Isaiahchapter 32

20 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 298 cross-references outward and receives 313 — heaviest partner: Isaiah.

Chapter summary

A king reigning in righteousness with princes ruling in justice opens the chapter; a man becomes a hiding-place from the wind, streams in a dry place, the shade of a great rock in a weary land (vv. 1–2). Perception is restored — seeing eyes, hearing ears, understanding hearts — and moral labels are re-sorted: the fool is no longer called noble nor the churl bountiful, each exposed by his own devices (vv. 3–8). The women at ease are summoned to tremble: within a year the vintage fails, thorns and briers overrun the land, and palace and populous city stand deserted (vv. 9–14) — until the Spirit is poured out from on high. Then the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, justice dwells there, the work of righteousness is peace and quietness forever, and the people rest in safe dwellings (vv. 15–20).

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — see the Isaiah overview for the book's full setting.

1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.

2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

4 And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

5 The fool shall be no more called noble, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

6 For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise profaneness, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7 And the instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the meek with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

8 But the noble deviseth noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, andhear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech.