L4 R 1. The king reigning in righteousness.
S 2. The Land. Effect: Protection.
T 3-8. The People. "
U 9-14. Desolation.
R 15-. The Spirit poured out.
S -15-17. The Land. Effect: Security.
T 18,19. The People. "
U 20. Cultivation.649-588 B.C.
Isaiah 32)
1 Behold, a king shall reign for (in the interest of) righteousness (see Deut.17:14,15), and princes shall rule in judgment.
2 And (Polysyndeton in vv.2-5, emphasizing every detail) a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind (Heb. ruach), and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water (channels for irrigation in a garden. See Prov. 21:1. Ps. 1:3) in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall listen.
4 And the heart (or, better, mind) also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
5 And the fool shall be no more called noble (see Prov. 1:7 and 1 Sam. 25:3), nor the miser (or covetous) said to be bountiful.
6 For the fool will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to utter error against Yehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 The instruments also of the churl (Eng. chattels of the churl) are evil: he counsels wicked plans to destroy the wretched with lying words, even when the helpless (weak in will and wealth) speaks right.
8 But the noble (free-hearted, free-handed) counsels noble things; and by noble things shall he stand.
U i 9. Women at ease. Call to hear.
k 10-. Trouble.
l -10. Reason.
i 11. Women at ease. Call to tremble.
k 12,13. Trouble.
l 14. Reason.
9 Rise up, all you women that are at ease (fig., "women" being put for the whole nation, now reduced by sin to utter weakness; or, a special message, as in 3:16-26); hear my voice (see Deut. 4:33,36), all you confident daughters (used here of self-confidence, in IRONY); give ear to my speech.
10 Many days and years shall you all be troubled, all you confident women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.
11 Tremble, all you women that are at ease; be troubled, all you confident ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
12 They shall lament for the teats, for the fields of desire, for the fruitful vine.
13 Upon the land of My people shall come up thorns and briers; yes, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:
14 Because the palaces shall be neglected; the multitude of the city shall be left (see "forsake", 1:4); the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever (fig., put for a prolonged period. Note the limitation by the word "until" in the next verse), a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
15 Until the spirit (ruach. Cp. Joel 2:28. Ezek. 36:25-27) be poured upon us from on high,
and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 And the tillage of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and confidence for ever. (not used in irony here)
18 And My People shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
20 O the happiness of you all (the 2nd of the 3 occ. in Isaiah. See 30:18. Cp. 56:2) that sow beside all waters, that send forth to that place the feet of the ox and the ass.