“‘I will make known
My holy name
Among my people Israel.
I will not let
My holy name
Be profaned anymore.
The nations
Shall know
That I am Yahweh,
The Holy One
In Israel.’”
There is no doubt that Yahweh, via Ezekiel, wanted to protect and make known this holy name, especially among the people of Israel, but also among the various nations. He did not want his holy name profaned anymore. In case there was any doubt, he was Yahweh, the holy one of Israel.
“Israel
Has not been forsaken!
Judah
Has not been forsaken
By their God,
Yahweh of hosts!
Even though their land
Is full of guilt
Against the Holy One
Of Israel,
Flee!
From the midst
Of Babylon!
Save your lives!
Each one of you!
Do not perish!
Because of her guilt!
This is the time
Of Yahweh’s vengeance.
He is repaying her
What is due.”
Yahweh declares, via Jeremiah, that the Israelites and Judeans should not worry. They have not been forsaken, left behind like widows, even though the land is full of guilty ones, who have sinned against the Holy One of Israel. They should flee Babylon. They should save their lives. They will not perish because of the guilt of Babylon. Yahweh would be bringing vengeance and repaying Babylon for what she had done.
“Summon archers
Against Babylon!
All who bend the bow!
Encamp all around her!
Let no one escape!
Repay her
According to her deeds!
Just as she had done,
Do to her!
She has arrogantly
Defied Yahweh,
The Holy One of Israel!”
Like earlier in this chapter, the main fighters against Babylon were the archers with their bows and arrows. They were to surround Babylon, and not let anyone get away. They were to repay her for the deeds that that she had done. They should do unto her, what she had done to them. Babylon had been arrogant in defying Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, so that she deserved what she got.
“The descendants of those
Who oppressed you
Shall come bending low to you.
All who despised you
Shall bow down at your feet.
They shall call you
The City of Yahweh.
They shall call you
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
You have been forsaken.
You have been hated.
There was no one passing through.
I will make you majestic forever.
I will make you a joy from age to age.
You shall suck the milk of nations.
You shall suck the breast of kings.
You shall know
That I,
Yahweh,
Am your Savior!
I am Your Redeemer!
The Mighty One of Jacob!”
There will be a turnaround at Jerusalem. The descendants of those who oppressed Jerusalem will now come with bended knee. Those who despised this city will now bow down at its feet. The new name for Jerusalem will be the City of Yahweh, the City of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, Zion. No one had been coming to Jerusalem since it was hated and forsaken. Now it will be majestic forever. In colorful words, Jerusalem would suck the breasts of nations and kings. They would soon learn that Yahweh was their savior and redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob
“Incline your ear!
Come to me!
Hear!
Thus you may live!
I will make with you
An everlasting covenant.
Because of my steadfast one!
My sure love for David!
See!
I made him a witness to the people.
I made him a leader.
I made him commander for the people.
See!
You shall call nations
That you do not know.
Nations that you do not know
Shall run to you.
Because of Yahweh
Your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
Has glorified you.”
Second Isaiah notes that Yahweh has made an alliance with Israel. Once again, there is the command or call for people to listen or see, as if they are not. Yahweh was going to make an everlasting covenant because of his love for King David, so that they might live. He had made David a witness, a leader, and a commander for his people. Now many nations that they do not know, or nations that do not know them, will come to them because of Yahweh. Their God, the Holy One of Israel, will glorify the name of Israel.
“‘Do not fear!
You will not be ashamed.
Do not be discouraged!
You will not suffer disgrace.
You will forget the shame of your youth!
You will remember no more
The disgrace of your widowhood.
Your Maker is your husband.
Yahweh of hosts is his name.
The Holy One of Israel is
Your Redeemer.
He is called
The God of the whole earth.
Yahweh has called you
Like a wife forsaken,
Like a wife grieved in spirit,
Like the wife of a man’s youth
When she is cast off.’
So says your God.”
Second Isaiah says that you should not be fearful or discouraged because you will not be ashamed or suffer disgrace. You will forget the shameful sins of your youth. You will forget the disgrace of your widowhood, living in Exile. Your maker or creator, Yahweh of hosts, is your husband. The Holy One of Israel will be your redeemer. He is God of the whole earth, not just Israel. You were like a grieving spurned wife or like the first wife who has been cast off for the trophy wife. God is telling you this so that you do not feel bad.
“Thus says Yahweh!
The Redeemer of Israel!
His Holy One!
He says to one deeply despised,
One abhorred by the nations,
The slave of rulers.
‘Kings shall see.
Kings shall stand up.
Princes shall prostrate themselves.
They will do this
Because of Yahweh.
He is faithful.
The Holy One of Israel
Has chosen you.’”
Second Isaiah continues to use a variety of names for Yahweh, the Lord, like the Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel. Yahweh was trying to reassure Israel that despite being deeply despised by other countries, abhorred by many nations, and the slaves of rulers, there would be a turnabout. Kings would see them and stand up for them. Princes would bow down before them. They are going to do this because Yahweh, the faithful holy one, has chosen them.
“Thus says Yahweh!
Your Redeemer!
The Holy One of Israel!
‘I am Yahweh your God!
I teach you for your own good.
I lead you in the way you should go.
O that you had paid attention
To my commandments!
Then your prosperity would have been
Like a river.
Your success would have been
Like the waves of the sea.
Your offspring would have been
Like the sand.
Your descendants would have been
Like its grains.
Their name would never be cut off.
They would never have been destroyed
From before me.’”
Second Isaiah explains what Yahweh would have done had the Israelites followed his commandments. Yahweh said that he was the redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, their God. He had taught them how to live on the right path by following his commandments. However, they did not pay attention to him. They could have had prosperity and success like the rivers and the sea waves. They could have had offspring and descendants like the many grains of sand. They would have never been cut off or destroyed if they had only followed Yahweh’s teaching commands.
“Come down!
Sit in the dust!
O virgin daughter Babylon!
Sit on the ground
Without a throne!
O daughter Chaldea!
You shall no more
Be called tender!
You shall no more
Be called delicate!
Take the millstones!
Grind the meal!
Remove your veil!
Strip off your robe!
Uncover your legs!
Pass through the rivers!
Your nakedness shall be uncovered.
Your shame shall be seen.
I will take vengeance.
I will spare no one.
Our Redeemer
Is the Holy One of Israel.
Yahweh of hosts
Is his name!”
This is a unique kind of Hebrew lamentation. Yahweh God has stripped the unconquered virgin Babylon of its royal throne. The Chaldeans, who were from the southern part of Babylon, would no longer be considered tender and delicate. Now they were to do the work of slaves, grinding the meal with millstones. On top of that, they were to strip down, taking their veils off and removing their robes, so that their legs would be uncovered. They would be shamefully naked as washing in a river. Yahweh with his army was going to take vengeance on them, so that no one would be spared. Yahweh is the redeemer and the Holy One of Israel.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 