The Message of the Song (Part 1)

Pastor Bill Farrow

 Isaiah 27:8-9a

⁸In measure, by sending it away, You contended with it. He removes it by His rough wind In the day of the east wind. ⁹Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be covered; And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: When he makes all the stones of the altar Like chalkstones that are beaten to dust, Wooden images and incense altars shall not stand.

Isaiah 27:8

In measure… - This verse is one of the more obscure verses in Isaiah, and indeed is almost unintelligible. Nor is it much more intelligible in many of the other , older English versions. The idea, which seems to be the true one, without going into an examination of others which have been proposed, is the following, which is as near as possible a literal translation:

“In moderation in sending her (the vineyard) Away You did judge her, Through carrying her away with a rough tempest In the time of the east wind”.

The word rendered ‘measure’ occurs nowhere else in this particular form in the Scriptures. It is probably derived from the generic word meaning “a measure;” usually denoting a measure of grain, containing, according to the rabbis, a third part of an ephah, that is, about “a peck.” The word used here is probably a contraction of “measure by measure,” i.e., “moderately,” or in moderation. So the rabbis generally understand it. The idea is ‘small measure by small measure,’ not a large measure at a time; or, in other words, moderately, or in moderation. It refers to the fact that in inflicting judgment on his people, it had not been done with intolerable severity. The calamity had not been so overwhelming as entirely to cut them off, but had been tempered with mercy.

By sending it away - This expression does not convey an intelligible idea. The Hebrew is literally, “in sending her forth,” from “to send,” or “to put forth” and refers to the fact that God had sent her, that is, his vineyard or his people, forth to Babylon; he had cast them out of their own land into a distant country, but when it was accomplished it was tempered with mercy and kindness. In this expression there is indeed a mingling of a metaphor with a literal statement, since it appears rather incongruous to speak of sending forth a “vineyard;” but such changes in expressions are not uncommon in the Hebrew poets.

You contend with it - Or, rather, thou hast “judged” it; or hast punished it. The word means sometimes to debate, contend, or strive; but it means also to take vengeance (1 Sam. 25:39), or to punish; to contend with anyone so as to overcome or punish him. Here it refers to the fact that God “had” had a contention with his people, and had punished them by removing them to Babylon.

He removes it - This word means in one form “to meditate,” to think, to speak; in another, “to separate,” as dross from silver, to remove, to take away (Prov. 25:4-5). Here it means that he “had” removed, or separated his people from their land as with the sweepings of a tempest. The word ‘stayeth’ in the KJV does not express the true sense of the passage. It is better expressed as ‘when He removes it.’

By His rough wind - A tempestuous, boisterous wind, which God sends. Winds are emblematic of judgment, as they sweep away everything before them. Here the word is emblematic of the calamities which came upon Judea by which the nation was removed to Babylon; and the sense is that they were removed as in a tempest; they were carried away as if a violent storm had swept over the land.

In the day of the east wind - The east wind in the climate of Judea was usually tempestuous and violent; (Job 27:21; Jer. 18:17; Compare Gen. 41:6; Exo. 10:13; 14:21; Job 38:24; Ps. 78:26; Hab. 1:6). This wind was usually hot, noxious, blasting and scorching and is often emblematic of judgment or wrath.

Isaiah 27:9

Therefore, by this - This verse states the whole design of the captivity  of the Jews. They were taken away from their temple, their city, and their land; they were removed from the groves and altars of idolatry by which they had been so often led into sin; and the design was to chasten and teach not to pursue such sinful things in the future.

The iniquity of Jacob - The sin of the Jewish people, and particularly their tendency to idolatry, which was their besetting sin before the captivity.

Will be covered - (see the note at Isa. 1:25).