a tool
and works with it over the coals,
    fashioning it with hammers
    and working it with his strong arm.
Yet when he is hungry, his strength fails.
When he drinks no water, he gets tired.” -Isaiah 44:12 (TLV)
 
 “Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.” -Isaiah 50:9 (ESV)
 
Isa 54:17  Col-keliy All weapons, instruments, vessels yutzar formed alayich against you lo will not yitzlach prosper, succeed, advance vechol-lashon and all tongues, languages takum-itach that rise against you lamishpat in judgement tarshiyiy you shall refute, condemn. Zot This nachalat is the heritage avdeiy of the servants of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), ve’tzidkatam and their righteousness, justice, vindication mei’itiy is from Me, neum-YHVH declares, reveals, proclaims HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).”

“No weapon that is formed against thee, Jerusalem, shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me, says the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)

This promise to Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) is made to her prior to her exiled state and made perfect in her through her restoration. It applies not only to physical weapons but also to all forms of weaponry, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, political etc.

It is important to note that the text reads as a promise to Israel. “No weapon formed against you…” Therefore, the common Christian practice of reframing this promise to apply to the individual believer by paraphrasing the text as, “No weapon formed against me will prosper…” is at best presumptuous and at worst a violation.

This promise is made specifically to the ethnic, religious people of Israel and applies to followers of Messiah Yeshua only in so far as they walk in unity with Messiah and in defence of the cause of God’s chosen nation Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical), the Jewish people.

When I consider the irony of modern Christian practice with regard to this verse I am at once both incredulous and on behalf of those Christians who misuse this verse, terrified. For example, the Christian that uses this verse to reassure themselves while holding a political position of resistance against the modern Jewish State of Israel (approx. 6.7 million Jews), is in fact cursing themselves. How? By quoting this promise they invoke the contextual, historical and prophetic power of this promise as it applies to the ethnic people of Israel whom they are siding against. Thus, by speaking this promise they bring judgement against themselves as those who form weapons against the Jewish people.

It is unwise to make a general paraphrase of a Biblical text in order to personalise it, when the plain historical, contextual meaning does not allow for it. This is a habit that results in tragic misinterpretation of Scripture and is informed by selfish pride rather than selfless submission.

We are prone to forcing our faith to submit to our worldview, when in fact we should be humbling ourselves before God and asking Him to transform our world view according to our faith in Him through His King Messiah. We do not critique Scripture, to the contrary, the Scripture critiques us.

My warning to Gentile Christians who misappropriate Scripture spoken specifically to the Jewish people is this, do not steal from your older brother those things which God has given directly to him (ethnic, religious Israel), rather be satisfied with that which God has given you and enjoy the benefits of being under the promises given to your older brother, remembering that as soon as you attempt to come out from under those promises in order to usurp him (ethnic, religious Israel), you are no longer under the shadow of those promises, and have therefore, made yourselves subject to retribution. HaShem disciplines the ones He loves. Be discerning in your use of Scripture.

“It will be like a hungry man dreaming and behold, he is eating,
but awakes with his hunger unsatisfied,
or like a thirsty man dreaming and behold, he is drinking,
but awakes faint, his soul thirsting.
So it will be with the multitude of all the nations
    warring against Mount Zion.” -Isaiah 29:8 (TLV)
 
“Behold, all who were angry at you
    will be ashamed and disgraced.
Those who quarrel with you
    will be as nothing and perish.” -Isaiah 41:11(TLV)
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

​Introduction:
This chapter continues the prophet’s illumination of the Servant of God Whom he introduces afresh in Isaiah 52:13. Thus, as explained in my previous commentary on that chapter, the entirety of this portion from 52:13-53:12 is one cohesive prophetic message within the meta-narrative of the scroll of Isaiah.
 
I also explained in the previous commentary on chapter 52, that the modern Jewish and Liberal Christian theological assertion that the Servant is representative of Israel the people is untenable when weighed against the plain meaning of the text and the relevant historical and Biblical evidence to the contrary. While I acknowledge that The Servant is intrinsically connected to Israel and a representative of the people of Israel (a Jew, born of her), He cannot be both Israel (the ethnic/religious people) and the one Who is “struck, stricken” for the sake of Israel’s transgressions, at the same time (53:8). For this and many other reasons which will become clear as we follow the plain meaning of the text of Isaiah 53 to its logical goal, it is impossible to conclude, as the majority of our modern Rabbis have, that this portion of Isaiah applies to the people of Israel.  
 
The Suffering Servant Prophesied and Fulfilled

• He will be exalted (52:13)                                                             Philippians 2:9
• He will be disfigured (52:14; 53:2)                                               Mark 15:17, 19
• He will make a blood atonement (52:15)                                   1 Peter 1:2
• He will be widely rejected (53:1, 3)                                              John 12:37, 38
• He will bear our sins and sorrows (53:4, 5)                                Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24, 25
• He will be our substitute (53:6, 8)                                                 2 Corinthians 5:21
• He will voluntarily accept our guilt and punishment (53:7-8)  John 10:11; 19:30
• He will be buried in a rich man’s tomb (53:9)                              John 19:38-42
• He will save those who believe in Him (53:10-11)                       John 3:16; Acts 16:31
• He will die on behalf of transgressors (53:12)                             Mark 15:27, 28; Luke 22:37

 
This portion of Isaiah’s scroll (52:13-53:12) has 5 distinct sections that act together fluidly in order to provide a clear and concise prophetic picture of the Servant of HaShem.

1. HaShem introduces His Servant [52:13-15]
2. The repentant confession of Israel (ethnic/religious) [53:1-3]
3. The vicarious sacrifice of HaShem’s Servant [53:4-6]
4. The suffering and death of HaShem’s Servant [53:7-9]
5. The future glory of HaShem’s Servant [53:10-12]

 
The text speaks of an individual Who offers Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the atoning of Israel’s sins and subsequently, for the atoning of the sins of all who will accept God’s redemptive gift.
 
Isa 53:1  Miy Who he’emiyn has believed (found faith in) lishmoateinu the message which we have heard? And to whom has the arm of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) been revealed?
 
The prophet himself cannot be the sole speaker of these words (his prophesying of them not withstanding), which are spoken by a group, thus, “our message”. The reference to this passage in Rav Shaul’s (Paul’s) letter to the Roman believers appears to apply the “our” of Isaiah 53:1 to the remnant among Israel who had believed. Thus, in one sense Rav Shaul is implying that Israel’s faithful were saying, “Lord, who has believed our message?” While this might include the prophets (Isaiah not withstanding), it doesn’t appear to refer to them alone.
 
“But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” -Romans 10:16
 
The better translation of the phrase “Who has believed our message?” is in fact, “Who has believed the message we have heard?”
 
Therefore, message itself is the cumulative testimony of the forebears and prophets of Israel which had been imparted to Israel from her inception, prophetically speaking of the coming of the Deliverer appointed to redeem and completely save Israel from her sins. Thus, the first verse of Isaiah 53 is spoken by those among Israel’s remnant at the time of the Babylonian captivity and from that point (in a prophetic sense) throughout Israel’s future existence until the return of the Messiah (Servant).
 
Iben Ezra attributes this verse to the nations, however, due to the fact that according to Isaiah 52:15 the nations receive with faith the good news of things which they had not heard before; the present verse cannot apply to them. On the other hand Israel is mourning the fact that she had failed to put her faith in the good news which she had been hearing through her prophets from time immemorial.
 
Thus, having concluded that it is Israel who is speaking, it makes sense that she speaks from a position of incredulity with regard to her failure to believe. The remnant of Israel (ethnic/religious) speaks to both herself and the nations saying, “And to whom has the arm of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) been revealed?” We know from Isaiah 52:10 that the Arm of HaShem has been made bare “in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”
 
Therefore, in one sense Israel’s confession of her own disbelief makes it possible for her to become the light to the nations she was always meant to be through the redeeming work of the Servant Messiah Who has been sent to take upon Himself all her transgressions, and indeed, the transgressions of all who would receive Him. So it is that from the beginning of Isaiah 53 there is a clear distinction being made between Israel (ethnic/religious/corporate) and the Servant Redeemer of Israel (a unique individual, albeit a Jew [Israelite]). This, as we have seen in my commentary on Isaiah 52, and as we will yet see in the present commentary, is the view most common to our ancient Rabbis and commentators.
 
“The arm of the Lord” is a figure for the strength and wisdom of HaShem made manifest in His redemptive acts throughout history. This strength is of course yet another figure for the work of the Servant King Messiah. Therefore, it’s spoken of here to the people of Israel 700 years before the birth of the Servant, as an allusion to the redemptive work of the Servant as described in the subsequent verses.
 
Isa 53:2  Vaya’al For he grew up kayoneik like a sapling (a young plant) lefanayv before his face, vechashoresh and as a root mei-eretz tziyah from dry ground; he had no toar form ve’lo and no hadar splendour, honour, majesty that we should look at him, and no mareh spectacular appearance venechmedeihu that we should desire, take pleasure in, delight in him.
 
