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

And there is no end to their treasures;Their land has also been filled with horsesAnd there is no end to their chariots.8Their land has also been filled with idols;They worship the work of their hands,That which their fingers have made.9So the common man has been humbledAnd the man of importance has been abased,But do not forgive them.10Enter the rock and hide in the dustFrom the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty.11The proud look of man will be abasedAnd the loftiness of man will be humbled,And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.2:5 Notice the parallel between v. 3 (the nations) and v. 5 (the Israelites). Lifestyle faith is the evidenceof a personal trusting relationship with God. Humans must know the truth, walk in the truth, and shareit with others! The nations were to learn this from Israel, but they did not!The “light of the LORD” is the true revelation (cf. 60:1-2,19-20). The worship of the lights of thenight sky is false revelation. This verse may be a rejection of Babylonian astral worship (cf. v. 6).YHWH and His Messiah are the true light for the nations (cf. 9:2; 42:6; 49:6; 51:4; 53:11).2:6-9 These verses describe why YHWH abandoned (BDB 643, KB 695, Qal PERFECT) His owncovenant people.1. They are filled with influence from the east, v. 6.2. They are soothsayers (BDB 778 II), like the Philistines, v. 6.3. They strike bargains with the children of foreigners, v. 6.4. They are wealthy and militarily strong (and trust in these things), v. 7 (notice the three-foldrepetition of “filled,” BDB 567, KB 583, Niphal IMPERFECT in vv. 7 and 8).5. They are idolatrous, v. 8 (cf. 17:8; 37:19; 40:19; 44:17).6. They treat the common people with disdain, v. 9 (cf. vv. 11,17; it is possible that this verse isparallel to v. 8 and refers to idolatry, cf. NKJV).What can the nations learn from people like this?!Concerning #6 above (v. 9), the NASB and NKJV translate it as another in a series of descriptionsof how the covenant people are acting, but NRSV and TEV translate it as a summary and the last line isa plea for YHWH, not to forgive them (Peshitta) or a statement by YHWH that He will not forgive them(LXX).2:6NASB, NRSV “from the east”NKJV“eastern ways”TEV, JPSOA “from the East”Peshitta “olden days”REB“traders”The UBS Hebrew OT Text Project gives “from the east” or “from olden times” (both possiblemeanings of this NOUN, BDB 869) a “B” rating (some doubt). The NEB and REB add one consonant48