1.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Ho, &c. This cry heard in Jerusalem to-day. All water has to be bought. Compare John 4:14 ; John 7:37-39 .
every one that thirsteth. The invitation is only to these.
come. Figure of speech Repetitio , for emphasis.
waters: of life (Revelation 22:17 ).
wine: of gladness (Psalms 104:15 ).
milk: of nourishment (1 Peter 2:2 ).
2.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis ( App-6 ), to emphasize the universal corruption and practice of the natural man. Compare John 6:27 .
hearken diligently. Figure of speech Epizeuxis , for emphasis. Hebrew "Hearken a hearkening": i.e. continue to hearken.
3.
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
everlasting. See note on "ancient", Isaiah 44:7 .
the sure mercies of David: i.e. the lovingkindnesses well assured to David, the "everlasting covenant" made with David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16 . Quoted in Acts 13:34 . Assured by oath to David (Psalms 132:11 ). of = pertaining to. Genitive of Relation. App-17 .
4.
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Him = Messiah: not David, but David's Son and David's Lord.
people = peoples.
5.
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
thou . . . thee: i.e. Israel, who is addressed here.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
the Holy One of Israel. See note on Psalms 71:22 .
6.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
may be: i.e. letteth Himself be.
7.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
wicked = lawless man (singular) Hebrew. rasha', App-44 .
forsake. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .
way . . . thoughts. Note the Introversion of lines in verses: Isaiah 55:7 and Isaiah 8:7 -. way. -7. thoughts. 8-. thoughts. -8. ways.
unrighteous. Hebrew. 'aven. App-44 .
man. Hebrew ' ish . App-14 .
abundantly pardon. Hebrew multiply to pardon.
8.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
My thoughts . . . your thoughts. Note the Introversion of the pronouns. The contrast thus emphasized is not merely holiness, but vastness.
9.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
as = according as.
heaven = the heavens.
but = except it: i.e. until it. Note that the four succeeding tenses are pasts, and in the singular number. The waters do return, as stated in other scriptures (Psalms 135:7 . Jeremiah 10:13 ; Jeremiah 51:16 ).
11.
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
My word be that goeth. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 8:3 ; Deuteronomy 32:2 ).
shall = shall assuredly.
12.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
go out = go forth: i.e. from the lands of your wandering.
peace = prosperity.
break forth . . . singing. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. See note on Isaiah 14:7 .
the field: i.e. the open country beyond the limits of cultivation.
13.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
brier: or, nettle.