Isaiah 55
55
An Invitation to Grace
1All you who are thirsty,#The prophet invites all to return, under the figure of a banquet; cf. the covenant banquet in Ex 24:9–11 and wisdom’s banquet in Prv 9:1–6. The Lord’s covenant with David (2 Sm 7) is now to be extended beyond his dynasty.
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, buy grain and eat;
Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!#Jn 4:10–15; 6:35; 7:37–39; Rev 21:6; 22:17.
2Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what does not satisfy?
Only listen to me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
3Pay attention and come to me;
listen, that you may have life.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
the steadfast loyalty promised to David.#2 Sm 7:12–16.
4As I made him a witness to peoples,
a leader and commander of peoples,
5So shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and a nation#The “nation” is Persia under Cyrus, but the perspective is worldwide. that knew you not shall run to you,
Because of the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.#Acts 13:34.
6#The invitation to seek the Lord is motivated by the mercy of a God whose “ways” are completely mysterious. Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near.
7Let the wicked forsake their way,
and sinners their thoughts;
Let them turn to the Lord to find mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the Lord.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10#The efficacy of the word of God recalls 40:5, 8. Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
11So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
12Yes, in joy you shall go forth,
in peace you shall be brought home;
Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you,
all trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13In place of the thornbush, the cypress shall grow,
instead of nettles,#Thornbush…nettles: suggestive of the desert and therefore symbolic of suffering and hardship; cypress…myrtle: suggestive of fertile land and therefore symbolic of joy and strength. To the Lord’s renown: lit., “to the name of the Lord.” the myrtle.
This shall be to the Lord’s renown,
as an everlasting sign that shall not fail.
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Isaiah 55: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Isaiah 55
55
LV
1Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!
And he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat;
Yea, come, buy ye wine and milk,
Without money and without price.
2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
And your labour for that which satisfieth not?
Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good;
And let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3Incline your ear, and come unto me;
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
Even the sure mercies of David.
4Behold! I have given him for a Witness to the people,
A Prince and a Commander to the people.
5Behold! a nation which thou knewest not shalt thou call,
And a nation which knew not thee, shall run unto thee;
Because of Jehovah thy God,
And because of the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found,
Call ye upon him, while he is near:
7Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return unto Jehovah, that he may have compassion upon him;
And unto our God, for he aboundeth in forgiveness.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,
And returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,
And maketh it bring forth and bud;
That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be, which goeth forth out of my mouth;
It shall not return unto me void,
But it shall accomplish that which I please,
And shall prosper in that for which I shall have sent it.
12For ye shall go forth with joy,
And be led on with peace:
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,
And instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle;
And it shall be unto Jehovah for a name,
For an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.
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Translated by Rev John Jones (Ioan Tegid).Published at Oxford in 1830, second edition 1842.