All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, [yea], all ye beasts in the forest.
9. The apostrophe to the wild beasts is suggested by the following comparison of the people to an ill-guarded and therefore defenceless flock. That a new chastisement at the hands of the heathen is actually contemplated need not be assumed. A close parallel is found in Jer 12:9; cf. Eze 34:5; Eze 34:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ch. Isa 56:9 to Isa 57:21. A Protest against the Unworthy Shepherds of God’s Flock, and the arrogant Heathenism by which it is threatened; followed by a Message of Consolation to True Israelites
This sombre and impassioned discourse is composed of three parts:
i. ch. Isa 56:9 to Isa 57:2. The defenceless condition of the community, due to the incompetence of its spiritual leaders.
(1) All the wild beasts of the field and the forest are invited to come and devour the unprotected flock ( Isa 56:9). (2) For its rulers neglect their duty; they are inefficient as dumb dogs, they are slothful, greedy and sensual ( Isa 56:10-12). (3) In consequence of their incapacity the righteous perish, none regarding their fate (Isa 57:1-2).
ii. Isa 57:3-13 a. A bitter tirade against an insolent and aggressive paganising party, animated by a contemptuous hostility towards the true religion.
(1) This party, which is characterised as a bastard and hybrid race, the illegitimate offspring of an adulterer and a harlot, is summoned to the bar to hear the Divine sentence on their career of flagrant idolatry ( Isa 57:3-4). (2) The indictment follows, in the form of a recital of the varied heathen rites to which they were addicted ( Isa 57:5-9), and in which with infatuated perversity they still persist in spite of all the teachings of experience ( Isa 57:10-11). (3) Judgement is then pronounced; Jehovah will unmask the hypocrisy of their pretended righteousness, and leave them to the protection of the false deities whom they have so diligently served, but who shall be unable to save them (Isa 57:12-13).
iii. Isa 57:14-21. The prophet now turns with a message of comfort to the depressed and contrite people of God. The obstacles in the way of their salvation shall be removed ( Isa 57:14); Jehovah, whose condescension brings Him near to the lowly in heart, will at length avert His anger, and bring healing and peace ( Isa 57:15-19); only the wicked who persist in their impenitence are excluded from the promised blessing ( Isa 57:20-21).
Isa 56:9 to Isa 57:2. Denunciation of the worthless rulers of the Jewish community. The difficulty of supposing that this passage refers to the state of things in the Exile is obvious. Israel is compared to a flock in charge of its own shepherds; and these shepherds are responsible both for the internal disorders from which it suffers, and the outward dangers which threaten it. An invitation to the wild beasts (the heathen nations) to come and devour a people already “robbed and spoiled” (Isa 42:22) by foreign conquest, is almost inconceivable. It is of course possible, as many scholars hold, that the verses are extracted from a pre-exilic prophecy; but the description is at least as applicable to the conditions which existed after the return from Babylon. The books of Malachi and Nehemiah reveal incidentally a state of affairs which would go far to account for the dark picture here presented of the ruling classes in the restored community.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All ye beasts of the field – This evidently commences a new subject, and refers to some invasion of the land of Judea. In the previous chapter, the prophet had comforted the people by the assurance of the coming of the Messiah, and by the fact that they should be enlarged by the accession of the Gentiles. He proceeds here to a more disagreeable part of the subject. The design is, to reprove particularly the sins of the rulers of the people, and to assure them that such conduct would incur the vengeance of heaven. The sins reproved are indolence and inattention to duty Isa 56:10-12; a spirit of self-indulgence and of slumber, avarice and selfishness, and luxury and intemperance. The vengeance here referred to, Lowth supposes to be the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans, and perhaps by the Romans. Grotius supposes that it refers to the Egyptians, and to bands of robbers from the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites. Vitringa strangely enough refers it to the barbarous nations which broke in upon the Christian church to lay it waste and destroy it during the decline of the Roman empire, particularly the Huns, Saracens, Turks, Turcomans, Tartars, etc. But the connection seems to demand that it should be understood of some events, not far distant from the time of the prophet, which would be a proper punishment of the crimes then existing. According to this interpretation, the reference here, I suppose, is to the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans. They would come as wild beasts, to spread terror and devastation before them. And so great were the national crimes, that the prophet calls on them to come and devour all before them. The comparison of invaders to wild beasts is not uncommon in the Scriptures. Thus Jer 12:9 –
Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird,
The birds round about are against her;
Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field,
Come to devour.
So Jer 50:17 –
Israel is a scattered sheep;
The lions have driven him away;
First the king of Assyria hath devoured him,
And last this Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, hath broken his bones.
See also Isa 9:11.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 56:9-12
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour.
—
The defenceless condition the community owing to the incompetence of its spiritual leaders
1. All the wild beasts of the field and the forest are invited to come and devour the unprotected flock.
2. For its rulers neglect their duty; they are inefficient as dumb dogs; they are slothful, greedy, and sensual.
3. In consequence of their incapacity the righteous perish, none regarding their fate (Isa 57:1-2). (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)
The metaphor of wild beasts
The people being represented in the following verses as a flock, their destroyers are naturally represented here as wild beasts. (J. A. Alexander.)
That a new chastisement at the hands of the heathen is actually contemplated need not be assumed. (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)
The flock: its guardians and its devourers
These words (Isa 56:9) are to be understood as a note of warning, a sound of alarm. It is not that God wishes His flock to be devoured that He thus summons the beasts of prey to gather round the fold; on the contrary, He is concerned for their safety, and warns them of the danger in which they stand. No style of address was better fitted to startle both flock and shepherds from their careless security. Gods flock is still surrounded by ravenous beasts.
I. THE UNPROTECTED STATE OF THE FLOCK.
1. In the case before us the sheep are shamefully neglected.
2. The opposite course must tend to secure the safety and well-being of the flock. Pray, then, for your minister.
II. THE WILD BEASTS THAT THREATEN TO DEVOUR THE FLOCK. Some are open and undisguised; others are wily and insidious. Conclusion: We point you to the Chief Shepherd. (W. Guthrie, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. All ye beasts of the field] Here manifestly begins a new section. The prophet in the foregoing chapters, having comforted the faithful Jews with many great promises of God’s favour to be extended to them, in the restoration of their ruined state, and in the enlargement of his Church by the admission of the Gentiles; here on a sudden makes a transition to the more disagreeable part of the prospect, and to a sharp reproof of the wicked and unbelievers; and especially of the negligent and faithless governors and teachers, of the idolaters and hypocrites, who would still draw down his judgments upon the nation. Probably having in view the destruction of their city and polity by the Chaldeans, and perhaps by the Romans. The same subject is continued in the next chapter; in which the charge of corruption and apostasy becomes more general against the whole Jewish Church. Some expositors have made great difficulties in the 9th verse of this chapter, where there seems to be none. It is perfectly well explained by Jeremiah, Jer 12:7; Jer 12:9, where, having introduced God declaring his purpose of punishing his people, by giving them up as a prey to their enemies the Chaldeans, a charge to these his agents is given in words very nearly the same with those of Isaiah in this place: –
“I have forsaken my house; I have deserted my heritage;
I have given up the beloved of my soul into the hands of her
enemies.-
Come away, be gathered together, all ye beasts of the field;
Come away to devour.”
