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.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 55: NABRE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Isaiah 55
55
Invitation to True Rewards
1“Ho! Everyone thirsty, come to the waters!
And whoever has no money, come, buy and eat,
and come, buy without money,
wine and milk without price!
2Why do you weigh out money for what is not food,
and your labor for what cannot satisfy?#Literally “what is not for satiation”
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and let your soul take pleasure in rich#Literally “fatty” food.
3Extend your ear, and come to me!
Listen so that#Or “and” your soul may live,
and I will make#Literally “cut” an everlasting covenant with#or “for” you,
the enduring proofs of the mercies shown to#Literally “mercy of” David.
4Look! I made#Or “gave” him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and a commander for the peoples.
5Look! You shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that does not know you shall run to you,
because of Yahweh your God,
and the holy one of Israel, for he has glorified you.”
6Seek Yahweh while he lets himself be found;#Literally “in his letting himself be found”
call him while he is#Literally “in his being” near.
7Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the man of sin his thoughts.
And let him return to Yahweh, that#Or “and” he may take pity on him,
and to our God, for he will forgive manifold.#Literally “make numerous to”
8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways,”
declares#Literally “declaration of” Yahweh.
9“For as the heavens are higher#Literally “high” than the earth,
so my ways are higher#Literally “high” than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For just as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and they do not return there
except they have watered the earth thoroughly
and cause it to bring forth and sprout,
and give seed to the sower
and bread to the eater,
11so shall be my word that goes out from my mouth.
It shall not return to me without success,
but shall accomplish#Or “do” what I desire
and be successful in the thing for which I sent it.
12For you shall go out in joy,
and you shall be led in peace.
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you, rejoicing
and all the trees of the field shall clap hands.#Hebrew “hand”
13Instead of the thorn bush, the juniper shall go up;
instead of the brier, the myrtle shall go up,
and it shall serve as a memorial to Yahweh,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software