Isaiah 2:5-15

5 Come, 1house of Jacob, and let us walk in the 2light of the LORD.
6 For You have 3abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with influences from the east, And they are soothsayers 4like the Philistines, And they 5strike bargains with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land has also been filled with silver and gold And there is no end to their treasures; Their land has also been filled with 6horses And there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land has also been 7filled with idols; They worship the 8work of their hands, That which their fingers have made.
9 So 9the common man has been humbled And the man of importance has been abased, But 10do not forgive them.
10 11Enter the rock and hide in the dust 12From the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty.
11 The 13proud look of man will be abased And the 14loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

A Day of Reckoning Coming

12 For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning Against 15everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased.
13 And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up, Against all the 16oaks of Bashan,
14 Against all the 17lofty mountains, Against all the hills that are lifted up,
15 Against every 18high tower, Against every fortified wall,

Isaiah 2:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 2

This chapter contains a vision or prophecy of the enlargement of Christ's kingdom and interest, and of the glory of his church in the latter day, by the calling of the Gentiles, and the numerous conversions of them to it, and of the abolition of idolatry, and the destruction of the antichristian party. The inscription to it is in Isa 2:1 the prophecy itself follows; the date of it is the last days; the subject matter of it, the kingdom, interest, and church of Christ, signified by the mountain of the Lord's house; its glorious estate is expressed by its establishment on the mountains; by its exaltation above the hills; and by the great numbers that should flock to it, and should encourage one another to go up to it, in order to learn the ways of God, and walk in them; the means of which is the Gospel preached, that should go out of Jerusalem; the effect of that is peace among the nations: hence the house of Jacob is exhorted to walk in the light held forth by it, Isa 2:2-5 and then the reasons are given of God's rejecting and forsaking some that bear the Christian name, called the house of Jacob; namely, their Heathenish superstition, idolatry, covetousness, and confidence in their riches; who are sarcastically called upon to hide themselves in the rocks for fear of the Lord, Isa 2:6-10 when the judgments of God are denounced on the proud and lofty, comparable to cedars, oaks, mountains, hills, high towers, fenced walls, and ships of the ocean, at which time, Christ, and he alone, will be exalted, and idolatry utterly abolished; the consequence of which will be the utmost dread and terror to all idolaters, Isa 2:11-21 and the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to such to cease from the man of sin, and have him in no account, Isa 2:22.

Cross References 18

  • 1. Isaiah 58:1
  • 2. Is 60:1, 2, 19, 20; 1 John 1:5
  • 3. Deuteronomy 31:17
  • 4. 2 Kings 1:2
  • 5. 2 Kings 16:7, 8; Proverbs 6:1
  • 6. Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 30:16; Isaiah 31:1; Micah 5:10
  • 7. Isaiah 10:11
  • 8. Psalms 115:4-8; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 37:19; Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 44:17
  • 9. Psalms 49:2; Psalms 62:9; Isaiah 5:15
  • 10. Nehemiah 4:5
  • 11. Isaiah 2:19, 21; Revelation 6:15, 16
  • 12. 2 Thessalonians 1:9
  • 13. Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 37:23
  • 14. Psalms 18:27; Isaiah 13:11; Isaiah 23:9; 2 Corinthians 10:5
  • 15. Job 40:11, 12; Isaiah 24:4, 21; Malachi 4:1
  • 16. Zechariah 11:2
  • 17. Isaiah 40:4
  • 18. Isaiah 25:12

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "eyes of the loftiness of men"
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