Isaiah 1:29

29 For they shall be ashamed of [the] idols, to which they made sacrifice; and ye shall be ashamed on the orchards, which ye choosed (and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens dedicated, or consecrated, to idols, which ye have planted).

Isaiah 1:29 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 1:29

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have
desired
Though there is a change of persons in the words, the same are intended; and design such, who being convinced of the idolatries of the church of Rome they have been fond of, and delighted in, will be ashamed of them, and relinquish them, and come out of Babylon a little before the destruction of it; for under oaks, and such like green trees, idolatry used to be committed, to which the allusion is; see ( Jeremiah 2:20 ) ( 3:6 ) and so the Targum interprets it of "trees of idols"; that is, under which idolatry was practised: and ye shall be confounded for the gardens ye have chosen;
where also idolatrous practices were used, see ( Isaiah 65:3 ) ( 66:17 ) and so the Targum paraphrases it,

``and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens of idols, from whom ye have sought help.''
The sense is the same as before; unless both clauses should rather be understood of the destruction of sinners, before spoken of, who at that time will be filled with shame and confusion, they in vain praying to their idols for help; which sense the following words incline to.

Isaiah 1:29 In-Context

27 Zion shall be again-bought in doom, and they shall bring it again into rightfulness; (Zion shall be redeemed in justice, and they shall bring it back to righteousness;)
28 and God shall all-break [the] cursed men and [the] sinners together, and they that forsake the Lord, shall be wasted (yea, they who desert the Lord, shall be destroyed).
29 For they shall be ashamed of [the] idols, to which they made sacrifice; and ye shall be ashamed on the orchards, which ye choosed (and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens dedicated, or consecrated, to idols, which ye have planted).
30 When ye shall be as an oak, when the leaves fall down, and as an orchard without water. (And ye shall be like an oak, when the leaves fall down, and like a garden without water.)
31 And your strength shall be as a dead spark of stubble, either of hards of flax, and your work shall be as a quick spark; and ever either shall be burnt together, and none shall be that shall quench. (And your strength shall be like a dead spark of stubble, or of the husks of flax, and your work shall be like a living spark; and both shall be burned together, and no one shall be able to quench them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.