Isaiah 27
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Ambassadors being come from several neighboring nations to solicit the king of Judah to join in a confederacy against the king of Babylon, Jeremiah is commanded to put bands and yokes upon his neck, (the emblems of subjection and slavery), and to send them afterwards by those ambassadors to their respective princes; intimating by this significant type that God had decreed their subjection to the Babylonian empire, and that it was their wisdom to submit. It is farther declared that all the conquered nations shall remain in subjection to the Chaldeans during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, and those of his son and grandson, even till the arrival of that period in which the Babylonians shall have filled up the measure of their iniquities; and that then the mighty Chaldean monarchy itself, for a certain period the paramount power of the habitable globe, shall be voted with a dreadful storm of Divine wrath, through the violence of which it shall be dashed to pieces like a potter's vessel, the fragments falling into the hands of many nations and great kings, Jer 27:1-11. Zedekiah, particularly, is admonished not to join to the revolt against Nebuchadnezzar, and warned against trusting to the suggestions of false prophets, Jer 27:11-18. The chapter concludes with foretelling that what still remained of the sacred vessels of the temple should be carried to Babylon, and not restored till after the destruction of the Chaldean empire, Jer 27:19-22.
Open source ↗CONTINUATION OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH, TWENTY-FIFTH, AND TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTERS. (Isa 27:1-13) sore--rather, "hard," "well-tempered." leviathan--literally, in Arabic, "the twisted animal," applicable to every great tenant of the waters, sea-serpents, crocodiles, &c. In Eze 29:3; Eze 32:2; Dan 7:1, &c. Rev 12:3, &c., potentates hostile to Israel are similarly described; antitypically and ultimately Satan is intended (Rev 20:10). piercing--rigid [LOWTH]. Flying [MAURER and Septuagint]. Long, extended, namely, as the crocodile which cannot readily bend back its body [HOUBIGANT]. crooked--winding. dragon--Hebrew, tenin; the crocodile. sea--the Euphrates, or the expansion of it near Babylon.
Open source ↗In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword,.... Meaning either the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, quick and powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword, Eph 6:17 or else some sore judgment of God: some understand it of the Medes and Persians, by whom the Lord would destroy the Babylonish monarchy; or rather it is the great power of God, or his judiciary sentence, and the execution of it, the same with the twoedged sword, which proceeds out of the mouth of the Word of God, by which the antichristian kings and their armies will be slain, Rev 19:15, shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent (i), even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea; by which are meant, not literally creatures so called, though the Talmud (k) interprets them of the whales, the leviathan male and female; but mystically earthly princes and potentates, for their great power and authority, their cruelty and voraciousness, their craft and cunning; so the Targum and Aben Ezra interpret them of the kings of the earth; and are to be understood either of distinct persons, or countries they rule over: some think three are pointed at, as the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Edomites, or Romans, so Jarchi; or the Greeks, Turks, and Indians, as Kimchi. The Targum is, "he shall punish the king who is magnified as Pharaoh the first, and the king that is exalted as Sennacherib the second, and shall slay the king that is strong as the dragon (or whale) that is in the sea.'' Some are of opinion that only one person or kingdom is here meant, either the king of Egypt, compared to such a sea monster, because of the river Nile, that watered his country; see Eze 29:3 others, the king of Babylon, which city was situated by the river Euphrates, and is described as…
Open source ↗Upon whom the judgment of Jehovah particularly falls, is described in figurative and enigmatical words in Isa 27:1 : "In that day will Jehovah visit with His sword, with the hard, and the great, and the strong, leviathan the fleet serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent, and slay the dragon in the sea." No doubt the three animals are emblems of three imperial powers. The assertion that there are no more three animals than there are three swords, is a mistake. If the preposition were repeated in the case of the swords, as it is in the case of the animals, we should have to understand the passage as referring to three swords as well as three animals. But this is not the case. We have therefore to inquire what the three world-powers are; and this question is quite a justifiable one: for we have no reason to rest satisfied with the opinion held by Drechsler, that the three emblems are symbols of ungodly powers in general, of every kind and every sphere, unless the question itself is absolutely unanswerable. Now the tannin (the stretched-out aquatic animal) is the standing emblem of Egypt (Isa 51:9; Psa 74:13; Eze 29:3; Eze 32:2). And as the Euphrates-land and Asshur are mentioned in Isa 27:12, Isa 27:13 in connection with Egypt, it is immediately probable that the other two animals signify the kingdom of the Tigris, i.e., Assyria, with its capital Nineveh which stood on the Tigris, and the kingdom of the Euphrates, i.e., Chaldea, with its capital Babylon which stood upon the Euphrates. Moreover, the application of the same epithet Leviathan to both the kingdoms, with simply a difference in the attributes, is suggestive of two kingdoms that were related to each other. We must not be misled by the fact that nâchâsh bâriach is a constellation in Job 26:13; we have no bam…
