5 Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me. Let him make peace with me."
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Will she take hold of my strength? 'v (O,) is frequently a disjunctive conjunction, [1] and therefore this passage is explained as if the particle had been twice used, "Either let her take hold of my strength, or let her make peace with me;" that is, "If she do not enter into favor with me, she will feel my strength to her great loss." Others explain it somewhat differently, "Who shall take hold of my strength?" that is, "Who shall restrain me?" But I pass by this interpretation, because I consider it to be too far-fetched. I return to that which is more generally received. It is supposed that God threatens the Jews in order to try all the ways and methods by which they may be brought back to the right path; for God is laid under a necessity to urge us in various ways, because we are accustomed to abuse his forbearance and goodness. On this account he frequently threatens to punish us for our ingratitude, as Isaiah appears to do in this passage, "If they do not choose to avail themselves of my kindness, and repent, that they may return to favor with me, they shall feel my strength, [2] which I have hitherto restrained." Yet another meaning equally appropriate might perhaps be drawn from it, as if God exhorted his people to acknowledge his power, which leads them to seek reconciliation; for whence comes that brutish indifference which makes us view without alarm the wrath of God, but because we do not think of his power with due reverence? But I prefer to view it as a question, as in other passages also it frequently has this meaning. [3] "Will he take hold of my strength, so as to enter into peace with me?" As if a father, anxious and perplexed about his son, were to groan and complain, "Will not this scoundrel [4] allow himself to receive benefit? for I know not how I ought to treat him; he cannot endure severity, and he abuses my goodness. What shall I do? I will banish him till he repent, and then he will feel how great is that fatherly power by which I have hitherto preserved him. Since he does not permit me to exercise forbearance, he must be treated with the utmost rigour of the law. Will he not then perceive how great my power is, that he may come into a state of favor with me?" We shall understand this better, if we consider that the source of all our distresses is, that we are not affected with a sense of the divine goodness; for if we should take into consideration the greatness of the blessings which we have received from God, we should quickly be drawn aside from our iniquities and transgressions, and should desire to return into a state of favor with him. Here we see what care about our salvation is manifested by our Heavenly Father, who wishes us to take hold of his power and goodness, that we may know how great it is, and may partake of it more and more abundantly; for he would wish to deal with us on the same familiar terms as with his children, if we did not prevent him by our wickedness. Since, therefore, we are incapable of enjoying his fatherly tenderness, he must display his strength and majesty, that, being awed by it, and affected by the anticipation of the judgment, we may humbly entreat him, and sincerely implore peace and pardon. Now, this is done when we are truly [5] converted to him; for, so long as we please ourselves, and flatter our vices, we cannot but displease him; and, on the other hand, if we enter into peace with him, we must make war against Satan and sin. How earnestly God desires to be reconciled to us appears still more clearly from the repetition of the words. He might have said, in a single word, that he is merciful and ready to bestow pardon; and therefore, when he twice repeats the words, that he may make peace with me, he declares that willingly and most earnestly he hastens to blot out all our offenses.
1 - "Ils sentiront la pesanteur de ma main;" -- "They shall feel the weight of my hand."
2 - That is, our Author is of opinion that 'v (O) frequently has the same force as the Latin interrogative particle An. -- Ed
3 - "Ce vaut-neant-ci;" -- "This good-for-nothing."
4 - "Sans feintise;" -- "Without hypocrisy."
5 - Such is Calvin's translation of v'ym, (baim,) coming, which, occupying a somewhat anomalous position at the beginning of the verse, has perplexed the critics. The usual and best defended supplement is ymym, (yamim,) days, and thus the construction is supposed to be, "In coming days." The French version takes ci-apres, "hereafter;" the Italian has Ne' giorni a venire, "In the days to come;" Luther's version has As mirb bennoch bazu fummen, "Yet it will come to this." Our English version connects the word with "Jacob," and makes it to signify "Them that come of Jacob," which is countenanced by the Septuagint, hoi erchomenoi tekna Iakob, "They that come, the children of Jacob," but does not appear to have the support of any modern critic or version. -- Ed
Or let him - The Hebrew word rendered here or (או 'ô) means "unless;" and the sense is, the enemies of the Jewish people shall be completely destroyed as briers are by fire, "unless" they flee to God for a refuge.
Take hold of my strength - That is, let the enemy take hold of me to become reconciled to me. The figure here is taken probably from the act of fleeing to take hold of the horns of the altar for refuge when one was pursued (compare 1-Kings 1:50; 1-Kings 2:28).
That he may make peace with me - With me as the guardian of the vineyard. If this were done they would be safe.
And he shall make peace with me - That is, even the enemy of me and of my vineyard "may" be permitted to make peace with me. Learn,
(1) That God is willing to be reconciled to his enemies.
(2) That peace must be obtained by seeking his protection; by submitting to him, and laying hold of his strength.
(3) That if this is not done, his enemies must be inevitably destroyed.
(4) He will defend his people, and no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper.
Or "Ah" - For או o I read אוי oi, as it was at first in a MS. The י yod was easily lost, being followed by another י yod.
Or let him (e) take hold of my strength, [that] he may make peace with me; [and] he shall make peace with me.
(e) He marvels that Israel will not come by gentleness, unless God make them to feel his rods, and so bring them to him.
Or let him take hold of my strength,.... Not on the law, as the Targum and Kimchi; but on Christ, as Jerom rightly interprets it; who is the strength and power of God, the man of his right hand he has made strong for himself; a strong tower, as the word signifies, a rock of defence, to whom saints may betake themselves, and be safe; in him they have righteousness and strength; in him is everlasting strength. The sense is, let the people of God, any and everyone of them, when afflicted and chastised by him particularly, and are ready to conclude that he is wroth with them, and is dealing with them in hot displeasure; let such look to Christ, and lay hold, and a strong hold, on him by faith, which will be greatly to their advantage and support. The Targum and Jarchi render translated "or", by "if"; and then the words are to be read thus, "if he will", or "should, take hold of my strength", or fortress (s); or, as some render them, "O that he would (t)", &c.; it follows,
that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me; or rather, "he shall make peace with me, peace shall he make with me". The phrase is doubled for the certainty of it; and the meaning is, not that the believer who lays hold by faith on Christ, Jehovah's strength, shall make peace with him; which is not in the power of any person to do, no, not the believer by his faith, repentance, or good works; but Christ the power of God, on whom he lays hold, he shall make peace, as he has, by the blood of his cross, and as the only peacemaker; and hereby the believer may see himself reconciled to God, and at peace with him; and therefore may comfortably conclude, under every providence, that there is no fury in God towards him.
(s) "si prehenderit munitionem meam", Noldius. (t) "Utiuam, O si apprehenderit munitionem meam", Forerius.
Or--Else; the only alternative, if Israel's enemies wish to escape being "burnt together."
strength--rather, "the refuge which I afford" [MAURER]. "Take hold," refers to the horns of the altar which fugitives often laid hold of as an asylum (1-Kings 1:50; 1-Kings 2:28). Jesus is God's "strength," or "refuge" which sinners must repair to and take hold of, if they are to have "peace" with God (Isaiah 45:24; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; compare Job 22:21).
Or - Or if at any time fury seem to be in me against my people. Let him - My people. Take hold - Which he may by humble prayer not only restrain from doing him hurt, but engage to do him good.
*More commentary available at chapter level.