Isaiah 65:2

2. spread out mine hands] The attitude of supplication; cf. Pro_1:24.

a rebellious (refractory, Hos_4:16) people] LXX. has; λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα; and so the citation Rom_10:21.

a way that was not good] “A not-good way” (litotes). The same phrase in Psa_36:4; Pro_16:29.

The people referred to here are necessarily the same as those described in the sequel. If these be the paganised Israelites of the North who had not shared the Captivity the two verses reveal an important fact not otherwise recorded. The prophetic representatives of Jehovah in the post-exilic community must, in that case, have sought to win over these outcasts to the pure worship of Jehovah, and the acceptance of the Law. This might appear to be inconsistent with what is told in Ezr_4:1-3, where the friendly advances of the Samaritans are met with a stern refusal on the part of the Jews. But the contradiction is perhaps only apparent. The Jewish leaders might very well have declined the co-operation of these people while they maintained their impure religion, and at the same time been eager to incorporate them in the Theocracy on the terms offered to foreigners in ch. Isa_56:6 f.

In Rom_10:20-21, St Paul quotes parts of these verses, applying Isa_65:1 to the conversion of the Gentiles and Isa_65:2 to the unbelief of Israel. Possibly this exegesis may have been traditional in the Apostle’s time (Delitzsch), although the primary sense of the passage is that the same persons are referred to throughout.

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.

Isa 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way [that was] not good, after their own thoughts;

Ver. 2. I have spread out my hands.] As preachers use to do, {Pro 1:24 Act 26:1} or as those that invite and beckon others to themselves with the hand. See Mat 11:28.

Unto a rebellious people.] Whose destruction therefore is of themselves, since they will not be ruled, reclaimed.

After their own thoughts.] Which were evil, only evil, continually so. A toad may as easily spit a cordial, as a natural man think a good thought.

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 65:2. I have spread out my hands — This is applied to the Jews, Rom 10:21. I have stretched out my hands, I have used all means to reduce them; I have stretched out the hands of a passionate orator, to persuade them; of a liberal benefactor, to load them with my benefits: this I have done continually, in the whole course of my providence with them. To a rebellious people — Yet they are a rebellious people. St. Paul expounds it by λαον απειθουντα και αντιλεγοντα, A people not persuaded, not believing, or, not obeying; but gainsaying, or, contradicting the word and will of God. Which walketh in a way that is not good — Less is expressed than is intended: the meaning is, in a way that is very bad. After their own thoughts — Or, as it is elsewhere expressed, after the imaginations of their hearts; a usual phrase to describe sin, especially in the matter of God’s worship. The Prophet Jeremiah expresses sin in this manner many times.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He showeth that to delight in our own fantasies, is the declining from God and the beginning of all superstition and Idolatry.

He showeth the cause of the rejection of the Jews, because they would not obey him for any admonition of his Prophets, by whom he called them continually and stretched out his hand to draw them.

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

spread out . . . hands--inviting them earnestly (Pro 1:24).

all . . . day--continually, late and early (Jer 7:13).

rebellious people--Israel, whose rebellion was the occasion of God's turning to the Gentiles (Rom 11:11-12, Rom 11:15).

way . . . not good--that is, the very reverse of good, very bad (Eze 36:31).

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

(2) I have spread out my hands . . .—Here, of course, the words were meant for Israel, as St. Paul applies them. It may not be without interest to note the fact that the words stand over the portal of the Church of Santa Maria, which stands at the entrance of the Ghetto at Rome. Of how many churches at Rome and elsewhere might it not be said, “Thou art the man,” “The beam is in thine own eye”?

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

I have spread out mine hands all the day unto a rebellious people,.... Meaning Israel, as the apostle explains it, Rom 10:21, whom he calls a "disobedient and gainsaying people"; who believed not in Christ, obeyed not his Gospel, but contradicted and blasphemed it; and were rebellious against him, would not have him to reign over them, nor submit to his ordinances; though he most affectionately invited them, earnestly pressed and urged them, and that daily and frequently, to attend his ministry; and used all human methods to gain audience of them, and acceptance with them, but all to no purpose; see Mat 23:37, they remained obstinate and inflexible, and so they did under the ministry of his apostles; for, notwithstanding their ill usage of him, he ordered the Gospel to be first preached to them, as it was, till they treated it with such indignity and contempt, that the apostles turned away from them to the Gentiles, as they were bid; see Act 13:46. The Targum is,

"I sent my prophets every day, &c.''

which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; in their own way, of their own devising, choosing, and approving, and which was a wicked one; and after their own imaginations and inventions; after the traditions of the elders the doctrines and commandments of men; and after a righteousness of their own, which they sought by the works of the law, and so submitted not to, but rejected the righteousness of Christ.

