Isaia 57:16

16 Poiché io non voglio contendere in perpetuo né serbar l’ira in eterno, affinché gli spiriti, le anime che io ho fatte, non vengan meno dinanzi a me.

Isaia 57:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 57:16

For I will not contend for ever
By afflictive providences; with the humble and contrite, the end being in a great measure answered by their humiliation and contrition; when God afflicts his people, it shows that he has a controversy with them, for their good, and his own glory; and when these ends are obtained, he will carry it on no longer: neither will I be always wroth;
as he seems to be in the apprehensions of his people, when he either hides his face from them, or chastises them with a rod of affliction: for the spirit should fail before me;
the spirit of the afflicted, which not being able to bear up any longer under the affliction, would sink and faint, or be "overwhelmed", as the word ^F3 signifies: and the souls which I have made;
which are of God's immediate creation, and which are also renewed by his grace, and made new creatures. The proselytes Abraham made are called the souls he made in Haran, ( Genesis 12:5 ) , much more may this be said of the Father of spirits, the author both of the old and new creation. The Lord knowing the weakness of the human frame, therefore restrains his hand, or moderates or removes the affliction; see a like reason in ( Psalms 78:38 ) ( Psalms 103:9 Psalms 103:13 Psalms 103:14 ) , the last days of trouble to God's people, which will be the time of the slaying of the witnesses, will be such that if they are not shortened, no flesh can be saved, but for the elect's sake they will be shortened, ( Matthew 24:22 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Pwjey) "obrueretur", Junius & Tremellius, Vitriuga; "in deliquium incideret", Piscator, Gataker.

Isaia 57:16 In-Context

14 E si dirà: Acconciate, acconciate, preparate la via, togliete gli ostacoli dalla via del mio popolo!

15 Poiché così parla Colui ch’è l’Alto, l’eccelso, che abita l’eternità, e che ha nome "il Santo": Io dimoro nel luogo alto e santo, ma son con colui ch’è contrito ed umile di spirito, per ravvivare lo spirito degli umili, per ravvivare il cuore dei contriti.

16 Poiché io non voglio contendere in perpetuo né serbar l’ira in eterno, affinché gli spiriti, le anime che io ho fatte, non vengan meno dinanzi a me.

17 Per la iniquità della sua cupidigia io mi sono adirato, e l’ho colpito; mi sono nascosto, mi sono indignato; ed egli ribelle, ha seguito la via del suo cuore.

18 Io ho vedute le sue vie, e lo guarirò; lo guiderò, e ridarò le mie consolazioni a lui e a quelli dei suoi che sono afflitti.