Isaiah 25
A Song of Praise for God's Judgment 1–5
God Will Swallow Up Death Forever 6–9
God’s Judgment Against Moab 10–12
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Isaiah 25
Verse 1
thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth — ‘Wonderful things’ is pele, the first word of the child’s name ‘Wonderful, Counsellor’ (Isa 9:6). ‘Counsels’ (etsah) are God’s plans, ‘of old’ being literally ‘from afar’ (rachoq), and they stand in ‘faithfulness’ (emunah) and ‘truth’ (omen). The opening echoes Ps 118:28, ‘Thou art my God, and I will praise thee’.
Verse 2
a palace of strangers — Armon is a citadel or palace, and ‘strangers’ (zarim) are foreigners. The ‘city’ (ir) is not named; it is left a ‘heap’ (gal) and a ‘ruin’ (mappalah), the word Isa 17:1 uses of Damascus, ‘a ruinous heap’. ‘Never be built’ is literally ‘not built for ever’ (olam).
Verse 3
the strong people glorify thee — Az, strong, and aritz, ruthless or terrible, describe the oppressors, who ‘glorify’ and ‘fear’ once the judgments have fallen. The word aritz is the same as ‘the terrible ones’ of vv.4–5, so the tyrants themselves give glory, as in Rev 11:13, ‘the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven’.
Verse 4
a strength to the poor — ‘Strength’ is maoz, a fortified place, used twice in the verse for the poor (dal, weak) and the needy (evyon). ‘Refuge’ (machaseh), ‘shadow’ (tsel) and ‘heat’ occur together in Isa 4:6, ‘a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge’. The terrible ones’ blast beats ‘against the wall’ (qir).
Verse 6
a feast of fat things — It is made ‘in this mountain’, the Zion of 24:23, and ‘unto all people’. ‘Wines on the lees’ (shemarim) are wines left standing on their dregs and then ‘well refined’ (zaqaq), strained clear. The invitation to the nations is taken up in Matt 8:11, ‘many shall come from the east and west’, and in ‘the marriage supper of the Lamb’ (Rev 19:9).
Verse 7
the face of the covering — ‘Destroy’ is bala, to swallow, the verb that returns for death in v.8. The covering (lot) and the ‘vail’ are spread over ‘all people’ and ‘all nations’, and Paul describes the Gentiles as ‘having the understanding darkened’ (Eph 4:18). The veil is removed ‘in this mountain’, the place of the feast in v.6.
Verse 8
swallow up death in victory — Bala is the verb of v.7, and netsach, ‘victory’, is rendered ‘for evermore’ in Ps 16:11. Paul quotes the line at the resurrection, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’ (1 Cor 15:54), and John echoes the next, ‘God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes’ (Rev 21:4). ‘Rebuke’ (cherpah) is reproach.
Verse 9
we have waited for him — Qavah, to wait in expectation, is used twice in the verse, as in Jacob’s dying cry, ‘I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD’ (Gen 49:18), which also uses yeshuah, ‘salvation’. ‘Save’ (yasha) and ‘salvation’ share the root behind the name Jesus, given because ‘he shall save his people from their sins’ (Matt 1:21).
Verse 10
Moab shall be trodden down — Moab is the one nation named in the chapter, and its pride is the charge of Isa 16:6, ‘he is very proud’. ‘Trodden down’ is dush, to trample or thresh, and the picture is straw (mathben) trampled in the heap for the dunghill (madmenah). ‘Rest’ (nuach) is said of the LORD’s hand on the mountain, while Moab is trodden down under him.
Verse 11
he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands — ‘Swim’ is sachah, used also in Ps 6:6, ‘make I my bed to swim’. The outspread hands are read either as Moab’s strokes in deep water or as the LORD’s hand reaching into the midst of them. Either way the ‘pride’ (gaavah) comes down: ‘bring down’ is shaphel, the verb of Isa 2:11, ‘The lofty looks of man shall be humbled’.