A Prophecy of Esau and Jacob

The subject of God’s servant changes back and forth between Jacob and the Messiah; and below in Isaiah 42:1 and Isaiah 52:13, the Targum specifically identifies “my servant” as “the Messiah” while in the Masoretic text both are uncertain and debateable.

(1) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord hath spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. Isaiah 1:2

— the expression, “O earth” is expressed seven times throughout the OT, here by Isaiah, elsewhere by Moses, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Micah, empahsizing that God, too, has a message for the whole of humanity;

— God have nourished and brought up the children of Israel; “my people, the house of Israel, whom I have called children,” but they have rebelled against their Lord and King;

— for the house of Israel were under God, who was their Father, also their King, and they rebelled against him by breaking his laws, which rebellion is aggravated by its being not only of subjects against their King, but of children against their father; the law concerning a rebellious son, Deuteronomy 21:18;

— the Targum has further explicit insight:

Hear, O heavens, which trembled when I gave my law to my people, and give ear, O earth, which was agitated on account of my words, for the Lord has spoken. My people, the house of Israel, whom I called sons, I loved them, I made them glorious; but they have rebelled against my Word. Isaiah 2:2 Jonathan

(2) Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they have gone away backward. Isaiah 1:4

— a seed of evil doers; this is said both of their fathers and of themselves; they were planted the right seed but they had degenerated, becoming a wicked generation;

— they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger; by their numerous sins, both of omission and commission;

— as a result the wounds and bruises of Israel mentioned here should not be viewed as resulting from the hostile attacks of her enemies but as the result of the stripes of punishment laid upon Israel by the hand of God;

— the Targum expresses the irony of a holy people being sinful as this:

Woe to those who are called a holy people, because they have sinned; a chosen congregation, but they have multiplied sins; they are surnamed a beloved seed, but they have done evil; they are called beloved sons, but they have corrupted their paths; they have forsaken the worship of the Lord; they abhorred the fear of the Holy One of Israel, and because their works are evil they are turned away, and they are turned back. Isaiah 2:4 Jonathan

(3) Why should ye be stricken anymore? Ye will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Isaiah 1:5-6

— ye revolt more and more or apostatize more and more; and grow more obdurate and resolute;

— from the sole of the foot even unto the head, every member of the body politic was afflicted in one way or another or sadly infected with the disease of sin; see Psalms 28:3;

— the Targum, whose origin in the Aramaic language could be traced to Ezra, says:

They do not consider so as to say, Wherefore has He smitten us? They continue in sin;’ they do not say, Why is all the head sick, and the whole heart faint?

From the lowest of my people even unto the chief of them, there is not one amongst them who is perfect in my fear: all of them are disobedient and rebellious; they are polluted with sins, they are like an ulcerous wound; they have not forsaken their pride, neither long for repentance; they have also no righteousness to protect them. Isaiah 1:5-6 Jonathan

(4) And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. Isaiah 1:31

— and the strong shall be as tow, that is, the well-to-do will be as a lamp-wick; and the maker of it as a spark, rather, his work as a spark, for the idol causes a consuming fire, which devours the idolaters themselves; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them;

— when the final Judgement comes and the fate of men has been decided, then the verdict of condemnation will strike the ungodly, and their worm will not die, neither will their fire be quenched, and they will be an abomination to all flesh;

— the Targum says not just the strong, but the wicked:

The strength of the wicked shall be as tow of flax, and the work of their hand as a spark of fire, when one approaches to the side of the other, both are burning together: thus the wicked shall be consumed, they and their evil works, and none shall have pity upon them. Isaiah 1:31 Jonathan

(5) And many people shall go and say, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3

— and many people shall go and say, this is a prophecy of the numerous conversions among the nations in the latter day as also said in Zechariah 8:20;

— during the Millennium, he will teach us of his ways: that is, the Lord the God of Jacob; he is the teacher and there is none teaches like him; and happy are they who are taught by God;

— for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, not from heaven; by which is meant the law, not to be mistaken as faith, of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:4 for the law; called the “word of the Lord;”

— this began to be preached first in Jerusalem and from there it went forth into the world; and in Zion, in the Kingdom of God, it is now preached and will be more fully during the Millennium; and so is an encouraging reason to engage persons to go up and hear it;

— the Targum reveals a Sanctuary would be there and the Father there, too, as his Shekinah would be there:

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the house of the sanctuary of the Lord, to the house of the Shekinah of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, which are right before Him, and we will walk in the instruction of His law; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the instruction of the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3 Jonathan

(6) “And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. Isaiah 3:4

— the Targum says, And I will appoint sucklings to be their governors, and the weak shall rule over them.

(7) Moreover the Lord saith: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet, Isaiah 3:16

— the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched-forth necks, proudly thrown back, and wanton eyes, winking in feigned innocence;

— but with hidden invitation, walking and mincing, with affected, tripping steps, as they go and making a tinkling with their feet, the ankle-chains, which brought about the mincing steps, also producing a delicate ringing,

— the Targum says

And the Lord said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and they are walking with stretched-forth necks, and they walk with their eyes painted, with their hair rolled up, and with their feet they excite lust. Isaiah 3:16 Jonathan

(8) In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their hair nets and their round ornaments like the moon, Isaiah 3:18

— the Targum renders it, “the ornament of the sandals”; these were put about the place where the shoes were tied; and in the Talmud the word is explained by קורדיקייה, “shoes” which the gloss interprets of wooden shoes: the ornament of their clothing; as if this was the general name for the particulars that follow:

— in the form of the moon; they were no other than bracelets, necklaces or golden chains and the word in the Talmud is rendered עונקייה, “chains.”

