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Selected Verse: Isaiah 29:17 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 29:17	Strong Concordance	Is it not yet a very [04213] little while [04592], and Lebanon [03844] shall be turned [07725] into a fruitful field [03759], and the fruitful field [03759] shall be esteemed [02803] as a forest [03293]?
	King James	Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
turned--as contrasted with your "turnings of things upside down" (Isa 29:16), there shall be other and better turnings or revolutions; the outpouring of the Spirit in the latter days (Isa 32:15); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (see on Isa 29:2; Zac 12:10) then on the Gentiles (Joe 2:28). fruitful field--literally, "a Carmel" (see on Isa 10:18). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful field, and vice versa. Compare Mat 11:12, Greek: "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert, He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness: vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

turned--as contrasted with your "turnings of things upside down" (Isa 29:16), there shall be other and better turnings or revolutions; the outpouring of the Spirit in the latter days (Isa 32:15); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (see on Isa 29:2; Zac 12:10) then on the Gentiles (Joe 2:28).

fruitful field--literally, "a Carmel" (see on Isa 10:18). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful field, and vice versa. Compare Mat 11:12, Greek: "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert, He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness: vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Is it not yet a very little while - The idea here is, 'you have greatly perverted things in Jerusalem. The time is at hand when there shall be "other" overturnings - when the wicked shall be cut off, and when there shall be poured out upon the nation such judgments that the deaf shall hear, and the blind see, and when those who have erred in spirit shall come to understanding' Isa 29:18-24. And Lebanon shall be tutored into a fruitful field - This is evidently a proverbial expression, denoting any great revolution of things. It is probable that in the times of Isaiah the whole chain of Lebanon was uncultivated, as the word is evidently used here in opposition to a fruitful field (see the note at Isa 2:13). The word which is rendered 'fruitful field' (כרמל karmel) properly denotes "a fruitful field," or a finely cultivated country (see Isa 10:18). It is also applied to a celebrated mountain or promontory on the Mediterranean Sea, on the southern boundary of the tribe of Asher. It runs northwest of the plain of Esdraelon, and ends in a promontory or cape, and forms the bay of Acco. The mountain or promontory is about 1500 feet high; and abounds in caves or grottoes, and was celebrated as being the residence of the prophets Elijah and Elisha (see Kg1 18:19, Kg1 18:42; Kg2 2:25; Kg2 4:25; Kg2 19:23; compare the note at Isa 35:2). More than a thousand caves are said to exist on the west side of the mountain, which it is said were formerly inhabited by monks. But the word here is to be taken, doubtless, as it is in our translation, as denoting a well-cultivated country. Lebanon, that is now barren and uncultivated, shall soon become a fertile and productive field. That is, there shall be changes among the Jews that shall be as great as if Lebanon should become an extensively cultivated region, abounding in fruits, and vines, and harvests. The idea is this: 'The nation is now perverse, sinful, formal, and hypocritical. But the time of change shall come. The wicked shall be reformed; the number of the pious shall be increased; and the pure worship of God shall succeed this general formality and hypocrisy. The prophet does not say when this would be. He simply affirms that it would be before "a great while" - and it may, perhaps, be referred to the times succeeding the captivity (compare Isa 32:15; Isa 35:1-10; Isa 1:6). And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest - That is, there shall be great changes in the nation, as if a well-cultivated field should be allowed to lie waste, and grow up into a forest. Perhaps it means that that which was then apparently flourishing would be overthrown, and the land lie waste. Those who were apparently in prosperity, would be humbled and punished. The effect of this revolution is stated in the following verses.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
