Verses 1-13

1. The powers hostile to God's people are here symbolically represented as monsters. Leviathan the piercing (RV 'swift') serpent perhaps stands for Assyria, watered by the rapid Tigris, and 'leviathan the crooked serpent' (RV) for Babylon, whose river was the winding Euphrates. The dragon] crocodile, i.e. Egypt, as in Isaiah 51:9.

2. Sing ye, etc.] RV 'a vineyard of wine, sing ye unto it.' The vineyard is God's people (Isaiah 5); the song begins at Isaiah 27:3.

4. Who would, etc.] RV 'would that the briers and thorns were against me.' Go through] RV 'march upon.' God's anger against his vineyard has ceased, and He will now turn against their enemies, figuratively represented as briers and thorns (Isaiah 9:18; Isaiah 10:17).

5. A gracious overture even to God's enemies.

6. He shall cause] RV 'In days to come shall Jacob take root'; the image of the vineyard continued.

7. Hath Jehovah smitten Israel as he smote their oppressors? Is Israel slain according to the slaughter of those slain by Jehovah? The implied answer is No.

8. When, etc.] RV 'when thou sendest her away thou dost contend with her; he hath removed her with his rough blast,' etc. Israel has been smitten but only in measure.

9. The sense is that Israel's sin will be purged on condition that it rejects all idolatry. The fruit] RV 'the fruit of taking away': i.e. the result or proof of contrition required as a condition of taking away. Groves and images] RV 'Asherim and sun-images': see Isaiah 17:8. Not stand up] RV 'rise no more.'

10. Defenced city] i.e. of the enemies (as in Isaiah 25:2). Some, however, understand Jerusalem, which must for a season be desolate.

11. It] i.e. Israel.

12. Beat off] RV 'beat off the fruit' as from oüve trees (Deuteronomy 24:20). The ingathering of exiled Israel compared to a fruit harvest. River] RV 'River,' i.e. Euphrates. Stream of Egypt] the stream dividing Palestine from Egypt (1 Kings 8:65).

13. Trumpet] summoning the sacred assembly (Numbers 10:1-10).