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Selected Verse: Isaiah 55:2 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Isa 55:2 |
Strong Concordance |
Wherefore do ye spend [08254] money [03701] for that which is not bread [03899]? and your labour [03018] for that which satisfieth [07654] not [03808]? hearken [08085] diligently [08085] unto me, and eat [0398] ye that which is good [02896], and let your soul [05315] delight [06026] itself in fatness [01880]. |
| |
King James |
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
not bread-- (Hab 2:13). "Bread of deceit" (Pro 20:17). Contrast this with the "bread of life" (Joh 6:32, Joh 6:35; also Luk 14:16-20).
satisfieth not-- (Ecc 1:8; Ecc 4:8).
hearken . . . and eat--When two imperatives are joined, the second expresses the consequence of obeying the command in the first (Gen 42:18). By hearkening ye shall eat. So in Isa 55:1, "buy and eat." By buying, and so making it your own, ye shall eat, that is, experimentally enjoy it (Joh 6:53). Compare the invitation (Pro 9:5-6; Mat 22:4).
fatness-- (Psa 36:8; Psa 63:5). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Wherefore do ye spend money - Margin, 'Weigh.' That is, in Hebrew, 'weigh silver.' Before money was coined, the precious metals were weighed, and hence, to make a payment is represented as weighing out silver Gen 23:16.
For that which is not bread - The idea here is, that people are endeavoring to purchase happiness, and are disappointed. Bread is the support of life; it is therefore emblematic of whatever contributes to support and comfort. And in regard to the pursuit of happiness in the pleasures of life, and in ambition, vanity, and vice, people are as much disappointed, as he would be who should spend his money, and procure nothing that would sustain life.
And your labor for that which satisfieth not - You toil, and expend the avails of your labor for that which does not produce satisfaction. What a striking description of the condition of the world! The immortal mind will not be satisfied with wealth, pleasure, or honor. It never has been. Where is the man who is satisfied with his wealth, and who says it is enough? Where is there one who is satisfied with pleasure, and vanity, and gaiety? There is a void in the heart which these things do not, cannot fill. There is a consciousness that the soul was made for higher and nobler purposes, and that nothing but God can meet its boundless desires. Where is the man who has ever been satisfied with ambition? Alexander wept on the throne of the world; and though Diocletian and Charles V descended voluntarily from the throne to private life, it was because there was nothing in royalty to satisfy the soul, and not because they found happiness enough there. There never was a more simple and true description of this whole world than in this expression of Isaiah, that people are spending their money and their labor for that which satisfieth not.
Hearken diligently unto me - The idea is, that by attending to his words and embracing his offers, they would find that without money or price which they were vainly seeking at so much expense and with so much toil.
And eat ... - The prophet here returns to the image in the former verse. They were invited to partake of that which would nourish the soul, and which would fill it with joy.
And let your soul delight itself in fatness - 'Fatness in the Scriptures is used to denote the richest food Gen 27:28-39; Job 36:16; Psa 65:11, and hence, is an emblem of the rich and abundant blessings resulting from the favor of God Psa 36:9; Psa 63:5. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Money - All your time, and strength, and cost. Not bread - For those things which can never nourish or satisfy you, such as worldly goods, or pleasures. Eat ye - That which is truly and solidly, and everlastingly good. In fatness - In this pleasant food of gospel - enjoyments. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Wherefore do ye spend - Why should ye be so zealously attached to a doctrine from which your souls derive neither comfort nor nourishment? |
5 My soul [05315] shall be satisfied [07646] as with marrow [02459] and fatness [01880]; and my mouth [06310] shall praise [01984] thee with joyful [07445] lips [08193]:
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied [07301] with the fatness [01880] of thy house [01004]; and thou shalt make them drink [08248] of the river [05158] of thy pleasures [05730].
4 Again [3825], he sent forth [649] other [243] servants [1401], saying [3004], Tell [2036] them which are bidden [2564], Behold [2400], I have prepared [2090] my [3450] dinner [712]: my [3450] oxen [5022] and [2532] my fatlings [4619] are killed [2380], and [2532] all things [3956] are ready [2092]: come [1205] unto [1519] the marriage [1062].
5 Come [03212], eat [03898] of my bread [03899], and drink [08354] of the wine [03196] which I have mingled [04537].
6 Forsake [05800] the foolish [06612], and live [02421]; and go [0833] in the way [01870] of understanding [0998].
53 Then [3767] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], Verily [281], verily [281], I say [3004] unto you [5213], Except [3362] ye eat [5315] the flesh [4561] of the Son [5207] of man [444], and [2532] drink [4095] his [846] blood [129], ye have [2192] no [3756] life [2222] in [1722] you [1438].
1 Ho [01945], every one that thirsteth [06771], come [03212] ye to the waters [04325], and he that hath no money [03701]; come [03212] ye, buy [07666], and eat [0398]; yea, come [03212], buy [07666] wine [03196] and milk [02461] without money [03701] and without price [04242].
18 And Joseph [03130] said [0559] unto them the third [07992] day [03117], This do [06213], and live [02421]; for I fear [03373] God [0430]:
8 There is [03426] one [0259] alone, and there is not a second [08145]; yea, he hath neither child [01121] nor brother [0251]: yet is there no end [07093] of all his labour [05999]; neither is his eye [05869] satisfied [07646] with riches [06239]; neither saith he, For whom do I labour [06001], and bereave [02637] my soul [05315] of good [02896]? This is also vanity [01892], yea, it is a sore [07451] travail [06045].
8 All things [01697] are full of labour [03023]; man [0376] cannot [03201] utter [01696] it: the eye [05869] is not satisfied [07646] with seeing [07200], nor the ear [0241] filled [04390] with hearing [08085].
16 Then [1161] said he [2036] unto him [846], A certain [5100] man [444] made [4160] a great [3173] supper [1173], and [2532] bade [2564] many [4183]:
17 And [2532] sent [649] his [846] servant [1401] at supper [1173] time [5610] to say [2036] to them that were bidden [2564], Come [2064]; for [3754] all things [3956] are [2076] now [2235] ready [2092].
18 And [2532] they all [3956] with [575] one [3391] consent began [756] to make excuse [3868]. The first [4413] said [2036] unto him [846], I have bought [59] a piece of ground [68], and [2532] I must [2192] needs [318] go [1831] and [2532] see [1492] it [846]: I pray [2065] thee [4571] have [2192] me [3165] excused [3868].
19 And [2532] another [2087] said [2036], I have bought [59] five [4002] yoke [2201] of oxen [1016], and [2532] I go [4198] to prove [1381] them [846]: I pray [2065] thee [4571] have [2192] me [3165] excused [3868].
20 And [2532] another [2087] said [2036], I have married [1060] a wife [1135], and [2532] therefore [1223] [5124] I cannot [3756] [1410] come [2064].
35 And [1161] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], I [1473] am [1510] the bread [740] of life [2222]: he that cometh [2064] to [4314] me [3165] shall never [3364] hunger [3983]; and [2532] he that believeth [4100] on [1519] me [1691] shall [1372] never [3364] [4455] thirst [1372].
32 Then [3767] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], Verily [281], verily [281], I say [3004] unto you [5213], Moses [3475] gave [1325] you [5213] not [3756] that bread [740] from [1537] heaven [3772]; but [235] my [3450] Father [3962] giveth [1325] you [5213] the true [228] bread [740] from [1537] heaven [3772].
17 Bread [03899] of deceit [08267] is sweet [06156] to a man [0376]; but afterwards [0310] his mouth [06310] shall be filled [04390] with gravel [02687].
13 Behold, is it not of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] that the people [05971] shall labour [03021] in the very [01767] fire [0784], and the people [03816] shall weary [03286] themselves for very [01767] vanity [07385]?
5 My soul [05315] shall be satisfied [07646] as with marrow [02459] and fatness [01880]; and my mouth [06310] shall praise [01984] thee with joyful [07445] lips [08193]:
9 For with thee is the fountain [04726] of life [02416]: in thy light [0216] shall we see [07200] light [0216].
11 Thou crownest [05849] the year [08141] with thy goodness [02896]; and thy paths [04570] drop [07491] fatness [01880].
16 Even so would he have removed [05496] thee out of the strait [06310] [06862] into a broad place [07338], where [08478] there is no straitness [04164]; and that which should be set [05183] on thy table [07979] should be full [04390] of fatness [01880].
28 Therefore God [0430] give [05414] thee of the dew [02919] of heaven [08064], and the fatness [04924] of the earth [0776], and plenty [07230] of corn [01715] and wine [08492]:
29 Let people [05971] serve [05647] thee, and nations [03816] bow down [07812] to thee: be [01933] lord [01376] over thy brethren [0251], and let thy mother's [0517] sons [01121] bow down [07812] to thee: cursed [0779] be every one that curseth [0779] thee, and blessed [01288] be he that blesseth [01288] thee.
30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac [03327] had made an end [03615] of blessing [01288] Jacob [03290], and Jacob [03290] was yet [0389] scarce [03318] gone out [03318] from the presence [06440] of Isaac [03327] his father [01], that Esau [06215] his brother [0251] came in [0935] from his hunting [06718].
31 And he also had made [06213] savoury meat [04303], and brought it [0935] unto his father [01], and said [0559] unto his father [01], Let my father [01] arise [06965], and eat [0398] of his son's [01121] venison [06718], that thy soul [05315] may bless [01288] me.
32 And Isaac [03327] his father [01] said [0559] unto him, Who art thou? And he said [0559], I am thy son [01121], thy firstborn [01060] Esau [06215].
33 And Isaac [03327] trembled [02729] very [01419] exceedingly [03966] [02731], and said [0559], Who? where [0645] is he that hath taken [06679] venison [06718], and brought [0935] it me, and I have eaten [0398] of all before thou camest [0935], and have blessed [01288] him? yea, and he shall be blessed [01288].
34 And when Esau [06215] heard [08085] the words [01697] of his father [01], he cried [06817] with a great [01419] and exceeding [03966] bitter [04751] cry [06818], and said [0559] unto his father [01], Bless [01288] me, even me also, O my father [01].
35 And he said [0559], Thy brother [0251] came [0935] with subtilty [04820], and hath taken away [03947] thy blessing [01293].
36 And he said [0559], Is not he rightly [03588] named [07121] [08034] Jacob [03290]? for he hath supplanted me [06117] these [02088] two times [06471]: he took away [03947] my birthright [01062]; and, behold, now he hath taken away [03947] my blessing [01293]. And he said [0559], Hast thou not reserved [0680] a blessing [01293] for me?
37 And Isaac [03327] answered [06030] and said [0559] unto Esau [06215], Behold, I have made [07760] him thy lord [01376], and all his brethren [0251] have I given [05414] to him for servants [05650]; and with corn [01715] and wine [08492] have I sustained [05564] him: and what shall I do [06213] now [0645] unto thee, my son [01121]?
38 And Esau [06215] said [0559] unto his father [01], Hast thou but one [0259] blessing [01293], my father [01]? bless [01288] me, even me also, O my father [01]. And Esau [06215] lifted up [05375] his voice [06963], and wept [01058].
39 And Isaac [03327] his father [01] answered [06030] and said [0559] unto him, Behold, thy dwelling [04186] shall be the fatness [04924] of the earth [0776], and of the dew [02919] of heaven [08064] from above [05920];
16 And Abraham [085] hearkened [08085] unto Ephron [06085]; and Abraham [085] weighed [08254] to Ephron [06085] the silver [03701], which he had named [01696] in the audience [0241] of the sons [01121] of Heth [02845], four [0702] hundred [03967] shekels [08255] of silver [03701], current [05674] money with the merchant [05503].