But the prophet's God, whose omniscience, creative glory, and perfect wisdom they so basely mistook and ignored, would very shortly turn the present state of the world upside down, and make Himself a congregation out of the poor and wretched, whilst He would entirely destroy this proud ungodly nation. "Is it not yet a very little, and Lebanon is turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field esteemed as a forest? And in that day the deaf hear scripture words, and the eyes of the blind will see out of obscurity and out of darkness. And the joy of the humble increases in Jehovah, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For tyrants are gone, and it is over with scoffers; and all who think evil are rooted out, who condemn a man for a word, and lay snares for him that is free-spoken in the gate, and overthrow the righteous through shameful lies." The circumstances themselves, as well as the sentence passed, will experience a change, in complete contrast with the present state of things. This is what is affirmed in Isa 29:17; probably a proverb transposed into a more literary style. What is now forest becomes ennobled into garden ground; and what is garden ground becomes in general estimation a forest (לכרמל, ליער, although we should rather expect ל, just as in Isa 32:15). These emblems are explained in Isa 29:18. The people that are now blind and deaf, so far as the word of Jehovah is concerned, are changed into a people with open ears and seeing eyes. Scripture words, like those which the prophet now holds before the people so unsuccessfully, are heard by those who have been deaf. The unfettered sight of those who have been blind pierces through the hitherto surrounding darkness. The heirs of the new future thus transformed are the anâvı̄m ("meek") and the 'ebhyōnı̄m ("poor"). אדם (the antithesis of אנשׁהים, e.g., Isa 29:13) heightens the representation of lowliness; the combination is a superlative one, as in הצאן צעירי, Jer 49:20, and הצאן עניי in Zac 11:7 (cf., חיות פריץ in Isa 35:9): needy men who present a glaring contrast to, and stand out from, the general body of men. Such men will obtain ever increasing joy in Jehovah (yâsaph as in Isa 37:31). Such a people of God would take the place of the oppressors (cf., Isa 28:12) and scoffers (cf., Isa 28:14, Isa 28:22), and those who thought evil (shâqad, invigilare, sedulo agere), i.e., the wretched planners, who made a חטא of every one who did not enter into their plans (i.e., who called him a chōtē'; cf., Deu 24:4; Ecc 5:5), and went to law with the man who openly opposed them in the gate (Amo 5:10; yeqōshūn, possibly the perf. kal, cf., Jer 50:24; according to the syntax, however, it is the fut. kal of qūsh = yâqōsh: see at Isa 26:16; Ges. 44, Anm. 4), and thrust away the righteous, i.e., forced him away from his just rights (Isa 10:2), by tōhū, i.e., accusations and pretences of the utmost worthlessness; for these would all have been swept away. This is the true explanation of the last clause, as given in the Targum, and not "into the desert and desolation," as Knobel and Luzzatto suppose; for with Isaiah tōhū is the synonym for all such words as signify nothingness, groundlessness, and fraud. The prophet no doubt had in his mind, at the time that he uttered these words, the conduct of the people towards himself and his fellow-prophets, and such as were like-minded with them. The charge brought against him of being a conspirator, or a traitor to his country, was a tōhū of this kind. All these conspirators and persecutors Jehovah would clear entirely away.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
As a forest - The forest of Lebanon, which was a barren mountain, shall by God's providence, become a fruitful and populous place; and these places which are now fruitful and populous, shall then become as barren and desolate, as that forest. This is a prophecy of the rejection of the Jews, and of the calling of the Gentiles.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field "Ere Lebanon become like Carmel" - A mashal, or proverbial saying, expressing any great revolution of things; and, when respecting two subjects, an entire reciprocal change: explained here by some interpreters, I think with great probability, as having its principal view beyond the revolutions then near at hand, to the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. The first were the vineyard of God, כרם אל kerem El, (if the prophet, who loves an allusion to words of like sounds, may be supposed to have intended one here), cultivated and watered by him in vain, to be given up, and to become a wilderness: compare Isa 5:1-7. The last had been hitherto barren; but were, by the grace of God, to be rendered fruitful. See Mat 21:43; Rom 11:30, Rom 11:31. Carmel stands here opposed to Lebanon, and therefore is to be taken as a proper name.

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¹² And [1161] from [575] the days [2250] of John [2491] the Baptist [910] until [2193] now [737] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] suffereth violence [971], and [2532] the violent [973] take [726] it [846] by force [726].

¹⁸ And shall consume [03615] the glory [03519] of his forest [03293], and of his fruitful field [03759], both soul [05315] and body [01320]: and they shall be as when a standardbearer [05263] fainteth [04549].

²⁸ And it shall come to pass afterward [0310], that I will pour out [08210] my spirit [07307] upon all flesh [01320]; and your sons [01121] and your daughters [01323] shall prophesy [05012], your old men [02205] shall dream [02492] dreams [02472], your young men [0970] shall see [07200] visions [02384]:

¹⁰ And I will pour [08210] upon the house [01004] of David [01732], and upon the inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389], the spirit [07307] of grace [02580] and of supplications [08469]: and they shall look [05027] upon me whom they have pierced [01856], and they shall mourn [04553] for him, as one mourneth [05594] for his only [03173] son, and shall be in bitterness [04843] for him, as one that is in bitterness [04843] for his firstborn [01060].

