Isaías 31
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Isaías 31
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS Isaiah 31-32 is a literary unit that deals with the same historical event as Isa. 29:15-30:33. Hezekiah attempted to seek an alliance with Egypt to protect themselves from Assyrian aggression, but in 701 B.C. Senacherib invaded Judah and destroyed forty-six walled cities, though Jerusalem itself was spared. The Anchor Bible Commentary has an interesting chart that shows the characteristic prophetic swings between judgment and hope (p. 426). Threat Assurance Isa. 28:14-15 Isa. 29:1-4 Isa. 29:15-16 Isa. 30:1-17 Isa. 31:1-3 Isa. 28:16-17 Isa. 29:5-8 Isa. 29:17-21 Isa. 30:29-33 Isa. 31:4-5, 8-9
Isaías 31:1-3
31:1 "Woe" This is the fifth in a series of "woes" that began in Isa. 28:1; 29:1,15; 30:1; 31:1; 33:1. The term introduces the poetic meter of a funeral lament. See note at Isa. 5:8. ▣ "who go down to Egypt for help" The people of God were attempting to trust (BDB 105, KB 120) in political alliances instead of the power, presence, and promises of YHWH for their help (cf. chapters 28-34). ▣ "horses. . .chariots. . .horsemen" The Assyrians were known for their very large cavalry. Egypt was known for her very large contingent of chariots. Judah was afraid of the Assyrians and was trusting in Egypt instead of the Holy One of Israel. Humans of all periods of history must be careful of trusting in the current level of technology or numerical superiority instead of the biblical God of creation and mercy. SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) ▣ "chariots" Egypt exported chariots to all the surrounding countries (cf. 1 Kgs. 10:29), but they could be effective only on flat land, not the hill country of Judah. SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS ▣ "the Holy One of Israel. . .the Lord" These two terms apply to the Covenant God (cf. Isa. 1:4). The first refers to His nature as righteous, yet the God that calls sinful humans to be His children. The second term is the Covenant name for God, "YHWH" (cf. Exod. 3:14). SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOLY ONE ▣ "look. . .seek" Both of these VERBS are negated Qal PERFECTS, which denotes a settled condition. look (lit. "to gaze at intently"), BDB 1043, KB 1609, cf. Isa. 17:7,8 seek, BDB 205, KB 233, cf. Isa. 9:13; 55:6; 58:2; 65:10 These VERBS denote an intense personal element (cf. Dan. 9:13). SPECIAL TOPIC: Seek the Lord 31:2 "He also is wise and will bring disaster" The NET Bible sees this as a sarcastic comment about Judah's advisors who are seeking help from Egypt (p. 1237). However, the whole verse, not just the last two lines, speaks of YHWH. ▣ "And does not retract His words" When God speaks, His words can be depended on (cf. Isa. 45:23; 55:11; Jer. 44:29). ▣ "will arise" This VERB (BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal PERFECT with waw) is used anthropomorphically of YHWH rising from His throne to do battle on behalf of His people (cf. Isa. 14:22) or against His people (cf. Amos 7:9). SPECIAL TOPIC: PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE ▣ "the house of evil-doers. . .the workers of iniquity" These two phrases refer to Judah (i.e., "he who is helped," Isa. 31:3e) and her political alliances (i.e., Egypt, "he who helps," Isa. 31:3d). 31:3 This is a comparison between the frailty of human beings and the eternality of God (El). Specifically here it may refer to Exod. 14:26-31a. This verse also clearly contrasts God (El) with flesh. God is "spirit" (cf. John 4:24). He can take a human form (theophany), but He is spirit and dwells simultaneously throughout his creation (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:27; Jer. 23:24). He chooses to fellowship with humble, repentant believers (i.e., Isa. 66:1-2). ▣ "the Lord will stretch out His hand" This is an anthropomorphic idiom of God's actions. SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE DEITY ▣ "all of them will come to an end together" This VERB (BDB 477, KB 476, Qal IMPERFECT) denotes a complete destruction and end (cf. Isa. 1:28; 16:4; 29:20). What looks powerful and long lasting is not! This is similar to the common proverb about the transitoriness of humans as grass (cf. Isa. 40:6-8; Ps. 90:5-6; 103:15; 104:14; James 1:10-11; 1 Pet. 1:24).