Open source ↗The prophet is here singing of judgment and mercy, I. Of judgment upon the enemies of God's church (Isa 27:1), tribulation to those that trouble it, Th2 1:6. When the Lord comes out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth (Isa 26:21), he will be sure to punish leviathan, the dragon that is in the sea, every proud oppressing tyrant, that is the terror of the mighty, and, like the leviathan, is so fierce that none dares stir him up, and his heart as hard as a stone, and when he raises up himself the mighty are afraid, Job 41:10, Job 41:24, Job 41:25. The church has many enemies, but commonly some one that is more formidable than the rest. So Sennacherib was in his day, and Nebuchadnezzar in his, and Antiochus in his; so Pharaoh had been formerly, and is called leviathan and the dragon, Isa 51:9; Psa 74:13, Psa 74:14; Eze 29:3. The New Testament church has had its leviathans; we read of a great red dragon ready to devour it, Rev 12:3. Those malignant persecuting powers are here compared to the leviathan for bulk, and strength, and the mighty bustle they make in the world, - to dragons for their rage and fury, - to serpents, piercing serpents, penetrating in their counsels, quick in their motions, and which, if they once get in their head, will soon wind in their whole body, - crossing like a bar (so the margin), standing in the way of all their neighbours and obstructing them, - to crooked serpents, subtle and insinuating, but perverse and mischievous. Great and mighty princes, if they oppose the people of God, are in God's account as dragons and serpents, the plagues of mankind; and the Lord will punish them in due time. They are too big for men to deal with and call to an account, and therefore the great God will take the matter into his own hands. He has a…
Open source ↗27:1 Israel adapted the imagery of Leviathan to refer to evil powers that oppose God. Leviathan’s death symbolizes the end of evil, Satan, the demonic, and the dominion of forces hostile to God (see 51:9; Pss 74:14; 104:7-9, 26; see also the serpent in Gen 3; Rev 12; 13; 16:13; 20:2, 10).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God קָשֶׁה (qâsheh, H7186) — severe (in various applications) גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent חָזָק (châzâq, H2389) — strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent) חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) — drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or… פָּקַד (pâqad, H6485) — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care… לִוְיָתָן (livyâthân, H3882) — a wreathed animal, i.e. a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large… בָּרִיחַ (bârîyach, H1281) — a fugitive, i.e. the serpent (as fleeing), and the constellation by that name נָחָשׁ (nâchâsh, H5175) — a snake (from its hiss) עֲקַלָּתוֹן (ʻăqallâthôwn, H6129) — tortuous הָרַג (hârag, H2026) — to smite with deadly intent תַּנִּין (tannîyn, H8577) — a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or jackal יָם (yâm, H3220) — a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the…
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6031) — to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various… כֶּרֶם (kerem, H3754) — a garden or vineyard חֶמֶר (chemer, H2561) — wine (as fermenting) חֶמֶד (chemed, H2531) — delight
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God נָצַר (nâtsar, H5341) — to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal,… שָׁקָה (shâqâh, H8248) — to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish apotion to רֶגַע (regaʻ, H7281) — a wink (of the eyes), i.e. a very short space of time פָּקַד (pâqad, H6485) — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care… לַיִל (layil, H3915) — properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to…
Open source ↗חֵמָה (chêmâh, H2534) — heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) שָׁמִיר (shâmîyr, H8068) — a thorn; also (from its keenness for scratching) a gem, probably the diamond שַׁיִת (shayith, H7898) — scrub or trash, i.e. wild growth of weeds or briers (as if put on the field) מִלְחָמָה (milchâmâh, H4421) — a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare) פָּשַׂע (pâsaʻ, H6585) — to stride (from spreading the legs), i.e. rush upon צוּת (tsûwth, H6702) — to blaze יַחַד (yachad, H3162) — properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly
Open source ↗חָזַק (châzaq, H2388) — to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively… מָעוֹז (mâʻôwz, H4581) — a fortified place; figuratively, a defence עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application שָׁלוֹם (shâlôwm, H7965) — safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,…
Open source ↗בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) יַעֲקֹב (Yaʻăqôb, H3290) — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch שָׁרַשׁ (shârash, H8327) — to root, i.e. strike into the soil, or (by implication) to pluck from it יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity צוּץ (tsûwts, H6692) — to twinkle, i.e. glance; by analogy, to blossom (figuratively, flourish) פָּרַח (pârach, H6524) — to break forth as a bud, i.e. bloom; generally, to spread; specifically, to fly (as… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… תֵּבֵל (têbêl, H8398) — the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension, the globe; by implication,… תְּנוּבָה (tᵉnûwbâh, H8570) — produce
Open source ↗נָכָה (nâkâh, H5221) — to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively) מַכָּה (makkâh, H4347) — a wound; figuratively, carnage, also pestilence הָרַג (hârag, H2026) — to smite with deadly intent הֶרֶג (hereg, H2027) — slaughter
Open source ↗סַאסְּאָה (çaʼçᵉʼâh, H5432) — measurement, i.e. moderation שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) רִיב (rîyb, H7378) — properly, to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. hold a… הָגָה (hâgâh, H1898) — to remove קָשֶׁה (qâsheh, H7186) — severe (in various applications) רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… קָדִים (qâdîym, H6921) — the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for…
Open source ↗זֹאת (zôʼth, H2063) — this (often used adverb) עָוֺן (ʻâvôn, H5771) — perversity, i.e. (moral) evil יַעֲקֹב (Yaʻăqôb, H3290) — Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch כָּפַר (kâphar, H3722) — to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or… פְּרִי (pᵉrîy, H6529) — fruit (literally or figuratively) סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) חַטָּאָה (chaṭṭâʼâh, H2403) — an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or… שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… אֶבֶן (ʼeben, H68) — a stone מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbêach, H4196) — an altar גִּר (gir, H1615) — lime (from being burned in a kiln) נָפַץ (nâphats, H5310) — to dash to pieces, or scatter אֲשֵׁרָה (ʼăshêrâh, H842) — Asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess; also an image of the same חַמָּן (chammân, H2553) — a sun-pillar
Open source ↗בָּצַר (bâtsar, H1219) — to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification) עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… בָּדָד (bâdâd, H910) — separate; adverb, separately נָוֶה (nâveh, H5116) — (adjectively) at home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home,… שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… עֵגֶל (ʻêgel, H5695) — a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer) רָעָה (râʻâh, H7462) — to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively);… רָבַץ (râbats, H7257) — to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal); be implication, to recline,… כָּלָה (kâlâh, H3615) — to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitived (to complete,… סָעִיף (çâʻîyph, H5585) — a fissure (of rocks); also a bough (as subdivided)
Open source ↗קָצִיר (qâtsîyr, H7105) — severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also… יָבֵשׁ (yâbêsh, H3001) — to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither… שָׁבַר (shâbar, H7665) — to burst (literally or figuratively) אִשָּׁה (ʼishshâh, H802) — a woman בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אוֹר (ʼôwr, H215) — to be (causative, make) luminous (literally and metaphorically) עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… בִּינָה (bîynâh, H998) — understanding עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application רָחַם (râcham, H7355) — to fondle; by implication, to love, especially to compassionate יָצַר (yâtsar, H3335) — to mould into a form; especially as apotter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a… חָנַן (chânan, H2603) — properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to…
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God חָבַט (châbaṭ, H2251) — to knock out or off שִׁבֹּל (shibbôl, H7641) — a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy, a branch נָהָר (nâhâr, H5104) — a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively,… נַחַל (nachal, H5158) — a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a… מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt לָקַט (lâqaṭ, H3950) — properly, to pick up, i.e. (generally) to gather; specifically, to glean אֶחָד (ʼechâd, H259) — properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent שׁוֹפָר (shôwphâr, H7782) — a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn תָּקַע (tâqaʻ, H8628) — to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) אַשּׁוּר (ʼAshshûwr, H804) — Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them… נָדַח (nâdach, H5080) — to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (to… מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt שָׁחָה (shâchâh, H7812) — to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God קֹדֶשׁ (qôdesh, H6944) — a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity הַר (har, H2022) — a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.
By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies and vomited me out.
He is the foremost of God’s works; only his Maker can draw the sword against him.
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.