Isaiah 32:4

Isa 32:4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

Ver. 4. The heart also of the rash.] Heb., Of the hasty ones, such as are headlong and inconsiderate, that weigh not things, that say not, What shall we do in the end thereof?

And the tongue of the stammerers.] That once did but bungle at holy discourse, pronouncing as it were Sibboleth for Shibboleth, and marring a good tale in the telling; as not understanding either what they say, or whereof they affirm. {1Ti 1:7}

Shall be ready to speak plainly.] Shall be forward to speak fruitfully, having a holy dexterity therein. The Corinthians are commended for their utterance; {1Co 1:5} they could express themselves fitly, and they would do it freely.

To speak plainly.] Heb., Neat or clear words; limpida, nitida; a metaphor from clear or fair weather.

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.

rash--rather, "the hasty"; contrast "shall not make haste" (Isa 28:16); the reckless who will not take time to weigh religious truth aright. Or else, the well-instructed [HORSLEY].

stammers--those who speak confusedly on divine things (compare Exo 4:10-12; Jer 1:6; Mat 10:19-20). Or, rather, those drunken scorners who in stammering style imitated Isaiah's warnings to mock them [MAURER] (Isa 28:7-11, Isa 28:13-14, Isa 28:22; Isa 29:20); in this view, translate, "speak uprightly" (agreeably to the divine law); not as English Version, referring to the distinctness of articulation, "plainly."

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

(4) The heart also of the rash . . .—“Heart,” as in Pro_4:23 and elsewhere, for the intellect rather than the emotions. The “rash” are those that are “hurried,” precipitate, reckless; the “stammerers,” those who have no power to speak clearly of the things of God, who hesitate and are undecided.

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

4. the rash] i.e. the hasty, inconsiderate person, who constantly blurts out crude and ill-judged opinions. The stammerers, on the other hand, are those who, even when their thoughts are right, lack the gift of clear utterance. To the former class is promised “understanding,” to the latter the power to speak promptly and “plainly” (lit. lucidities). Sound judgment and fluent speech combine to form a good popular orator.

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.

The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge,.... Such who have been hasty and precipitant, as the word (c) signifies; who have not given themselves time to consider what they have read or heard, or has been proposed unto them, and have hastily received every thing that has been suggested to them, especially by carnal sense and reason, shall now sit down, and coolly consider things, and so gain an understanding of divine and spiritual knowledge, of the knowledge of Christ, of his person, offices, grace, righteousness, and salvation; an experimental knowledge and understanding of these things, heart and not head knowledge:

and the tongue of the stammerer shall be ready to speak plainly; or, "shall make haste to speak neatly" (d); elegantly and politely; such who hesitated in their speech, and spoke in a blundering manner, and scarcely intelligibly, especially when they spoke of divine and spiritual things, yet now, without the least hesitation, in the freest and most ready manner, with all plainness and propriety shall talk of these things, to the great delight, satisfaction, and use of those that hear them: this was true of the apostles of Christ, those babes and sucklings, out of whose mouth God ordained praise, and who were most of them Galilaeans, very illiterate and unpolished, and yet these, especially when they had the gift of tongues, spake the great things of God very readily, and in good language; and also is true of other ministers of the word, raised up among the barbarous nations of the world.

(c) "inconsideratorum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "praecipatorum", Montanus. (d) "festinabit loqui nitida", Pagninus; "polite", Munster; "diserte", Calvin; "loqui venusta", Cocceius.

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

The heart also of the rash - Margin, ‘Hasty.’ The Hebrew word denotes those who hasten; that is, those who are precipitate in forming a judgment, or deciding on a course of action. They do not take time to deliberate, and consequently they are led headlong into error, and into improper courses of life.

Shall understand knowledge - They shall take time to deliberate; and they shall consequently form a more enlightened judgment.

And the tongue of the stammerers - The ‘stammerers’ (compare the note at Isa 28:11) seem here to denote those who had indistinct and confused views of subjects, or who were incapable of expressing clear and intelligible views of divine truth.

Shall be ready to speak plainly - Margin, ‘Elegantly.’ The Hebrew is צתות tsâthôth ‘clear,’ ‘white,’ usually applied to a bright, clear, white light. The sense is, that there should be no indistinctness or obscurity in their views and modes of utterance.

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

Plain. Some parts of the prediction relate literally to the Old Testament. But this alludes to the New, when the mysteries of religion are clearly confessed in the Catholic Church. (Worthington) --- Even the most illiterate are guided with security, if they will but hear the Church. (Haydock)

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).

The rash; who were hasty and heady in judging of things; which is an argument of ignorance and folly.

Shall understand knowledge; shall become more knowing and considerate in their judgments and actions.

The stammerers; that used to speak of the things of God darkly, and doubtfully, and unwillingly. As men’s understandings shall then be enlightened, so their speech shall be reformed; which though it was in part fulfilled in Hezekiah; this reformation being effected in some measure by his counsel and example, and by the powerful preaching of the Levites, whom he excited and encouraged to teach the good knowledge of the Lord, as is said, 2Ch 30:22; yet was truly and fully accomplished only by Christ, who wrought this wonderful change in an innumerable company both of Jews and Gentiles.

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

The heart also of the rash; i.e. of those who were rash and hasty, who would not give themselves time to understand the warnings addressed to them, or to think of the real character of their actions. These shall, in Messiah"s kingdom, "have the gift of discernment to perceive things in their true nature" (Delitzsch). The tongue of the stammerers. The tongue of those who hitherto have spoken hesitatingly and inconsistently on moral and religions subjects shall be ready i.e., prompt and eager to speak upon them with clearness and elegance. The grace given to the uneducated fishermen of Galilee enabled them to preach and teach gospel truth, not only with clearness, but with refinement.

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

The rash - Who were hasty in judging of things; which is an argument of ignorance and folly. The tongue - That used to speak of the things of God, darkly, and doubtfully; which though it was in part fulfilled in Hezekiah, yet was truly and fully accomplished only by Christ, who wrought this wonderful change in an innumerable company both of Jews and Gentiles.

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

“And the heart (or mind) of the rash (heedless or reckless) shall understand to know (or understand knowledge), and the tongue of stammerers shall hasten to speak clear things (i.e., shall speak readily and plainly).” The bodily defects here mentioned denote others of an intellectual and spiritual nature, neglect and ignorance of spiritual matters. The minds of men shall begin to be directed to religious truth, and delivered from ignorance and error in relation to it.

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

General Information:

Isaiah continues describing the people after God restores righteous rulers in Judah. (See: Isaiah 32:1-3)

The rash ... the stutterer

This refers to people who act rashly and people who stutter. AT: "The rash person ... the stuttering person" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

The fool will no longer be called honorable

This can be stated in active form. AT: "No one will give honor to the fool" (See: Active or Passive)

For the fool speaks folly, and his heart plans evil

"The fool" refers to foolish people. Also, "folly" and "evil" may be expressed as adjectives. AT: "For the foolish person says foolish things and his heart plans evil things" (See: Nominal Adjectives and Abstract Nouns)

his heart plans evil

Here the foolish person is referred to by his heart to emphasize his inner thoughts. AT: "he plans evil things in his heart" (See: Synecdoche)

nor the deceiver called principled

This can be stated in active form. "The deceiver" refers to a person who is deceptive. AT: "nor will anyone show respect to the person who deceives" (See: Active or Passive and Nominal Adjectives)

He makes

The word "he" refers to the foolish person.

the hungry empty

"The hungry" refers to hungry people. They are hungry because they have empty stomachs. AT: "the hungry person have an empty stomach" (See: Nominal Adjectives and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the thirsty he causes to lack drink

"The thirsty" refers to people who are thirsty. AT: "he causes the thirsty person to have nothing to drink" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

translationWords

fool

honor

deceive

heart

Yahweh

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the heart of the hasty shall understand to know Not like now, that “this people’s heart is becoming fat” (ibid.).

and the tongue of the stammerers, etc. Not like now, “for with distorted speech” (supra 28:11).

stammerers Anyone who does not know how to direct his speech to be clear is termed עִלֵּג or נִלְעַג.

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.

נמהרים The rash. Hasty in a foolish way. It is derived from מהר to be hasty.

עלגים The stammerers. Hap. leg.; in Arabic it means slaves. It is contrasted with to speak plainly (דבר צחות).

צחות Pure words. Supply מלות words; for צחות is an adj., in form and meaning like זכות.

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.