(9) In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for those who have escaped of Israel. Isaiah 4:2

— the Targum identifies the Branch as the Messiah, thus, “at that time shall the Messiah of the Lord be for joy and glory.” Isaiah 4:2 Jonathan

(10) And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defense. Isaiah 4:5

— and the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies, wherever there are congregations of believers, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night;

— for in every place of glory where believers are assembled in his name, shall be a defense, a covering, or canopy, of the Lord himself, as the King of kings, having his throne everywhere, where his glory shines forth;

— the Targum has it thus:

And the Lord will create upon every holy place of the mountain of Zion, and upon the place of the house of His Shekinah a cloud of glory; which shall be shadowing over it by day, and a thick cloud and a brightness as of flaming fire by night; because of the excellency of the glory which He has promised to bring upon it, the Shekinah shall be protecting it with a protection. Isaiah 4:5 Jonathan

(11) And there shall be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain. — and there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, the Messiah himself dwelling in our midst; Isaiah 4:6

— and for a place of refuge where anyone may hide in safety from storm and from rain; for the Messiah is the Protector of his Kingdom against the manifold dangers with which it is surrounded. In this way the Branch of the Lord serves for glory to his elect, and the believers cheerfully trust themselves to his keeping;

— the Targum has it thus:

And over Jerusalem shall be a tabernacle of clouds, to overshadow it by day from the scorching heat, and for a place of refuge from storm and from rain. Isaiah 4:6 Jonathan

(12) Now will I sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved concerning His vineyard: my Well-beloved hath a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. Isaiah 5:1

— now will Prophet Isaiah sing to his well-beloved a song of his God the Father, singing to the Lord of hosts, expressing his thoughts of the Lord with all his heart and soul,

— touching his vineyard, that of his Kingdom at the time of the prophet. His well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill, literally, “on the horn, or summit,” the vineyard being situated on a hill and having the most fertile soil;

— but the Targum disputes Isaiah was singing to God, but for a prosperous Israel to repent, paraphrases the words thus,

“The prophet said, Now I will sing to Israel, who is like unto a vineyard, the seed of Abraham, my beloved, a song of my beloved, concerning his vineyard. My people, my beloved Israel, I gave to them an inheritance in a high mountain, in a fat land.” Isaiah 5:1 Jonathan

(13) And He fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine; and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine press therein. And He looked for it to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Isaiah 5:2

— and he fenced it, rather, spaded or hoed it thoroughly, and gathered out the stones thereof, which hindered the proper cultivation of the ground, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, this being interpreted as a watchtower;

— but the Targum says, “and I built my sanctuary in the midst of them.”

(14) What could have been done more to My vineyard than I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to bring forth good grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:4

— what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done?

— the Targum asks,

“what good have I said to do more to my people, which I have not done to them? and what is this I have said, that they should do good works, but they have done evil works?”

(15) Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah.” Isaiah 5:10

— yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one hath, for their fields shall be barren and unfruitful; and the seed of an homer, about eight bushels, shall yield an ephah;

— the Targum makes this barrenness to be the punishment of their sin, in not paying tithes paraphrasing the words thus, “for because of the sin of not giving tithes, the place of ten acres of vineyard shall produce one bath.”

(16) Woe unto them that draw along iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope; Isaiah 5:18

— woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, their first excuses to themselves being like hair-strings, but their increasing callousness finally causing them boldly to draw their guilt to them as with heavy cords;

— and sin, as it were, with a cart-rope, they hitch it to them like draft-horses dragging a heavy wagon, laying themselves to the traces with all their might, utterly ignoring the thought of a day of vengeance;

— thus the Targum interprets it of such that begin with lesser sins, and increase to more ungodliness; paraphrasing it thus, “woe to them that begin to sin a little, and they go on and increase until that they are strong, and “their” sins “are” as a cart rope”

(17) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that count darkness as light, and light as darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20

— the Targum has it this way:

Woe to them that say to the wicked who prosper in this world, Ye are good; and say to the meek, Ye are wicked. What, is it not so? When light cometh to the righteous, shall it not be dark with the wicked? And the words of the law shall be sweet to them that do them; but bitterness shall come to the wicked, and they shall know that in the end sin is bitter to them that commit it. Isaiah 5:20 Jonathan

(18) Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink, Isaiah 5:22

— woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink, champions of dissolute living, selling justice in order to obtain the means to indulge in the service of mammon and luxury;

— the Targum identifies the ‘them’ as the “mighty lords of riches” those who can afford to drink wine and strong drink; which carries the sense not to the strength of their bodies, but of their purses.

(19) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1

— the Targum expresses the presence of a Temple, says, “and the Temple was filled with the brightness of his glory.”

(20) “Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” Isaiah 7:11

— ask thee a sign of the Lord, thy God, this offer to perform a miracle being intended to confirm the promise just made; ask it either in the depth, in the underworld, in hell, or in the height above; ask for the moon (MSG);

— the Targum says, “ask that a miracle may be done for thee upon earth, or that a sign may be shown thee in heaven” the Lord permitted Ahaz to attach his faith to a condition named by himself, so that every excuse of unbelief would be taken from him.

(21) And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. Isaiah 7:18

— and it shall come to pass in that day, at the time when he would send his judgement, first upon Israel then Judah; that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, the various canals of the Nile;

— and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria; that is, the Assyrian army, so called because the country abounded with bees; and because of the number of their armies, their military order and discipline, and their hurtful and mischievous nature;

— the Targum paraphrases the whole thus, “and it shall come at that time that the Lord shall call to a people, to bands of armies, of mighty men, who are numerous as flies, and shall bring them from the ends of the land of Egypt; and to mighty armies, who are powerful as bees, and shall bring them from the uttermost parts of the land of Assyria.”

(22) And on all hills that shall be dug with the mattock, there shall not be a coming thither for fear of briers and thorns, but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen and for the treading of lesser cattle. Isaiah 7:25

— the Targum says, “it shall be for a place of lying down of oxen, and for a place of dwelling of flocks of sheep.”

(23) “Inasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son, Isaiah 8:6

— the Targum paraphrases the words thus, “because this people loathed the kingdom of the house of David which ruled them quietly, as the waters of Shiloah which flow softly.”

(24) now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks. Isaiah 8:7

— the Targum says, “therefore behold the Lord shall bring and cause to ascend upon them, the army of the people, who are many as the waters of a river, strong and mighty, the king of Assyria, and his army; and he shall come up upon all his rivers and shall overflow all his banks.”

