Ésaïe 66:2

2 Car toutes ces choses, ma main les a faites, et toutes ces choses existent par elle, dit l'Éternel. Et voici à qui je regarde: à celui qui est humble, qui a l'esprit abattu, et qui tremble à ma parole.

Ésaïe 66:2 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 66:2

For all those things hath mine hand made
The heavens and the earth, which are his throne and footstool; and therefore, since he is the Creator of all things, he must be immense, omnipresent, and cannot be included in any space or place: and all those things have been, saith the Lord;
or "are" F12; they are in being, and continue, and will, being supported by the hand that made them; and what then can be made by a creature? or what house be built for God? or what need of any? but to this man will I look.
The Septuagint and Arabic versions read, by way of interrogation, "and to whom shall I look?" and so the Syriac version, which adds, "in whom shall I dwell?" not in temples made with hands; not in the temple of Jerusalem; but in the true tabernacle which God pitched, and not man; in Christ the antitypical temple, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in whom Jehovah the Father dwells personally; see ( Hebrews 8:2 ) ( John 2:19 ) ( Colossians 2:9 ) ( John 14:10 ) as also in every true believer, who is the temple of the living God, later described, for these words may both respect Christ and his members; the characters well agree with him: even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my
word;
Christ was poor literally, and his estate and condition in this world was very low and mean, ( 2 Corinthians 8:9 ) , or "afflicted" F13, as some render it, as he was by God, and by men, and by devils; or "humble" {n}, meek and lowly, as the Septuagint and Targum; it was foretold of him that he should be lowly; and this character abundantly appeared in him, ( Zechariah 9:9 ) ( Matthew 11:29 ) and he was of a "contrite" or broken spirit, not only was his body broken, but his spirit also; not through a sense of sin, and consciousness of it, but through his sorrows and sufferings: he also trembled at the word of God;
that is, had a suitable and becoming reverence of it; it was at the word of the Lord he assumed human nature; and according as his Father taught, and gave him commandment, so he spake; and, agreeably to it, laid down his life, and became obedient to death: and now the Lord looks, to him; he looks to him as his own Son, with a look of love, and even as in human nature, and is well pleased with all he did and suffered in it; he looked to him as the surety of his people, for the payment of their debts, and the security and salvation of their persons; and he now looks to his obedience and righteousness, with which he is well pleased, and imputes it to his people, and to his blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction, on account of which he forgives their sins, and to his person for the acceptance of theirs; and he looks to them in him, and has a gracious regard for them: they also may be described as "poor"; poor in spirit, spiritually poor, as they see and own themselves to be, and seek to Christ for the riches of grace and glory, which they behold in him, and expect from him; and are both "afflicted and humble", and become the one by being the other; and of a contrite spirit,
their hard hearts being broken by the Spirit and word of God, and melted by the love and grace of God; and so contrite, not in a mere legal, but evangelical manner: and such tremble at the Word of God;
not at the threatenings of wrath in it, or in a servile slavish manner; but have a holy reverence for it F15, and receive it, not as the word of man, but as the word of God: and to such the Lord looks; he looks on these poor ones, and feeds them; on these afflicted ones, and sympathizes with them; on these contrite ones, and delights in their sacrifices, and dwells with them, and among them; see ( Psalms 51:17 ) ( Isaiah 57:15 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wyhyw) sunt, Forerius, Gataker.
F13 (yne la) "ad afflictum", Pagninus, Montanus.
F14 "Ad humilem", Calvin, Tigurine version, Vitringa; "qui est pauper vel humilis", Munster.
F15 Gussetius observes, that the word does not design a mere trembling, but care, pains, and labour to serve, as one friend has for another; and, when applied to the service of God, is no other than a generous fear, flowing from love. Vid. Ebr. Comment. p. 285.

Ésaïe 66:2 In-Context

1 Ainsi a dit l'Éternel: Le ciel est mon trône, et la terre mon marchepied. Quelle maison me bâtirez-vous? Quel lieu sera celui de mon repos?
2 Car toutes ces choses, ma main les a faites, et toutes ces choses existent par elle, dit l'Éternel. Et voici à qui je regarde: à celui qui est humble, qui a l'esprit abattu, et qui tremble à ma parole.
3 Égorger un bœuf est comme tuer un homme; sacrifier une brebis, comme abattre un chien; présenter une offrande, comme répandre le sang d'un pourceau; faire un parfum d'encens, comme bénir une idole. Puisqu'ils ont choisi leurs voies et que leur âme prend plaisir à leurs abominations,
4 Moi aussi, je choisirai leur ruine, et je ferai venir sur eux ce qu'ils redoutent; parce que j'ai appelé et nul n'a répondu, j'ai parlé et ils n'ont point écouté, mais ils ont fait ce qui est mal à mes yeux, et ils ont choisi ce qui me déplaît.
5 Écoutez la parole de l'Éternel, vous qui tremblez à sa parole. Vos frères qui vous haïssent, et qui vous rejettent, à cause de mon nom, ont dit: Que l'Éternel montre sa gloire, et que nous voyions votre joie! Mais ils seront confondus.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.