Isaías 31:4-5
31:4 "the lion" This imagery seems to describe God as powerful and tenacious over His own special place (i.e., temple). If so, it is a reversal of the first strophe (Isa. 31:1-3). SPECIAL TOPIC: LIONS IN THE OT ▣ "the Lord of hosts come down" This VERB (BDB 432, KB 434, Qal IMPERFECT) means "to come down," "to go down," "to descend." It is used several times of YHWH leaving His abode in the heavens and coming to earth to see and respond to the actions of humans, Gen. 11:5,7; 18:21 to reveal Himself to humans, Exod. 3:8; 19:11,18,20; Num. 11:17,25; 12:5 (two special places where His attributes are listed are Exod. 34:5,6-7; Neh. 9:13,17) to characterize YWWH, 2 Sam. 22:10; Ps. 18:9; 144:5 for judgment, Micah 1:3 (like #1) This VERB is spacial (i.e., down), but it is imagery when referring to the relationship between heaven and earth (cf. Acts 1:2,9). Judah went down to Egypt (Isa. 31:1, same VERB), YHWH comes down to defend Jerusalem even amidst their unbelief. Isaiah uniquely asserts the inviolability of Jerusalem! However, later prophets do not share his optimism of Judah's ability to repent and trust in YHWH (cf. Jer. 26:18; Micah 3:11-12; 5:5b-6,7-8). SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN 31:5 "Like flying birds" This is a reference to God as tender and loyal like a mother bird ("will protect," BDB 170, KB 199, both Hiphil IMPERFECT and Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root to denote intensity; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW). Often times in the Bible, God is described by feminine imagery (cf. Gen. 1:2; Deut. 32:11; Isa. 40:31; Hosea 11:4; Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:24). Notice the things YHWH will do for His people in Isa. 31:5. will protect, BDB 170, KB 199 Hiphil IMPERFECT will protect, BDB 170, KB 199, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE will deliver, BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil PERFECT with waw will pass over, BDB 820, KB 947, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE will rescue, BDB 572, KB 589, Hiphil PERFECT with waw ▣ "He will pass over" This VERB (BDB 820, KB 947, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE, cf. Exod. 12:11-27) refers to God's protection against human forces. There seems to be an allusion to the Passover event of the book of Exodus where God, against all human odds, protected and delivered His people. SPECIAL TOPIC: PASSOVER
Isaías 31:6-9
31:6 "Return to Him" The VERB is shub (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal IMPERATIVE), which basically means "to turn back" or "return." It can be used of turning from God, Num. 14:43; Josh. 22:16,18,23,29; Jdg. 2:19; 8:33; 1 Sam. 15:11; 1 Kgs. 9:6; Jer. 3:19; 8:4 turning to God, 1 Kgs. 8:33,48; 2 Chr. 15:4; 30:9; Ps. 51:13; 116:7; Isa. 6:10; 10:21,22; 31:6; Jer. 3:7,12,14,22; 4:1; 5:3; Hosea 3:5; 5:4; 6:1; 7:10,16; 11:5; 14:1,2; Amos 4:6,8,9,10,11 (notice esp. Jeremiah 7 and Amos 4) YHWH initially telling Isaiah that Judah would not/could not repent (cf. Isa. 6:10), but not for the first time in the book He calls on them to return to Him. Repentance is not so much an emotion as it is an attitude toward God. It is a reorientation of life from self to Him. It denotes a willingness to change and be changed. It is not the complete cessation of sin, but a daily cessation of known rebellion! It is a reversal of the self-centered results of the Fall of Genesis 3. It denotes that the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27), though damaged, has been restored! Fellowship with God by fallen humans is possible again. Repentance in the OT primarily means "change of action," while "repentance" in the NT primarily means "change of mind." Both of these are necessary for true biblical repentance. It is also necessary to