² Yet I will distress [06693] Ariel [0740], and there shall be heaviness [08386] and sorrow [0592]: and it shall be unto me as Ariel [0740].

¹⁵ Until the spirit [07307] be poured [06168] upon us from on high [04791], and the wilderness [04057] be a fruitful field [03759], and the fruitful field [03759] be counted [02803] for a forest [03293].

¹⁶ Surely your turning of things upside down [02017] shall be esteemed [02803] as the potter's [03335] clay [02563]: for shall the work [04639] say [0559] of him that made [06213] it, He made [06213] me not? or shall the thing framed [03336] say [0559] of him that framed [03335] it, He had no understanding [0995]?

⁶ From the sole [03709] of the foot [07272] even unto the head [07218] there is no soundness [04974] in it; but wounds [06482], and bruises [02250], and putrifying [02961] sores [04347]: they have not been closed [02115], neither bound up [02280], neither mollified [07401] with ointment [08081].

¹ The wilderness [04057] and the solitary place [06723] shall be glad [07797] for them; and the desert [06160] shall rejoice [01523], and blossom [06524] as the rose [02261].
² It shall blossom [06524] abundantly [06524], and rejoice [01523] even with joy [01525] and singing [07444]: the glory [03519] of Lebanon [03844] shall be given [05414] unto it, the excellency [01926] of Carmel [03760] and Sharon [08289], they shall see [07200] the glory [03519] of the LORD [03068], and the excellency [01926] of our God [0430].
³ Strengthen [02388] ye the weak [07504] hands [03027], and confirm [0553] the feeble [03782] knees [01290].
⁴ Say [0559] to them that are of a fearful [04116] heart [03820], Be strong [02388], fear [03372] not: behold, your God [0430] will come [0935] with vengeance [05359], even God [0430] with a recompence [01576]; he will come [0935] and save [03467] you.
⁵ Then the eyes [05869] of the blind [05787] shall be opened [06491], and the ears [0241] of the deaf [02795] shall be unstopped [06605].
⁶ Then shall the lame [06455] man leap [01801] as an hart [0354], and the tongue [03956] of the dumb [0483] sing [07442]: for in the wilderness [04057] shall waters [04325] break out [01234], and streams [05158] in the desert [06160].
⁷ And the parched ground [08273] shall become a pool [098], and the thirsty land [06774] springs [04002] of water [04325]: in the habitation [05116] of dragons [08577], where each lay [07258], shall be grass [02682] with reeds [07070] and rushes [01573].
⁸ And an highway [04547] shall be there, and a way [01870], and it shall be called [07121] The way [01870] of holiness [06944]; the unclean [02931] shall not pass over [05674] it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men [01980], though fools [0191], shall not err [08582] therein.
⁹ No lion [0738] shall be there, nor any ravenous [06530] beast [02416] shall go up [05927] thereon, it shall not be found [04672] there; but the redeemed [01350] shall walk [01980] there:
¹⁰ And the ransomed [06299] of the LORD [03068] shall return [07725], and come [0935] to Zion [06726] with songs [07440] and everlasting [05769] joy [08057] upon their heads [07218]: they shall obtain [05381] joy [08057] and gladness [08342], and sorrow [03015] and sighing [0585] shall flee away [05127].

² It shall blossom [06524] abundantly [06524], and rejoice [01523] even with joy [01525] and singing [07444]: the glory [03519] of Lebanon [03844] shall be given [05414] unto it, the excellency [01926] of Carmel [03760] and Sharon [08289], they shall see [07200] the glory [03519] of the LORD [03068], and the excellency [01926] of our God [0430].

²³ By [03027] thy messengers [04397] thou hast reproached [02778] the Lord [0136], and hast said [0559], With the multitude [07230] of my chariots [07393] [07393] I am come up [05927] to the height [04791] of the mountains [02022], to the sides [03411] of Lebanon [03844], and will cut down [03772] the tall [06967] cedar trees [0730] thereof, and the choice [04004] fir trees [01265] thereof: and I will enter [0935] into the lodgings [04411] of his borders [07093], and into the forest [03293] of his Carmel [03760].

²⁵ So she went [03212] and came [0935] unto the man [0376] of God [0430] to mount [02022] Carmel [03760]. And it came to pass, when the man [0376] of God [0430] saw her afar off [07200], that he said [0559] to Gehazi [01522] his servant [05288], Behold, yonder is that [01975] Shunammite [07767]:

²⁵ And he went [03212] from thence to mount [02022] Carmel [03760], and from thence he returned [07725] to Samaria [08111].

⁴² So Ahab [0256] went up [05927] to eat [0398] and to drink [08354]. And Elijah [0452] went up [05927] to the top [07218] of Carmel [03760]; and he cast himself down [01457] upon the earth [0776], and put [07760] his face [06440] between his knees [01290],

¹⁹ Now therefore send [07971], and gather [06908] to me all Israel [03478] unto mount [02022] Carmel [03760], and the prophets [05030] of Baal [01168] four [0702] hundred [03967] and fifty [02572], and the prophets [05030] of the groves [0842] four [0702] hundred [03967], which eat [0398] at Jezebel's [0348] table [07979].

¹³ And upon all the cedars [0730] of Lebanon [03844], that are high [07311] and lifted up [05375], and upon all the oaks [0437] of Bashan [01316],

¹⁸ And in that day [03117] shall the deaf [02795] hear [08085] the words [01697] of the book [05612], and the eyes [05869] of the blind [05787] shall see [07200] out of obscurity [0652], and out of darkness [02822].
¹⁹ The meek [06035] also shall increase [03254] their joy [08057] in the LORD [03068], and the poor [034] among men [0120] shall rejoice [01523] in the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478].
²⁰ For the terrible one [06184] is brought to nought [0656], and the scorner [03887] is consumed [03615], and all that watch [08245] for iniquity [0205] are cut off [03772]:
²¹ That make a man [0120] an offender [02398] for a word [01697], and lay a snare [06983] for him that reproveth [03198] in the gate [08179], and turn aside [05186] the just [06662] for a thing of nought [08414].
²² Therefore thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], who redeemed [06299] Abraham [085], concerning the house [01004] of Jacob [03290], Jacob [03290] shall not now be ashamed [0954], neither shall his face [06440] now wax pale [02357].
²³ But when he seeth [07200] his children [03206], the work [04639] of mine hands [03027], in the midst [07130] of him, they shall sanctify [06942] my name [08034], and sanctify [06942] the Holy One [06918] of Jacob [03290], and shall fear [06206] the God [0430] of Israel [03478].
²⁴ They also that erred [08582] in spirit [07307] shall come [03045] to understanding [0998], and they that murmured [07279] shall learn [03925] doctrine [03948].

² To turn aside [05186] the needy [01800] from judgment [01779], and to take away [01497] the right [04941] from the poor [06041] of my people [05971], that widows [0490] may be their prey [07998], and that they may rob [0962] the fatherless [03490]!

¹⁶ LORD [03068], in trouble [06862] have they visited [06485] thee, they poured out [06694] a prayer [03908] when thy chastening [04148] was upon them.

²⁴ I have laid a snare [03369] for thee, and thou art also taken [03920], O Babylon [0894], and thou wast not aware [03045]: thou art found [04672], and also caught [08610], because thou hast striven [01624] against the LORD [03068].

¹⁰ They hate [08130] him that rebuketh [03198] in the gate [08179], and they abhor [08581] him that speaketh [01696] uprightly [08549].

⁵ Better [02896] is it that thou shouldest not vow [05087], than that thou shouldest vow [05087] and not pay [07999].

⁴ Her former [07223] husband [01167], which sent her away [07971], may [03201] not take [03947] her again [07725] to be his wife [0802], after [0310] that she is defiled [02930]; for that is abomination [08441] before [06440] the LORD [03068]: and thou shalt not cause the land [0776] to sin [02398], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee for an inheritance [05159].

²² Now therefore be ye not mockers [03887], lest your bands [04147] be made strong [02388]: for I have heard [08085] from the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] of hosts [06635] a consumption [03617], even determined [02782] upon the whole earth [0776].

¹⁴ Wherefore hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], ye scornful [03944] men [0582], that rule [04910] this people [05971] which is in Jerusalem [03389].