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

I have spread out my hands - To spread out the hands is an action denoting invitation or entreaty Pro 1:24. The sense is, that God had invited the Jews constantly to partake of his favors, but they had been rebellious, and had rejected his offers.

All the day - I have not ceased to do it. The Chaldee renders this, ‘I sent my prophets all the day to a rebellious people.’

Unto a rebellious people - (See the notes at Isa 1:2). Paul renders this, Πρὸς λαον ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα Pros laon apeithounta kai antilegonta - ‘Unto a disobedient and gainsaying people;’ but the sense is substantially preserved.

Which walketh - In what way they did this, the prophet specifies in the following verse. This is the general reason why he had rejected them, and why he had resolved to make the offer of salvation to the Gentiles. This, at first, was a reason for the calamities which God had brought upon the nation in the suffering of the exile, but it also contains a general principle of which that was only one specimen. They had been rebellious, and God had brought this calamity upon them. It would be also true in future times, that he would reject them and offer salvation to the pagan world, and would be found by those who had never sought for him or called on his name.

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

I have spread out my hands; applied to the Jews, Rom 10:21, I have stretched out my hands; that is, I have used all probable means to reduce them, I have stretched out the hands of a passionate orator to persuade them, of a tender mother to protect and defend them, of a liberal benefactor to lead them with my benefits; this I have done continually in the whole course of my providence with them, yet they are a rebellious people. Paul expounded it by, απειθουντα και αντιγεγοντα, a people not persuaded, not believing, but contradicting the will of God.

Which walketh in a way that was not good; that term, is not good, often signifies what is very bad: see 1Sa 2:21 Pro 24:23; 28:21; Psa 36:4. Though all sins be not equal, yet what is not good is bad.

After their own thoughts: what is here called after their own thoughts, is elsewhere called a walking after the imaginations of their hearts; an ordinary phrase, by which sins (especially sins in the matter of the worship of God) are expressed. Eight times, in the prophet Jeremiah sinning is thus expressed, Jer 3:17; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; 23:17; so also Deu 29:19. Errors in matter of worship are ordinarily thus expressed, certainly to let us know that all worship must be according to God’s revealed will, and of such errors this text seemeth, by what followeth, to speak; though indeed the reason of all sin is men’s fondness of their own imaginations in opposition to God’s revealed will, whence it is that self-denial is made the law of a discipleship to Christ.

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

I have spread out my hands. Not exactly in prayer, but in expostulation. (comp. Pro_1:24, "I have stretched out my hand," where the verb in the Hebrew is the same) All the day; or, all day long, Rom_10:21; i.e. continually, day after day, for years nay, for centuries. A rebellions people. (comp. Isa_30:1; and see also Isa_1:4, 23 Hos_4:16 Jer_5:23 Jer_6:28) The "rebellions people" (am sorer ) is undoubtedly Israel. In a way that was not good; rather, in the way that is not good; i.e. the "way of sinners" (Psa_1:1) the "way that leadeth to destruction". (Mat_7:13)

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

I have spread - Applied to the Jews, Rom. x, 21. I have stretched out my hands, I have used all means to reduce them, I have stretched out the hands of a passionate orator to persuade them, of a liberal benefactor to load them with my benefits; this I have done continually in the whole course of my providence with them.

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

“I have spread (or stretched) out my hands all the day (or every day) to a rebellious people, those going the way not good, after their own thoughts (or designs).” The gesture mentioned in the first clause is variously explained as a gesture of simple calling, of instruction, of invitation, of persuasion. All agree that it implies God’s gracious offer of Himself and of His favor to the people. Whether all the day or every day be the correct translation, the idea meant to be conveyed is evidently that of frequent repetition, or rather of unremitting constancy. The rebellious people is admitted upon all hands to be Israel. The last clause is an amplification and explanatory paraphrase of the first. ‘Going’ and ‘way’ are common figures for the course of life. ‘A way not good’ is a litotes or meiosis for a bad or for the worst way. (See Psa 36:4; Eze 36:31). Thoughts, not opinions merely, but devices and inventions of wickedness. (See above, on Isa 55:7). With this description compare that of Moses (Deu 32:5).

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

I spread out My hands in order to accept them with repentance.

contrary Heb. סוֹרֵר, turning away from the road.

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.

I have spread out my hands, etc. According to R. Moses Hakkohen, the preceding verse refers to all nations, as if God said, Even to nations that are not called by my name, I was accessible, but as regards my people I have spread my hands to receive them.

הדרך לא טוב In a way that is not good. Supply דרך way before לא טוב not good; comp. טוב ורע עץ הדעת דעת═עץ הדעת טוב ורע the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9)

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.