The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

3. sea/river monster, Gen. 1:21; Job 7:12; Ps. 74:13; 148:7. It is parallel to Leviathan (cf. Psalm74:13-14). It is used as a metaphor for Egypt in Isa. 27:1; 51:9,10; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2.The two great river systems of the Ancient Near East were the cradles of civilization (i.e., the Nile andthe Tigris/Euphrates).Tanin (BDB 1072) is parallel with1. Leviathan, Ps. 74:13-14; Isa. 27:12. Rahab, Isa. 51:93. Bashan, Ps. 68:22; Amos 9:3 (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 87)NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 27:2-62In that day,"A vineyard of wine, sing of it!3I, the LORD, am its keeper;I water it every moment.So that no one will damage it,I guard it night and day.4I have no wrath.Should someone give Me briars and thorns in battle,Then I would step on them, I would burn them completely.5Or let him rely on My protection,Let him make peace with Me,Let him make peace with Me."6In the days to come Jacob will take root,Israel will blossom and sprout,And they will fill the whole world with fruit.27:2NASB “A vineyard of wine”NKJV “a vineyard of red wine”NRSV, TEV “a pleasant vineyard”NJB, REB “the splendid vineyard”LXX “a fair vineyard”JPSOA “a Vineyard of Delight”The Hebrew word for “pleasant” is $/( (BDB 326), which is in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia,but the MT and the DSS have the 9 not the $. The Hebrew word for “wine” is 9/( (BDB 330). Thevowel points are the same for both words. The UBS Hebrew Text Project gives “pleasant”a “C” rating(considerable doubt).The vineyard was a symbol of Israel (cf. 5:1-7; Peshitta), but here, because of the universal natureof chapters 24-27, it may be the whole earth (cf. 26:21; JPSOA footnote).} “sing” This is a Piel IMPERATIVE (BDB 777, KB 854). There are several “songs” mentioned in thisliterary unit. See note at 26:1b.27:3 YHWH had a special relationship, a covenant relationship with the descendants of Abraham. Theywere uniquely His people. However, v. 6 shows He had a universal plan for all the world (cf. Gen. 3:15;12:3; Exod. 19:5).266