(25) For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

— the Everlasting Father, this description isn’t in the Septuagint nor in the Targum; so what could we make of this? The Messiah, the Son of God has never been described as the Father anywhere else in the Scriptures. Is this not the lying pen (ESV) of the scribes as described in Jeremiah 8:8? Is this another one of the self-deceptions of rabbinical Judaism to keep themselves blinded (who claim that King Hezekiah fulfilled this prophecy)?

— the full Targum says,

“The prophet said to the house of David, For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and He has taken the law upon Himself to keep it. His name is called from eternity, Wonderful, The Mighty God, who liveth to eternity, The messiah, whose peace shall be great upon us in His days” — yes, the Targum identifies this verse confirming the Messiah had been prophesied but nothing about ‘the Everlasting Father’ and he was to be born, the Son and he was from eternity to eternity.

(26) Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall spare his brother. Isaiah 9:19

— through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, but the Septuagint version renders it, “the whole land is set on fire” – burned out to ashes; the Targum “the earth shall be burnt up,” utterly destroyed and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire to be devoured without mercy.

(27) And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm. Isaiah 9:20

— and he (impersonal subject; his hand, his teeth), that is, every man, shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry, like a beast snapping in every direction; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm, the members of his own family and tribe:

— the Targum says, “he shall spoil on the south, and still be hungry; and he shall destroy on the north, and not be satisfied.”

— Q, just curious, could this Targum version refers to the killings from the South to the North as in Ezekiel 20:45 to 21:5? For more, see the enemy from the South, see A Flaming Sword and Fire from the South!

(28) Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 9:21

— the Targum paraphrases the words, thus, “those of the house of Manasseh with those of the house of Ephraim shall be joined together as one, to come against them of the house of Judah.”

(29) And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help? And where will ye leave your glory? Isaiah 10:3

— and what will ye do in the day of visitation, when God will bring justice upon them, and in the desolation, the sudden storm, crash and collapse; and so the Targum says, “what will ye do in the day that your sins shall be visited upon you?”

(30) For yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease, and Mine anger in their destruction.” Isaiah 10:25

— yet for a very little while, and the indignation ceases, God’s people being delivered from the enmity of the godless, and mine anger in their destruction, rather, “My wrath has the object to destroy them,” the enemies of his Chosen, to wear them down to nothing;

— the Targum says, “for yet a very little while, and the curses shall cease from you of the house of Jacob; and mine anger shall be upon the people that work iniquity, to destroy them” that is, the Assyrians.

(31) And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah 11:1

— the Targum agrees, paraphrasing the words thus, “and a King shall come forth from the sons of Jesse;” and this is speaking of the Messiah, “And a king shall come forth from the sons of Jesse, and from his children’s children the Messiah shall be anointed.”

(32) “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

— during the Millennium, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them, a figurative representation of ideal spiritual conditions;

— the Targum introduces in this manner,

In the days of the Messiah of Israel peace shall be multiplied in the earth. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall dwell with the kid; and the calf, and the lion, and the fatling together; and a little sucking child shall be leading them.

(33) And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea; and with His mighty wind shall He shake His hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dryshod. Isaiah 11:15

— the Targum describes how the Sea would be destroyed,

“And the Lord shall dry up the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and shall lift up the stroke of His strength upon Euphrates, by the word of His prophets, and shall smite it in seven streams, and men shall walk through it dryshod.”

(34) They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land. Isaiah 13:5

— a far country, from the ends of the earth; the furthermost parts of it, and these are at the end times, “the latter days;” and as Persia and Media were not “from a far country” could these new countries be Russia and China; these are from beyond the end of heaven, where the earth appears to be hounded by the sky;

— even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land, literally, “to overturn the whole earth” for the entire world, would feel the ravages of the war of destruction determined upon by the Lord of hosts;

— the prophet now turns directly to the nations, the whole land of Chaldea, with Babylon in the lead; the Targum says, “to destroy all the wicked of the earth.”

(35) The burden of Moab: Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence, because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence, Isaiah 15:1

— the burden of Moab, a heavy, grievous prophecy, the nation descended from the elder daughter of Lot, occupying the country southeast of the Dead Sea; the Targum says, “the burden of the cup of cursing, to give Moab to drink.”

(36) Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, Isaiah 18:1

— or land beyond the rivers of Egypt;

— the Targum says, “Woe to the land beyond the rivers of India, to which they come in ships from a far country, whose sails are stretched out, as an eagle that flies with its wings.”

(37) For so the Lord said unto me: “I will take My rest, and I will consider in My dwelling place, like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” Isaiah 18:4

— for the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest and consider in my dwelling-place, for though the Lord may seem sometimes to take no notice of what is done on earth, yet he sees and knows all things, who works all things after the counsel of his own will;

— the Targum says, “blessings and consolations will I bring to them quickly, when the heat is intense through the heat of the sun, then I will be to them a cloud of dew as in the heat of harvest.”

(38) The burden of Egypt: Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. Isaiah 19:1

— the burden of Egypt; a judgement of Egypt, prophecy for the end time, our time, a very grievous one, declaring many calamities that should come upon them. The Targum says, “the burden of the cup of cursing, to make the Egyptians drink.”

(39) Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; the counsel of the wise counselors of Pharaoh has become brutish. How say ye unto Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings”? Isaiah 19:11

— surely the princes of Zoan (or Tanes as the Targum says), a city of Lower Egypt, known as “the royal city of the Pharaohs, “it was then the royal city and at one time the capital of the country, who claimed “we are the sons of wise men” are fools.

(40) The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof; and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do. Isaiah 19:14-16

— as the Targum says; the princes of Tanes have become foolish, the men of Memphis have erred; they caused the Egyptians, the lords of the provinces, to err. The Lord hath sent among them a spirit of error, and they have caused the Egyptians to err in all their works, as a drunkard staggereth, and tramples in his vomit. And the Egyptians shall have no king to reign, no prince, noble, governor, or ruler.

