Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 25

Verse 1

I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name. In Hebrew three words, two making the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ); not for a "play on words", but for solemn emphasis, to attract our attention. Hebrew. 'aromimka , 'odeh shimka . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:2 ). App-92 .

wonderful things = a wonderful deed.

Verse 2

strangers = foreigners. See note on Isaiah 5:17 .

Verse 4

strength = stronghold.

poor. Hebrew. dal = impoverished, reduced. See note on "poverty" Proverbs 6:11 .

when the blast of the terrible ones is = for the blast of the terrible ones [is], &c.

blast. Hebrew. ruach ( App-9 ), as in Isaiah 37:7 . Exodus 15:8 . 2 Kings 19:7 . branch = triumphal song.

brought low = become low.

Verse 6

the LORD of hosts. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .

people = the peoples.

a feast. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia in this verse: a feast (Hebrew. mishteh) of fat things (Hebrew. shemanim) , a feast of (Hebrew. mishteh) wines on the lees (Hebrew. shemarim) ; of fat things (Hebrew. shemanim)

full of marrow (Hebrew. memuhyim) , of wines on the lees (Hebrew. shemarim) . All these words are thus heaped together to impress us with the greatness of this feast.

wines on the lees. Hebrew. shemarim ( App-27 ), see above = wines purified from the lees.

Verse 7

destroy = swallow up, as in Isaiah 25:8 .

this mountain: i.e. Zion (Isaiah 2:1 , Isaiah 2:2 ; Isaiah 24:23 ).

cast = covered.

people = the peoples.

Verse 8

swallow up. Same word as "destroy" (Isaiah 25:7 ), so as to cause a thing to disappear and be no more. Compare Numbers 16:30 . Psalms 69:15 ; Psalms 106:17 . Jonah 1:17 .

in victory. Hebrew. nezah = for ever. Occurs in Isaiah 13:20 ; Isaiah 28:28 ; Isaiah 33:20 ; Isaiah 34:10 ; and in the "latter portion", Isaiah 57:16 ; rendered "victory" in 1 Chronicles 29:11 . 1 Samuel 15:29 . Quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:54

: where we have the Holy Spirit's comment on the word, giving the additional thought of "victory". See App-79 .

rebuke = reproach.

Verse 9

we have waited. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:18 .)

Verse 10

Moab. as straw. for the dunghill. Note the Figure of speech Homoeopropheron ( App-6 ). Moab. mathben , beMo Madmenah . which occurs only here, is used to complete the Figure of speech Homoeopropheron . See above.

trodden down = beaten to pieces by treading.

for the dunghill = in Madmenah, as in Isaiah 10:31 and Jeremiah 48:2 , Revised Version quite wrong, "in the water of the dunghill". Dung is never watered in the East, but dried, and used as fuel (Ezekiel 4:15 ), and is found only in the streets of towns and villages. In Psalms 83:10 "earth" is adamah = ground. See note there.

Verse 11

spread forth His hands. In the East all swimmers swim "hand over hand", and beat the water with loud noise. Parallel with the beating of straw in Isaiah 25:10 . Compare Isaiah 63:0 .

as=according as.

spoils = devices, or artifices.

Verse 12

bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground. Note the Figure of speech Synonymia , to emphasize the certainty and reality of what had been expressed by the Figure of speech Simile in verses: Isaiah 25:10 , Isaiah 25:11 .