Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. Fury is not in me "I have no wall"] For hmj chemah, anger, the Septuagint and Syriac read hmwj chomah, wall. An ancient MS. has hmyj cheimah. For hb bad, in her, two MSS. read µb bam, in them, plural. The vineyard wishes for a wall and a fence of thorns-human strength and protection, (as the Jews were too apt to apply to their powerful neighbours for assistance, and to trust to the shadow of Egypt:) JEHOVAH replies, that this would not avail her, nor defend her against his wrath. He counsels her, therefore, to betake herself to his protection. On which she entreats him to make peace with her.
From the above note it appears that the bishop reads, hmwj chomah, wall, for hmj chemah, anger or fury, in accordance with the Syriac and Septuagint. The letter w vau makes the only difference, which letter is frequently absent from many words where its place is supplied by the point . cholem: it might have been so here formerly; and in process of time both vau and cholem might have been lost. The Syriac supports the learned bishop's criticism, as the word shora is there used; which word in the plural is found, Heb. xi. x20: "By faith the walls of Jericho. " The bishop thinks the Septuagint is on his side: to me, it seems neither for nor against the criticism. The words in the Vatican copy are egw poliv ocura, I am a fortified city; which the Arabic follows: but instead of ocura, the Codex Alexandrinus has iscura, I am a STRONG city.
The word hmwj chomah, wall, is not found in any MS. in the collections of Kennicott and De Rossi, nor in any of my own MSS.
However, one of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. has hmyj cheimah; but probably that which now appears to be a y yod was formerly a w vau, and now partially obliterated.
This song receives much light from being collated with that in chap. v.; and perhaps the bishop's criticism will find its best support from such a collation. In ver. 5 of that chapter, God threatens to take away the wall of his vineyard: this was done; and here the vineyard complains, I have no wall, and wishes for any kind of defense rather than be thus naked. This is the only natural support of the above criticism.
"About Tripoli there are abundance of vineyards and gardens, inclosed, for the most part, with hedges, which chiefly consist of the rhamnus, paliurus, oxyacantha, "&c. Rawolf, p. 21, 22. A fence of thorns is esteemed equal to a wall for strength, being commonly represented as impenetrable. See Micah vii. 4; Hosea ii. 6.
Who would set the briers and thorns against me "O that I had a fence of the thorn and brier"] Seven MSS., (two ancient,) and one edition, with the Syriac, Vulgate, and Aquila, read tyw veshayith, with the conjunction w vau prefixed: Who would set the briers and thorns. ty rym ynnty ym mi yitteneni shamir shayith, Who shall give me the brier and thorn, i.e., for a defense: but hear Kimchi: "Who (the vineyard) hath given me (Jehovah) the brier and the thorn instead of good grapes."
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The Divine mercies encourage to confidence in God. (Is. 26:1-4) Hi judgments. (Is. 26:5-11) His people exhorted to wait upon Him. (Is 26:12-19) Deliverance promised. (Is. 26:20,21)
Is. 26:1-4 "That day," seems to mean when the New Testament Babylo shall be levelled with the ground. The unchangeable promise an covenant of the Lord are the walls of the church of God. The gates of this city shall be open. Let sinners then be encouraged to join to the Lord. Thou wilt keep him in peace; in perfect peace, inward peace outward peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times in all events. Trust in the Lord for that peace, that portion, whic will be for ever. Whatever we trust to the world for, it will last onl for a moment; but those who trust in God shall not only find in him but shall receive from him, strength that will carry them to tha blessedness which is for ever. Let us then acknowledge him in all ou ways, and rely on him in all trials.
Is. 26:5-11 The way of the just is evenness, a steady course of obedience and holy conversation. And it is their happiness that God makes their way plain and easy. It is our duty, and will be ou comfort, to wait for God, to keep up holy desires toward him in the darkest and most discouraging times. Our troubles must never turn u from God; and in the darkest, longest night of affliction, with ou souls must we desire him; and this we must wait and pray to him for. We make nothing of our religion, whatever our profession may be, if we d not make heart-work of it. Though we come ever so early, we shall fin God ready to receive us. The intention of afflictions is to teac righteousness: blessed is the man whom the Lord thus teaches. But sinners walk contrary to him. They will go on in their evil ways because they will not consider what a God he is whose laws they persis in despising. Scorners and the secure will shortly feel, what now the will not believe, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. They will not see the evil of sin; but they shall see Oh that they would abandon their sins, and turn to the Lord, that he may have mercy upon them.
Is. 26:12-19 Every creature, every business, any way serviceable to ou comfort, God makes to be so; he makes that work for us which seemed to make against us. They had been slaves of sin and Satan; but by the Divine grace they were taught to look to be set free from all forme masters. The cause opposed to God and his kingdom will sink at last See our need of afflictions. Before, prayer came drop by drop; now the pour it out, it comes now like water from a fountain. Afflictions brin us to secret prayer. Consider Christ as the Speaker addressing his church. His resurrection from the dead was an earnest of all the deliverance foretold. The power of his grace, like the dew or rain which causes the herbs that seem dead to revive, would raise his churc from the lowest state. But we may refer to the resurrection of the dead, especially of those united to Christ.
Is. 26:20,21 When dangers threaten, it is good to retire and lie hid when we commend ourselves to God to hide us, he will hide us eithe under heaven or in heaven. Thus we shall be safe and happy in the mids of tribulations. It is but for a short time, as it were for a littl moment; when over, it will seem as nothing. God's place is the mercy-seat; there he delights to be: when he punishes, he comes out of his place, for he has no pleasure in the death of sinners. But there is hardly any truth more frequently repeated in Scripture, than God' determined purpose to punish the workers of iniquity. Let us keep clos to the Lord, and separate from the world; and let us seek comfort i secret prayer. A day of vengeance is coming on the world, and before i comes we are to expect tribulation and suffering. But because the Christian looks for these things, shall he be restless and dismayed No, let him repose himself in his God. Abiding in him, the believer i safe. And let us wait patiently the fulfilling of God's promises _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew חמה2534 אין369 לי מי4310 יתנני5414 שׁמיר8068 שׁית7898 במלחמה4421 אפשׂעה6585 בה אציתנה6702 יחד׃3162
