Isaiah 32

Isaiah 32:1-20 . MESSIAH'S KINGDOM; DESOLATIONS, TO BE SUCCEEDED BY LASTING PEACE, THE SPIRIT HAVING BEEN POURED OUT.

The times of purity and happiness which shall follow the defeat of the enemies of Jehovah's people ( Isaiah 32:1-8 ). The period of wrath before that happy state ( Isaiah 32:9-14 ). The assurance of the final prosperity of the Church is repeated ( Isaiah 32:15-20 ).

1. king--not Hezekiah, who was already on the throne, whereas a future time is contemplated. If he be meant at all, it can only be as a type of Messiah the King, to whom alone the language is fully applicable ( Hosea 3:5 , Zechariah 9:9 ; world kings, who have exercised their power against God, instead of for God, to the rightful King of kings ( Ezekiel 21:27 , Daniel 7:13 Daniel 7:14 ).
princes--subordinate; referring to all in authority under Christ in the coming kingdom on earth, for example, the apostles, &c. ( Luke 22:30 , 1 Corinthians 6:2 , 2 Timothy 2:12 , Revelation 2:26 Revelation 2:27 , 3:21 ).

2. a man--rather, the man Christ [LOWTH]; it is as "the Son of man" He is to reign, as it was as Son of man He suffered ( Matthew 26:64 , John 5:27 , 19:5 ). Not as MAURER explains, "every one of the princes shall be," &c.
rivers--as refreshing as water and the cool shade are to the heated traveller ( Isaiah 35:6 Isaiah 35:7 , 41:18 ).

3. them that see--the seers or prophets.
them that hear--the people under instruction ( Isaiah 35:5 Isaiah 35:6 ).

4. rash--rather, "the hasty"; contrast "shall not make haste" ( Isaiah 28:16 ); the reckless who will not take time to weigh religious truth aright. Or else, the well-instructed [HORSLEY].
stammers--those who speak confusedly on divine things (compare Exodus 4:10-12 , Jeremiah 1:6 , Matthew 10:19 Matthew 10:20 ). Or, rather, those drunken scorners who in stammering style imitated Isaiah's warnings to mock them [MAURER] ( Isaiah 28:7-11 Isaiah 28:13 Isaiah 28:14 Isaiah 28:22 , 29:20 ); in this view, translate, "speak uprightly" (agreeably to the divine law); not as English Version, referring to the distinctness of articulation, "plainly."

5. vile--rather, "fool" [LOWTH]; that is, ungodly ( Psalms 14:1 , 74:18 ).
liberal--rather, "noble-minded."
churl--rather, "fraudulent" [GESENIUS].
bountiful--religiously. The atheistic churl, who envies the believer his hope "full of immortality," shall no longer be held as a patriot struggling for the emancipation of mankind from superstition [HORSLEY].

6. vile . . . villainy--rather, "the (irreligious) fool . . . (his) folly."
will speak--rather, "present"; for (so far is the "fool" from deserving the epithet "noble-minded") the fool "speaketh" folly and "worketh," &c.
hypocrisy--rather, "profligacy" [HORSLEY].
error--impiety, perverse arguments.
hungry--spiritually ( Matthew 5:6 ).