Isaiah 65

12. number--"doom" you. Alluding to the "number," as Meni ( Isaiah 65:11 ) means. Retribution in kind, the punishment answering to the sin (compare 2 Chronicles 36:14-17 ).
I called, ye . . . not answer--"I called," though "none had called" upon Me ( Isaiah 64:7 ); yet even then none "answered" ( Proverbs 1:24 ). Contrast with this God and His people's mutual fellowship in prayer ( Isaiah 65:24 ).

13. eat--enjoy all blessings from me ( Solomon 5:1 ).
hungry--( Amos 4:6 , 8:11 ). This may refer to the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, when 1,100,000 are said to have perished by famine; thus Isaiah 65:15 will refer to God's people without distinction of Jew and Gentile receiving "another name," namely, that of Christians [HOUBIGANT]. A further fulfilment may still remain, just before the creation of the "new heavens and earth," as the context, Isaiah 65:17 , implies.

14. howl--( Isaiah 15:2 , Matthew 8:12 ).

15. curse--The name of "Jew" has been for long a formula of execration (compare Jeremiah 29:22 ); if one wishes to curse another, he can utter nothing worse than this, "God make thee what the Jew is!" Contrast the formula ( Genesis 48:20 ) [MAURER].
my chosen--the elect Church, gathered from Jews and Gentiles, called by "another name," Christians ( Acts 11:26 ). However Isaiah 65:3 , refers to the "seed of Jacob," the believing Jews, hereafter about to possess their land ( Isaiah 65:19 Isaiah 65:22 ), are ultimately meant by "My chosen," as contrasted with the unbelieving Jews ("ye"). These elect Jews shall be called by "another," or a new name, that is, shall no longer be "forsaken" of God for unbelief, but shall be His "delight" and "married" to Him ( Isaiah 62:2 Isaiah 62:4 ).
thee--unbelieving Israel. Isaiah here speaks of God, whereas in the preceding sentences God Himself spake. This change of persons marks without design how completely the prophet realized God with him and in him, so that he passes, without formally announcing it, from God's words to his own, and vice versa, both alike being from God.

16. That he--rather, "he who," &c.
blesseth, &c.--( Psalms 72:17 , Jeremiah 4:2 ).
God of truth--very God, as opposed to false gods; Hebrew, Amen: the very name of Messiah ( 2 Corinthians 1:20 , Revelation 3:14 ), faithful to His promises ( John 1:17 , 6:32 ). Real, substantial, spiritual, eternal, as opposed to the shadowy types of the law.
sweareth, &c.--God alone shall be appealed to as God ( Isaiah 19:18 , Deuteronomy 6:13 , Psalms 63:11 ).
troubles--that is, sins, provocations [LOWTH]. Rather, calamities caused by your sins; so far from these visiting you again, the very remembrance of them is "hid from Mine eyes" by the magnitude of the blessings I will confer on you ( Isaiah 65:17 , &c.). [MAURER].

17. As Caleb inherited the same land which his feet trod on ( Deuteronomy 1:36 , Joshua 14:9 ), so Messiah and His saints shall inherit the renovated earth which once they trod while defiled by the enemy ( Isaiah 34:4 , 51:16 , 66:22 , Ezekiel 21:27 , Psalms 2:8 , 37:11 , 2 Peter 3:13 , Hebrews 12:26-28 Revelation 21:1 ). the words here answer to "the former . . . forgotten," &c. The former sorrows of the earth, under the fall, shall be so far from recurring, that their very remembrance shall be obliterated by the many mercies I will bestow on the new earth ( Revelation 21:4-27 ).

18. rejoice for ever . . . Jerusalem--( Isaiah 51:11 ). "Everlasting joy . . . Zion." Spiritually ( 1 Thessalonians 5:16 ).

19. ( Isaiah 62:5 ).
weeping . . . no more--( Isaiah 25:7 Isaiah 25:8 , 35:10 , Revelation 7:17 , 21:4 ), primarily, foretold of Jerusalem; secondarily, of all the redeemed.

20. The longevity of men in the first age of the world shall be enjoyed again.
thence--from that time forward.
infant of days--that is, an infant who shall only complete a few days; short-lived.
filled . . . days--None shall die without attaining a full old age.
child . . . die . . . hundred years--that is "he that dieth an hundred years old shall die a mere child" [LOWTH].
sinner . . . hundred . . . be accursed--"The sinner that dieth at an hundred years shall be deemed accursed," that is, his death at so early an age, which in those days the hundredth year will be regarded, just as if it were mere childhood, shall be deemed the effect of God's special visitation in wrath [ROSENMULLER]. This passage proves that the better age to come on earth, though much superior to the present will not be a perfect state; sin and death shall have place in it (compare Revelation 20:7 Revelation 20:8 ), but much less frequently than now.

22. They shall not experience the curse pronounced ( Leviticus 26:16 , Deuteronomy 28:30 ).
tree--among the most long-lived of objects in nature. They shall live as long as the trees they "plant" (compare Isaiah 61:3 , end of verse; Psalms 92:12 ).
enjoy--Hebrew, "consume," "wear out"; they shall live to enjoy the last of it ( Isaiah 62:9 ).

23. bring forth for trouble--literally, "for terror," that is, "They shall not bring forth children for a sudden death" ( Leviticus 26:16 , Jeremiah 15:8 ).
seed . . . blessed--( Isaiah 61:9 ).
offspring with them--( Hosea 9:12 ). "Their offspring shall be with themselves" [MAURER]; not "brought forth" only to be cut off by "sudden death" (see the parallel clause).

24. Contrast Isaiah 64:7 , "none . . . calleth," &c.; and "I called, ye did not answer." MAURER translates, "They shall hardly (literally, "not yet") call, when (literally, "and") I will answer; they shall be still speaking, when I will hear" ( Psalms 32:5;,Dan 9:20,21 Dan 9:20 Dan 9:21 ).