Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 64:5

"Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them [have we been] of long time; and shall we be saved?" — Isaiah 64:5 (ASV)

You meet him - Perhaps there are few verses in the Bible that have caused more perplexity for interpreters than this one. After all that has been done, the general impression seems to be that it is wholly inexplicable, or without meaning—as it certainly is in our translation.

Noyes says of his own translation of the final part of the verse, ‘I am not satisfied with this or any other translation of the line which I have seen.’

Lowth states, ‘I am fully convinced that these words as they currently stand in the Hebrew text are utterly unintelligible. There is no doubt of the meaning of each word separately, but put together they make no sense at all. I conclude, therefore, that the copy has suffered from transcribers in this place.’

After proposing an important change in the text without any authority, Lowth adds, ‘Perhaps these may not be the very words of the prophet; however, it is better than to attribute to him what makes no sense at all, as those who attempt to translate such corrupted passages generally do.’ Archbishop Secker also proposed an important change in the Hebrew text, but there is, it is believed, no good manuscript authority for any change.

Without repeating what has been said by commentators on the text, I will endeavor to state what seems to me to be its probable meaning. Its general purpose, I think, is clear. It is to urge, as an argument for God’s intervention, the fact that he was accustomed to regard with pleasure those who did well; yet to admit that he was now justly angry because of their sins, and that they had continued so long in them that they had no hope of being saved except through his mercy. An examination of the words and phrases that occur will prepare us to present in a single view the probable meaning.

The word translated ‘you meet,’ (פגעת pâga‛^ethâ) probably means to strike upon, to impinge; then to fall upon in a hostile manner, to press upon in any way, as with petitions and prayers; and then to make peace or a treaty with anyone. See the word explained in the notes on Isaiah 47:3. Here it means, as I suppose, to meet for purposes of peace, friendship, protection; that is, it was characteristic of God to meet such persons as are described for purposes of kindness and favor. This expresses the belief of the petitioners that whatever they were suffering, they still had no doubt that it was God’s character to bless the righteous.

That rejoices - This translation evidently does not express the sense of the Hebrew, unless it is understood as meaning that God meets with favor those who rejoice in doing righteousness. So Gesenius translates it, ‘You make peace with him who rejoices to do justice; that is, with the just and upright man you are in league, you delight in him.’ So Noyes translates it, ‘You are the friend of those who joyfully do righteousness.’ Lowth: ‘You meet with joy those who work righteousness.’ Jerome: ‘You meet him who rejoices and does right.’ The phrase used (את־שׂשׂ 'eth - s'ās') seems to me to mean, ‘With joy,’ and to indicate God’s general habit. It was characteristic of him to meet the just ‘with joy,’ that is, joyfully.

And works righteousness - Hebrew, ‘And him that does righteousness;’ that is, ‘you are accustomed to meet the just with joy, and him that does right.’ It was a pleasure for God to do it, and to impart to them his favors.

Those that remember you in your ways - On the word ‘remember,’ used in this connection, see the notes on Isaiah 62:6. The idea is, that such persons remembered God in the ways which he had appointed; that is, by prayer, sacrifices, and praise. With such persons he delighted to meet, and such he was always ready to aid.

Behold, you are angry - This is language of deep feeling on the part of the suppliants. Despite the mercy of God, and his readiness to meet and bless the just, they could not be ignorant of the fact that he was now angry with them. They were suffering under the signs of his displeasure; but they were not now disposed to blame him. They felt the utmost assurance that he was just, whatever they might have endured. It is to be borne in mind that this is language supposed to be used by the exiles in Babylon, near the close of the captivity; and the evidences that God was angry were to be seen in their heavy sorrows there, in their desolate land, and in the ruins of their ruined city and temple (see the notes on Isaiah 64:10-11).

In those is continuance - Lowth has correctly remarked that this conveys no idea. To what does the word ‘those’ refer? No antecedent is mentioned, and commentators have been greatly perplexed with the passage. Lowth, in accordance with his frequent custom, seems to suppose that the text is corrupted, but is not satisfied with any proposed mode of amending it. He translates it, ‘because of our deeds, for we have been rebellious;’ changing entirely the text—though following substantially the sense of the Septuagint. Noyes translates it, ‘Long does the punishment endure, until we are delivered;’ but expresses, as has been already remarked, dissatisfaction even with this translation, and with all others which he has seen. Jerome translates it, In ipsis fuimus semper - ‘We have always been in them,’ that is, in our sins.

The Septuagint, Διὰ τοῦτο ἐπλανήθημεν Dia touto eplanēthēmen, etc. ‘Because of this we wandered, and became all of us as unclean, and all our righteousness as a filthy rag.’ It seems to me that the phrase בחם bâhem — ‘in them,’ or ‘in those,’ refers to sins understood; and that the word translated ‘continuance’ (עולם ‛ôlâm) is equivalent to a long period in the past; meaning that their sins had been of long duration, or as we would express it, ‘we have always been sinners.’ It is the language of humble confession, indicating that this had been the characteristic of the nation, and that this was the reason why God was angry at them.

And we shall be saved - Lowth translates this, or rather substitutes a phrase for it, thus, ‘For we have been rebellious’ - amending it entirely by conjecture. But it seems to me that Castellio has given an intelligible and obvious interpretation by regarding it as a question: ‘Jamdiu peccavimus, et servabimur?’ ‘Long time have we sinned, and shall we be saved?’ That is, we have sinned so long, our offenses have been so aggravated, how can we hope to be saved? Is salvation possible for such sinners? It indicates a deep consciousness of guilt, and is language such as is used by all who feel their deep depravity before God. Nothing is more common in conviction of sin, or when suffering under great calamities as a consequence of sin, than to ask the question whether it is possible for such sinners to be saved.

I have thus given, perhaps at tedious length, my view of this verse, which has so much perplexed commentators. And though the view must be submitted with great diffidence after a man such as Lowth has declared it to be without sense as the Hebrew text currently stands, and though no important doctrine of religion is involved by the explanation, yet some service is rendered if a plausible and probable interpretation is given to a much-disputed passage of the sacred Scriptures, and if we are spared the necessity of supposing a corruption in the Hebrew text.