realize that repentance is both an initial act and an ongoing process. The initial act can be seen in Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16 and 19; 20:21, while the ongoing process can be seen in 1 John 1:9; Revelation 2 and 3. Repentance is not an option (cf. Luke 13:3)! SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE IN THE OT ▣ "deeply defected" This speaks of Judah's rebellion against YHWH. "deeply," BDB 770, KB 847, Hiphil PERFECT, this word was used in Isa. 30:33 to describe the funeral pyre of the King of Assyria. It can also describe sin, as it does here and in Hosea 5:2; 9:9. It may specifically refer to Judah's "secret" plan to seek help from Egypt (cf. Isa. 29:15). "defected," BDB 694, here refers to apostasy, cf. Deut. 13:5; Isa. 1:5; 31:6; Jer. 28:16; 29:32 SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY ▣ "O sons of Israel" In the Bible the term "Israel" can refer to several things: it can refer to the Patriarch Jacob and his children it can refer to the Northern Ten Tribes-also called Samaria and Ephraim it can refer to Judah. In this context it is #3 SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (THE NAME) 31:7 Israel had become eclectic in her faith and tried to incorporate the Canaanite fertility rites along with her worship of YHWH (i.e. the golden calves at Dan and Bethel). This is always a disaster. YHWH will be the only God. SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY SPECIAL TOPIC: IDOLATRY (OT) ▣ "which your hands have made" The idols (BDB 47, cf. Isa. 2:8,18,20; 10:10-11; 19:1,3) are worthless, empty, vain human productions that cannot see, hear, or act. They are superstitious non-existent things which are used by the demonic forces to enslave people and keep them from a knowledge of the One True God. SPECIAL TOPIC: DEMONS (fallen angesl) SPECIAL TOPIC: DEMONS IN THE OT 31:8 "the Assyrian will fall" Assyria was the tool which God used to judge the Northern Ten Tribes (cf. Isa. 10:5), but God would deal justly with the godless nation of Assyria also (cf. Isa. 10:12; 14:15; 30:31-33; 37:7). Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, fell to Neo-Babylon in 612 B.C. ▣ "a sword not of man will devour him" Read chapters 36 and 37 of Isaiah, which describe the invasion and siege of Jerusalem under Sennacherib. Notice God's miraculous deliverance (not by human sword) in Isa. 37:36. This verse demonstrates the hermeneutical issue involved in lexical study. Obviously, the first two lines are in a synonymous parallel relationship (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY, II., III.) These words for "man," ish (BDB 35), line 1 adam (BDB 9), line 2 have distinct connotations, but here they seem to be synonymous (cf. Isa. 2:9; 5:15). For a good brief discussion of the Hebrew words for humanity, mankind, see Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, pp. 45-54. ▣ "forced laborers" Defeated armies who survived the battle could be conscripted as mercenaries into the victorious army sold as slaves turned into forced laborers to serve the military All other inhabitants were forced into slavery (cf. Lam. 1:1). Slavery was common in the ancient world for debtors or those who were defeated. 31:9 "His rock. . .his princes" These are in a Hebrew parallel relationship, therefore, the term "rock" refers to the king of Assyria (or one of his gods, cf. Deut. 32:31,37) and his military commanders (i.e., "princes") who were terrified at YHWH's "standard" (BDB 651, cf. Isa. 13:2; Jer. 50:2; 51:12,27) over Jerusalem. ▣ "whose fire. . .furnace" This refers, not to the fire of judgment (although an allusion to Isa. 30:33 is possible), nor the fire of illumination, but to God's home fireplace, hearth (cf. "Ariel," Isa. 29:1,2,7, which referred to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem).