Isaiah 64:12

Isa 64:12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these [things], O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

Ver. 12. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things?] Or, Canst thou contain thyself at these things? No, he cannot; witness his answer hereunto. {Isa 65:1} The obstinate Jews do in vain still recite these words in their synagogues, as Jerome here noteth.

Wilt thou hold thy peace?] And by thy silence seem to consent to the enemy’s outrages and our calamities? Habet acrimoniam, saith Hyperius. There is some sharpness in these short questions; and yet because they were full of faith and fervency, they were highly accepted in heaven.

And afflict us very sore?] Heb., Usque valde? Unto very much, or unto extremity.

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.

Isa_64:12

Wilt Thou refrain Thyself for these things, O Lord?

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Self-restraint and silence, as applied to God

Self-restraint and silence, as applied to God are common figures for inaction and apparent indifference to the interests, and especially the sufferings, of His people. (J. A. Alexander.)

Jehovahs mercy

Jehovahs mercy cannot violently restrain itself longer; it must burst forth, like Josephs tears in the recognition scene (Gen_45:1). (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, at the contempt of thine own glory? though our sins have deserved this, yet thou wilt not suffer thy glory thus to be diminished.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

for these things--Wilt Thou, notwithstanding these calamities of Thy people, still refuse Thy aid (Isa 42:14)?

In Isa 64:9, their plea was, "we are all Thy people." In answer, God declares that others (Gentiles) would be taken into covenant with Him, while His ancient people would be rejected. The Jews were slow to believe this; hence Paul says (Rom 10:20) that Isaiah was "very bold" in advancing so unpopular a sentiment; he implies what Paul states (Rom 2:28; Rom 9:6-7; Rom. 11:1-31), that "they are not all (in opposition to the Jews' plea, Isa 64:9) Israel which are of Israel." God's reason for so severely dealing with Israel is not changeableness in Him, but sin in them (Isa 65:2-7). Yet the whole nation shall not be destroyed, but only the wicked; a remnant shall be saved (Isa 65:8-16). There shall be, finally, universal blessedness to Israel, such as they had prayed for (Isa 65:17-25).

Next: Isaiah Chapter 65

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

(12) Wilt thou refrain . . .?—The final appeal to the fatherly compassion of Jehovah reminds us of the scene when Joseph could not “refrain” (Gen_45:1), and natural tenderness would find a vent. Could the God of Israel look on the scene of desolation, and not be moved to pity?

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

12. refrain thyself] See ch. Isa_63:15.

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.

Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord?.... From delivering us out of our troubles and miseries, and taking vengeance on our enemies, and showing thy zeal for thine own glory; or, as Kimchi paraphrases it,

"how canst thou contain thyself for these things, and not have mercy?''

how canst thou bear to see Judea, and all its cities, a wilderness; Jerusalem, and the temple of it, in ruins?

wilt thou hold thy peace? or, "be silent"; and not plead thine own cause, and the cause of thy people?

and afflict us very sore? exceedingly, even to extremity; or for ever, as the Targum, thinking it long, as well as heavy. Jerom observes, that the Jews say these words in their synagogues every day; which show that they look upon this prophecy to respect their present case.

Next: Isaiah Chapter 65

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

Wilt thou refrain thyself - Wilt thou refuse to come to our aid? Wilt thou decline to visit us, and save us from our calamities?

Wilt thou hold thy peace - Wilt thou not speak for our rescue, and command us to be delivered? Thus closes this chapter of great tenderness and beauty. It is a model of affectionate and earnest entreaty for the divine interposition in the day of calamity. With such tender and affectionate earnestness may we learn to plead with God! Thus may all his people learn to approach him as a Father: thus feel that they have the inestimable privilege, in times of trial, of making known their needs to the High and Holy One. Thus, when calamity presses on us; when as individuals or as families we are afflicted; or when our country or the church is suffering under long trials, may we go to God and humbly confess our sins, and urge his promises, and take hold of his strength, and plead with him to interpose. Thus pleading, be will hear us; thus presenting our cause, he will interpose to save.

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

Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, viz. that are done by the Babylonians? do none of these things move thee to take vengeance on them?

Wilt thou hold thy peace; wilt thou be as one that regards not? Wilt thou be still, and suffer them?

And afflict us very sore: see Isa 64:9; for these our sins, or for these our sufferings; shall we feel the smart of it, that have done no such things, but have been sufferers under the Babylonians? to which God answers in the next chapter.

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

12. Wilt thou refrain thyself — That is, refuse to render aid in such extremity. It seems like a tender, deprecating, but not hopeless, remonstrance. It does not express despair. There is a faint, lingering confidence that God will yet be pitiful, and the next chapter gives the key as to how the pity and the help are to come.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things? rather, at these things seeing that these things are so. Will they not provoke thee to interfere?

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

Wilt thou - Do none of these things move thee to take vengeance? Thy peace - Wilt thou be as one that regards not?

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

“Wilt thou for these (things) restrain Thyself, oh Jehovah, wilt Thou keep silence and afflict us to extremity? This is simply another application of the argument by way of an importunate appeal to the divine compassions. Self-restraint and silence, as applied to God, are common figures for inaction and apparent indifference to the interests and especially the sufferings of His people. (See above, on Isa 42:14 and Isa 63:15). The question is not whether God will remain silent in spite of what His people suffered, but whether the loss of their external advantages will induce Him to forsake them. The question as in many other cases implies a negation of the strongest kind. The destruction of the old theocracy was God’s own act and was designed to bring the church under a new and far more glorious dispensation. How the loss of a national organization and preeminence was to be made good is fully stated in the following chapter.

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