(41) The burden of the Desert of the Sea: As whirlwinds in the South pass through, so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. Isaiah 21:1

— the burden of Babylon, Edom and Arabia; the Targum says, “the burden of the armies which are coming from the wilderness, as the waters of the sea, rushing along as the tempests: yea, they are coming by the way of the south.”

(42) The burden upon Arabia: In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye traveling companies of Dedanites. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty; they were ready with their bread for him that fled. Isaiah 21:13-14

— the Targum says

The Burden Of Give The Arabians To Drink. In the forest, at even, the caravan of the sons of Dedan shall remain for the night. Bring bottles of water before the thirsty, who dwell in land of the south; prepare for the fugitives the daily food which ye eat.

(43) The burden of the Valley of Vision: What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? Isaiah 22:1

— the Targum says

The Burden Of The Prophecy Concerning The City That Dwelleth In The Valley, Of Which The Prophets Prophesied. What aileth you here, that all of you are gone up to the house tops?

(44) And Elam bore the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. — Elam is the ancient name for Persian, who then morphed into modern Iran; Isaiah 22:6

— the Targum says

And the Elamites have taken arms in the chariot of a man, and with him are a couple of horsemen, and on the wall they hang the shields.

(45) In that day,” saith the Lord of hosts, “shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off; for the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 22:25

At that time, saith the Lord of hosts, there shall be removed the faithful chief governor, who ministered in a firm place, and he shall be cut off, and he shall fall: and there shall be accomplished the burden of prophecy, which was concerning him; because the WORD of the Lord hath so decreed it. Isaiah 22:25 Jonathan

(46) As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle! howl means a long, doleful cry; Isaiah 23:5-6

— the Targum says, “as they heard the plague with which the Egyptians were smitten” so shall they be sorely pained at Tyre; because of their inter-trade and the judgments of Egypt has upon their neighbours. Or “to a province of the sea” as the verse 6 indicates, any other seaport; the Septuagint says to Carthage, which was a colony of the Tyrians.

(47) When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done. Isaiah 24:13

— as when an olive tree is shaken, or beaten with a staff, there would be a few left upon the uppermost or outermost branches, which cannot be reached; and as, after the vintage is got in, there are some grapes to be gleaned and gathered from the vines; so it is but a few, a remnant;

— the Targum says, “when thus the righteous shall be left alone in the midst of the earth, among the kingdoms, as the shaking of olives, as the gleaning of grapes after the vintage.” Isaiah 24:13 Jonathan

(48) Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Isaiah 26:2

— or as the Targum renders it, “who keep the law with a perfect heart,” that is, the truth is about keeping the law, the perfect law, which is the truth.

(49) Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. For He bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, He layeth it low; He layeth it low, even to the ground; He bringeth it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.” Isaiah 26:4-6

 — the Targum is, ‘Trust ye in the Word of the Lord for ever and ever: thus ye shall be saved by the WORD, who is the fear of the Lord, the mighty One to eternity. For he will humble the inhabitants of the high and strong city; he will humble her, he will cast her unto the ground, he will bring her even to the dust. The feet shall tread her down, the feet of the just, the sole of the foot of the poor, of the needy of the people.’

(50) Lord, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will not see; but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them. Isaiah 23:5

— the Targum says,

“O Lord, when thou shall be revealed in thy power to do good to them that fear thee, there will be no light to the enemies of thy people: the wicked shall see it, and shall be confounded. The vengeance of thy people shall cover them; yea, fire shall consume thy enemies.”

(51) Lord, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will not see; but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them. Isaiah 26:11

— the Targum says,

“O Lord, when thou shall be revealed in thy power to do good to them that fear thee, there will be no light to the enemies of thy people: the wicked shall see it, and shall be confounded. The vengeance of thy people shall cover them; yea, fire shall consume thy enemies.”

(52) They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast Thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. Isaiah 26:14

— they shall not rise; those tyrants and enemies are utterly and irrecoverably destroyed, so as they shall never live or rise again to molest us; the Targum says, “they worship idols, who do not live; and their heroes, who shall not rise.”

(53) Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:5-6

— let God’s strength or spirits be used, then as the Targum continues, “If they would lay hold on the words of my law, peace would be made with them; henceforth peace would be made with them.

“They shall be gathered from the midst of their captivity, and return to their country; there children shall be born to the house of Jacob; they of the house of Israel shall be fruitful, and they shall multiply; their children’s children shall fill the face of the world.”

(54) Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Isaiah 28:2

— the Targum says,

“Behold, plagues, strong and mighty, are coming from the Lord: like a storm of hail, like a whirlwind, like a storm of mighty waters, overflowing, thus the nations shall come upon them, and shall lead them into captivity to another land on account of the sins which are in their hands.”

(55)  For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Isaiah 28:8

— the subject is still the drunkards of Ephraim; their chiefs and shepherds, 

— the Targum says, “Because all their tables are full of polluted and loathsome food: they have not a spot free from rapine,” that is, they have not a spot free from violent plunder or theft.

(56) to whom He said, “This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest,” and, “This is the refreshing” Isaiah 28:12

— despite their troubles, yet they would not hear; to whom said the Lord himself, or through the prophet Isaiah;

— so the Targum says, “The prophets said unto them, This is the house of the sanctuary, worship ye in it: and this is the possession in which there is rest; but they would not accept instructions.”

(57) But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little, that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken and snared and taken. Isaiah 28:13

— the Septuagint adds more of their oracles, an affliction, saying,

Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, and yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.

— the Targum adds more of their neglect of keeping the law, resulting in the consequences of those given the law being taken into captivity, saying, 

This shall be the cup of their punishment, because they have transgressed the word of the Lord, and because they were commanded to do my law, but would not do what they were commanded. Therefore they shall be delivered unto the nations, who do not know the law; because they walked after the desire of their soul, and had no delight to do my will. Therefore they shall hope for help at the time that I shall bring distress upon them; but they shall have no help or support. Because the house of my sanctuary was too little in their eyes to worship there, therefore they shall be left as a little thing in the eyes of the nations, among whom they shall go in captivity, in order that they may walk, and stumble backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Isaiah 28:13 Jonathan

— before the Babylonian captivity, the children of Judah neglected the law, but after their return, they learned their lesson but instead, went overboard, focusing on excessive details and hardships much like the Pharisees did.

(58) Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and it shall be unto Me as Ariel. Isaiah 29:2

— Ariel, that is, Jerusalem without naming it; and so the Targum says, “and I will distress the city where the altar is, and it shall be desolate and empty; and it shall be surrounded before me with the blood of the slain, as the altar is surrounded with the blood of the holy sacrifices on a solemn feast day.”

(59) And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her fortifications, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. Isaiah 29:7

— as the Targum paraphrases it:

“And the multitude of all the nations, that are gathered together against the city, and the altar which is in her, and all their camps and their armies, that are oppressing her, shall be like a phantom of the night.”

(60) Turn ye unto Him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted. Isaiah 31:6

— turn ye unto him from the “Egyptians” to whom they sought for help unto the Lord, whom they had neglected; from evil ways and practices, idolatry and impiety to the true worship of God, to his word and ordinances, statutes and commands;

— the Targum says, “Return to the law; for you have multiplied sin, O sons of Israel!”

(61) Because the palaces shall be forsaken, the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks, Isaiah 32:14

— the Targum says, “For the house of the sanctuary shall be laid waste; the noisy city shall be desolate, in which they worship: the house of our strength and hiding place shall be searched out, dug up, desolate and waste unto a time. The place which was a house of joy and gladness for kings is now become a spoil for armies.”

(62) Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. Isaiah 33:1

— the Targum says, Woe to him who is coming to spoil thee, and shall they not spoil thee And woe to him that is coming to plunder, and shall they not plunder thee? When thou shalt come to spoil, they shall spoil thee, and when thou shalt be weary of plundering, they shall plunder thee.

(63) Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off. Isaiah 33:17

— thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty in his royal robes and with a cheerful countenance, as a King reigning gloriously before his elects in Jerusalem;

— the Targum says, “thine eyes shall see the Shekinah of the King of worlds in his praise;” that is, the glory of the Majesty of God.

(64) The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there and find for herself a place of rest. Isaiah 34:14

— and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; or the “hairy” one; from which word the goat has its name; and these creatures are described by the ancients as half goats and half men;

— the Targum renders it demons (Rashi: the name of a female demon); and with this well agrees the account of Babylon or Rome as fallen, that it shall be the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit.

(65) The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Isaiah 35:1

— this is a continuation of Isaiah the 34th chapter; that is, during the Millennium the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, either for the wild beasts, satyrs, owls and vultures, that shall inhabit Edom or Petra and because it shall be an habitation for them;

— or they shall be glad for them, that is, the Edomites, as the Targum paraphrases it, “they that dwell in the wilderness, in the dry land, shall rejoice.”

(66) “‘But I know thy sitting down, and thy going out and thy coming in, and thy rage against Me. Isaiah 37:28

— but I know thy abode and your secret councils, cabals, contrivances, schemes and plans of subduing of kingdoms and your scheme into the land of Judea;

— so the Targum says, “thy sitting down in counsel, and thy going forth to make war, and thy coming into the land of Israel is known to me.”

(67) Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord Isaiah 38:2

— his face to the wall; as the Targum says, “Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall of the house of the sanctuary, and prayed before the Lord.”

(68) The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness: Isaiah 38:9

— the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah; the Septuagint calls it a “prayer” but the Targum is much better, “a writing of Thanksgiving for the Miracle.”

(69) I reckoned till morning that, as a lion, so will He break all my bones; from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.” Isaiah 38:13

— I reckoned till morning; the Targum says, “I roared until the morning, as a lion roars when he breaketh the bones of a beast; thus on account of my sorrow all my bones are broken; my days and my nights are come to an end.”

(70) What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it. I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. Isaiah 38:15

— the Targum says, “what praise shall I utter and speak unto him? For He hath multiplied His kindness towards me. With what shall I serve Him, and what shall I render unto Him for all the years He hath added to my life, and delivered my soul from bitterness.”

(71) For the grave cannot praise Thee, death can not celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. Isaiah 38:18

— for the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee; that is they that are in the grave, they cannot celebrate the praises of God; their souls may praise him but they in their bodies cannot till the resurrection morn, or as long as they are under the dominion of the grave;

— so the Targum says, “they that are in the grave cannot confess before thee, and the dead cannot praise thee.”

(72) And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. Isaiah 40:16

— and Lebanon is not sufficient to burn the trees of it, as the Targum says; And the trees of Lebanon are not sufficient for fire, nor the beasts in it sufficient for a holocaust.

(73) “Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to His foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. Isaiah 41:2

— who raised up the righteous man from the east; the Targum interprets this of Abraham; he was a righteous man, was raised up out of an idolatrous family from Ur of the Chaldees, on the other side the river Euphrates, which lay east of Judea.

(74) “Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth: I have put My Spirit upon Him; He shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:1

— behold my servant; the word ‘servant’ may be applied either to Israel, Jacob, Cyrus, or the Messiah; and the question to whom it refers here is to be decided in the Targum, which says, “behold, my servant, the Messiah.”

(75) And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

— and I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; the Targum interprets this of the people of Israel, thus “I will lead the house of Israel which are like to the blind in a way which they knew not, in paths they have not learned I will lead them.”

(76) “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Isaiah 42:18

— as in verse 16, the Targum interprets this of the people of Israel, who are blind; and deaf here;

“You wicked ones who are like the deaf, do you not have ears? Hear! And you guilty ones who are like the blind, do you not have eyes? Look and see!” Jonathan

(77) “But thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of Me, O Israel. Isaiah 43:22

— thou hast been weary, as a people, you have been weary of me; they had accounted his laws grievous and oppressive; and they had groaned under what they regarded as burdensome rites and ceremonies;

— and so the Targum says, “ye of the house of Jacob have not met together for my worship; but that ye were weary of the doctrine of my law, O Israel.”

