Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 8. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt ] This is a most elegant metaphor, and every where well supported. The same similitude is used by Isaiah, Isa. v. 1, &c.; by Jeremiah, Jer. ii. 21; by Ezekiel, Ezek. xvii. 5, 6; by Hosea, Hos. x. 1; by Joel, Joel i. 7; by Moses, Deut. xxxii. 32, 33; and often by our Lord himself, Matt. xx. 1, &c.; xxi. 33, &c.; Mark xii. 1, &c. And this was the ordinary figure to represent the Jewish Church. We may remark several analogies here: - 1. This vine was brought out of Egypt that it might be planted in a better and more favourable soil. The Israelites were brought out of their Egyptian bondage that they might be established in the land of Canaan, where they might grow and flourish, and worship the true God.
2. When the husbandman has marked out a proper place for his vineyard, he hews down and roots up all other trees; gathers out the stones, brambles, &c., that might choke the young vines, and prevent them from being fruitful, So God cast out the heathen nations from the land of Canaan, that his pure worship might be established, and that there might not remain there any incitements to idolatry.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-16 - The church is represented as a vine and a vineyard. The root of thi vine is Christ, the branches are believers. The church is like a vine needing support, but spreading and fruitful. If a vine do not brin forth fruit, no tree is so worthless. And are not we planted as in well-cultivated garden, with every means of being fruitful in works of righteousness? But the useless leaves of profession, and the empt boughs of notions and forms, abound far more than real piety. It wa wasted and ruined. There was a good reason for this change in God's wa toward them. And it is well or ill with us, according as we are unde God's smiles or frowns. When we consider the state of the purest par of the visible church, we cannot wonder that it is visited with shar corrections. They request that God would help the vine. Lord, it is formed by thyself, and for thyself, therefore it may, with humbl confidence, be committed to thyself.
Original Hebrew גפן1612 ממצרים4714 תסיע5265 תגרשׁ1644 גוים1471 ותטעה׃5193
