Isaiah 29:23

Isa 29:23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

Ver. 23. The work of mine hands.] "Created in Christ Jesus unto good works"; {Eph 2:10} and now sanctifying God’s name in their hearts and lives, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Thus, as it were, ex professo, doth the prophet Isaiah here handle the doctrine of regeneration, which, and other like places, while Nicodemus had not noted, he was worthily reproved. {Joh 3:9-10}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But--rather, "For."

he--Jacob.

work of mine hands--spiritually, as well as physically (Isa 19:25; Isa 60:21; Eph 2:10). By Jehovah's agency Israel shall be cleansed of its corruptions, and shall consist wholly of pious men (Isa 54:13-14; Isa 2:1; Isa 60:21).

midst of him--that is, his land. Or else "His children" are the Gentiles adopted among the Israelites, his lineal descendants (Rom 9:26; Eph 3:6) [HORSLEY].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 23. But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands - "For when his children shall see the work of my hands"] For בראותו birotho I read בראות biroth, with the Septuagint and Syriac.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(23) The work of mine hands.—Possibly the direct object of the verb “seeth,” the word “his children” being an interpretative insertion, to explain the change from the singular to the plural. The joy of the patriarch as he watched his people centred in the fact that they repented, and once more worshipped God as the Holy and the Dread, entering at last into that true fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom (Pro_1:7; Job_28:28).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. when he seeth his children, the work …] R.V. marg. “when his children see the work” [lit. “when he (his children) shall see the work, &c.”] Neither rendering is satisfactory, and “his children” should be omitted as a marginal gloss.

sanctify … fear] The same words are used in ch. Isa_8:13.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him,.... That is, it will be a pleasure to the church of God, signified by Jacob, when they shall observe a great number of Jacob's posterity, or of the Jews, born again, become the "children" of the church, born in her, and nursed up at her side, dandled on her knees, and sucking at the breasts of her consolation; and so in the midst of her, members of her, and in communion with her, having been begotten again, by means of her ministers, through the Gospel, by the Spirit and grace of God; and so "the work of his hands", his new creatures, formed for and by himself; his workmanship, created in Jesus Christ, curiously wrought by his hands, as well as engraven on them:

they shall sanctify my name; meaning either the spiritual seed of Jacob, those regenerated ones, the nation that shall be born at once; these shall sanctify the name of the Lord, not by making, but by declaring him to be holy; by believing in his name; by seeking to him for righteousness and holiness; by embracing his doctrines, and submitting to his ordinances; which will add to the pleasure of the church of Christ. So the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "but when he seeth his children---sanctifying my name"; or else Jacob, that is, the church of Christ, is here meant, who, upon seeing such a large number of Jewish converts, shall sanctify the name of the Lord, or give him praise and glory on account of it; which is repeated with some addition,

and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel; reverence his name and his sanctuary, his word and his ordinances, worship him inwardly and outwardly, fear the Lord and his goodness, both the church and these new converts, Hos 3:5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

But when he seeth his children - The sense is, ‘he shall not be ashamed of his sons, for he shall see them henceforward walking in the ways of piety and virtue.’

The work of my hands - That is, this change Isa 29:17-19 by which the nation will be reformed, will be produced by the agency of God himself. The sentiment is in accordance with the doctrines of the Scriptures everywhere, that people are recovered from sin by the agency of God alone (compare Isa 60:21; Eph 2:10).

In the midst of him - In the midst of his people. The name Jacob is often employed to denote all his posterity, or the whole nation of the Jews.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Israel. They shall serve God with fidelity and gratitude, chap. xxx. 22. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

When he seeth his children; when the believing seed of Jacob shall see those children, whom they have begotten to God by the preaching of the gospel, even the Gentiles, converted by their ministry.

The work of mine hands; the children, not of the flesh, but of the promise, Rom 9:8, whom I, by my almighty power and grace, have created or regenerated, of stones raising up children to Abraham. In the midst of him; which Gentiles shall be incorporated with the Jews into one and the same body and church.

They shall sanctify my name; they shall not despise and hate the Gentiles, and envy them the grace of God, and an interest in their Messiah, but shall praise and glorify God with them and for them, as the believing Jews did, Act 11:18.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The work of mine hands; i.e. regenerated and "created anew unto good works" (Eph_2:10) God"s work, and no longer denying themselves to be such (ver. 16). They shall sanctify my Name, and sanctify, etc.; rather, they shall sanctify my Name, they shall even sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel. The last two clauses are exegetical of the first (Kay).

The sanctifying power of sanctified people.

"They God"s redeemed and sanctified ones sanctify my Name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob." This thought, in its New Testament form, may be found in the words of the great High Priestly prayer, "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." Christ, the Model of the sanctified ones, honors God, and redeems and purifies man. Two things need consideration.