The humble beginnings of the Servant are described here. He is said to have no royal splendour about His visage. This is important because almost all of Israel was looking only for a triumphant King Messiah in the line of David (Israel was not wrong in this, just lacking a full understanding of the greater work of the coming Messiah). Therefore, she did not expect a humble seemingly unroyal Messiah.
 
The Hebrew “yoneik” refers to a plant that has just burst through the soil. A vulnerable young suckling. The Hebrew “sheresh” (from sharash) refers to a root and thus connects the present verse to Isaiah 11:1 where the prophet says:
 
“And then will come out a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a green branch misharashayhu from his root will bear fruit.”
 
Note that the same root “sharash” is used here to describe the “root” that comes from Jesse. This is an allusion to the fact that the Messiah will be born of the line of David, and thus, will be the King Messiah Who reigns on the throne of David. Therefore, Isaiah 53:2 connects the Kingly nature of the Messiah in juxtaposition against the humble lack of royal visage of the Servant. In a beautiful irony of practice the Servant, although He is royalty, choses to come without pomp or ceremony, royal clothing or position. In fact, such will be the lowliness of his station that His people will not recognise Him as being special or honourable: nor will they desire Him to rule over them.
 
“And it has come to pass in that day that the shoresh root of Jesse will stand to be a sign, banner, miracle for the peoples. The nations will seek for Him, and His resting place will be glory.” -Isaiah 11:10
 
There can be little doubt that the King Messiah (Who is to reign on David’s throne re: Jesse) of the early part of Isaiah’s scroll is also the Servant of the latter part of Isaiah’s scroll.
 
“mei-eretz tziyah” (from earth that is dry), can be understood in multiple ways. The condition of Israel in the first century CE at the time when Messiah Yeshua was born into this world, was truly dry in both a physical and spiritual sense. God had not spoken through a prophet to Israel for approximately 400 years prior to the birth of Yochanan (John). In addition to this Israel had been under Roman occupation for some time and prior to that had suffered under the oppression of Antiochus Epiphanes (Syrophoenician) among others. Under Roman occupation the illegitimate king Herod had usurped the throne of Judah, which when added to the rarity of the “Bat Kol” (Audible voice of the Holy Spirit: lit. daughters voice), the lack of true prophetic voices and the political subjugation of the Jewish people, made for a truly dry land from which the Servant would come forth.
 
“Eretz Tziyah” (Dry/Parched ground) is also literally the meaning of the proper noun Tziyon (Parched land). Thus, quite literally, the Servant will be born of Zion, of a daughter of Zion, of the tribe of Judah, in the line of David. Furthermore, the Servant comes to offer living waters (John 4:14) that will saturate refresh and rejuvenate the dry land.
 
Isa 53:3  Nivzeh He was despised (held in contempt) vachadal and rejected by iyshiym men (human beings), iysh a man machovot of sorrows (afflictions) vidua and a deep knowing (acquainted) concerning sickness, weakness, affliction, grief; uchemasteir and as one from whom people hide their paniym faces nivzeh He was despised (held in contempt), ve’lo and we did not chashavnuhu esteem him.
 
It’s clear that the afflictions suffered by the Servant are both physical and spiritual. There are of course no words to truly describe the weight of the affliction suffered for the sins of humanity.
 
The opening word “Nivzeh” (despised, held in contempt), links the Servant to the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 49:7:
 
“Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises (holds in contempt), to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Adonai that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
 
Early rabbinic literature recognizes that part of the Messiah’s ministry includes suffering:
 
“The Messiah—what is his name? …The Rabbis say, ‘the Leprous one’: Those of the house of Rabbi say, ‘the sick one’, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our sickness.’” -Sanhedrin 98b, Babylonian Talmud
 
Some of our ancient Rabbis struggled to understand the divergent elements of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. As a result the two Messiah theory developed. Mashiach Ben Yosef, the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 50:5-7 & 53). Mashiach Ben David, the triumphant King Messiah who subdues the nations and establishes his Messianic kingdom (Psalm 2 & 110). Messiah Ben Yosef is said to die in the battle against Edom (figuratively Rome): he is followed by Messiah Ben David, who establishes His kingdom of righteousness after defeating the gentile nations. The irony of this interpretation is that the two Messiah figures accurately divide the ministry of the living Messiah Yeshua, Who came first as the suffering Servant (Ben Yosef) and will come again as the victorious King (Ben David).
 
The Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT) solves the question of divergent themes by revealing the advent of the King Messiah and subsequently describing His second coming (Mt. 23:29; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:14-17 etc.)
 
“He was despised (held in contempt) and rejected by men (human beings),” Note the past tense. HaShem speaks into time and space through His prophet Isaiah, that which has already been made complete outside of time and space. The Hebrew plural “iyshim” (men) is the poetic form of “anashiym”. “Iyshiym” refers specifically to men of stature (Prov.8:4; Psalm 141:4). Thus, the Servant is shunned by leading men: kings, political leaders, spiritual leaders etc. Yeshua’s contemporaries struggled to come to terms with his humble birth and the town of His upbringing, which is not even mentioned in rabbinic literature.
 
 “‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.” -John 1:46a (NIV)
 
“Still others asked, ‘How can the Messiah come from Galilee’”? -John 1:41b (NIV)
 
“A man of afflictions and of a deep knowing (acquainted) concerning sickness, weakness, affliction, grief…”  Although it is true that the Messiah was familiar with grief (it is likely that His earthly father Joseph died prior to the beginning of Messiah’s ministry, and He is seen grieving deeply at the tomb of Lazarus), the meaning of the text appears to convey that the Servant was familiar with the cause of disease and sickness and was knowledgeable in a transcendent way concerning the healing of such disease and afflictions. Additionally, the Messiah Himself suffered great affliction both physical and spiritual prior to and during His crucifixion.
 
“And as one from whom people hide their faces” As a result of His affliction the people of Israel turned away from Him, the disfigurement resulting from His beating, whipping and crucifixion making Him a hideous sight to behold.
 
He was despised (held in contempt), and we did not esteem him.” The Hebrew “nivzeh” (despised) is repeated here as affirmation of the fullness of His people’s rejection of Him. In particular He was despised by many of Israel’s first century religious leaders. To this day as a result of the modern rabbinic polemic against Yeshua, His name is rendered in modern Hebrew as Yeshu which is an acronym for the curse “Ye’mach Sh’mo” meaning, “May His name be blotted out!” This disgusting curse is further evidence of the ongoing rejection of the Servant King Messiah by our people.
 
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him.  But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God.” -John 1:10-12 (TLV)
 
Isa 53:4  Achein Certainly cholayeinu our sicknesses, weaknesses, diseases he has nasa borne, carried, lifted up (a sign) umachoveiynu and our sorrows, pain sevalam he has dragged along, bared as a load; yet we esteemed him nagua struck (diseased) mukeih beaten, killed, slain by Elohiym (God: Judge), umeuneh and afflicted, oppressed, humbled.
 
“But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” -John 19:34 (TLV)
 
“Look, He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye shall see Him,
    even those who pierced Him.
And all the tribes of the earth
    shall mourn because of Him.
Yes, amen!” -Revelation 1:7 (TLV)
 
“Certainly our sicknesses, weaknesses, diseases he has nasa borne, carried, lifted up (a sign)” The sickness described here is the result of sin’s entry into the world (and death with it). Or else, why does the Hebrew employ the word “nasa”, which is used in connection with the Torah sacrifices of expiation (Lev.5:1, 17; 10:17; 16:22; 17:16; 20:19-20; 24:15).
 
“Who His own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.” -1 Peter 2:24 (ASV)
 
“Nasa” is also a sign (nisi) that points to a mighty work of Hashem. Yeshua quite literally bore (healed) our (The people of Israel) sicknesses and diseases during His earthly ministry:
 
“And when Yeshua was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto him. And when even was come, they brought unto Him many possessed with demons: and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘He took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.’” -Matthew 8:14-17
 
“Our sorrows, pain he has dragged along, bared as a load” I’m surprised that few if any comment on the descriptive Hebrew language here in regard to the last hours of the Messiah’s life. After all, He quite literally dragged the cross (means of His death) along until He was relieved by Shimon of Cyrene.
 
“Yet we esteemed him nagua struck mukeih beaten, killed, slain by Elohiym (God: Judge), umeuneh and afflicted, oppressed, humbled.” The Hebrew “nagua” is associated to terrible diseases such as leprosy (Gen. 12:17; Lev. 13:5; 1 Sam. 6:9; 2 Kings 15:5), and “mukeih” to divine retribution for heinous sin (Though the servant is not suffering for His own sin re: next verse).
 
The Talmud says of the Messiah that he is "a leper of the house of Rabbi is his name'' - T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2.
 
Sadly, the Talmud calls Yeshua a “transgressor”, ironic, given that Yeshua died for the transgressions of those who penned and codified the Talmud. Maimonides states that Yeshua deserved the violent death which He suffered. Once again ironic, given that it is in fact Maimonides who deserved the rightful punishment for his sins, and yet Yeshua was willing to die also for Maimonides. So much for the human wisdom of our rabbis. I have visited the tomb of Maimonides, it is dead and lifeless. The tomb of Yeshua however is empty, He is alive and living by His Spirit within me. He is transcendent and seated at the right hand of the Father.
 
