---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Isaiah 32:1. Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness — If King Hezekiah were a type of Christ, then this prophecy may refer to his time; but oth"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/isaiah/32"
---

Verse [Isaiah 32:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/1). ***Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness*** — If King Hezekiah were a type of Christ, then this prophecy may refer to his time; but otherwise it seems to have Hezekiah primarily in view. It is evident, however, that in the fullest sense these words cannot be applied to any man; GOD alone can do all that is promised here.
***And princes*** — ושרים *ve-sarim*, without ל *lamed, to*; so the ancient Versions. An ancient MS. has ושריו *vesaraiv, and* his *princes*.

Verse [Isaiah 32:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/2). ***As the shadow of a great rock*** — The shadow of a great projecting rock is the most refreshing that is possible in a hot country, not only as most perfectly excluding the rays of the sun, but also as having in itself a natural coolness, which it reflects and communicates to every thing about it.
Speluncaeque tegant, et saxea procubet umbra.
VIRG. *Georg*. iii. 145.

"Let the cool cave and shady rock protect them."

Επει κεφαλην και γουνατα Σειριος αζει,
Αυαλεος δε τε χρως απο καυματος· αλλα τοτ' ηδη
Ειη πετραιη τε σκιν, και Βιβλινος οινος.
HESIOD. ii. 206.

"When Sirius rages, and thine aching head,
Parched skin, and feeble knees refreshment need;
Then to the rock's projected shade retire,
With Biblin wine recruit thy wasted powers."

Verse [Isaiah 32:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/3). ***And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim***- "And him the eyes of those that see shall regard"] For ולא *velo, and not, Le Clerc* reads ולו *velo, and to him*, of which mistake the Masoretes acknowledge there are *fifteen* instances; and many more are reckoned by others. The removal of the *negative* restores to the verb its true and usual sense.

Verse [Isaiah 32:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/5). ***The vile person shall no more be called liberal*** — The different epithets here employed require minute explanation.
*The vile person*- נבל nabal, the pampered, fattened, brainless fellow, who eats to live, and lives to eat; who will scarcely part with any thing, and that which he does give he gives with an evil eye and a grudging heart.
*Liberal*- נדיב nadib; the generous, openhearted, princely man, who writes on all his possessions, *For myself and mankind*, and lives only to *get* and to *do* good.
*The churl*- כילי kilai, the avaricious man; he who starves himself amidst his plenty, and will not take the necessaries of life for fear of lessening his stock.
Thus he differs from נבל *nabal*, who feeds himself to the full, and regards no one else; like the rich man in the Gospel. The avaricious man is called כילי *kilai*, from כי *ki*, for, לי *li, myself*; or contracted from כל *col, all*, and לי *li, to* *myself*: all is mine; all I have is *my own*; and all I can get is *for myself*: and yet this man enjoys nothing; he withholds
From back and belly too their proper fare:-
O cursed lust of gold, when for thy sake
The wretch throws up his interest in both worlds,
First *starved* in *this*, then *damned* in *that* to come!

*Bountiful*- שוע shoa, he who is abundantly rich; who *rejoices* in his plenty, and deals out to the distressed with a liberal hand.

Verse [Isaiah 32:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/6). ***The vile person will speak villany*** - "The fool will still utter folly"] A sort of proverbial saying, which *Euripides* (Bacchae, 369) has expressed in the very same manner and words: Μωρα γαρ μωρος λεγει· "The fool speaks folly." Of this kind of simple and unadorned proverb or parable, see *De S. Poes*, Hebr. Praelect. xxiv.
***Against the Lord*** - "Against JEHOVAH"] For אל *El*, two MSS. read אל *al*, more properly; but both are of nearly the same meaning.

Verse [Isaiah 32:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/7). ***The instruments also of the churl are evil*** - "As for the niggard, his instruments are evil"] His machinations, his designs. The paronomasia, which the prophet frequently deals in, suggested this expression וכלי כליו *vechelai kelaiv*. The first word is expressed with some variety in the MSS. Seven MSS. read וכילי *vekili*, one וכל *vechol*, another וכולי *vecoli*.
***To destroy the poor with lying words*** - "To defeat the assertions of the poor in judgment"] A word seems to have been lost here, and two others to have suffered a small alteration, which has made the sentence very obscure. The *Septuagint* have happily retained the rendering of the lost word, and restored the sentence in all its parts: Και διασκεδασαι λογους ταπεινων εν κρισει· ולהפר דברי אביון במשפט *ulehapher dibrey ebyon bemishpat*, "And disperse the words of the poor in judgment." They frequently render the verb הפר *haphar* by διασκεδασαι, A MS. reads ולדבר *uledabber*, which gives authority for the preposition ל *lamed,* *to*, necessary to the sense, and the *Septuagint, Syriac*, and *Chaldee* read במשפט *bemishpat, IN judgment*.

Verse [Isaiah 32:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/8). ***Liberal things***- "Generous purposes"] "Of the four sorts of persons mentioned [Isaiah 32:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/5), three are described, [Isaiah 32:6-8](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/6-8), but not the fourth." - SECKER. Perhaps for והוא *vehu, and he*, we ought to read ושוע *veshoa, the bountiful*.

Verse [Isaiah 32:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/9). *Rise up, ye women* - "ye provinces." *Ye careless* *daughters* - "ye cities." - *Targum*.
From this verse to the end of the *fourteenth*, the desolation of Judea by the Chaldeans appears to be foretold.