I GOD"S SANCTIFIED ONES. "Sanctify" is a familiar term to godly people. It is a word bearing several distinct meanings, or, it would be more exact to say, several distinct parts of meaning. Sometimes one of these parts is set in prominence, and sometimes another part; and it is always worth while to use religious terms with care, precisely apprehending the senses in which they are employed. "Sanctify" may mean "make actually pure and holy." This is indeed the more common and usual meaning of the term, which comes at once to our minds. We think that for us to be sanctified must be for us to be made "perfectly holy." The word seems to express our "meetness for the inheritance of the saints in the light." When we are wholly sanctified we shall be ready for presenting faultless before the presence of God. Some of us think that such "holiness" may be attained in this life; while others of us feel that the testing death-time must come ere the sanctification can be complete, and the full bloom can rest on the sacred fruitage of our life. But by putting this side of meaning into undue prominence, we lose sight of other ideas which lie in the word ideas of even more practical importance to us. The Jews had thoughts about this word "sanctify" which brought it more helpfully within the sphere of their actual life and labor. To them to sanctify a thing was to take it away to separate it from common uses, and devote it wholly, consecrate it, to Divine and holy uses. A person or a thing was sanctified when it was given over wholly to God and God"s service. A lamb separated from the flock for sacrifice was said to be sanctified. Samuel, taken by his mother away from the home-life, and left with Eli at the tabernacle, was sanctified lent to the Lord, given over wholly to the Lord"s service, for so long as he might live. The Levites were a sanctified tribe, because they were taken from the other tribes, and devoted wholly to the tabernacle service. The Jewish idea of the word comes out very fully in the ceremony of the consecration of a Levite. The priest touched with the blood of a sacrificed animal the Levite"s right hand, right eye, and right foot. This was the Levite"s sanctification. It devoted every faculty and every power of seeing, hearing, doing, walking, the right-hand faculties, the best and the choicest to God"s peculiar service. He was a man set apart. This is the side of sanctifying which we may realize, and in this sense our Lord could declare, I am," daily, continuously, "sanctifying myself." We, too, must be sanctifying ourselves" for the bearing and the doing of God"s holy will and service. And "sanctifying self" means

(1) the full and hearty devotion of all our powers to God"s work;

(2) the patient and anxious culturing of the inner life;

(3) hearty and entire separation from all self-seeking interests. Of Christ"s school it may be said, "Here we learn to serve and give, And, rejoicing, self deny.

II THE SANCTIFYING POWER OF THE SANCTIFIED ONES. This is the only real fitness of a man for doing God"s work in the world. It ensures the highest and best power for the doing, because it brings all the force of the man himself to bear upon his work. It is not a man"s knowledge blessing his fellow-men, nor a man"s experience, nor a man"s genius, nor a man"s efforts; it is a man blessing men. It is a regenerate, divinely endowed man, blessing men. It is a Christly man continuing Christ"s work of grace. It is a man who has seen Christ telling his vision to others. It is the man become a saint, and therefore an apostle. "That self-sanctifying of the Lord Jesus Christ was "for our sakes," and it has power on us. It is the inspiration of an example. It is more than the realization of our ideal. There is the noblest, the loftiest manhood; there is the truest, the meekest piety; there is the perfection of human sonship; there, in that sanctified Man, who kneels before God and says," For thy sake, O Father, I am sanctifying myself". For their sakes, O Father, I am sanctifying myself. And there we learn that most blessed lesson that "sanctity is power power to honor the Divine Name, power to redeem and uplift our fellow-men. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He seeth - When the believing seed of Jacob shall see those children, whom they have begotten to God, by the gospel, even the Gentiles. The work - The children, not of the flesh, but of the promise, whom I, by my almighty grace, have regenerated. In the midst - Incorporated with the Jews, into one and the same body. Shall sanctify - They shall glorify God, with them and for them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“For in his seeing (i.e., when he sees) his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify (or yes they shall sanctify) the Holy One of Jacob, and the God of Israel they shall fear.” The verse thus translated according to its simplest and most obvious sense has much perplexed interpreters. The difficulties chiefly urged are, first, that Jacob should be said to see his children in the midst of himself; secondly, that his thus seeing them should be the occasion of their glorifying God. What follows is suggested as a possible solution of this exegetical enigma. We have seen reason, wholly independent of this verse, to believe that the immediately preceding context has respect to the excision of the Jews and the vocation of the Gentiles. Now the latter are described in the New Testament as Abraham’s (and consequently Jacob’s) spiritual progeny, as such distinguished from his natural descendants. May not these adventitious or adopted children of the patriarch, constituted such by the electing grace of God, be here intended by the phrase, the work of my hands? If so, the whole may thus be paraphrased: when he (the patriarch, supposed to be again alive and gazing at his offspring) shall behold his children (not by nature but) created such by me, in the midst of him (i.e., in the midst, or in the place,—of his natural descendants), they (i.e., he and his descendants jointly) shall unite in glorifying God as the author of this great revolution. This explanation of the verse is the more natural, because such would no doubt be the actual feelings of the patriarch and his descendants, if he should really be raised from the dead, and permitted to behold what God has wrought, with respect both to his natural and spiritual offspring. To the passage thus explained a striking parallel is found in Isa 49:18-21, where the same situation and emotions here ascribed to the patriarch are predicated of the church personified, to whom the Prophet says, ‘Lift up thine eyes round about and behold, all these gather themselves together, they come to thee. The children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the others shall say etc. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro And who hath brought up these? Behold, I alone was left; these, where were they?’ For the use of the word sanctify in reference to God as its object, see the note on Isa 8:13. The Holy One of Jacob is of course identical in meaning with the Holy One of Israel, which last phrase is explained in the note on Isa 1:4. The emphatic mention of the Holy One of Jacob and the God of Israel, as the object to be sanctified, implies a relation still existing between all believers and their spiritual ancestry, as well as a relation of identity between the Jewish and the Christian Church.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For, when he sees his children who will be the work of My hands, i.e., righteous men, in his midst, for when he sees in his midst that his children, the work of My hands, shall hallow My name, e. g., Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Dan. 3), therefore, his face shall not pale.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

For when he seeth his children, etc. For when he sees his children, and the good which I shall do to the pious, they—he and his children—shall sanctify my name.

יעריצו They will cause others to fear the God of Israel, or they shall be afraid, intransitive. Having mentioned Jacob, the prophet says metaphorically, they will sanctify, etc. that is to say, if Jacob were alive and saw his pious children, and the wonders which God performed for their sake, he would join his children in sanctifying His name; for He was the holy one of Jacob.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.