Isaiah 5:17

17 And the lambs shall feed according to their order, and strangers shall eat the deserts turned into fruitfulness.

Isaiah 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 5:17

Then shall the lambs feed after their manner
That is, the people of God, the disciples of Christ, either apostles and ministers of the Gospel, whom he sent forth as lambs among wolves, ( Luke 10:3 ) who fed the flock of Christ after their usual manner, and as directed by him; even with knowledge and understanding, by the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances; or the people of God fed by them, who are comparable to lambs for their harmlessness and innocence; and who feed in green pastures, "according as they are led"; as the word used may be rendered ^F6; or "according to their word"; the doctrine of the ministers of the Gospel, by whom they are instructed and directed to feed on Christ, as he is held forth in the word and ordinances. The Targum is,

``and the righteous shall be fed as is said of them;''

and so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the righteous: and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat;
that is, the Gentiles, who are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise; the other sheep that were not of the Jewish fold, ( Ephesians 2:12 ) ( John 10:16 ) these shall come in the room of the fat ones of the land of Judea, the rulers, elders, Scribes, and Pharisees; and feed on those pastures which were despised and left desolate by them; enjoy the Gospel they put away from them, and the ordinances of it, which they rejected. The Targum is,

``and they shall be multiplied, and the substance of the ungodly shall the righteous possess.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (Mrbdk) "juxta ductum suum", Montanus, Vatablus; "juxta verbum ipsorum", Forerius.

Isaiah 5:17 In-Context

15 And man shall be brought down, and man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be brought low.

16 And the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and the holy God shall be sanctified in justice.

17 And the lambs shall feed according to their order, and strangers shall eat the deserts turned into fruitfulness.

18 Woe to you that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as the rope of a cart.

19 That say: Let him make haste, and let his work come quickly, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, that we may know it.