Isaiah 42:25

25 So He poured out on Jacob His furious anger and the power of war. It surrounded him with fire, but he did not know [it]; it burned him, but he paid no attention.^[a]

Isaiah 42:25 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:25

Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger
The Lord was angry with these people for their rejection of the Messiah, and contempt of his Gospel; and therefore his wrath came upon them to the uttermost, not in some small drops, but in great abundance, to the utter ruin of their nation, city, and temple. Josephus says ^F5,

``the Romans came to subdue Palestine, but their coming was the pouring out of the heat of the wrath of the Lord:''

and the strength of battle;
or "war"; all the miseries and calamities that are the effects of war. The Targum is,

``he hath brought upon them the strength of his warriors;''

the Roman soldiers: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned
him, yet he laid it not to heart;
the Roman army set fire first to the lower part of the city of Jerusalem, and then the higher ^F6, and wholly consumed it; and yet this has not to this day brought this people to lay it to heart, to consider and observe the true reason of it, their rejection of the Messiah.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F5 Josephus apud Forerium in loc.
F6 Josephus de Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 2. and c. 8. sect. 5.

Isaiah 42:25 In-Context

23 Who among you will pay attention to this? Let him listen and obey in the future.

24 Who gave Jacob to the robber, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord? Have we not sinned against Him? They were not willing to walk in His ways, and they would not listen to His instruction.

25 So He poured out on Jacob His furious anger and the power of war. It surrounded him with fire, but he did not know [it]; it burned him, but he paid no attention.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit he did not put on heart