Isa 53:5  Vehu And he mecholal was pierced (defiled, polluted) mipeshaeinu for our transgressions (rebellions); meduka he was crushed (broken, became contrite) meiavonoteiynu for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt); Musar The chastisement (discipline) shelomeinu of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing alayv was placed upon him, uvachavurato and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) nirpa-lanu we are healed, made healthy (whole).
 
As I have previously shown, the Servant cannot be Israel the people. Why? Because the entire history and character of the people of Israel as a whole is contrary to the description of God’s faithful Servant, Who takes upon Himself the sins of His people (inferring that He is not guilty of their sins) and redeems all willing human beings. Israel the collective people on the other hand are repeatedly denounced by the prophet Isaiah as being deaf and blind to the will of God (42:19-20; 43:24). The prophet’s words state that the people do not even deserve the name Israel (Overcome in God), and that their allegiance to YHVH is insincere (48:1). Further, Isaiah speaking from God pronounces his nation “an obstinate people with a neck like iron sinew and their forehead like brass” (48:4). Thus, Israel the people, like all people, are sinners in need of salvation. Fortunately for Israel, the Servant King Messiah was pierced for our transgressions.
 
We are reminded again that our ancient Rabbis understood these words to be referring to the King Messiah:
 
“Chastisements are divided into three parts, one to David and the fathers, one to our generation, and one to the King Messiah; as it is written, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions; and bruised for our iniquities’:'' - Mechilta apud Yalkut, par. 2. fol 90.
 
“Messiah Son of David who loves Jerusalem… Elijah takes Him by the head…and says, ‘You must bear the sufferings and wounds by which the Almighty chastises you for Israel’s sins’ and so it is written, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.’” -Midrash Konen; 11 Century CE
 
“The children of the world are members one of another. When the Holy One desires to give healing to the world, He smites one just man amongst them, and for his sake heals all the rest. From where do we learn this? From the saying, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions; and bruised for our iniquities’”. -Zohar, Numbers, Phinchus 218a
 
Furthermore, our Rabbis also testify to the wickedness of Israel and her need for the Messiah:
 
"At that time they shall declare to the Messiah the troubles of Israel in captivity, and the wicked which are among them, that do not mind to know the Lord; he shall lift up his voice, and weep over the wicked among them; as it is said, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions’, &c.'' - Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. See also Midrash Ruth, fol. 33. 2. and Zohar in Deut. fol. 117. 3. and R. Moses Hadarsan apud Galatia de Arcan. Cath. Ver. I. 8. c. 15 p. 586. and in I. 6. c. 2. p. 436.
 
“And he was pierced (defiled, polluted) for our transgressions (rebellions);” The Hebrew “mecholal” meaning pierced, could only have been written by a divinely inspired prophet of God. These words, spoken and recorded some 700 years before the birth (into this world) of Messiah Yeshua, describe exactly what happened to Him, both physically and spiritually.
 
“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgota). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Yeshua in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Yeshua of nazareth, the king of the jews.” -John 19:17-19
 
Crucifixion involved the nailing of hands and feet to a cross beam position equal to or slightly below the top of a firmly established upright post. Thus, Yeshua had is hands and feet pierced quite literally. The Psalmist, writing over 500 years before the birth (into this world) of Yeshua the Servant of God, wrote:
 
“Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.” -Psalm 22:11-18 (NIV)
 
“But when they came to Yeshua and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Yeshua in the side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.” -John 19:33-35
 
“He was crushed (broken, became contrite) for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt); The chastisement (discipline) of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing was placed upon him, and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) we are healed, made healthy (whole).” The entire sacrificial system of the Torah is symbolic of substitution.
 
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” -Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
 
One of the primary stories of the Torah “Ha-Akeidah” The Binding of Isaac, binds Israel to the faith of Abraham and frees her from bondage to sin through the substitution of the Ram, who is a figure for the promised Messiah, and highlights the fact that the Messiah will be a substitutionary sacrifice for Israel (Jacob). While Jacob was still in the loins of Isaac, the Ram took his place on the altar (of Moriah) [Genesis 22].
 
“He was crushed (broken, became contrite) for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt);” We note that the Servant takes a punishment upon Himself that was meant for us (Israel, ethnic, religious). Not only was He crushed on our behalf, He took the suffering willingly, the Hebrew “meduka” denotes contrite acceptance.
 
“The chastisement (discipline) of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing was placed upon him, and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) we are healed, made healthy (whole).” As a result of the Servant’s substitutionary sacrifice and because our sin has not just been covered but has been atoned for, annihilated by His blood shed for us, we are made whole, given peace, physical and spiritual, temporal and transcendent. Those who receive the Servant King Messiah enter the eternal present. Though we die, yet will we live. The Hebrew “Musar shelomeinu” reads, “The chastisement that secures our peace”. There is everlasting security in the receipt of the sacrificial love of the Servant King Messiah.
 
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” -Hebrews 19:22 (NIV)
 
“The next day Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” -John 1:29
 
At a time yet future, all ethnic/religious Israel will look upon the Servant King Messiah and repent in mourning, acknowledging that for our sake He has been pierced (Zech. 12:10). Thus the redemption of the entire remnant of ethnic/religious Israel will take place through Messiah Yeshua at His second coming following the coming in of the fullness of the nations (Romans 11:25-26).
 
“Then I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son and grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for a firstborn.” -Zechariah 12:10 (TLV)
 
“For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer shall come out of Zion.
    He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” -Romans 11:25-26 (TLV)
 
Isa 53:6  Kulanu All we katzon like sheep taiynu we have wandered, erred, staggered, gone astray; iysh each human being (man) ledarko to his own way paniynu we have turned;  and HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) hifgiya has laid on him (caused him to encounter, make intercession for) et avon the perversity, depravity, guilt, iniquity of kulanu us all.
 
In reference to Genesis 49:11, the Jewish commentator R. Kahana writes:
 
"As the ass bears burdens, and the garments of travellers, so the King Messiah will bear upon him the sins of the whole world; as it is said, ‘the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all’”
 - Apud Galatin. de Cathol. Ver. I. 10. c. 6. p. 663, and Siphre in ib. l. 8. c. 20. p. 599.
 
The righteous remnant of the people of Israel speak here of the nature of human beings, themselves included. This is a confession of the sin nature and its fruit. As is so often the case in the TaNakh (OT), Israel are figuratively referred to as sheep. However, what’s different here is that Israel self-identify as sheep who have strayed from the Shepherd’s (YHVH) instruction, guidance and the safe pasture of His kingdom. It is also literally true that the sin of Israel had been the reason for their being led into captivity. Thus, they physically strayed into Babylon, leaving the promised land of Israel behind them.
 
“For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” -1 Peter 2:25
 
“Each human being to his own way we have turned” Both as individuals and corporately human beings (iysh used in an iconic way) have fallen short of the holiness of God. Israel includes herself in this and acknowledges that she has turned to her “own way” rather than continuing in the “way of the Lord”. 
 
“And Adonai has laid on him (caused him to encounter, make intercession for) the perversity, depravity, guilt, iniquity of us all.” The problem of sin is addressed here. Sin must be atoned for. A substitution must be made (Lev.17:11; Hebrews 9:22). Thus, the Servant becomes the vicarious sacrifice for Israel and all humanity. It is Adonai Himself that has laid the utter depravity of human sin on the Servant. Once again, Israel cannot be both those who have gone astray and the one on whom the sins of those who have gone astray are laid upon. Israel corporate is not the Servant. The Servant is an individual born of her on whom Adonai will lay the sins of Israel and of all humanity.
 
The core doctrine of the fallen nature of humanity is supported throughout Scripture:
 
“No one living is righteous before you.” -Psalm 143:2b
 
“Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.” -Ecclesiastes 7:19
“For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
‘There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.’” -Romans 3:9b-12 (Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20)
 
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” -Romans 3:23
 
“God made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:21
 
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed (tormented), and he was afflicted, and did not open his mouth; kaseh like a lamb latevach led to the slaughter, ucheracheil and like a ewe lifneiy before the face of its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
 
“He was oppressed (tormented), and he was afflicted,” The Servant King Messiah suffered both physical and spiritual affliction.
 
“and did not open his mouth” This is repeated in the last clause. The firmly established humility and silence of the falsely accused Messiah is evident in the Brit HaChadashah (NT) account (Matt. 26:62-63, 27:12).
 
“Like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a ewe before the face of its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The NT references to Yeshua as the “Lamb of God” are born of the story of the Passover and Israel’s exodus from Egyptian bondage (Ex.12:3, 4, 7). The blood of the Pesach Lamb was painted on the door posts of Jewish homes as a symbol of God’s protection and deliverance of the family who lived within. Additionally, vicarious animal sacrifice is well established in the TaNakh (OT).
 
The extreme submissive behaviour of the Servant cannot be attributed to Israel as a nation. The nation of Israel has many virtues but suffering silently is not among them. Throughout our history we have resisted our oppressors. Even in the most heinous case of our persecution (the Shoah) the Holocaust, we resisted wherever possible. Therefore, as a nation Israel does not qualify for the position of Servant as described in Isaiah 53.
 