¹² To whom he said [0559], This is the rest [04496] wherewith ye may cause the weary [05889] to rest [05117]; and this is the refreshing [04774]: yet they would [014] not hear [08085].

³¹ And the remnant [07604] that is escaped [06413] of the house [01004] of Judah [03063] shall again [03254] take root [08328] downward [04295], and bear [06213] fruit [06529] upward [04605]:

⁹ No lion [0738] shall be there, nor any ravenous [06530] beast [02416] shall go up [05927] thereon, it shall not be found [04672] there; but the redeemed [01350] shall walk [01980] there:

⁷ And I will feed [07462] the flock [06629] of slaughter [02028], even you [03651], O poor [06041] of the flock [06629]. And I took [03947] unto me two [08147] staves [04731]; the one [0259] I called [07121] Beauty [05278], and the other [0259] I called [07121] Bands [02254]; and I fed [07462] the flock [06629].

²⁰ Therefore hear [08085] the counsel [06098] of the LORD [03068], that he hath taken [03289] against Edom [0123]; and his purposes [04284], that he hath purposed [02803] against the inhabitants [03427] of Teman [08487]: Surely the least [06810] of the flock [06629] shall draw them out [05498]: surely he shall make their habitations [05116] desolate [08074] with them.

¹³ Wherefore the Lord [0136] said [0559], Forasmuch [03282] as this people [05971] draw near [05066] me with their mouth [06310], and with their lips [08193] do honour [03513] me, but have removed [07368] their heart [03820] far [07368] from me, and their fear [03374] toward me is taught [03925] by the precept [04687] of men [0582]:

¹⁷ Is it not yet a very [04213] little while [04592], and Lebanon [03844] shall be turned [07725] into a fruitful field [03759], and the fruitful field [03759] shall be esteemed [02803] as a forest [03293]?

³¹ Even so [3779] have [544] these [3778] also [2532] now [3568] not believed [544], that [2443] through your [5212] mercy [1656] they [846] also [2532] may obtain mercy [1653].

³⁰ For [1063] as [5618] [2532] ye [5210] in times past [4218] have not believed [544] God [2316], yet [1161] have [1653] now [3568] obtained mercy [1653] through [5130] their unbelief [543]:

⁴³ Therefore [1223] [5124] say I [3004] unto you [5213], [3754] The kingdom [932] of God [2316] shall be taken [142] from [575] you [5216], and [2532] given [1325] to a nation [1484] bringing forth [4160] the fruits [2590] thereof [846].

¹ Now will I sing [07891] to my wellbeloved [03039] a song [07892] of my beloved [01730] touching his vineyard [03754]. My wellbeloved [03039] hath a vineyard [03754] in a very fruitful [01121] [08081] hill [07161]:
² And he fenced [05823] it, and gathered out the stones [05619] thereof, and planted [05193] it with the choicest vine [08321], and built [01129] a tower [04026] in the midst [08432] of it, and also made [02672] a winepress [03342] therein: and he looked [06960] that it should bring forth [06213] grapes [06025], and it brought forth [06213] wild grapes [0891].
³ And now, O inhabitants [03427] of Jerusalem [03389], and men [0376] of Judah [03063], judge [08199], I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard [03754].
⁴ What could have been done [06213] more to my vineyard [03754], that I have not done [06213] in it? wherefore [04069], when I looked [06960] that it should bring forth [06213] grapes [06025], brought it forth [06213] wild grapes [0891]?
⁵ And now go to; I will tell [03045] you what I will do [06213] to my vineyard [03754]: I will take away [05493] the hedge [04881] thereof, and it shall be eaten up [01197]; and break down [06555] the wall [01447] thereof, and it shall be trodden down [04823]:
⁶ And I will lay [07896] it waste [01326]: it shall not be pruned [02168], nor digged [05737]; but there shall come up [05927] briers [08068] and thorns [07898]: I will also command [06680] the clouds [05645] that they rain [04305] no rain [04306] upon it.
⁷ For the vineyard [03754] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] is the house [01004] of Israel [03478], and the men [0376] of Judah [03063] his pleasant [08191] plant [05194]: and he looked [06960] for judgment [04941], but behold oppression [04939]; for righteousness [06666], but behold a cry [06818].