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

37:28 “your raging against Me” This VERB (BDB 919, KB 1182, Hithpael INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) isrepeated in v. 29. Notice the personal element!This VERB in the Hiphil stem is often used of fear and trembling (cf. 14:16; 23:11) or eschatologicalevents (cf. 13:13). It is used of YHWH Himself in Ezek. 16:43.37:29 “I will put My hook in your nose” This is exactly what Assyria did to others. She tried tofrighten them by boasting of the cruelty that she had done to other nations. She tied the conqueredpeople together using hooks in their noses, lips, or tongues and marched them into exile (cf. II Kgs.19:28). God will now do the same thing to them.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 37:30-3230"Then this shall be the sign for you: you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the secondyear what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards and eat theirfruit. 31 The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruitupward. 32 For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zealof the LORD of hosts will perform this."'37:30 “this shall be the sign for you” This is important because Hezekiah is the Messianicrepresentative (i.e., 7:14-16) as Ahaz was (i.e. 8:8c,10c). God will show him a sign (BDB 16) here andin 38:7 (as He did Ahaz in 7:14). This particular sign is related to a three-year promise of full restorationof the land of Judah. I think 37:30-32 should be a separate paragraph, as should 37:33-35 and 36-38.Verse 30 has a series of IMPERATIVES as YHWH promises a three-year restoration (i.e., the covenantpromises of Deuteronomy 27-28).1. eat – BDB 37, KB 46, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE. This form is repeated in this verse (kethib),but the MT scholars suggested a change (Qere) to a Qal IMPERATIVE, which matches the otherIMPERATIVES in the verse. The difference is very close.a. -&,!&, MTb. &-,!&, suggested change2. sow – BDB 281, KB 282, Qal IMPERATIVE3. reap – BDB 894, KB 1126, Qal IMPERATIVE4. plant – BDB 642, KB 694, Qal IMPERATIVE5. eat, Qere, see note at #1Just one added thought, it is possible that this promised restoration is related to the “Year ofJubilee,” Lev. 25:10, see James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, p. 96.37:31 “the surviving remnant” See Special Topic at 1:9.} The agricultural metaphors continue. Judah is described as1. taking a strong root2. bearing fruit37:32 Those who survive Assyria’s attack will do so, not by their own plans or provisions, but by thezeal (cf. 9:7; 59:17) of the LORD of hosts! Ahaz planned, but Hezekiah trusted!} “The zeal of the LORD” This (BDB 888) refers to YHWH’s special love and care for His covenantpeople (a faithless wife of Hosea 1-3). YHWH acts passionately for His purposes in redemption (cf.63:15-19, which involves the children of Abraham, cf. Gen. 12:1-3). The phrase has Messianicimplications in 9:7 and 59:17. Context determines whether (1) zealous or (2) jealous is the best362