Isa 53:8  Meiotzer From restraint (prison, oppression) umishpat and judgment lukach he was seized, taken away; ve’et-doro and as for his generation, miy who yesocheicha has considered it? Kiy For nigzar he was cut off mei’eretz from the land chayiym of the living, mipesha for the transgression, rebellion amiy of My people nega  lamo he was stricken (diseased, marked, plagued).
 
“From restraint (prison, oppression) and judgment he was seized, taken away”
He was not treated fairly with a proper trial. He was taken out of prison and summarily judged and sentenced to death contrary to both Jewish and Roman law.
 
“And as for his generation, who has considered it? For he was cut off from the land of the living” His generation refers to any for whom he might have been a progenitor. The Servant will have no physical children born of His natural seed. Why? Because He was cut off (murdered, killed) from the land (Israel, the earth) of living (the present world).
 
“He was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgression, rebellion of My people he was stricken (diseased, marked, plagued).” These words are prophesied spoken through Isaiah by the Spirit of God. Thus, Israel is called “My people” by both God Himself and the prophet. If the Servant is to be killed as a vicarious sacrifice for Isaiah’s people (Israel), He cannot be corporate Israel. The same is true of the ethnic/religious people of God. Israel (ethnic/religious) are God’s people. This latter clause shows clearly that the Servant is killed (cut off) as a substitutionary sacrifice (because of transgression) for Israel (My people).
 
Those who claim that the Hebrew “lamo” is solely plural are incorrect, it is used here to refer to the singular Servant in the same way it is used in the singular in Job 20:23, 22:2 and Isaiah 44:15.
 
“Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone guides me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this:
‘He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so He opens not His Mouth.
33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him.
    Who shall recount His generation?
    For His life is taken away from the earth.’
34 The eunuch replied to Philip, ‘Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?’ 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.” -Acts 8:30-35 (TLV)
 
“Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.” -John 10:17
 
Isa 53:9  And they made kivro his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no mirmah deceit in his mouth.
 
The Hebrew “kever” grave, is here used to describe the physical status of a dead body. Thus, the Servant’s physical death was like that of the wicked (albeit undeserved). This is why the subsequent phrase “and with a rich man in his death” is added in describing the nature of the Servant’s tomb.
 
“Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Yeshua. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. Then Pilate ordered it to be given up. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 And he laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone up to the door of the tomb and went away.” -Matthew 27:57-60
 
Isa 53:10  Yet HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) chafeitz desired to bruise (crush) him; hecheliy He has put him to grief; im-tasiym with his appointment as an offering for guilt nafsho by his soul (life, being), yireh he will see his zera offspring; ya’ariych he will prolong his yamiym days; ve’cheifetz and the desire of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) beyado in his hand yitzlach will advance, rush, succeed, progress, prosper.
 
Iben Ezra says these words are spoken of the generation that shall return to God, and to the true religion, at the coming of the Messiah.
 
An old midrash says:
 
“The Messiah, in order to atone for them both (Adam & David), will make his soul a trespass offering; as it is written next to [prior to] this parashah [Isa.53:10], “Behold My Servamt” [Isa.52:13]. -Midrash Aseret Memrot
 
We note that the desire or will of Hashem begins and completes the verse. In order for the will of Hashem to bring redemption and the advancement of His kingdom, He must also will the means of that redemption, suffering in and with the Servant King Messiah for the sin of His people, and indeed, for all people.
 
“Yet HaShem desired to bruise (crush) him” This connects the present passage to the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, where the Serpent Satan is said to bruise the heel of the Messiah. In the present text the bruising is ascribed to HaShem. Thus we understand that Satan is subject to HaShem and is allowed to act only according to God’s purposes for the redemption of His chosen.
 
“He has put him to grief; with his appointment as an offering for guilt by his soul (life, being)” The text could not be more clear. The Servant is to be a guilt offering, that is a substitutionary offering for the sins of others. He is to complete His atoning work by giving His very soul (life). “Asham” is a trespass offering that is distinct from every other sacrifice. It was made by an individual as a substitutionary compensation for any wrong doing committed by that person. It removed the person’s guilt and set them free (Lev. 5:15). The central tenant of this and many other sacrifices was the need to satisfy the justice demanded by the Holy God of Israel, Creator of the universe and God over all things.
 
“How much more shall the blood of Messiah, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” -Hebrews9:14
 
“Him who knew no sin He made to be a sin offering on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” -2 Corinthians 5:21
 
“and walk in love, even as Messiah also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell.” -Ephesians 5:2
 
“He will see his offspring; he will prolong his days” The “seed” (offspring) in question are spiritual seed (Psalm 22:30; Isa. 65:25; Malachi 2:15): those who receive Him. We know this because Yeshua Himself explained that the resurrected do not procreate (Luke 20:34-36). “He will prolong His days” is a figurative way of describing the Olam Haba (World to come).
 
“Certainly, certainly, I say to you, except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abides by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” -John 12:24
 
“His seed also will I make to endure for ever, And his throne as the days of heaven.” -Psalm 89:29
 
“The desire of HaShem in his hand will advance” In the hand (actions) of the resurrected Servant King Messiah the desire of HaShem will advance. The Servant, a son of Israel, will thus make it possible for Israel to fulfil her calling to be a light to the nations (Isa.49:6). The Spirit will be poured out and the kingdom of God will grow and await the Messiah’s return, the final resurrection and the Olam Haba (World to come).
 
Isa 53:11  Meiamal From the anguish of nafsho his soul yireh he will see and be satisfied; bedato by the knowledge (perception, skill, understanding, wisdom, discernment) of Him yatzdiyk tzadiyk avdiy the righteous one, My servant, larabiym will justify many, va’avonotam and their iniquities (depravity, perversity, guilt) hu he yisbil shall bear.
 
“From the anguish of his soul he will see and be satisfied” The Servant King Messiah will look back on His suffering and death, and resurrected He will see the resulting fruit of His anguish and be satisfied.
 
“looking to Yeshua the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews 12:2
 
“By the knowledge of Him the righteous one, My servant, will justify many, and their iniquities he shall bear.” The Servant King Messiah will justify “many”, not only Israelites (ethnic/religious) but also people from the nations. They will be justified through the knowledge of Him. Not just mental assent but true knowledge learned in relationship through practiced faith placed in Him.
 
“Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.” -Daniel 9:24
 
The Servant King Messiah’s ministry of bearing the sin of many goes beyond the finished work of His death and resurrection to His continued work as the Great High Priest Mediator for all who believe (Hebrews 8:6).
 
“As through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous.” -Romans 5:19
 
Isa 53:12  Lachein Therefore, achalek I will divide him barabiym among the many, ve’et and from the atzumiym strong (mighty, numerous) he shall divide the spoil, tachat asher for the sake of (beneath) which he’erah he poured out lamavet to death, nafsho his soul ve’et-posheiym and with the transgressors was numbered; vehu and he cheit-rabiym nasa bore the sin of many, velaposheiym and for the transgressors yafgiya made intercession.
 
“Therefore, I will divide him among the many” This opening phrase uses the Hebrew “rabiym” which can be understood as “great ones” or “many”. The same word is used at the end of the verse and refers to the many believers who will receive the forgiveness of sin through the Messiah’s finished work. Therefore, it seems unlikely that “rabiym” refers to “men of stature, kings, politicians, religious leaders” as some suggest. The more consistent understanding is that the body of the Servant King Messiah’s is divided among the “many” in Israel and among the nations, who, later in the verse are interceded for by the Servant. That is, those who receive Him.
 
“And from the strong (mighty, numerous) he shall divide the spoil” Here, the “mighty” may refer to the men of stature of 52:15. The Servant Messiah will one day yet future divide the spoils of all the mighty rulers of the earth.
 
“for the sake of (beneath) which he poured out to death, his soul” For the sake of the many and the strong, the Servant will pour out His life unto death.
 
“And with the transgressors was numbered” The Servant was crucified as a criminal in spite of the fact that He was innocent and there were no legitimate legal reasons for His execution (Matt. 27:38).
 
“And he bore the sin of many, and for the transgressors made intercession.” Even as He was dying on the cross the Servant King Messiah Yeshua spoke words, not of vengeance or hatred but of intercession:
 
“But Yeshua was saying, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots, dividing up His clothing.” -Luke 23:34 (TLV)
 
The Servant King Messiah Yeshua continues to make intercession today for all who put their trust in Him:
 
“But now Yeshua has obtained a more excellent ministry, insofar as He is the mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted on better promises.” -Hebrews 8:6 (TLV)
​
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

​Introduction:
 
The last verse of the previous chapter sets the context for the opening verses of chapter 52. In fact, devoid of the imposition of chapter and verse markings, this section of the scroll of Isaiah has a fluid continuity.
 
In his commentary on the scroll of Isaiah Iben Ezra writes, “All agree that this prophecy has reference to the time yet to come…” This is an allusion to the time of the King Messiah and is consistent with the view of the majority of our ancient rabbis and commentators.  
 