Verse [Isaiah 32:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/11). ***Gird sackcloth*** — שק *sak, sackcloth*, a word necessary to the sense, is here lost, but preserved by the *Septuagint*, MSS. *Alex*. and *Pachom*., and I. D. II., and edit. *Ald*. and *Comp*., and the *Arabic* and *Syriac*.
***Tremble - be troubled - strip you*** — פשטה *peshotah*, רגזה regazah, &c. These are infinitives, with a paragogic ה *he*, according to *Schultens*, Institut. Ling. Hebr. p. 453, and are to be taken in an imperative sense.

Verse [Isaiah 32:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/12). ***They shall lament - for the pleasant fields*** - "Mourn ye for the pleasant field"] The *Septuagint, Syriac*, and *Vulgate* read ספדו *siphdu, mourn ye*, imperative; twelve MSS., (five ancient,) two editions, the *Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion,* *Syriac*, and *Vulgate*, all read שדה *sadeh, a field*; not שדי *shedey, breasts*.

Verse [Isaiah 32:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/13). ***Shall come up thorns and briers*** - "The thorn and the brier shall come up"] All the ancient Versions read ושמיר *veshamir*, with the conjunction. And an ancient MS. has תעלה בו *taaleh bo*, "shall come up in it," which seems to be right; or rather בה *bah*: and there is a rasure in the place of בו *bo* in another ancient MS.
***Yea, upon all the houses of joy*** — For כי *ki*, the ancient Versions, except the *Vulgate*, seem to have read ו *ve*. כי ki may perhaps be a mistake for בו *bo*, or בה *bah, in it*, above mentioned. It is not necessary in this place.
The description of impending distress which begins at [Isaiah 32:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/13) belongs to other times than that of Sennacherib's invasion, from which they were so soon delivered. It must at least extend to the ruin of the country and city by the Chaldeans. And the promise of blessings which follows was not fulfilled under the Mosaic dispensation; they belong to the KINGDOM of Messiah. Compare [Isaiah 32:15](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/15) with [Isaiah 29:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/29/17), and see the note there.

Verse [Isaiah 32:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/14). ***The palaces shall be forsaken*** — The house of the sanctuary (the temple) shall be destroyed. - *Targum*.
***The forts***- "Ophel"] It was a part of Mount Zion, rising higher than the rest, at the eastern extremity, near to the temple, a little to the south of it; called by Micah, [Micah 4:8](../../../kjv/micah/4/8), "Ophel of the daughter of Zion." It was naturally strong by its situation; and had a wall of its own, by which it was separated from the rest of Zion.

Verse [Isaiah 32:15](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/15). ***And the fruitful field*** — והכרמל *vehaccarmel*. So *fifteen* MSS., *six* ancient, and *two* editions; which seems to make the noun an appellative.

Verse [Isaiah 32:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/17). ***The work of righteousness*** — Righteousness works and produces peace.
***The effect of righteousness*** — עבדת *abodath, the culture*. Righteousness, *cultivated* by peace, produces tranquillity of mind and permanent security. Reader, hast thou the principle? If so, dost thou cultivate it? If thou dost, thou hast peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and a sure and certain hope of everlasting life.

Verse [Isaiah 32:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/19). ***The city shall be low in a low place.***- "The city shall be laid level with the plain."] For ובשפלה *ubashephelah*, the *Syriac* reads וכשפלה *ukeshephelah*. *The city*- probably Nineveh or Babylon: but this verse is very obscure. Saltus; Assyriorum regnum: civitas; magnifica Assyriorum castra. Ephrem Syr. *in loc*. For וברד *ubarad*, a MS. has וירד *vaiyered*; and so conjectured Abp. *Secker*, referring to [Zechariah 11:2](../../../kjv/zechariah/11/2).

Verse [Isaiah 32:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/32/20). ***That sow beside all waters*** - "Who sow your seed in every well-watered place"] Sir John Chardin's note on this place is: - "This exactly answers the manner of planting rice; for they sow it upon the water, and before sowing, while the earth is covered with water, they cause the ground to be trodden by oxen, horses, and asses, who go mid-leg deep; and this is the way of preparing the ground for sowing. As they sow the rice on the water, they transplant it in the water." *Harmer's* Observ. vol. i. p. 280. "Rice is the food of two-thirds of mankind." Dr. *Arbuthnot*. "It is cultivated in most of the eastern countries." *Miller*. "It is good for all, and at all times." Sir *J.* *Chardin*, ib. "Le ris, qui est leur principal aliment et leur froment (i.e., des Siamois,) n'est jamais assez arrose; il croit au milieu de l'eau, et les campagnes ou on le cultive ressemblent plutot a de marets que non pas a des terres qu'on laboure aver la charue. Le ris a bien cette force, que quoy qu'il y ait six ou sept pieds d'eau sur lui, il pousse toujours sa tige au dessus; et le tuyau qui le porte s'eleve et croit a proportion de la hauteur de l'eau qui noye son champ. Voyage de l'Eveque de *Beryte*, p. 144. Paris, 1666. - L. "*Rice*, which is the principal grain and aliment of the *Siamese*, can never be too much watered. It grows in the water, and the fields where it is sown resemble marshes rather than fields cultivated by ploughing. Rice has that property that although it be covered with water six or seven feet deep, yet it raises its stalk above it; and this grows long in proportion to the depth of the water by which the field is inundated."

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