Isaiah 32:9-20

Complacent Women Warned of Disaster

9 ¹Rise up, you women ²who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech.

10 In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come.

11 Tremble, you women ³who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; ⁴strip, and make yourselves bare, ⁵and tie sackcloth around your waist.

12 ⁶Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,

13 ⁷for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers, ⁸yes, for all the joyous houses in the exultant city.

14 For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, ⁹a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;

15 until ¹⁰the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and ¹¹the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

17 ¹²And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust^[a] forever.

18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

19 ¹³And it will hail when the forest falls down, ¹⁴and the city will be utterly laid low.

20 ¹⁵Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.

Isaiah 32:9-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 32

This chapter contains a prophecy of the Messiah; for, however applicable it may be to Hezekiah, as a type of Christ, it only has its full accomplishment in him, and in his times; who is described as a righteous King, and as having just princes ruling under him, Isa 32:1 and as a very great blessing, protection, and comfort to his subjects, Isa 32:2 when follows a prediction of great light and knowledge that should be in his days, Isa 32:3,4 and of the vileness, hypocrisy, and covetousness of the Jews in his times, Isa 32:5-8 and of the destruction of their country, because of their sins, of which they seemed greatly insensible, and were unconcerned about it, and are therefore called upon to lament it, Isa 32:9-14 which should continue until there would be a very great effusion of the Spirit, as should make the world, comparable to a wilderness, fruitful in grace and good works; the consequence of which is great prosperity, peace, and safety, to the saints, Isa 32:15-18 and destruction to their enemies, particularly the city of Rome, Isa 32:19 and the chapter is concluded with the happiness of the Gospel ministration, and the success of it, Isa 32:20.

Cross References

• 1. See Isaiah 3:16 - 4:1
• 2. Amos 6:1
• 3. [See ver. 9 above]
• 4. [Isaiah 47:2, 3]
• 5. See Genesis 37:34
• 6. [Isaiah 24:7]
• 7. Isaiah 7:23; Isaiah 34:13; Hosea 9:6
• 8. [Isaiah 24:11, 12]
• 9. Jeremiah 2:24
• 10. [Isaiah 11:2; Joel 2:28]
• 11. Isaiah 35:1, 2; [Isaiah 29:17]
• 12. James 3:18; [Isaiah 1:27; Psalms 72:3; Psalms 119:165]
• 13. Isaiah 28:2, 17
• 14. Isaiah 26:5
• 15. Ecclesiastes 11:1; [Isaiah 30:23]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or security