Isa 52:1  Uriy uriy, An awaking (a laying bare, an eye opening, a rousing, an exposing) of Me, an awaking of Me, livshiy put on uzeich your strength, Tziyon (Zion: parched land); livshiy put on bigdiy tifarteich the garments of your beauty, splendour, glory, Yerushalayim (Jerusalem: Outpouring of Peace), iyr ha-kodesh the holy excited city; kiy for lo no more yosiyf will the increase yavo-vach come into you od perpetually (again) of the areil uncircumcised ve’tamei and the unclean.
 
“Reveal thyself, reveal thyself, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness: for the uncircumcised and the polluted shall pass no more through thee.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The previous chapter concluded with Israel’s tormentors receiving the cup of God’s wrath, however, the last lines allude to the position Israel had been placed in by her tormentors: face down in the dust and trampled by her enemies. It is to captive Israel in torment that the opening words of chapter 52 are spoken.
 
The theme of awakening is carried over from the previous chapter, and added to it is God’s instruction for donning strength. The same call issued to HaShem (Isaiah 51:9) is now given to Jerusalem. HaShem was called upon to bear His strength in redemption of His people, now His people are called upon to don the strength of HaShem.
 
“Put on your strength Zion” Zion’s strength is her God, His Torah, and the redemptive promise for her future.
 
“Put on the garments of your beauty Jerusalem” Jerusalem is instructed to clothe herself with beauty. This is both an allusion to physical clothing donned after her release from captivity and to the restoring of her royal clothing under God’s promised Messianic King Who will reign on the throne of David. Additionally, the clothing that is most beautiful is the clothing of righteousness born of God. Thus, Jerusalem, the flood of peace, is called the holy city. She is purposed for holiness, for God has placed His Name upon her mount (Moriah, Zion, Ha-Makum, Har Beit etc.).
 
“Holy excited city” The Hebrew “iyr” (city) denotes excitement. Thus there is a sense of anticipation of the coming fulfilment of Jerusalem’s eternal holiness: though the context first points to the return of the exiles from Babylon.
 
“No more will the increase come into you perpetually of the uncircumcised and unclean” This does not mean that gentiles will never again enter Jerusalem. Rather it refers to the future end to the constant defilement of Jerusalem by invading gentile armies and the influence of pagan nations who pollute her with idolatrous worship and false practices. As is clear from the text, while in part these promises apply to the returning Babylonian exiles, they do not apply to Jerusalem’s ongoing historical condition. Until this day, many have continued to defile the holy city of God (Antiochus Epiphanes, Pompey, and the Romans, Ottomans etc.) At present the Temple mount is defiled by a pagan Temple to the false god Allah. Therefore, this prophecy applies in its fullness to a time yet future, that time when the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven and the present Jerusalem will merge with the new and be transformed into the holy city it was always purposed to become.
 
“ Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a merchant in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.” -Zechariah 14:21
 
“Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.
So Jerusalem will be holy,
And strangers will pass through it no more.” -Joel 3:17 (NASB)
 
It is clear from the wider Scripture, that the uncircumcised of heart will not enter the eternal Jerusalem.
 
“Thus says the Lord God, ‘No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.’” -Ezekiel 44:9 (NASB)
 
Yochanan (John) writes concerning the New (eternal) Jerusalem:
 
“22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” -Revelation 21:22-27 (NASB)
 
Isa 52:2  Shake yourself from the dust, kumiy arise (of Me); sheviy sit, remain, dwell, abide, Yerushalayim (Jerusalem: Outpouring of Peace); loose the bonds from your neck, sheviyah captive Bat-Tziyon daughter of Zion.
 
“Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit upon the throne of glory, O Jerusalem; the chains of thy neck are broken, O captive congregation of Zion.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“Shake yourself from the dust” Refers to the literal physical act of dusting oneself off after lying face down in the dust and being walked over. It also denotes the breaking of mourning (sitting shiva) and figuratively expresses freedom from that which defiles a person and from humility and oppression.
 
“Arise, sit” This apparent contradiction is in fact nothing of the sort. Captive Israel is to arise from her humiliation and oppression in the strength of HaShem (v.1) and having arisen in Him, to “remain (sit)” in Him, immersed in the flood of His peace (Jerusalem), both literal and figurative, physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal. The Targum links the former verse and the clothing of Jerusalem with glory (beauty) to the throne of Israel and Jerusalem’s central role in the ordination of the eternal King Messiah.
 
“Loose the bonds from your neck captive daughter of Zion” This, as Iben Ezra says, refers to Israel’s future:
 
“Thou wilt be no more under the dominion of another nation.” -Iben Ezra
 
Notice that Zion is to loose her own bonds. It is HaShem Who ultimately frees her from bondage (physical and spiritual), however, she must participate in her deliverance. Zion is to receive and practice the strength of HaShem. A bride does not become a wife unless she says “I betroth myself to you my husband.” Faith without works is dead.
 
The reference to the neck is important. The yoke that binds captives by the neck has significant figurative meaning to the Hebrew mind. A “yoke” is a figurative rabbinical term which denotes the teaching of a specific rabbi or instructor. This is why Yeshua said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light”. Therefore, in the present passage Zion is required to intentionally release herself from the false teachings of her captors (Babylonians). Why? Because, were she to fail to do so she would be carrying her spiritual captivity back to Jerusalem with her. She is not a daughter of Babylon but rather a daughter of Zion. One might suggest in some instances, that we should have left the syncretised ideas of our Babylonian Talmud behind, releasing ourselves from those influences of our captivity that contradict the teaching of Hashem (Torah etc.).
 
The word play between sheviy (sit) and sheviyah (captive) offers itself easily to a drash on the subtle difference between sitting and remaining of one’s own free will and sitting and remaining by force. Only one Hebrew character separates the two, the character “Heh”. The word sheviyah is also related to shabah (take captive). Through the prophet HaShem instructs Jerusalem to arise from the dust of her oppression and the daughter of Zion is instructed to loose the bonds of her captivity. The dust is an allusion to mourning, which connects another Hebrew word shiva (seven), which denotes the Jewish practice of sitting for seven days of mourning following the death of a loved one (sitting shiva). In other words, the days of Jerusalem’s mourning are over, the captivity (sheviyah: forced remaining) of the daughter of Zion is to be transformed into the comfort of dwelling (sheviy), remaining of her own freewill.
 
Isa 52:3  For thus says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy): “Chinam For nothing, nimcartem you sold yourselves ve’lo and without ve’kesef money tigaeilu you will be redeemed.”
 
The idea that Israel sold herself into discipline as a result of her own sin is supported by Isaiah 50:1
 
“Thus says the LORD: “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce, with which I sent her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.”
 
Through a comparative irony, HaShem will redeem her without paying a cent to her captors. Why? Because the debt of her sin is not owed to her captors but to HaShem, Whom she has sinned against. This debt cannot be settled with money. Therefore, according to His promise HaShem will redeem Israel through His Servant King Messiah and a substitutionary atoning sacrifice. Debts can be paid and restitution made, but only blood has the power to bring about the remission (obliteration) of sin.
 
“‘I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,’ says the LORD of hosts.” -Isaiah 45:13
 
“knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Messiah, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” -1 Peter 1:18-19
 
HaShem gave Israel over to her own sin and she in turn gave herself over to a foreign power, in order that she might be disciplined and turn back to HaShem. In the interim no other people took Israel’s place as payment in kind. Consequently there would be no need of silver to purchase them from their captors, because their captors were not their legitimate owners, nor had they (or could they have) paid for that privilege.
 
Isa 52:4  For thus says Adonay the Lord (Master) HaShem (YHVH: Mercy): “Mitzrayim yarad amiy To the Egyptians (double distress) went down My people varishonah in the first(born) lagur to sojourn sham there, ve’ashur and the Assyrian (a step) be’efes for nothing ashako oppressed them (him).
 
The allusion to the first born of HaShem’s people can be applied both to Jacob and to Israel as a whole. It is Adonay the Master, YHVH the proper Noun and His mercy, that reminds Israel of her respite from famine. Jacob went down to Israel through the hand of God upon Joseph (a type for Messiah). Thus, HaShem reminds Israel that from before her captivity He had already made way for her deliverance. Subsequently, Pharaoh and the Assyrian ruler had made them captives: again without legitimate purchase, and again as a result of HaShem’s giving them over to discipline.
 
HaShem delivered Israel from the Assyrians (Pul, Tiglathpileser, Shalmaneser, Sennacherib) who were in turn defeated by the Babylonians (Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) and so on. History is saturated with the cycle of discipline and redemption, awaiting its final fulfilment in the future at the redemption of the entire nation of Israel (ethnic, religious) [Romans 11:24-26].
 
Isa 52:5  Now what have I poh here,” neum declares HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), “Kiy for lukakh taken away amiy My people chinam for nothing? Their rulers wail,” neum declares HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), “and continually kol-ha-yom all the day shemiy My name is minoatz despised, spurned.
 
There is some debate over where “poh” (here) is. However, the nearest previous subject is the oppression of Israel: thus, “here” is where Israel is. God is always with His people. This is further supported by the allusion to Jacob’s sojourn in Egypt.
 
“I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.” -Genesis 46:4
 
“Their rulers wail” Is in reference to the princes and prophets of Israel in her captivity. Iben Ezra notes that her wailing rulers are like those who speak in riddles and points to those who use proverbs (Numbers 21:27) in support of his assertion. Moshlayv (Rulers) and Ha-mishliym (The proverbs) being closely related Hebrew terms.
 
We note that the latter clause states that HaShem’s Name is blasphemed as a result of the oppression of His people. In other words, Israel’s captors are strutting about promoting their gods and proclaiming them victors over the God of Israel. Hashem will not allow this to stand.
 
‘“20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord; yet they have come out of His land.’ 21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. 22 ‘Therefore say to the house of Israel,’ Thus says the Lord God, ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.’” -Ezekiel 36:20-23 (NASB)
 
Speaking against Sennacherib the king of Assyria HaShem says:
 
“Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?
And against whom have you raised your voice
And haughtily lifted up your eyes?
Against the Holy One of Israel!” -Isaiah 37:23 (NASB)
 
Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) uses this verse to make a drash on Israel’s having boasted in the Torah while breaking the Torah (Romans 2:23-24). Thus, he makes the point that it is because of Israel’s sinful hypocrisy that she sold herself into oppression and as a result God’s Name was blasphemed among the gentiles. This doesn’t oppose the context and meaning of Isaiah 52:5, rather it expounds upon it in order to teach a comparative truth.
 
Isa 52:6  Lachein Therefore yeida amiy My people will know shemiy My name. Lachein  Therefore ba-yom in the day ha-hu the he (will know), kiy because Aniy I hu am He ham’dabeir that speaks; Hineiniy Behold, pay attention, now, be prepared, receive.”
 
“Therefore” means, because of the blaspheming of My Name by gentiles as a result of the oppression of My people (Israel).
 
“My people will know My Name” HaShem (YHVH) will minister to His people the knowledge of His person, character, attributes and the present reality of His countenance. His Name (YHVH) denotes Mercy. His Name is the sum title of all that He is. Thus, He will make way for His people to be intimately related to Him.
 
“Therefore” means, because My people will know My Name (Sum representation of My Person: that is, Yeshua [Colossians 1:15-23])
 
“In the day he (Israel), because I am He that speaks” In the day that Israel is redeemed through Messiah, she will realise that she is speaking to God face to face, Imanu (with us) God (El). Thus, “Behold, pay attention, now, be prepared, receive.” Israel must prepare herself to receive her King.
 
Isa 52:7  Mah-navu What beauty al-hehariym upon the mountains ragleiy the feet of him who mevaseir brings news, mashmiya who publishes shalom peace, wholeness, wellbeing, who mevaseir tov brings good news of happiness, mashmiya who publishes yeshuah salvation, omeir saying le’tziyon to Zion, “Malakh Elohayich Your God reigns.”
 
“How beautiful upon the mountains of the land of Israel are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace, that publishes salvation, saying to the congregation of Zion, The kingdom of thy God is revealed.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
“What beauty on the mountains, the feet of him who brings news” As interpreted by the Targum, the mountains are specifically the mountains of Judea (Israel). These words are addressed to Jerusalem, therefore, the mountains are those approaching Jerusalem, and specifically the mountains to the north of Jerusalem.
 
“Him” is applied generally to all who bring good news of Hashem to the people of Israel.
 
Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) applies this as a drash to all who are sent out to share the good news of the Gospel:
 
“And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!’” -Romans 10:15 (TLV)
 
However, ultimately “Him” refers to the King Messiah Yeshua, after all, the nearest subject is in the latter clause of the previous verse, that subject being God Himself:
 
“I am He that speaks; Behold, pay attention, now, be prepared, receive.”
 
“Who publishes peace, wholeness, wellbeing,” The Hebrew mashmiya is from the root shama (hear), and means that the messenger of good news will cause the hearing of it to result in peace, wholeness and well-being.
 
“Who brings good news of happiness” The good news is not only published, it is also brought near, and in the bringing of it there is true happiness, the fruit of true freedom.
 
“Who publishes salvation” The messenger also proclaims Salvation Himself (Yeshua the King Messiah). Thus, the messenger is both the forerunner (Elijah, John) and the Messiah Himself.
 
“Saying to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” God is King regardless of belief or appearances. God is King, God was King, God will be King everlasting. This proclamation made by many messengers will one day be made by The Messenger, the King Messiah Yeshua and will culminate in the ceasing of all appearances to the contrary. By far the majority of our ancient Rabbis and commentators agree that this verse speaks of the King Messiah and His reign (Vayikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 153. 2. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 11. 4. Yalkut Simeoni in Psal. xxix. 11. Menasseh Ben Israel, Nishmat Chayim, fol. 41. 2.).
 
Isa 52:8  Kol A voice tzofayich of your watchmen--naseu they lift up, bear up, carry, take up kol a voice yachdav together (as one) yeraneinu they overcome (cry out); kiy because ayin be-ayin eye to eye yiru they see be’shuv in the return of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) to Tziyon (Zion: parched land).
 
The watchmen on Jerusalem’s walls are the first to see and hear the news of the messenger. This is literally and historically true while at the same time being figuratively true of all who wait on and look for the coming of the forerunner Elijah and the heralding of the King Messiah. This was first fulfilled at the first coming of Yeshua through the forerunner John, who came in the spirit of Elijah. Subsequently it will be completed at the second coming of the King Messiah, who, according to Scripture (Malachi 3:23) will be heralded by Elijah himself (We note that Elijah did not die but was lifted up in a fiery chariot between realms).
 
“The voice of thy rulers! They are lifting up their voice, together they offer praise; because with their eyes they see the mighty works which the Lord shall do, when He shall return His Shekinah to Zion.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
It is therefore, the job of the watchmen to cry out together and lift up their collective voices as a sign and to overcome together. We note that the watchmen are a collective and can be seen as both the literal spiritual watchmen of Israel (ethnic, religious) and as a figurative allusion to the spiritual watchmen of the body of Messiah followers both Jew and gentile. We are therefore reminded of the words of Yeshua via John:
 
“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” -Revelation 12:11 (NASB)
 
“because eye to eye they see in the return of HaShem to Zion” The watchmen see eye to eye in agreement, they also see God Himself eye to eye or face to face. It is in the sight they have received from the messenger that they are able to behold the return of HaShem Himself to Zion, the land and the people. This is also the reason they cry out in unity, hence “because” meaning because of the previous clause.
 
“The return of Hashem to Zion” does not mean He has ever truly left Zion, rather it refers to a manifest return of His presence. This is why the Targum renders the phrase “when He shall return His Shekinah to Zion.” Shekhinah being a post Biblical Hebrew word denoting the manifest feminine presence of God’s Spirit or the Kavod HaShem, the glorious tangible presence of God, usually seen in the physical as cloud and fire. Of course in addition to this God is returning to Zion as Imanuel (God with us) the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.” -Numbers 14:14 (NASB)
 
Our ancient rabbis and commentators attribute this portion of Isaiah 52 to the time of the Messiah’s reign and the resurrection of the dead at the end of days (Pesikta in Kettoreth Hassammim in Targ. in Numb. fol. 25. 4. T. Bab. Sanhedrhin. fol. 91. 2.)
 
Isa 52:9  Pitzchu Break out ranenu overcoming (crying out) yachdav together (as one), you waste places of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem: Outpouring of Peace), for nicham HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has comforted amo His people; He has ga’al redeemed Yerushalayim (Jerusalem: Outpouring of Peace).
 
“Break out overcoming (crying out) together (as one), you waste places of Jerusalem” Once again in light of the strength afforded them by Hashem and of the return of the captives and of the presence of HaShem to the city, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are instructed to exercise their new found strength and freedom by breaking free from their bonds both physical and spiritual. They are to do this yachad, as one, together, for part of their strength is in their unity under Hashem and through His Messiah.
 
“HaShem has comforted… He has redeemed” past tense. We note that HaShem has comforted His people Israel, and that He has redeemed the people of Jerusalem. This can be understood in terms of God’s eternal perspective and the Messiah sacrificed before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Thus, Hashem sees complete outside of time and space what is yet to be completed within time and space. Alternatively we can understand it to mean that HaShem has worked in and through Israel’s suffering, oppression and discipline, and has been a comfort to her, redeeming her in the midst of her humiliation and fallenness.
 
Isa 52:10  Chasaf HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has made bare et-zeroa kadesho His holy arm le’eiyneiy before the eyes col-hagoyim of all the nations, verau col-afseiy aretz and all the ends of the earth (land) will see et yeshuat the salvation Eloheiynu of our God.
 
“As a warrior is accustomed to make bare his right arm up to the shoulder, that he may fight without encumbrance (exsertare humeros nudamque lacessere pugnan, as Statius says in Theb. i. 413).” -Commentary on Isaiah by Kiel & Delitzsch
 
The figure of the hero who slays the enemy with his arm made bare is here applied to Hashem and His redemptive work on Israel’s behalf. We note that His arm is “holy” that is, set apart. The arm and in particular the right arm is one of the Hebrew representations of ultimate strength in action. This arm of Hashem can also be applied as a metaphor for the work of the Messiah and is seen as being “holy” set apart before the eyes of the nations, particularly those who have come against His people Israel (ethnic, religious). The redemption and salvation of Israel (ethnic, religious) is to be a sign for all the nations of the earth. The Salvation the nations see is that of Eloheiynu our (Israel’s) God (YHVH). Make no mistake, the Gospel message is a universal message of Salvation, but the God of the Gospel is a tribal God, El Eloheiy Yisrael (God the God of Israel).
 
Isa 52:11  Suru suru Depart, depart, tzeu go out misham from there; tamei al-tigau touch (reach out for) no unclean (impure) thing; tzeu go out from the midst of her; hibaru purify yourselves, nose’ei you who bear, lift up, carry keleiy the vessels, implements, utensils of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
“Separate yourselves, separate yourselves, go ye out from thence, do not come near the unclean; come forth from the midst of her: those that carry the vessels of the house of the sanctuary of the Lord have been chosen.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE)
 
The Targum renders the text in a familiar way, reminiscent of the Revelation of Yeshua to John.
 
“I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues…’” -Revelation 18:4 (NASB)
 
According to R Moses Hakkohen these words are addressed to the exiles in Babylon, while Iben Ezra believes they are addressed to all those Jews who remain dispersed throughout the nations. Both perspectives are valid. The historical context allows for R Moses Hakkohen’s view and the yet future fulfilment of the Messianic aspects of the prophecy allow for the view of Iben Ezra.
 
“Depart, depart, go out from there” The repetition of “Depart” denotes immediacy and the established nature of the freedom to come. We also note that the prophet says “there”, meaning that Isaiah is writing from within the land of Israel, probably from Jerusalem concerning exiles that are elsewhere in Babylon, thus, “there”.
 
This escape is in part concerning the liberation of the Babylonian exiles:
 
“Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth; say, ‘The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!’” -Isaiah 48:20
 
When they go out from Babylon (or any future captivity that has resulted from their sin), they are instructed not to touch anything unclean, be it literal or figuratively unclean. They are to keep the ritual purity of the Torah and leave behind them those idolatrous possessions of their captors that they might have kept from their stay in captivity. They were to leave their captivity as a holy procession, morally as well as corporeally pure. Those who bear the vessels of HaShem, (the vessels of the temple), are to purify themselves according to the requirements of the Torah.
 
This prophecy, was fulfilled in part when Cyrus ordered the temple vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought to Babylon, to be restored to the returning exiles.
 
“ 7  Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8  Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9  And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10  30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11  all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.” -Ezra 1:7-11
 
The Jewish commentator Yarchi sees the present text as referring to the priests and Levites that bore the vessels of the Lord in the wilderness. Kimchi interprets it of the mercies and kindnesses of the Lord.
 
Iben Ezra names “The Israelites who are the bearers of the Torah” as those “who bear the vessels of the LORD.”
 
The Zohar understands the vessels of the Lord figuratively as representing the righteous, brought as a gift to the King Messiah (Zohar, In Exod. fol. 87. 4.)
 
Isa 52:12  For you will not go out ve’chipazon in haste, trepidation and you will not go in flight, for HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) lifneiychem will go before your faces, and guarding your rear will be Eloheiy Yisrael the God (Judge) of Israel.
 
“For you will not go out in haste and you will not go in flight” Unlike her escape from Egypt which was undertaken in haste, Israel’s escape from Babylon will be conducted with calm assurance and preordained order.
 
“HaShem (YHVH) will go before your faces, and guarding your rear will be Eloheiy Yisrael the God (Judge) of Israel.” Like the escape from Egypt, HaShem will be present in a manifest and tangible way as the guide going before them and as the rear guard protecting their rear. This is an allusion to the Malakh HaShem (Angel of the Lord) Who was manifest in the cloud and fire that lead and guarded Israel on her journey out of Egyptian bondage. This relates to the sight that is seen by the watchmen as they behold first the messenger and then HaShem Himself coming on the mountains of Judea before the returning captives (52:7-8).
 
Isa 52:13  Hineih Behold, now, pay attention, My servant will yaskiyl act wisely (with understanding); he will yarum be high ve’nisa and lifted up (like a banner), vegavah meod and will be exceedingly high.
 
Most commentators agree that this verse begins a new prophetic address that continues through 53:12. The present chapter markers do a disservice to the modern English reader.
 
In the present verse and the portion of Isaiah that follows the prophetic work reaches the crescendo of its Messianic vision. The Servant King Messiah (much to the chagrin of many modern Jewish and liberal Christian theologians) is clearly illuminated in the precise descriptions of His life and His ministry of suffering and resurrection.
 
This portion of Isaiah has been contested for almost two thousand years by Jewish and Christian scholars over the question of whether this passage refers to the Servant King Messiah or to Israel who suffer innocently for the sin of the nations.
 
The Ethiopian eunuch asks Philip (Disciple of Messiah) ‘“Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?’ 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.” -Acts 8:34-35 (TLV)
 
Prior to the 11th Century CE the majority of Jewish commentators and rabbis interpreted Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as referring to the suffering Servant of God, the King Messiah, a view still held to this day by many Orthodox Jews (they simply disagree as to Who Messiah is). However, beginning at the end of the 11th Century CE Jewish commentators began to assert that Isaiah was referring to Israel who suffers innocently for the sins of the nations. This divergent view is largely due to the increased persecution of Jews by so called Christians (Crusaders etc.). As a result of this persecution and the zealous proselytizing of some, the Jewish community began to seek polemic arguments against the interpreting of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as referring to Yeshua as the King Messiah of Israel.
 
The 2nd Century CE Targum Yonatan (an Aramaic Jewish paraphrase) understands Isaiah 52:13 to be referring to the promised King Messiah:
 
“Behold, my servant the Messiah shall prosper. He shall be exalted and extolled, and He shall be very strong.” -Targum Yonatan 2nd Century CE
 
The Babylonian Talmud (codified in the 6th Century CE) also interprets this portion of Isaiah Messianically:
 
“The Messiah—what is his name? …The Rabbis say, ‘the Leprous one’: Those of the house of Rabbi say, ‘the sick one’, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our sickness.’” -Sanhedrin 98b, Babylonian Talmud
 
The Midrash Rabbah on Ruth 2:14:
 
“He is speaking of the King Messiah: ‘Come hither draw near to the Throne; and eat the bread,’ that is the bread of the kingdom: ‘and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.’ This refers to his chastisements, as it is said, ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.’”
 
A later Midrash Yalkut Shimoni says:
 
“‘Who are you, O great mountain?’ (Zech. 4:7). This refers to the King Messiah, and why does he call him ‘the great mountain’? Because he is greater than the patriarchs. As it is said, ‘My servant shall be high and lifted up and lofty exceedingly’ (ref. Isa.52:13) He will be higher than Abraham, who says, ‘I raise high my hand unto the Lord’ (Gen. 14:22). Lifted up above Moses, to whom it is said, ‘Lift it up unto thy bosom’ (Num. 11:12): Loftier than the ministering angels, of whom it is written: ‘Their wheels were lofty and terrible’ (Ezk. 1:18).” -Midrash Yalkut Shimoni
 
In spite of the modern Jewish and liberal Christian opposition to the Messianic interpretation of Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the ancient Jewish tradition has been preserved even to the present day in the liturgy for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in a prayer attributed to Eliezer Ha-Kallir (8th Century CE).
 
“The Messiah our righteousness has turned from us. We are alarmed, we have no one to justify us. Our sins and the yoke of our transgressions He bore. He was bruised for our iniquities. He carried on His shoulders our sin. With His stripes we are healed. Almighty God, hasten the day that He might come to us anew; that we might hear from Mt. Lebanon (Mt Whiteness, purity: The Temple Mount) a second time through the Messiah.”
 
–Oz M’lifnai B’reshit, Services for the Day of Atonement, Hebrew Publishing Co., 1928
 
Some of our ancient Rabbis struggled to understand the divergent elements of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. As a result the two Messiah theory developed. Mashiach Ben Yosef, the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 50:5-7 & 53). Mashiach Ben David, the triumphant King Messiah who subdues the nations and establishes his Messianic kingdom (Psalm 2 & 110). Messiah Ben Yosef is said to die in the battle against Edom (figuratively Rome): he is followed by Messiah Ben David, who establishes His kingdom of righteousness after defeating the gentile nations. The irony of this interpretation is that the two Messiah figures accurately divide the ministry of the living Messiah Yeshua, Who came first as the suffering Servant (Ben Yosef) and will come again as the victorious King (Ben David).
 
The Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT) solves the question of divergent themes by revealing the advent of the King Messiah and subsequently describing His second coming (Mt. 23:29; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:14-17 etc.)
 
Rabbi Moshe Kohen Iben Crispin (13th Century) complained that those who interpret Isaiah 53 as referring to Israel were doing violence to the p’shat (plain meaning) of the text:
 
“Having inclined after the stubbornness of their own hearts and their own opinion. I’m pleased to interpret the Parasha (portion) in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah…and adhere to the literal sense. Thus I shall be free from forced and far-fetched interpretations of which others are guilty.”
 
None the less, sadly the dominant modern Jewish scholarship view is that of the collective Servant, Israel. Regardless, those who follow Yeshua the King Messiah are given the clear direction of the Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT), which not only supports but also illuminates and affirms the Messianic view of Isaiah 53.
 
While there is an intrinsic connection between the Messiah and the people of Israel (ethnic, religious), it is entirely dishonest to interpret Isaiah 53 of Israel the people. In my commentary on Isaiah 53 I will further expound on this. For the follower of Messiah Yeshua, the only possible interpretation of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is that it describes the Servant King Messiah Yeshua. Those liberal Christian Theologians who interpret the text of the people of Israel as a whole defile their own misguided faith and at the same time prevent their Jewish hearers from receiving the King Messiah Yeshua. This in my opinion is vindictive of the most heinous form of antisemitism.
 
In Isaiah 52:13-15 HaShem introduces His faithful Servant and proclaims that the Servant will accomplish the purposes of God and in the future will be highly exalted.
 
This section is a prelude to the prophecy of Isaiah 53. It opens with the Hebrew “Hineih” which is regularly used by Isaiah to draw attention to something of great importance. In this case, the illumination of the identity and function of the Servant.
 
As mentioned previously, the question of the Servant’s identity is foremost in the mind of interpreters. It is clear from the Hebrew text that an individual is being referred to, and that this is a literal individual and not a figurative or poetic individual. In accordance with Rabbinical interpretive method a remez (hint), drash (comparative) or sod (mystery) must submit to the p’shat (plain) meaning. Any interpretation of the present text that sees a corporate entity as the servant is in violation of the rabbinic interpretive method.
 
“Behold, now, pay attention, My servant will act wisely (with understanding);” The wise actions of the Servant denote rule, dominion.
 
“he will be high and lifted up (like a banner), and He will be exceedingly high.” The three references to elevation show a progression of ministry. Messiah will be lifted above all powers and authorities.
 

1. He will be high: Messiah entered the world from the heavens
2. Lifted up: Messiah is resurrected from death and transcendent
3. He will be exceedingly exalted: God has exalted the Messiah to His right hand, above all powers and authorities

 
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,” -Philippians 2:9
 
“Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” -Acts 2:33
 
“He worked in Messiah when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” -Ephesians 1:20-23
 
The first two Hebrew verbs used “high and lifted up”, are the same as those previously used by Isaiah in reference to HaShem (YHVH), Who he saw “high and lifted up” (Isa. 6:1).
 
Isa 52:14  When many were shamemu astonished, appalled at you— thus mishchat he was so marred (disfigured) mei’iysh more than any man, mareihu his appearance (the sight of him), (beyond human semblance), ve’to’aro and his form (figure, shape) mibeneiy beyond that of the children of adam mankind (a man)--
 
Here HaShem addresses the Servant directly in the second person. This is said in the past tense, the Hebrew shameu expresses a sort of devastated awe at the transformation of the Servant from a marred and disfigured human being to the high, lifted up and exalted Servant of the previous verse. This in itself is an allusion to the death and resurrection of the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“Thus he was so marred (disfigured) more than any man, his appearance (the sight of him), (beyond human semblance), and his form (figure, shape) beyond that of the children of mankind.” This second clause is a parenthetical sentence that describes the reason for the devastated awe of those who look upon the Servant.
 
Isa 52:15  Thus yazeh he sprinkles, spatters (startles) goyim rabiym many nations. On account of him melachiym Kings will shut their piyhem mouths, for that which has not been supar recounted, related, told lahem to them they see, va’asher and that which they have not shameu heard hitbonanu they will discern, consider, understand.
 
“Thus he sprinkles, spatters (startles) many nations.” The verb yazeh from nizeh (to sprinkle) is used in the Tanakh (OT) to describe the ritual cleansing of a leper by the means of sprinkling of the blood of a sacrifice over water (Lev. 14:7), and the sprinkling of the veil of the Mishkan (Tent of Meeting) [Lev. 4:6]. It is therefore interesting to note the Talmudic assertion that one of the names of the King Messiah is “Nagua”-Leprous one (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 98b). This is based on Isaiah 53:4, 8. The idea being that the Servant of HaShem, who was once shunned by Israel and the nations as a leper, now brings cleansing to Israel and the nations through His own substitutionary sacrificial blood.
 
“On account of him Kings will shut their mouths, for that which has not been recounted, related, told to them they see, and that which they have not heard they will discern, consider, understand.” The shutting of the mouth is an involuntary response of the body to an outside expressions of power that results in a person being overcome by intense and immediate awe.
 
The Servant’s transformation from disfigured man to Ruler above the angels will inspire silent awe, both at His first coming and resurrection and at His return. Additionally, many kings throughout history to date having heard the news of the Gospel and the King Messiah Yeshua, have responded in silent awe and repentance. Sadly, the shut mouths of those kings who remain in power at the end of the age will be mouths silenced by the terror of knowing that they have resisted God’s Servant King Messiah and have been found wanting.
 
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” -Zephaniah 3:17
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

In my recent facebook post concerning my refusal to pray to the Allah of the Quran I said, "No Jacinda Ardern (NZ Prime Minister 2019), I will not answer the call to pray to Allah this Friday"*.

*[Note, "call to pray", "Allah" (as a Proper noun), and "this Friday", all references to Islamic practice].

There are those who have argued that Allah is formed from a common Arabic noun (ilah) comparable to the Hebrew "el" or "elohim" and the English "god". It is true that Arab Christians and Jews appear to have used Allah as a common noun in reference to God prior to the inception of Islam. However, Arab speaking Jews have not, and do not replace the Holy Proper Noun YHVH with the common noun Allah. In addition Allah was also used prior to the inception of Islam to refer to one of a pantheon of pagan deities (360 at one count).

The most popular linguistic theory is that Allah is a contraction of the Arabic phrase "al-ilah". The common noun "ilah" being used by ancient Arabic speakers to refer to "a god" and the definite article "al" preceding it. Thus, the translation "the God". This begs the question, "Does a proper noun formed from a common noun, remain a common noun?" The evident contradiction makes the linguistic argument seem somewhat dishonest at best.

It is of course, not popular to add the historical fact that Allah (the god) was worshipped in the Ka'ba at Mecca along with a pantheon of gods long before Muhammad chose him as the monotheistic deity of Islam. In fact Muhammad's father Abdullah (Abd "Servant" Allah "of Allah") was an Arab pagan named for one of the gods of the Arab pantheon "Allah". At some point prior to the inception of Islam Allah was associated with the worship of numerous gods like "Hubal, Sin" (moon deities) etc. and is said to have had three daughters, one of which was Allat (A feminine form of Allah: this contradicts the notion that the Arabic word Allah is neuter).

Prior to Islam Allah was being worshipped by many throughout the middle east as the chief deity of a pantheon, making him no different in many ways, to Zeus or Odin, or any other chief pagan deity for that matter.

Those who advocate for the "Common noun" theory regarding Allah must exercise consistent logic and admit that one cannot say on one hand that Allah is formed of a common noun and therefore maintains its common meaning as God generic, and on the other hand, contrary to their own argument conclude that Allah is also a Proper Noun (As Islam claims). Either Allah is the Proper Noun for God in Arabic and therefore, not synonymous with YHVH (The Proper noun which names the God of the Bible), or Allah is a common noun in Arabic and equally therefore, not synonymous with YHVH. Either way, Allah is not the Personal God of the Bible.

To substitute the title Lord for YHVH in English shows respect for the Holy Name, however, to substitute the common term God (el, elohim, allah, Ilah etc.) as a translation of YHVH is blasphemy. The same is true when applied to the Arabic language version of the Bible.

There are of course numerous other evidences both archeological and linguistic that prove that Allah was worshipped as one of many other deities in pre-Islamic Arabia (and elsewhere), and it is hard to deny the connection between Allah and the ancient moon deities of the middle east. However, in my recent post I was not referring to the common noun Allah used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews but rather to the use of Allah as a proper noun and specifically in reference to the Allah of Islam. This is clear by my reference to refusing to "answer the call to pray" which was the Islamic call to prayer (so called), in actual fact it is not an invitation to pray but rather a theological affirmation of faith in the god of the Quran and his prophet Muhammad: something that many Christian leaders tacitly agreed to by standing in quiet submission, or worse, professing Allah (thinking it a generic term for the One God) while this Islamic (not universal) proclamation (not call) was made on mainstream media last week throughout Aotearoa NZ.

Regardless of whether the common noun Allah can be used in a generic sense to identify God, the fact remains that the god of the Quran does not equate to the God of the Bible. Anyone of intellectual integrity who takes the time to compare the Holy Bible and the Quran can only conclude that they present two very different and distinct Gods. On this point the majority of Islamic scholars and I agree.

To conclude, based on the linguistic and historical evidence and on the admonishment of Scripture, it seems clear that those who claim to be Christians or Jews (religious) who fail to properly qualify their use of the common noun allah or worse still, make the proper noun Allah (As used in the Quran) synonymous with YHVH, are placing themselves in grave spiritual peril.

HaShem (YHVH) has said, "I am YHVH, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols." -Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 42:8

"Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips." -Shemot (Exodus) 23:13

-Yaakov Ben Yehoshua

​Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown