1 Isa 62:1-12. Intercessory prayers for Zion's restoration, accompanying God's promises of it, as the appointed means of accomplishing it. I - the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7; Psa 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa 42:4; Isa 50:7). righteousness thereof - not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jer 23:6). as brightness - properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Isa 60:19; Isa 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pro 4:18). lamp - blazing torch.
2 (Isa 11:10; Isa 42:1-6; Isa 49:7, Isa 49:22, Isa 49:23; Isa 60:3, Isa 60:5, Isa 60:16). new name - expression of thy new and improved condition (Isa 62:4), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isa 62:12; Isa 65:15; Rev 2:17; Rev 3:12).
3 (Zec 9:16) in ... hand of ... Lord - As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare Deu 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him (Rev 6:2; Rev 19:12); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them (Isa 28:5; compare Mal 3:17).
4 be termed - be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee. Hephzi-bah - (2Ki 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Isa 32:1): "my delight is in her." Beulah - "Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Isa 54:4-6; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:4). land ... married - to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].
5 thy sons - rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Isa 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Isa 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Isa 54:5). over the bride - in the possession of the bride (Isa 65:19; Jer 32:41; Zep 3:17).
6 I - Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah. watchmen upon ... walls - image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Isa 52:7, Isa 52:8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Isa 21:6-11; Isa 56:10; Eze 3:17; Eze 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen. ye that ... mention ... Lord - Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Isa 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Psa 119:49; Jer 14:21).
7 no rest - Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold ... peace ... not rest" (Isa 62:1); Messiah's watchmen (Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7) imitate Him (Isa 62:1) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem (Psa 122:6; Psa 51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church (Luk 18:1, Luk 18:7; Rom 1:9). a praise - (See on Isa 61:11; Zep 3:20).
8 sworn by ... right hand - His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13). sons of ... stranger - Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Isa 65:21, Isa 65:22).
9 eat ... and praise - not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving. drink it in ... courts - They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple (Deu 12:17, Deu 12:18; Deu 14:23, etc.).
10 What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Isa 62:1) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Isa 62:7), and what Jehovah solemnly promised (Isa 62:8, Isa 62:9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Isa 7:14; Isa 40:3; Isa 52:10-12). standard - for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Isa 49:22; Isa 11:12).
11 salvation - embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9). his work - rather, recompense (Isa 40:10).
12 Sought out - Sought after and highly prized by Jehovah; answering to "not forsaken" in the parallel clause; no longer abandoned, but loved; image from a wife (Isa 62:4; Jer 30:14).
I - the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7; Psa 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa 42:4; Isa 50:7).
righteousness thereof - not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jer 23:6).
as brightness - properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Isa 60:19; Isa 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pro 4:18).
lamp - blazing torch.
2 (Isa 11:10; Isa 42:1-6; Isa 49:7, Isa 49:22, Isa 49:23; Isa 60:3, Isa 60:5, Isa 60:16).
new name - expression of thy new and improved condition (Isa 62:4), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isa 62:12; Isa 65:15; Rev 2:17; Rev 3:12).
3 (Zec 9:16)
in ... hand of ... Lord - As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare Deu 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him (Rev 6:2; Rev 19:12); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them (Isa 28:5; compare Mal 3:17).
4 be termed - be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee.
Hephzi-bah - (2Ki 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Isa 32:1): "my delight is in her."
Beulah - "Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Isa 54:4-6; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:4).
land ... married - to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].
5 thy sons - rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Isa 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Isa 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Isa 54:5).
over the bride - in the possession of the bride (Isa 65:19; Jer 32:41; Zep 3:17).
6 I - Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah.
watchmen upon ... walls - image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Isa 52:7, Isa 52:8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Isa 21:6-11; Isa 56:10; Eze 3:17; Eze 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen.
ye that ... mention ... Lord - Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Isa 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Psa 119:49; Jer 14:21).
7 no rest - Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold ... peace ... not rest" (Isa 62:1); Messiah's watchmen (Isa 62:6, Isa 62:7) imitate Him (Isa 62:1) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem (Psa 122:6; Psa 51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church (Luk 18:1, Luk 18:7; Rom 1:9).
a praise - (See on Isa 61:11; Zep 3:20).
8 sworn by ... right hand - His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13).
sons of ... stranger - Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Isa 65:21, Isa 65:22).
9 eat ... and praise - not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving.
drink it in ... courts - They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple (Deu 12:17, Deu 12:18; Deu 14:23, etc.).
10 What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Isa 62:1) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Isa 62:7), and what Jehovah solemnly promised (Isa 62:8, Isa 62:9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Isa 7:14; Isa 40:3; Isa 52:10-12).
standard - for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Isa 49:22; Isa 11:12).
11 salvation - embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9).
his work - rather, recompense (Isa 40:10).
12 Sought out - Sought after and highly prized by Jehovah; answering to "not forsaken" in the parallel clause; no longer abandoned, but loved; image from a wife (Isa 62:4; Jer 30:14).