Isaiah 4:4
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when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged away the bloodguiltinesses of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of sifting." "When," followed by a preterite (equivalent to a fut. exact. as in Isa 24:13; Ges. 126, 5), introduces the circumstance, whose previous occurrence would be the condition of all the rest. The force of the future yâdiach ("shall have purged") is regulated by that of the preterite râchatz, as in Isa 6:11; for although, when regarded simply by itself, as in Isa 10:12, the future tense may suggest the idea of a future prefect, it cannot have the force of such a future. The double purification answers to the two scenes of judgment described in chapter 3. The filth of the daughters of Zion is the moral pollution hidden under their vain and coquettish finery; and the murderous deeds of Jerusalem are the acts of judicial murder committed by its rulers upon the poor and innocent. This filth and these spots of blood the Sovereign Ruler washes and purges away (see Ch2 4:6), by causing His spirit or His breath to burst in upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, both male and female. This breath is called "the spirit of judgment," because it punishes evil; and "the spirit of sifting," inasmuch as it sweeps or cleans it away. בּער is to be explained, as in Isa 6:13, in accordance with Deu 13:6 (5, Eng. Ver.; "put the evil away") and other passages, such especially as Isa 19:13; Isa 21:9. The rendering given in the Septuagint and Vulgate, viz., "in the spirit of burning," is founded upon the radical meaning of the verb, which signifies literally to burn up, and hence to clear away or destroy (see Comm. on Job, at Job 31:12, Eng. Tr.). Nevertheless, "burning" in connection…
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. A threatening of the paucity and scarceness of man (Isa 4:1), which might fitly enough have been added to the close of the foregoing chapter, to which it has a plain reference. II. A promise of the restoration of Jerusalem's peace and purity, righteousness and safety, in the days of the Messiah (Isa 4:2-6). Thus, in wrath, mercy is remembered, and gospel grace is a sovereign relief, in reference to the terrors of the law and the desolations made by sin.
Open source ↗4:4 God’s judgment has a purifying effect on his covenant people (see Mal 3:3). Justice must be satisfied before restoration can be offered.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
This third I will bring through the fire;I will refine them like silverand test them like gold.They will call on My name,and I will answer them.I will say, ‘They are My people,’and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine upon you.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged.” For the LORD dwells in Zion.
The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”
Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!