(78) that saith to the deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers’; Isaiah 44:27

— that saith to the deep, be dry; the Targum says, “that saith to Babylon, be desolate.”

(79) “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it. Isaiah 45:8

— the Targum interprets this of the resurrection of the dead, paraphrasing as, “Let the heavens drop down from above, and the clouds flow with good, let the earth open itself, and the dead live, and let righteousness be revealed together; I the Lord have created them.”

(80) They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. Isaiah 46:2

— the Targum understands this and the preceding verse; “they are cut off, yea, they are altogether cut to pieces, and they were not able to deliver them; and their worshippers are gone into captivity.”

(81) Take the millstones and grind meal; uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Isaiah 47:2

— uncover thy locks; the picture of suffering is heightened by the fact that the female slave has to wade unveiled, and bare-legged, all sense of shame outraged;

— the Targum says,

“Receive this calamity and go into servitude; put away the glory of thy kingdom, thy princes are overthrown, the people of thy armies are scattered, they have vanished away like waters of the river.”

(82) “All ye, assemble yourselves and hear. Who among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him; He will do His pleasure on Babylon, and His arm shall be on the Chaldeans. Isaiah 48:14

— the Lord hath loved him; that is, Israel, as the Targum says, All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear: who among them hath declared these things ever since the Lord loved Israel? He will do His pleasure on Babylon, and He will reveal the strength of His arm on the Chaldeans.

(83) Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for nought and in vain; yet surely My judgement is with the Lord, and My work with My God.’” Isaiah 49:4

— or as the Targum says; And as for me, I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain; but my cause is known to the Lord, and the reward of my work is before my God.

(84) Behold, these shall come from far—and lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.” Isaiah 49:12

— Sinim סִינִֽים sî·nîm; the western countries known to the Hebrews were some of the islands of that sea and a few of the maritime regions; probably referring to where the house of Israel had been taken to; they shall return;

— the Targum version renders it as land of the South; Isti de terra Australi; others, like Ptolemy and Gesenius say the country here referred to is Sina or China; both qualify as “these shall come from far.”

(85) Why, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. Isaiah 50:2

— was there no man? – that is, when I came to call you to repentance, why was there no man of the nation to yield obedience? the Targum says, “wherefore have I sent my prophets, and they are not repented? They prophesied, but they obeyed not.”

(86) Look unto Abraham your father and unto Sarah that bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him. Isaiah 51:2

— the Septuagint version, between “blessed” and “increased” insert these words, “and I loved him” which are not in the Hebrew text. The Targum says, “for Abraham was one alone in the world, and I brought him to my service, and I blessed him and multiplied him.”

(87) “Hearken unto Me, My people, and give ear unto Me, O My nation; for a law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgement to rest as a light of the people. Isaiah 51:4

— and give ear unto me, O my nation; not only of the Jews but also the Gentiles; a nation taken out of all nations; a chosen and a holy nation. The Septuagint version renders it “kings” such are made and “my judgment shall be for a light of †the nations;”

— whereas the Targum: “Listen to my WORD, O my people, and give ear, O my congregation, to my service; for the law shall go forth from me, and my judgment like a light; the nations which I led into captivity shall praise it.”

(88) Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art Thou not It that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Isaiah 51:9

— the Targum interprets the dragon as Pharaoh and his army who were strong as a dragon; and that same mighty arm that destroyed Egypt and its tyrannical king can and will destroy that great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.

(89) Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine. Isaiah 51:21

— but not with wine; with the cup of God’s fury; the Targum expresses it, drunk with tribulation; with afflictions at the hand of God and persecutions from fellow men.

(90)“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. (הָא יַצְלַח עַבְדִי מְשִׁיחָא יְרוּם וְיִסְגֵי וְיִתְקוֹף לַחֲדָא:) Isaiah 52:13

— from Sefaria, the Targum interprets מְשִׁיחָא as the Messiah; He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high; “Behold, my servant the Messiah shall prosper, He shall be exalted and extolled, and He shall be very strong,” Isaiah 52:13 Targum

(91) As many as were astonished at thee—His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men”

— when the Messiah was revealed, as at the end of His First Coming, He was so marred – (משׁחת mishechath); so defaced, destroyed, disfigured; this was a disfiguration or defacement of his aspect, more than that of any man;

Verse 15, which contains Messianic significance, is not in KJ21, but appear in others and the followings:

The Targum translated by Etheridge; or from Sefaria

The Targum verse in full: “As the house of Israel anxiously hoped for Him many days, (which was poor among the nations; their appearance and their brightness being worse than that of the sons of men.)” Isaiah 52:14 Jonathan

¹⁵ Thus shall He scatter many nations; before Him kings shall keep silence: they shall put their hands upon their mouths, for that which had not been told them shall they see: and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

(92) For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2

— he shall grow up, brought forth, and brought up; before him (before the unbelieving Jews, of whom “my servant the Messiah” spoken of in Isaiah 52:13 (Targum) and which the Jews are blinded to, as springing up of a low and insignificant plant or shrub out of the earth; has no strength nor straightness, of body; without verdure, leaves, blossom, and therefore despised.

(93)  He is despised and rejected of men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Isaiah 53:3

— nowhere in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied that the Messiah ought to suffer and the Jews esteemed him not; which is repeated to show the great contempt cast upon him, to be despised and rejected of men before he is to enter into his glory.

(94) Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4

— the Septuagint renders the words, “he bears our sins” and the Targum, where the ancient Jews understood this prophecy of the Messiah, is, “he shall pray for our sins, and our iniquities for his sake shall be forgiven us.”

— Rashi erroneously says “he [that is, Israel] was chastised with pains so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering.”

In Daniel 9:5, Daniel prayed, “We have sinned, we have done wickedly.” Daniel nowhere says that Judah’s captivity and suffering were to bear the griefs or sorrows for other nations!

— for more, see Daniel’s Prayer, a Critique

(95) “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear! Break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:1

— Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; the Targum refers this to Jerusalem, paraphrasing the words thus,

“Sing, O Jerusalem, which was like a barren woman that bears not; rejoice with praise and be glad, who was like a woman that conceives not: for more shall be the children of Jerusalem that was laid desolate, than of the inhabited city, saith the Lord.”

(96)  In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Isaiah 54:8

— in a little wrath; or in a short moment of indignation, as the Targum says; the Septuagint, ‘In a little wrath I turned away my face from thee.’

— I hid my face from thee; the Targum says, “I removed the presence of my Shekinah, yea, for a short time from thee,” indicating here that the husband is the Father rather than the Son (as the Shekinah is associated only with the Father, who sits between the Cherubim on the mercy seat).

(97) And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:13

— the Targum says, “all thy children shall know the law of the Lord.” Of course, the law is the statutes and all the ordinances as in the Old Testament, except with some modifications, but the trunk is from there.

(98) Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Isaiah 54:13

— or as the Targum says, “in the end, the kings of the nations, who are gathered together to oppress thee, O Jerusalem, shall be cast down in the midst of thee.”

(99) Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed; even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. Isaiah 57:7

— upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed; temples and altars which are usually built on high places where they commit spiritual adultery; that is, idolatry in imitation of the heathens who had their temples and altars on high places;

— the Targum says, “Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set the place of thy house of thy dwelling, even thither didst thou go up to sacrifice sacrifice,” which agrees very well with other seats of false worship; like the temple at Mount Gerizim and later the cathedrals of Rome, London and Paris.

(100)  Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance; for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than Me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it. Isaiah 57:8

— the Targum says:

“Behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance of thy idols; thou hast been like a woman who is beloved by her husband, but goeth astray after strangers; thou hast enlarged thy bed.”

(101) And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. Isaiah 57:9

— but when thou went to the king, that is, the king of Assyria or Egypt to whom the Israelites were very prone to seek, and trust and send presents; thou disgraced yourselves;

— this verse has a preamble in the Targum so the context gives a lead in, which sounds authentic but why not in the Masoretic Text?

“When thou didst keep the law, thou didst prosper in the kingdom; and when thou didst multiply for thyself good works, thy camp was enlarged.”

(102)  “And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart? Have not I held My peace even of old, and thou fearest Me not? Isaiah 57:11

— the Targum has a more comprehensive perspective:

“And of whom hast thou been afraid? and on account of whom hast thou feared? Thou hast surely multiplied speaking lies, and thou hast not remembered my service, and hast not had my fear in thine heart: I would have given you the ends of the world, if you had returned to my law; but thou hast not returned to me.”

(103) I will declare thy righteousness and thy works, for they shall not profit thee. Isaiah 57:12

— the Targum says, “I have shewn thee those good works, which would have been thy righteousness; but thou hast multiplied evil works which did not profit thee.”

(104) And shall say, ‘Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way; take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people.’” Isaiah 57:14

— the Targum says, “and he shall say, teach and admonish, turn the heart of this people to the right way; remove the stumbling-block of the wicked out of the way of the congregation of my people.”

(105) For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him; I hid Me and was wroth, and he went on waywardly in the way of his heart. Isaiah 57:17

— the Targum says,

“My wrath is upon them on account of their robbed riches, and I smote them; I removed my Shekinah from them, and cast them out. I scattered their captives, because they went astray after the imagination of their hearts.”

(106) And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Paths to dwell in. Isaiah 58:12

— thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; either such foundations as have been razed up and lay so for ages past; or raise up such as shall continue for generations to come; and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach and the restorer of paths to dwell in;

— the Targum says, “Thy offspring shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, they shall call thee, the restorer of the right way, and converters of the wicked to the law.”

(107) We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. Isaiah 59:10

— like the blind; not being able to see his way, feels along by a wall, a fence or any other object that will guide him. They were like the blind; in desolate places as dead men; dead in trespasses and sin and at most have only a name to live but are dead. Some render it, “in the graves”

“We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as those that stumble in the dark; it is shut up before the graves are shut up before the dead.” Isaiah 59:10 Jonathan

(108) We all roar like bears, and mourn sore like doves; we look for judgement, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. Isaiah 59:11

— the Targum paraphrases it, “We all roar like bears by reason of our enemies, who are gathered against us, and mourn like doves: we hoped for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far removed from us.”

(109) “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob,” saith the Lord. Isaiah 59:20

— the Targum says, “and the Redeemer [the Messiah] shall come to Zion and to turn the transgressors of the house of Jacob to the law, saith the Lord.”

(110) Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

— whose light? without a subject “Arise, shine,” seems incomplete;

— arise, shine; the Targum and Septuagint add, “O Jerusalem” and no doubt but the kingdom of God centered in Jerusalem is addressed, composed of first the Jews (all other Israelites included) and Gentiles added later.

Arise, shine, O Jerusalem, for the time of thy redemption is come, and the glory of the Lord is revealed upon thee. Isaiah 60:1 Jonathan

(111) “Lift up thine eyes round about and see; all they gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.” Isaiah 60:4

— the Targum says, “lift up thine eyes O Jerusalem, round about, and see all the children of the people of thy captivity, who are gathered together: thy sons shall come from far into thy midst, and thy daughters shall be carried upon the arms.”

(112) Then thou shalt see and flow together, and thine heart shall fear and be enlarged, because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Isaiah 60:5

— at the onset of the Millennium, the forces of the Gentiles shall pay homage unto thee with their wealth; not only kings, their generals, their armies, but common people; as well as their merchants; coming with tributes; the Targum says “the treasures of the nations shall be brought unto thee.”

Then thou shalt see and be enlightened, and thou shalt be struck with awe, and thine heart shall be enlarged on account of the terror of sinners, for the riches of the west shall be transferred unto thee; the treasures of the nations shall be brought unto thee. Jonathan 

(113) Surely the isles shall wait for Me—and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He hath glorified thee. Isaiah 60:9

— the Messiah and his coming; the isles of Great Britain may be intended, who, as they waited for his Kingdom and readily received it as soon as it was brought to them which was very early;

— surely the isles shall wait for me; the Targum says, “wait for my Word, and those that embark in the ships of the sea, the hand that stretcheth out their sails shall be first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He hath glorified thee.”

(114) For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. Isaiah 60:12

— the Targum says: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, O Jerusalem, shall perish; yea, those nations shall utterly be destroyed.”

(115) I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God. For He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

— I will greatly rejoice; the speaker is again as in Isaiah 61:1 the ideal Servant of Yehovah, Isaiah, as well as the Messiah, who identifies himself with the people and slaves;

— the Targum, it may be noted, makes Jerusalem the speaker: “Jerusalem shall say, I will greatly rejoice in the Word of the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in the salvation of my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the upper garments of righteousness, like a bridegroom who is happy in his bridechamber, and like the high priest who decketh himself with his robes, and like a bride who is adorned with her jewels.”

(116) For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11

— the Targum says, “For as the earth bringeth forth her shoots, and as a watered garden causeth the things that are sown in it to grow, thus the Lord God shall reveal the righteousness and the praise of Jerusalem before all the nations.”

(117) Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people. Cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. Isaiah 62:10

— go through, go through the gates; it is doubled by way of emphasis: make haste to your own land; as if Cyrus should say, Get you out of captivity as soon as you will, Isaiah 48:20.

— the Targum:

“O prophets, pass through and return through the gates; turn the heart of the people to the right way; bring good things of good things, and comforts to the righteous, who remove the thoughts of an evil imagination, which are like a stone of stumbling; lift up a sign for the people.”

(118) Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Isaiah 63:1

— that cometh from Edom; that is, Idumea, the country where Esau, sometimes called Edom; Edom had been guilty of ruthless atrocities (Amos 1:9-11); they had carried off Jewish prisoners as slaves (Obadiah 1:10-11); they had been allies of the Assyrian invaders (Psalm 83:6), and had smitten Judah in the days of Ahaz (II Chronicles 28:17);

— the Targum indicates using the Edom and Bozrah and added further that linked to Persia, “Who hath spoken these things? He who shall bring the blow upon Persia, the mighty vengeance upon Bozrah, to execute vengeance of judgment of His people, as He hath sworn unto them by His Word. He hath said, Behold, I shall reveal myself as I have spoken in righteousness, great is my power to save.”

(119) Then He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, saying, “Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He that put His holy Spirit within him, Isaiah 63:11

— the Targum paraphrases it, “And He had compassion for the glory of His name, because of the remembrance of His goodness of old, the mighty works which He did by the hands of Moses for His people; lest the Gentiles should say, Where is He that brought them up out of the sea? Where is He that led them through the wilderness, as a shepherd his flock? Where is He that made the word of His holy prophets to dwell amongst them?” Isaiah 63:11 Jonathan

(120) as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil— to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence! Isaiah 64:2

— the Targum says, “When Thou didst send forth Thine anger like fire in the days of Elijah, the sea was melted, the waters were flames of fire, to make Thy name known to the enemies of Thy people, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence.”

(121) A people that provoketh Me to anger continually to My face, that sacrificeth in gardens and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Isaiah 65:3

— that sacrifice in gardens; to idols placed there as the Targum says as “A people that provoketh my WORD to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens to idols, and offereth aromatic spices upon bricks.”

(122) Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense—even recompense into their bosom” Isaiah 65:6

— the Targum says, “I will recompense to them the vengeance of their sins, and deliver their bodies to the second death.” So the Targum recognizes the concept of “the second death.”

(123) Thus saith the Lord, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, ‘Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it,’ so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all. Isaiah 65:8

— will I do for my servants’ sake, that I may not destroy them all; namely, for the sake of my servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will bring a seed out of Jacob; a small number which shall be as a seed from whence others shall spring and out of Judah;

— the Targum says, “Thus saith the Lord, As Noah was found righteous in the generation of the deluge, and I said that I would not destroy him, for the purpose that I might raise up the world by him; so will I do for my righteous servants’ sakes, in order that I may not destroy them all.”

(124) “But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget My holy mountain, that prepare a table for that Gad [the Babylonian god of fortune], and that furnish the drink offering unto that Meni [the god of fate]. Isaiah 65:11

— you are those that had forsaken the Lord; the Targum says,

“But ye, O house of Israel, ye have forsaken the worship of the Lord, ye have forgotten the worship of my holy mountain, that prepare tables for the idols, and mix goblets for their gods.”

(125) Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spoke, ye did not hear, but did evil before Mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not.”

— the Targum says,

“Therefore will I deliver them to the sword, yea, all of you shall be delivered to the slaughter; because I sent my prophets, and ye repented’ not; they prophesied, and ye did not receive them; but did evil before me, and delighted yourselves in that I would not.”

(126) They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. Isaiah 65:23

— nor bring forth for trouble; for death, as the Targum says; or for a curse, as in the Septuagint: the tense is they shall not beget and bring forth children that shall immediately die by some distemper or another or be taken off by famine, sword or pestilence;

They shall not labour in vain, neither shall they rear up children for death, for they shall be the seed which the Lord has blessed, and the children of their children with them.

(127) A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to His enemies. Isaiah 66:6

— a voice of noise from the city; from the city of Jerusalem, as the Targum says; so that in the days of the Messiah shall go out of Jerusalem the voice from the Temple, a voice of the Lord.

((128) “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Isaiah 66:7

— she was delivered of a man child; this is speaking of the Messiah; the Targum says, “before distress comes upon her, she shall be redeemed; and before trembling comes upon her, her King shall be revealed.”

(129) For thus saith the Lord, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream; then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. Isaiah 66:12

— for thus saith the Lord, behold, I will extend peace to her like a river; the Targum identifies the river as Euphrates;

For thus saith the Lord, behold, I bring unto her peace, as the floods of the river Euphrates, and the glory of the nations, as an overwhelming stream, and ye shall delight yourselves: ye shall be borne upon the sides, and ye shall be nourished upon the knees.

(130) As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Isaiah 66:13

— the Targum says, “my Word shall comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

(131) (132) (133) (134) (135)

~ by Joel on August 23, 2026.

Posted in Isaiah, Targum