All ye beasts in the forest – “All ye beasts of the forest.”] Instead of baiyaar, three MSS. have yaar, without the preposition; which seems to be right, and is confirmed by ali the ancient Versions.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This invitation or proclamation is a prediction of Israels destruction by their cruel enemies, which are oft expressed in Scripture under the names of ravenous beasts. But the great question is, What connexion this part of the chapter hath with the former? Which may be thus conceived: The prophet having largely discoursed concerning the Messiah, and his church and kingdom, and particularly of the great accession and conversion of the Gentiles to it, and of the infidelity, apostacy, and manifold wickednesses of the Jewish nation, and having comforted and encouraged the Gentiles with Gods gracious promises made to them, he now proceeds to terrify the unbelieving and ungodly Jews, and to show that as the Gentiles should believe, and be saved, so they should reject their Messiah, and be utterly destroyed; although we need not labour much about the coherence; for this may be a new sermon, and therefore many learned interpreters make this the beginning of the 57th chapter.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. beastsGentile idolatrousnations hostile to the Jews, summoned by God to chastise them(Jer 12:7-9; Jer 50:17;Eze 34:5): the Chaldeans andsubsequently the Romans. The mention of the “outcasts of Israel”(Isa 56:8) brings in view theoutcasting, caused by the sins of their rulers (Isa56:10-12).
to devournamely,Israel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour,…. Which may be understood either literally of savage beasts being called to devour the slain, signifying a great slaughter that should be made, like that in
Re 19:17 to which the fowls of the heaven are invited, as to a supper; and so Kimchi interprets it of such creatures being called to feed upon the carcasses in the camp of Gog and Magog, agreeably to
Eze 39:17, but it seems better to understand it figuratively of people and nations, comparable to the beasts of the field for their strength, cruelty, and voraciousness. The Targum of the whole is,
“all the kings of the people that shall be gathered to oppress thee, O Jerusalem, shall be cast in the midst of thee; they shall be for food to the beast of the field, the beast of the forest shall be satisfied with them.”
Though it seems most correct to interpret these beasts of the kings of the people themselves; by whom some understand the Chaldeans, Babylonians, and other nations along with them, and under them, who spoiled the people of the Jews, and carried them captive; but rather the Romans are intended. And so the prophet, after he had foretold the gathering in of the remnant, according to the election of grace, among the Jews, and the addition to them from among the Gentiles, proceeds to give an account what should become of the rest of the Jewish nation that rejected the Messiah and his Gospel; that the Romans should be brought in upon them, who should devour them; which destruction would be owing to the following sins abounding among their principal men. But I am inclined to the opinion of Cocceius and Vitringa, that the barbarous nations of the Goths and Vandals, and others, coming into the Roman empire, become Christian, though greatly corrupted, are here meant t; since this seems to be a prophecy of what should happen between the first gathering of the Jews and Gentiles to Christ in the first times of the Gospel, and the later gathering of them in the latter day; and the following words aptly describe the ignorance, stupidity, avarice, and intemperance of the priests of the apostate church of Rome; and the following chapter, which is a continuance of this prophecy, better agrees with the idolatry of the church of Rome than with the Jews, who, especially at the time of their destruction by the Romans, were not given to idolatry. Yea,
all the beasts in the forest: a herd of them, which, like an inundation, ran over the Roman empire, and tore it to pieces, and spread ignorance and corruption every where, next described; for now the beast of Rome arose with his ten heads. Some think that a new chapter should begin here.
t Agreeably to which, the words, according to the accents, are thus rendered by Reinbeck, De Accent. Heb. p. 427. “all ye beasts of the field; come ye, to devour all the beasts in the forest”; so Munster; one sort of beasts are called upon to devour another sort.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It is a question whether Isa 56:9 forms the commencement of a fresh prophecy, or merely the second half of the prophecy contained in Isa 56:1-8. We decide, for our part, in favour of the former. If Isa 56:9. formed an antithetical second half to the promising first half in Isa 56:1-8, we should expect to find the prophets and leaders of Israel, whose licentiousness and want of principle are here so severely condemned, threatened with destruction in the heathen land, whilst true proselytes and even eunuchs were brought to the holy mountain. But we meet with this antithesis for the first time in Isa 57:13, where we evidently find ourselves in the midst of another prophetic address. And where can that address commence, if not at Isa 56:9, from which point onwards we have that hard, dull, sharp, and concise language of strong indignation, which recals to mind psalms written “in a thundering style” ( Psalter, i. 80) and the reproachful addresses of Jeremiah, and which passes again in Isa 57:11. into the lofty crystalline language peculiar to our prophet’s “book of consolation?” The new prophetic address commences, like Isa 55:1, with a summons. “All ye beasts of the field, come near! To devour, all ye beasts in the forest!” According to the accentuation before us ( m ercha, tiphchah), the beasts of the field are summoned to devour the beasts in the forest. This accentuation, however, is false, and must be exchanged for another which is supported by some MSS, viz., tiphchah, m ercha, and Beth raphatum. It is true that even with these accents we might still adhere to the view favoured by Jewish commentators, viz., that the beasts of the field are to be devoured by the beasts of the forest, if this view yielded any admissible sense (compare, for example, that supported by Meyer, “Ye enemies, devour the scattered ones of my congregation”), and had not against it the synonymous parallelism of and (Isa 43:20; Psa 104:11, Psa 104:20; cf., Gen 3:14). But there remains another view, according to which is a second vocative answering to . According to the Targum, what is to be devoured is the great body of heathen kings attacking Jerusalem; according to Jerome, Cyril, Stier, etc., the pasture and food provided by the grace of God. But what follows teaches us something different from this. Israel has prophets and shepherds, who are blind to every coming danger, and therefore fail to give warning of its approach, because they are sunken in selfishness and debauchery. It resembles a flock with a keeper, and therefore an easy prey (Eze 34:5); and the meaning of the appeal, which is certainly addressed to the nations of the world, the enemies of the people of God, is this: “Ye have only to draw near; ye can feed undisturbed, and devour as much as ye please.” This is the explanation adopted by most of the more modern commentators. In Jer 12:9, which is founded upon this (“Assemble all ye beasts of the field, bring them hither to devour”), it is also Jerusalem which is assigned as food to the heathen. The parallel in Isa 56:9 is both synonymous and progressive. The writer seeks for rare forms, because he is about to depict a rare inversion of the proper state of things. (with the first syllable loosely closed) is the antiquated form of connection, which was admissible even with following (cf., Isa 5:11; Isa 9:1-2; 2Sa 1:21) . On (= ), see at Isa 21:12 (cf., Isa 21:14).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| A Charge against the Prophets. | B. C. 706. |
9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
From words of comfort the prophet here, by a very sudden change of his style, passes to words of reproof and conviction, and goes on in that strain, for the most part, in the three following chapters; and therefore some here begin a new sermon. He had assured the people that in due time God would deliver them out of captivity, which was designed for the comfort of those that should live when God would do this. Now here he shows what their sins and provocations were, for which God would send them into captivity, and this was designed for the conviction of those that lived in his own time, nearly a hundred years before the captivity, who were now filling up the measure of the nation’s sin, and to justify God in what he brought upon them. God will lay them waste by the fierceness of their enemies, for the falseness of their friends.
I. Desolating judgments are here summoned, v. 9. The sheep of God’s pasture are now to be made the sheep of his slaughter, to fall as victims to his justice, and therefore the beasts of the field and the forest are called to come and devour. They are beasts of prey, and do it from their own ravenous disposition; but God permits them to do it, nay, he employs them as his servants in doing it, the ministers of his justice, though they mean not so, neither does their heart think so. If this refers primarily to the descent made upon them by the Babylonians, and their devouring them, yet it may look further, to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans, after these outcasts of them (mentioned v. 8) were gathered in to the Christian church. The Roman armies came upon them as beasts of the forest to devour them, and they quite took away their place and nation. Note, When God has bloody work to do he has beasts of prey within call, to be employed in doing it.
II. The reason of these judgments is here given. The shepherds, who should have been the watchmen of the flock, to discover the approaches of the beasts of prey, to keep them off, and protect the sheep, were treacherous and careless, minded not their business, nor made any conscience of the trust reposed in them, and so the sheep became an easy prey to the wild beasts. Now this may refer to the false prophets that lived in Isaiah’s, Jeremiah’s, and Ezekiel’s time (who flattered the people in their wicked ways, and told them they should have peace though they went on) and to the priests that bore rule by their means. Or it may refer to the wicked princes, the sons of Josiah, that did evil in the sight of the Lord, and other wicked magistrates under them, who betrayed their trust, were vicious and profane, and, instead of making up the breach at which the judgments of God were breaking in upon them, made it wider, and augmented the fierce anger of the Lord instead of doing any thing to turn it away. They should have kept judgment and justice (v. 1), but they abandoned both, Jer. v. 1. Or it may refer to those who were the nation’s watchmen in our Saviour’s time, the chief priests and the scribes, who should have discerned the signs of the times and have given notice to the people of the approach of the Messiah, but who, instead of that, opposed him, and did all they could to keep people from coming to the knowledge of him and to prejudice them against him. It is a very sad character that is here given of these watchmen. Woe unto thee, O land! when thy guides are such. 1. They had no sense or knowledge of their business. They were wretchedly ignorant of their work, and very unfit to teach, being so ill-taught themselves: His watchmen are blind, and therefore utterly unfit to be watchmen. If the seers see not, who shall see for us? If the light that is in us be darkness, how great is that darkness! Christ describes the Pharisees to be blind leaders of the blind, Matt. xv. 14. The beasts of the field come to devour, and the watchmen are blind, and are not aware of them. They are all ignorant (v. 10), shepherds that cannot understand (v. 11), that know not what is to be done about the sheep, nor can feed them with understanding, Jer. iii. 15. 2. What little knowledge they had they made no use of it; no one was the better for it. As they were blind watchmen, that could not discern the danger, so they were dumb dogs, that would not give warning of it. And why are the dogs set to guard the sheep if they cannot bark to waken the shepherd and frighten the wolf? Such were these; those that had the charge of souls never reproved men for their faults, nor told them what would be in the end thereof, never gave them notice of the judgments of God that were breaking in upon them. They barked at God’s prophets, and bit them too, and worried the sheep, but made no opposition to the wolf or thief. 3. They were very lazy, and would take no pains. They loved their ease, and hated business, were always sleeping, lying down and loving to slumber. They were not overcome and overpowered by sleep, as the disciples, through grief and fatigue, but they lay down on purpose to invite sleep, and said, Soul, take thy ease. Yet a little sleep. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber (Nah. iii. 18), and it is well for God’s people that their shepherd, the keeper of Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps. 4. They were very covetous and eager after the world–greedy dogs that can never have enough. If they had ever so much, they would think it too little. They so love silver as never to be satisfied with silver, Eccl. v. 10. All their enquiry is what they shall get, not what they shall do. Let them have the wages, and they care not whether the work be done or no; they feed not the flock, but fleece it. They are every one looking to his own way, minding his own private interests, and have no regard at all to the public welfare. It was St. Paul’s complaint of the watchmen in his time (Phil. ii. 21), All seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ’s. Every one is for propagating his own opinion, advancing his own party, raising his own family, and having every thing to his own mind, while the common concerns of the public are wretchedly neglected and postponed. They look every one to his gain from his quarter, from his end or part of the work. They are for fain from every quarter (Rem rem quocunque modo rem–Money, money, by fair means or by foul we must have money), but especially from their own quarter, where they will be sure to take care that they lose nothing, nor miss any thing that is to be got. If any one put not into their mouths they not only will do him no service, but they prepare war against him, Mic. iii. 5. 5. They were perfect epicures, given to their pleasures, never so much in their element as in their drunken revels (v. 12): Come (say they), I will fetch wine (they have that at command; their cellars are better furnished than their closets) and we will fill ourselves, or be drunk, with strong drink. They were often drunk, not overseen (as we say) or overtaken in drink, but designedly. The watchmen did thus invite and encourage one another to drink to excess, or they courted the people to sit and drink with them, and so confirmed those in their wicked ways, and hardened their hearts, whom they should have reproved. How could they think it any harm to be drunk when the watchmen themselves joined with them and led them to it! 6. They were very secure and confident of the continuance of their prosperity and ease; they said, “To-morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant; we shall have as much to spend upon our lusts to-morrow as we have to-day.” They had no thought at all of their own frailty and mortality, though they were shortening their days and hastening their deaths by their excesses. They had no dread of the judgments of God, though they were daily provoking him and making themselves liable to his wrath and curse. They never considered the uncertainty of all the delights and enjoyments of sense, how they perish in the using and pass away with the lusts of them. They resolved to continue in this wicked course, whatever their consciences said to the contrary, to be as merry to-morrow as they are to-day. But boast not thyself of to-morrow when perhaps this night thy soul shall be required of thee.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Vs. 9-12: UNFAITHFULLNESS, SLUMBER AND DEBAUCHERY
1. Isaiah sees the faithless watchmen of Israel turning aside from their appointed duties, (vs. 10; comp. Eze 3:17-19).
a. They are blind – with no understanding of the imminent dangers confronting the nation, (Isa 29:9-14; Jer 14:13-14).
b. They are “dumb dogs” – unable to sound a warning!
c. They are slothful dreamers – lying down, and loving to slumber, (Nah 3:18). .
2. Without understanding (Isa 1:3), the shepherds of Israel have turned to their own ways – each seeking his own profit; greedy dogs, whose lust for gain is never satisfied, (vs. 11; Isa 57:17; Isa 28:7; Eze 13:19; Mic 3:5; Mic 3:11).
a. Rather than caring for the sheep, they live to pamper the desires of their own flesh – giving themselves over to wine and strong drink, (vs. 12a; Isa 5:11-12; Isa 5:22).
b. Forgetting God, and their responsibility before Him, they assume that tomorrow will be just as today-only BETTER! (vs. 12b; Psa 10:4-6; Luk 12:16-21).
3. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Lord calls the beasts of the field and forest (representing Gentile powers) to come and devour them all, (vs. 9; Isa 46:11).
a. Those who have been given the responsibility to shepherd one of God’s flocks must take their stewardship seriously; they must NEVER attempt to “lord it over” God’s people, or to forget their welfare in pursuit of worldly profit.
b. The very first requirement of a steward is that he be found FAITHFUL! (1Co 4:2).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. All ye beasts of the field. This prediction appears to be at variance with what goes before; for what the Prophet has hitherto said was full of the most delightful consolation, but now he appears to threaten fiercely, and to predict frightful ruin. These statements might indeed appear to be contradictory; but, after having comforted believers, it ought not to be thought inconsistent if he forewarn them of a future calamity that they might not lose courage when they saw everything near destruction, and that necessity might likewise prompt them to betake themselves more warmly and earnestly to the grace of God. There is also another reason, that hypocrites abuse the promises of God and hold them out under false pretenses, cherish unfounded hope, and insolently boast of those things which do not at all belong to them; and therefore Isaiah intended to take from them the ground of false boasting.
And thus his design was twofold; first, that the hearts of believers might not be discouraged by various calamities, which should bring them almost, to utter destruction, and that even when, amidst prosperity and peace, they beheld by faith at a distance a future calamity, they might rest satisfied with this single consolation; and secondly, that he might strike hypocrites with dread and horror, so that they might not exalt themselves by vain confidence, or freely indulge their sinful inclinations under the pretense of these promises. For this reason God calls not men, but savage “beasts,” that they might devour the people. He therefore forbids believers to be alarmed and tempted to unbelief, when these wild beasts shall be sent. And yet he intended also to strike terror into them, that he might arouse them to repentance, and to exhort them to seek the mercy of God, that the promises might not lose their value.
When he calls them “beasts of the field, ” he means beasts of every kind, and includes not only the Babylonians and Assyrians, but Antiochus, the Romans, and other enemies of the people, who brought various calamities upon them. But he has chiefly in view the defeat which they received from the Babylonians, who carried them away into wretched bondage.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE FLOCK: ITS GUARDIANS AND ITS DEVOURERS
Isa. 56:9. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
These words are to be understood as a note of warning, a sound of alarm. It is not that God wishes His flock to be devoured that He thus summons the beasts of prey to gather round the fold; on the contrary, He is concerned for their safety, and warns them of the danger in which they stand. So defenceless and unprotected is the flock, that ferocious animals may come and devour as much as they please without resistance or opposition. No style of address was better fitted to startle both flock and shepherds from their careless security. Gods flock is still surrounded by ravenous beasts. The Church needs to be on the watch against pernicious doctrines, evil influences, and corrupt practices, that would undermine her faith and rob her of her life. Her enemies are as defiant as ever, and assail her in various forms. It may be well for us, then, to hear and attend to this warning voice.
I. THE UNPROTECTED STATE OF THE FLOCK. The figure employed is familiar to us. A minister is a pastor, i.e. a shepherd, and the people of his charge, a flock. They have been solemnly intrusted to his care, and he is responsible for their spiritual guidance, protection, and support. He is to lead them by the green pastures of Divine truth, and tenderly and lovingly to watch over their highest interests, defending them from harmful influences. In the East, the shepherd has such a genuine interest in his flock that he makes it his constant care. Hence the aptness of the figure. But in the case before us the sheep are shamefully neglected. The fold is open to attack, and the beasts of the field and of the forest have but to come and devour to their hearts content. Read what follows the text, and you will find the explanation. What could the state of the flock be with such shepherdscareless, indolent, unfaithful, selfish, and sensual? The picture is drawn from the life, and may well be pondered by every minister of the Word. Those who exercise the sacred office may here learn the special sins which they are liable to indulge, the gross faults from which they ought to be entirely free.
There is another use which may be made of this fearful indictment brought against Israels leaders and teachers. If this shameful neglect of theirs left the flock exposed to the ravages of wild beasts, the opposite course must tend to secure its safety and well-being. Pray, then, for your minister (Eph. 6:19; Php. 1:19; 2Th. 3:1). It is always a cheering reflection that if, through the human weakness and incapacity of the earthly shepherd, the flock does stand exposed to attack at some points, the Chief Shepherd never for a moment intermits His care, and can overrule for blessing the ravages of the destroyer (Eze. 34:12-16). The fiercest onsets of the foe will only reveal the almighty power that guards the flock. It is the duty of the Churchs overseers to protect their charges, to warn them of possible onsets, and to keep watch at the gate of the fold. If they neglect these precautions, they are only playing into the hands of those who come to devour.
II. THE WILD BEASTS THAT THREATEN TO DEVOUR THE FLOCK.In the field, in the forest, they growl and rage, watching their opportunity of seizing some stray sheep, or of entering the fold when the gate is left open. In the East several shepherds lead their flocks into the same fold, and intrust them to an under-shepherd or porter, who closes the gate, and remains with them all night. If he be careless, much havoc may be wrought before daybreak (Joh. 10:12-13). We may expect that prowlers will always be hanging about the fold. Scripture itself forewarns us (Act. 20:29-30). In all the generations of the past the Church of Christ has been menaced by devourers, and has suffered much from their depradations. Satan goeth about as a roaring lion (1Pe. 5:8), but he has numerous assistants and agents in his service. Some are open and undisguised; others are wily and insidious. When the lion, the bear, the wolf are seen in their own proper shape, or are heard growling around the fold, the shepherd has but one coursesteady resistance, closed gates. With infidels and agnostics, whose aim is to undermine faith and morals,with Romanists, who sadly pervert the truth, we can deal only in the way of determined and deathless opposition. But it is otherwise with the second class of assailants. The roaring lion does not always roar to give signal of his approach; sometimes he presents himself as a bright angel of light (1Co. 11:13-14). The wolves do not always growl as they rush to the onset; they can come up stealthily in sheeps clothing, so artfully put on that you can scarcely detect the deception. With much show of zeal, and spirituality, these professed friends are really pernicious enemies. They craftily conceal their real principles, until their victim is fairly ensnared. Their aim is to draw away disciples after them. They do not labour among the careless: their efforts are directed to the subversion of church members. They save themselves the trouble of excavating, by seizing on the stones already quarried and dressed. Laying hold of the young convert, they instil the subtle poison of their pernicious doctrines into his mind.
CONCLUSION.
1. Neglect not the means of grace. If it be the pastors duty to feed and warn you, it is your part to heed the warning he may find it necessary to give (1Th. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:17; 2Co. 1:24).
2. We point you to the Chief Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep. He can restrain the enemies of the flock (Eze. 34:23-25). He can and will keep His own (Joh. 10:27-28). On which side do you find yourselves? In Christs fold, or among its ravenous spoilers? (Mat. 13:30).William Guthrie, M.A.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
3. DUMB DOGS DENOUNCED
TEXT: Isa. 56:9-12
9
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
10
His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
11
Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
12
Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure.
QUERIES
a.
Who are the dumb dogs?
b.
Were the shepherds of Israel actually drunkards?
PARAPHRASE
Come like wild beasts, all you pagan nations, and devour this helpless people of Mine, says Jehovah. The watchmen of this people are blind to unbelief and covenant-breaking which is crippling them. The men who are supposed to be spiritual leaders of My people are like stupified dogs; they should be barking the alarm, but they do not because they have sated themselves with self-indulgence so they lie around lazily sleeping and dreaming. These so-called spiritual leaders are like greedy dogs that never get enough. They are like shepherds who cannot seem to understand that an enemy is about to attack their flock because they are completely engrossed in their own selfish pursuits of making money and they are oblivious to the needs of the flock. Not only are they profligates themselves, but they are busy trying to seduce others into their debauchery. They are advocating deliberate drunkenness in order to blot out any concern or responsibility for the spiritual problems facing Israel.
COMMENTS
Isa. 56:9 DESTRUCTION: This section (Isa. 56:9-12) connects to the main topic under considerationCovenant Relationship. This section focuses on the major reason Isaiah was having such a difficult time getting the majority of his countrymen to renew their messianic relationship with Jehovah. The spiritual leaders were corrupt. Because the nation of Israel had defaulted on its theocratic uniqueness, by dividing into two warring nations (Israel and Judah) and by assimilating idolatry, God was letting her suffer the due penalty of her error in her own body-politic. She tried to deceive pagan empires with treaties and alliances, pitting one against another. Israel exchanged her covenant relationship with the omnipotent Jehovah for vain and destructive covenants with God-opposing nations. Now those empires are poised to wreak destruction upon her (cf. Jer. 12:9; Eze. 34:5; Eze. 34:8). The figure of speech under which Isaiah here delineates the nations which were enemies of Gods people is beasts and is used elsewhere in Scripture for the same identification (cf. our comments, Daniel, College Press, pgs. 259260; see also Rev. 13:1 ff where Rome is symbolized as beasts).
Isa. 56:10-12 DRUNKENNESS: The watchmen (spiritual leaders such as priests and judges) of Israel were blind. Isaiah refers to spiritual blindness which is a deliberate blindness; a blindness of the heart by choice. The spiritual leaders of Israel refused to acknowledge the dangers that were everywhere apparent to men of faith like Isaiah. Micah, (Mic. 1:5) a prophet-contemporary of Isaiah, put his finger on the root cause of the sin of both Israel and Judah when he pointed to the capital cities of both nations as the place where corruption began and was at its worst. When the political and spiritual leadership of a nation is decadent, it does not take long for corruption to filter down into the entire fibre of the whole nation at grass-roots levels. Those who would aspire to positions of such leadership have a responsibility beyond their own personal livesthey have a responsibility to those who look to them for leadership in character as well as function.
Isaiah calls the leaders dogs! Dogs are mentioned about 40 times in the scriptures. They were not the friendly, domesticated dogs we know in the Western world today. They were half-wild, with some mixture of jackal or wolf, thin from want of food and ill-natured, which roamed the streets or sometimes traveled with the nomadic shepherds of Palestine, (cf. Job. 30:1, etc.). The apostle Paul uses dogs to symbolize the vicious Judaizers who were always trying to attack him and the church (cf. Php. 3:2 ff). Here, however, the dogs have lost their alertness and activeness because they have sated themselves on self-indulgence. They are mute! They just cannot get up the energy to bark. They really do not care to bark. No warning will come from these critters Every farm-boy has seen an illustration of this in the old hound who has filled himself with food and has gone off to lie down in the shade of a tree, hardly opening an eye when someone approacheshe just doesnt care. The whole picture is one of devotion to self-enjoyment and satisfaction and neglect of duty.
These dogs (leaders of the nation) are greedy gluttons. They are never satisfied. They must always have more. They are interested only in their own gain. Nothing will bring the downfall of a nation more rapidly than selfish hedonism in its leadership. When public servants serve only themselves, they set the same moral tone for the whole populace. The leaders of Israel prayed upon the flock (cf. Eze. 34:1-10). They exploited and abused their constituents until the whole nation was sapped of its economic and moral fibre. Then the nation collapsed without the will to reform its morals, resist its enemies or return to the Lord. These leaders encouraged one another and the whole nation to drunkenness, (cf. Isa. 5:11; Isa. 5:22; Isa. 24:9 to Isa. 28:7; Isa. 29:9; Isa. 24:20; Isa. 51:21; Mic. 2:11; etc.) Rather than face the reality of the consequences of their careless indulgence, they advocate an alcoholic stupefication that will anesthetize their reasoning ability. Thus they will create for themselves a fools paradise, saying, . . . tomorrow shall be as this day, great beyond measure . . .
QUIZ
1.
How does this text connect to the previous discussion of Covenant Relationship?
2.
Why does Isaiah use beasts to refer to pagan nations?
3.
Why is it so dangerous for a nations leadership to become drunkards?
4.
Why is the word dogs so appropriate for the leaders of Isaiahs day?
5.
Why the encouragement by the leaders for all the people to become drunkards?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(9) All ye beasts of the field . . .The sudden change of tone indicates that we enter on an entirely new section, which extends to the close of Isaiah 57. The contents of that section fit in with the assumption of its having been written early in the reign of Manasseh, better than With that of a date after the exile. The opening words summon the enemies of Israel to do their work of punishment, and this is followed naturally by a denunciation of the sins which had made it necessary. For the form of the summons, comp. Eze. 34:8; Jer. 12:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. An abrupt change of the current of thought here occurs. The prophet’s bright prospect is checked, and he turns to things as they are in his own times. In the reign of Abaz, idolatry prevailed. Hezekiah, at the time of the great reform, caused the temple, which had been closed, (2Ch 29:3-36,) to be opened, when an outward improvement among the people followed. But to the prophet’s eye evil continues; beginning with Manasseh, idolatry and national infidelity return with fearful power. There are other views held of this verse and what follows, founded on the Masoretic text, (one of which, that sustained by Birks, is exceeding fanciful;) but the majority of commentators agree on what is above stated.
Beasts of the field Some regard these expressions as denoting outside nations invited to make invasions on unfaithful Judah. More probably, they denote unspiritual teachers, irreligious guides, who, (excepting during the reign of Josiah,) disturbed Judah as long as its government lasted.
Forest This term is used simply to balance “field,” in the parallelism.
Come to devour Equivalent to, Ye beasts meaning, the false prophets do “come to devour” this is your purpose, your mission ye wolves in sheep’s clothing embrace every opportunity to devour the flock or people of the land. John, chap. 10, borrows its illustration hence.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Present Condition of the Leadership and the People ( Isa 56:9-12 ).
In total contrast with Yahweh, Who welcomes the righteous whatever their physical status, (but only the righteous), are the leadership of Israel. They allow in those who are like brute beasts, and this is because they themselves are blind and without discernment. They are like watchdogs who have lost their bark (and thus cannot warn of intruders) and are asleep. Worse, they are simply greedy for gain. They are too taken up with other things to carry out their responsibilities. This picture of them reflects earlier passages such as Isa 3:1-15; Isa 5:1-24; Isa 8:19.
Isa 56:9-10
‘All you beasts of the field, come to eat,
All you beasts in the forest.
His watchmen are blind,
They are all without knowledge,
They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark.
Dreaming, lying around, loving to slumber.’
The harshness of the Hebrew here reflects the bitterness of Isaiah’s soul. The beasts of the field (the cattle) and of the forest (wild beasts), depicting the worst kind of people (or even foreign invaders), are being called in to partake with the supposed people of God. They can savage them and devour them, and they can make their way in undisturbed because the watchdogs are asleep.
The vivid picture sees the beasts as making their way into the city past the watchmen, in order to ravage it because the watchdogs are not doing their job. They are out of their control. And the result is that soon the city of men is full of ‘beasts’.
But this can only happen because the watchmen appointed to watch over Israel are blind, they are lacking in true spiritual knowledge, and are like watchdogs who have lost their bark, no longer warning against intruders. They are like watchdogs who dream, and lie around and sleep all day.
This may well reflect the beginning of Manasseh’s reign when idolatry once again took over, when Judah was once more opened to foreign influences, and when with all this would come the fall in moral standards that always resulted when God’s people turned from Him. The whole of society would be affected.
Isa 56:11-12
‘Yes the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough.
And these are shepherds who cannot understand,
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his gain from every quarter.
“Come,” they say, “I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink,
And tomorrow will be as this day, great beyond measure.” ’
The basic problem lies in the fact that the leaders, including the religious leaders, the priests and the prophets, are themselves only out for gain. The watchdogs are not only lazy but greedy. They are out to feather their own nests, even if it is at the cost of truth. That is why the shepherds of the people are ‘unable to understand’, that is, they have minds closed towards God and to His demands and to His covenant. It is because they have all turned to their own way (compare Isa 53:6). They have been seized by the deceitfulness of riches. They have become totally selfish and seek to obtain wealth from every quarter in all they do. It is always a sad day when the watchdogs and the shepherds fail in their responsibility, and especially when they become greedy. Then the cattle and the wild beasts can run wild and do what they want and the people of God suffer.
And what is more these people, the shepherds, live in their own dream world, a world of drunken stupor. They partake of wine and strong drink and thus see the future as ever rosier (compare Isa 5:11; Isa 5:22 where this results in revelry and injustice, and Isa 22:13, where it results in a careless attitude towards the future). Like the drunkards of Ephraim before them they fail to face up to reality (Isa 28:1-13). They cannot see what is happening around them. Judah is being possessed by ‘wild beasts’ and they do not care, because they are engaged in a round of pleasure and drunkenness. And the result is that truth is the victim.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Israel’s Carelessness Regarding Their Redemption Comments – The Gentile’s watchfulness and desire to enter in to God’s plan of redemption (Isa 56:1-8) is now contrasted with the carelessness and slumber of Israel regarding the salvation that is offered through God’s people (Isa 56:9-12). The Jews were to be alert and watchful for the promise of their salvation, as stated in the opening verse of this passage, “for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” (Isa 56:1) The Messiah was coming, and John the Baptist would be come the herald to the Jews of His glorious arrival and offer of salvation. Unfortunately, the Jews were in a slumber (Rom 11:8), so that they rejected and crucified their Messiah.
Rom 11:8, “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”
Isa 56:9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
Isa 56:9
Deu 28:26, “And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.”
Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Isa 56:10
Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Isa 56:10
Isa 56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
The Neglect of Jehovah’s Flock by its Shepherds
v. 9. All ye beasts of the field come to devour, yea, all ye beasts In the forest! v. 10. His watchmen, v. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, v. 12. Come ye, say they, Isa 56:9. All ye beasts of the field Interpreters are generally of opinion, that the beasts of the field and forest are here called upon to devour the nominal people of God, corrupted in their religion and manners; that is to say, to execute the judgments of God upon them: by which, Vitringa thinks, are pointed out the enemies of the Christian church; the Goths, Vandals, Turks, and others, who committed great devastations upon it, after it deviated from its first faith, and became extremely corrupt; as is particularly specified in the next verses,
Who, or what are meant by beasts of the field, and dumb dogs, may not be so easy to determine; but we cannot be at a loss to apprehend the meaning of the word watchmen. The passage is very awful, and closeth in a very awful manner. Those who minister in holy things, may well ponder over such a striking scripture, connected as it is with the characters here spoken of. The beloved Apostle hath marked their end, Rev 22:15 . Reader! let us turn our thoughts from the distressing view of unfaithful watchmen, to behold Him who is the true shepherd and watchman of his Church; he watches over it every moment; he keepeth it night and day, lest any hurt it; Isa 27:3 . Precious keeper of Israel! do thou watch over me for good, and keep me by thine almighty power, through faith, unto salvation; 1Pe 1:5 ; Psa 121:4-5 .
Isa 56:9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, [yea], all ye beasts in the forest.
Ver. 9. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour. ] Statim quasi vehementer ira accensus, &c. All upon the sudden, as one much enraged against the wicked priests especially, as greatest traitors to the state, the Lord thundereth and threateneth terribly. By the beasts here called for, we may understand the Babylonians, Grecians, Syrians, Egyptians, but especially the Romans, who made clean work of them, whenas they were grown extremely wicked, and even ripe for ruin, as Josephus witnesseth. See Jer 50:17 .
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isa 56:9-12
9All you beasts of the field,
All you beasts in the forest,
Come to eat.
10His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied.
And they are shepherds who have no understanding;
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.
12Come, they say, let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.
Isa 56:9 This is a parody of the invitation to the Divine supper (cf. Isa 56:12; Isa 55:1-2), but here in the context of judgment (Isa 56:10-12) it is a command (come – Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT). This will be a banquet of judgment!
There is an interpretive question related to Isa 56:9-12, as to when this occurs.
1. pre-exilic
2. exilic
3. post-exilic
The issue is to which period of Israel’s history do these verses refer? Possibly it relates to some in each period. There were always faithless leaders and people.
Isa 56:10-12 These verses are in sharp contrast to the faithful outcasts of Isa 56:1-8. These describe Israel’s spiritual condition (mostly her leaders).
1. the watchmen are blind
2. all of them know nothing
3. all of them are dumb dogs
4. dream/rave (from Arabic root or pant [KB 243], referring to dogs of Isa 56:10 c)
5. love to sleep
6. greedy
7. never satisfied
8. shepherds without understanding
9. all tuned to their own ways
10. each one turned to unjust gain
Wow! What a terrible description of the covenant people. Their leaders are corrupt and the proverb is true, like leader, like people! God’s revelation, temple, and godly leaders had made no difference. Their fruit is obvious (i.e., self)!
Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind The MT scholars noted a problem in the Hebrew text. It reads a Qal PERFECT (BDB 859, KB 1044), but they suggest a Qal PARTICIPLE. Either one does not change the sense of the text.
Isa 56:12 Come This IMPERATIVE (Qal, BDB 87, KB 102) matches the one in Isa 56:9 c! The humans come to get drunk and ignore God (Isa 56:12 b), so now the animals are invited by God to devour His covenant people (cf. Isa 18:6; Jer 7:33; Jer 12:9; Jer 15:3; Jer 34:20).
Isa 56:9-12
Isa 56:9-12
“All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his own gain, from every quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure.”
As Homer Hailey declared, “The evidence of this paragraph is far stronger for the view that Isaiah has turned from prophesying of the captivity, and that he is speaking to the people of his own day, summarizing the causes that will lead to the captivity of Israel.” The significance of this is that the critical allegation that, “This chapter was written at a time long after the captivity, after the Temple had been rebuilt and was the center of an elaborate ritual,” is absolutely untenable. On the contrary, the Temple of Solomon, at the time envisioned here, was still standing; and the abuses mentioned were all prevalent in the days of Isaiah and afterward. These were precisely the very things that led to the captivity. There is no doubt whatever of Isaiah’s authorship of all these chapters. If he had not been, Christ would never have referred to these passages, accrediting them to the great eighth century prophet, Isaiah. All of the critics on earth do not represent any authority sufficiently dependable to offset this fact.
The terrible failure of the prophets and leaders of the Jews during this period of their apostasy was deplorable. They are here referred to as dumb, lazy dogs that will not bark. They not only neglected their duties as watchmen over the religious affairs of Israel, but they were greedy for gain, interested only in the profits they might reap from their offices; and they also were given over to laziness, drunkenness, and irresponsibility. Isaiah will continue his prophecy regarding such leaders in the following chapter.
When one contrasts Jehovah’s evaluation of those dumb, lazy dogs with their high social standing and the prestige which they enjoyed during their generation, it raises the question regarding so-called “Christian” writers today who contradict every line of the Holy Bible on the principles of a’ system which in arrogance and conceit is called “higher criticism.” Are any of Jehovah’s words here applicable to them?
Isa 56:9 DESTRUCTION: This section (Isa 56:9-12) connects to the main topic under consideration-Covenant Relationship. This section focuses on the major reason Isaiah was having such a difficult time getting the majority of his countrymen to renew their messianic relationship with Jehovah. The spiritual leaders were corrupt. Because the nation of Israel had defaulted on its theocratic uniqueness, by dividing into two warring nations (Israel and Judah) and by assimilating idolatry, God was letting her suffer the due penalty of her error in her own body-politic. She tried to deceive pagan empires with treaties and alliances, pitting one against another. Israel exchanged her covenant relationship with the omnipotent Jehovah for vain and destructive covenants with God-opposing nations. Now those empires are poised to wreak destruction upon her (cf. Jer 12:9; Eze 34:5; Eze 34:8). The figure of speech under which Isaiah here delineates the nations which were enemies of Gods people is beasts and is used elsewhere in Scripture for the same identification (see also Rev 13:1 ff where Rome is symbolized as beasts).
Isa 56:10-12 DRUNKENNESS: The watchmen (spiritual leaders such as priests and judges) of Israel were blind. Isaiah refers to spiritual blindness which is a deliberate blindness; a blindness of the heart by choice. The spiritual leaders of Israel refused to acknowledge the dangers that were everywhere apparent to men of faith like Isaiah. Micah, (Mic 1:5) a prophet-contemporary of Isaiah, put his finger on the root cause of the sin of both Israel and Judah when he pointed to the capital cities of both nations as the place where corruption began and was at its worst. When the political and spiritual leadership of a nation is decadent, it does not take long for corruption to filter down into the entire fibre of the whole nation at grass-roots levels. Those who would aspire to positions of such leadership have a responsibility beyond their own personal lives-they have a responsibility to those who look to them for leadership in character as well as function.
Isaiah calls the leaders dogs! Dogs are mentioned about 40 times in the scriptures. They were not the friendly, domesticated dogs we know in the Western world today. They were half-wild, with some mixture of jackal or wolf, thin from want of food and ill-natured, which roamed the streets or sometimes traveled with the nomadic shepherds of Palestine, (cf. Job 30:1, etc.). The apostle Paul uses dogs to symbolize the vicious Judaizers who were always trying to attack him and the church (cf. Php 3:2 ff). Here, however, the dogs have lost their alertness and activeness because they have sated themselves on self-indulgence. They are mute! They just cannot get up the energy to bark. They really do not care to bark. No warning will come from these critters Every farm-boy has seen an illustration of this in the old hound who has filled himself with food and has gone off to lie down in the shade of a tree, hardly opening an eye when someone approaches-he just doesnt care. The whole picture is one of devotion to self-enjoyment and satisfaction and neglect of duty.
These dogs (leaders of the nation) are greedy gluttons. They are never satisfied. They must always have more. They are interested only in their own gain. Nothing will bring the downfall of a nation more rapidly than selfish hedonism in its leadership. When public servants serve only themselves, they set the same moral tone for the whole populace. The leaders of Israel prayed upon the flock (cf. Eze 34:1-10). They exploited and abused their constituents until the whole nation was sapped of its economic and moral fibre. Then the nation collapsed without the will to reform its morals, resist its enemies or return to the Lord. These leaders encouraged one another and the whole nation to drunkenness, (cf. Isa 5:11; Isa 5:22; Isa 24:9 to Isa 28:7; Isa 29:9; Isa 24:20; Isa 51:21; Mic 2:11; etc.) Rather than face the reality of the consequences of their careless indulgence, they advocate an alcoholic stupefication that will anesthetize their reasoning ability. Thus they will create for themselves a fools paradise, saying, . . . tomorrow shall be as this day, great beyond measure . . .
Chapters 56:9-57:14 must be read continuously.
CHAPTERS 56:9-57:21
The Condition of the Apostate Nation and the two Classes
1. The condition of the shepherds of Israel (Isa 56:9-12) 2. Apostate Israel (Isa 57:1-14) 3. The two classes (Isa 57:15-21) The final chapter of this second section corresponds to the last chapter of the first section (chapter 48). The sad condition of the people Israel is pictured. This is their national apostasy throughout this age, while strangers are joined to the Lord and the church is gathered. The worst is yet to come. Chapter 57:9 looks forward to the great apostasy during the great tribulation. The king is the Antichrist, who takes his seat in the temple and claims worship 2Th 2:1-17). They worship him, the masterpiece of Satan, and thus they debase themselves unto hell.
Gracious is the promise to the feeble remnant, those who are contrite and humble. I have seen his ways and will heal him. I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. Peace is promised to him that is afar off (Gentiles) and to him that is near (Israel). It will be fully realized in the kingdom. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. It is the same solemn declaration which stands last in chapter 58. Comfort and peace for all, except for the wicked. It is a complete answer to the heresy of the present day, which claims that all Israel, including the wicked dead, will be saved and have a share in the Kingdom of Peace.
Deu 28:26, Jer 12:9, Eze 29:5, Eze 39:17, Rev 19:17, Rev 19:18
Reciprocal: 1Sa 17:46 – carcases Psa 50:11 – wild Isa 42:22 – a people Jer 2:8 – priests Jer 6:13 – For Jer 13:20 – where Jer 15:3 – I will Jer 23:1 – pastors Jer 50:7 – have devoured Eze 13:2 – prophesy against Eze 33:2 – set Eze 34:5 – and they became Dan 7:5 – Arise Hos 13:8 – wild beast Mic 3:5 – that bite Nah 3:18 – Thy shepherds Zec 10:3 – anger Mat 9:36 – as Mat 13:25 – men Luk 10:2 – are 2Ti 4:5 – watch
Isa 56:9. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour Here, says Bishop Lowth, manifestly begins a new section. The prophet, in the foregoing chapters, having comforted the faithful with many great promises of Gods favour to be extended to them, in the restoration of their ruined state, and of the enlargement of his church by the admission of the Gentiles, here, on a sudden, makes a transition to the more disagreeable part of the prospect, and to a sharp reproof of the wicked and unbelievers, and especially of the negligent and faithless governors and teachers, of the idolaters and hypocrites, who would still draw his judgments upon the nation; probably having in view the destruction of their city and polity by the Chaldeans, and perhaps by the Romans. Vitringa, however, thinks the enemies of the Christian Church may be here pointed out, such as the Goths, Vandals, Turks, and others, who committed great devastations upon it after it declined from the first faith, and became extremely corrupt; as is particularly specified in the next verses. It seems very evident that this is a prediction, either of Israels destruction, or that of the fallen Christian Church, by their cruel enemies, who are often represented in Scripture under the emblem of ravenous beasts. Thus Jer 12:7-9, I have forsaken my house, I have deserted my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
Isa 56:9 to Isa 57:2. A Denunciation of the Rulers of the Community.This oracle seems not to be connected with the preceding, though, it arises out of the same circumstances.
Yahweh bids the beasts of prey (cf. Jer 12:9), hostile nations, ravage the flock, since the watchdogs are not alert, but crouched in the slumber of gluttons. Vividly then one of the rulers is introduced, inviting his fellows to a drunken orgy (cf. Amo 6:6), and gloating over a like prospect for the morrow. But, while the rulers gorge and swill, the man who keeps the law and is godly (mg.) perishes through these evils (mg.), unnoticed: his only rest is that of the funeral bier (beds).
Isa 56:10. his: read, my.
56:9 All ye {i} beasts of the field, come to devour, [yea], all ye beasts in the forest.
(i) Meaning, the enemies of the Church, as the Babylonians, Assyrians, etc thus he speaks to scare the hypocrites and to assure the faithful that when this comes they may know it was told to them before.
The basis of rejection and cursing 56:9-57:13
Whereas heartfelt love for and trust in the Lord make anyone acceptable to Him, reliance on one’s position or ability for acceptance will not.
Isaiah summoned the beastly enemies of Israel to come and feed on the flock of God’s people (cf. Jer 12:9; Eze 34:5; Eze 34:8).
Wicked leadership 56:9-57:2
The leaders of Israel were responsible for the people’s failure to appreciate the difference between a real relationship with God and membership in the covenant community of Israel.
"The critique of leadership offered here is wholly one of character not of policy. The opinion that from the point of view of the public it matters only what the government’s policy is, but the private lives of leaders is their own affair, finds no support. The juxtaposition of Isa 56:9-12 with Isa 57:1-21 insists that private wrong and public right do not co-exist." [Note: Motyer, p. 468.]
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BOOK 4
THE RESTORATION
WE have now reached the summit of our prophecy. It has been a long, steep ascent, and we have had very much to seek out on the way, and to extricate and solve and load ourselves with. But although a long extent of the prophecy, if we measure it by chapters, still lies before us, the end is in sight; every difficulty has been surmounted which kept us from seeing how we were to get to it, and the rest of the way may be said to be downhill.
To drop the figure-the Servant, his vicarious suffering and atonement for the sins of the people, form for our prophet the solution of the spiritual problem of the nations restoration, and what he has now to do is but to fill in the details of this.
We saw that the problem of Israels deliverance from Exile, their Return, and their Restoration to their position in their own land as the Chief Servant of God to humanity, was really a double problem-political and spiritual. The solution of the political side of it was Cyrus. As soon as the prophet had been able to make it certain that Cyrus was moving down upon Babylon, with a commission from God to take the city, and irresistible in the power with which Jehovah had invested him, the political difficulties in the way of Israels Return were as good as removed; and so the prophet gave, in the end of chapter 48, his great call to his countrymen to depart. But all through chapters 40-48, while addressing himself to the solution of the political problems of Israels deliverance, the prophet had given hints that there were moral and spiritual difficulties as well. In spite of their punishment for more than half a century, the mass of the people were not worthy of a return. Many were idolaters; many were worldly; the orthodox had their own wrong views of how salvation should come; {Isa 45:9 ff.} the pious were without either light or faith. {Isa 50:10} The nation, in short, had not that inward “righteousness,” which could alone justify God in vindicating them before the. world, in establishing their outward righteousness, their salvation and reinstatement in their lofty place and calling as His people. These moral difficulties come upon the prophet with greater force after he has, with the close of chapter 48, finished his solution of the political ones. To these moral difficulties he addresses himself in 49-53, and the Servant and his Service are his solution of them:-the Servant as a Prophet and a Covenant of the People in chapter 49 and in Isa 50:4 ff.: the Servant as an example to the people, chapter 50 ff.; and finally the Servant as a full expiation for the peoples sins in Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:1-12. It is the Servant who is to “raise up the land, and to bring back the heirs to the desolate heritages,” and rouse the Israel who are not willing to leave Babylon,” saying to the bound, Go forth; and to them that sit in darkness, Show yourselves”. {Isa 49:8-9} It is he who is “to sustain the weary” and to comfort the pious in Israel, who, though pious, have no light as they walk on their way back. {Isa 50:4; Isa 50:10} It is the Servant finally who is to achieve the main problem of all and “make many righteous”. {Isa 53:11} The hope of restoration, the certainty of the peoples redemption, the certainty of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the certainty of the growth of the people to a great multitude, are, therefore, all woven by the prophet through and through with his studies of the Servants work in Isa 49:1., and Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:1-12, -woven so closely and so naturally that, as we have already seen, we cannot take any part of chapters 49-53 and say that it is of different authorship from the rest. Thus in chapter 49 we have the road to Jerusalem pictured in Isa 49:9-13, immediately upon the back of the Servants call to go forth in Isa 49:9. We have then the assurance of Zion being rebuilt and thronged by her children in Isa 49:14-23, and another affirmation of the certainty of redemption in Isa 49:24-26. In Isa 50:1-3 this is repeated. In 51- Isa 52:1-12 the petty people is assured that it shall grow innumerable again; new affirmations are made of its ransom and return, ending with the beautiful prospect of the feet of the heralds of deliverance on the mountains of Judah {Isa 52:7 b} and a renewed call to leave Babylon (Isa 52:11-12). We shall treat all these passages in our twenty-first chapter.
And as they started naturally from the Servants work in Isa 49:1-9 a-and his example in Isa 50:4-11, so upon his final and crowning work in chapter 53 there follow as naturally chapter 54 (the prospect of the seed Isa 53:10 promised he should see), and chapter 55 (a new call to come forth). These two, with the little pre-exilic prophecy, Isa 56:1-8, we shall treat in our twenty-second chapter.
Then come the series of difficult small prophecies with pre-exilic traces in them, from Isa 56:9 through Isa 59:1-21. They will occupy our twenty-third chapter. In chapter 60 Zion is at last not only in sight, but radiant in the rising of her new day of glory. In chapters 61 and 62 the prophet, having reached Zion, “looks back,” as Dillmann well remarks, “upon what has become his task, and in connection with that makes clear once more the high goal of all his working and striving.” In Isa 63:1-6 the Divine Deliver is hailed. We shall take Isa 60:1-22 – Isa 63:6 together in our twenty-fourth chapter.
Chapter 63:7-64 is an Intercessory Prayer for the restoration of all Israel. It is answered in chapter 65, and the lesson of this answer, that Israel must be judged, and that all cannot be saved, is enforced in chapter 66. Chaps. 63:7-66 will therefore form our twenty-fifth and closing chapter.
Thus our course is clear, and we can overtake it rapidly. It is, to a large extent, a series of spectacles, interrupted by exhortations upon duty; things, in fact, to see and to hear, not to argue about. There are few great doctrinal questions, except what we have already sufficiently discussed; our study, for instance, of the term righteousness, we shall find has covered for us a large part of the ground in advance. And the only difficult literary question is that of the pre-exilic and post-exilic pieces, which are alleged to form so large a part of chapters 56-59 and 63-66.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary