Chapter 55
54:17b This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, says the Lord.
55:1 All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money make haste, buy, and eat: come, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price.
55:2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.
55:3 Incline your ear and come to me: hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the faithful mercies of David.
55:4 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, for a leader and a master to the Gentiles.
55:5 Behold you shall call nations, which you knew not: and the nations that knew not you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
55:6 Seek the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is near.
55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God: for he is bountiful to forgive.
55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.
55:9 For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.
55:10 And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
55:11 so shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it.
55:12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall sing praise before you, and all the trees of the country shall clap their hands.
55:13 Instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle tree: and the Lord shall be named for an everlasting sign, that shall not be taken away.
988 . This is the inheritance . Here he adds the third remedy, promising abundance of goods against their former scarcity. And it is divided into two parts:
in the first, he sets out the promise;
in the second, he shows the firmness of the promise: and as the rain and the snow come down (Isa 55:10).
Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, he shows the condition of those to whom it is promised: this is the inheritance , that is, these things which follow are owed to the servants of the Lord, who are sons to him, as by right of inheritance; and their justice , as a just reward: my inheritance (Ps 15[16]:6).
989 . Second, he sets out the promise, promising future abundance in necessities: all you that thirst , that is, you among the Jews, who were thirsty because of your poverty, buy , without price, eat , bread and other necessities: if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink . . . and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37–38); and in delights: come, buy , as if to say, take as if you were buying, or without money , that is, less than a just price, wine and milk : I have drunk my wine with my milk (Song 5:1). And he recalls their former poverty, why do you spend money for that which is not bread? As if to say: why thus far have you been spending money and from it have not been able to eat bread? You have sowed much, and brought in little (Hag 1:6). These things, however, are explained mystically of the water of divine wisdom, which is given freely to the thirsty, according to the Gloss.
990 . Third, he enjoins preparation to obtain this promise: hearken diligently to me ;
and first, he rouses their attention;
second, he sets out the exhortation: seek the Lord (Isa 55:6).
He rouses their attention by a threefold promise.
First, he promises to those who listen abundant enjoyment of goods: eat , that is, I will restore you with various goods, if you will hear me; in fatness , as to abundance, above: if you be willing, and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land (Isa 1:19); and I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness (Jer 31:14).
Second, he promises escape from death: incline your ear : my soul shall live (Ps 118[119]:175); and also: your justifications I will never forget: for by them you have given me life (Ps 118[119]:93).
Third, he promises power.
And first, he sets out a similitude: and I will make an everlasting covenant, the faithful mercies of David , that is, as I made true promises to David that his seed would remain forever, so I will also do with you.
Second, he explains this similitude, showing what he did for David: behold I have given him for a witness to the people : a people which I knew not, has served me: at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me (Ps 17:45[18:44]). And what may be done for them: behold you shall call nations , to fulfill your command, not by your own power, but because of the Lord , above: and they shall adore for the sake of the Lord your God, who has chosen you (Isa 49:7).
991 . Seek the Lord . Here he enjoins upon them preparation to obtain the promise.
And first, he gives the divine counsel of seeking: seek the Lord, while he may be found , before adversity or death comes: seek the lord (Ps 104[105]:4); they shall rise in the morning, and shall not find me (Prov 1:28).
Second, he teaches the manner of seeking: let the wicked , sinning against God, forsake his way , and the unjust man , sinning against his neighbor, above: take away the evil of your devices from my eyes (Isa 1:16).
Third, he sets out the fruit of returning, namely, mercy: and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him ; for he is bountiful , that is, of manifold mercy, to forgive : turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful (Joel 2:13–14).
Fourth, he excludes the obstacle to mercy: for my thoughts are not your thoughts , as if to say: you are wicked, I am loving; you think of vengeance, I think of mercy: is it my ways that are not right, and are not rather your ways perverse? (Ezek 18:25).
992 . And as the rain and the snow . Here he shows the firmness of the promise:
And first, he sets out the efficacy of the divine word: it shall not return to me void , that is, without fruit: an obscure speech shall not go for naught (Wis 1:11); he will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth (Hos 6:3).
Second, he sets out restraint as to their joyful release from Babylon, for you shall go out with joy : he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness (Ps 104[105]:43); as to the congratulations of others: the mountains and the hills , the powerful and the common people, praising God in you; or this is hyperbole: your land congratulating your return. As to the multiplied restoration of goods: instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir tree , that is, your former goods are few in comparison to what you will have: the glory of this last house shall be more than of the first (Hag 2:10[9]), above: I will plant in the wilderness the cedar (Isa 41:19). The shrub ( saliuncula ) from saliendo (“jumping”), which is called “hare thistle.”
Third, he sets out the glory of God following from this: and the Lord shall be named , everywhere and forever glorious for your liberation, for an everlasting sign , to which they will flee as a sign of salvation, above: behold I will lift up my sign to the people (Isa 49:22).
993 . Note on the words, all you that thirst, come to the waters (Isa 55:1), that divine doctrine is first called water:
and this is first because it heals the sick: she shall give him the water of wisdom to drink (Sir 15:3);
second, because it cleanses the filthy: I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness (Ezek 36:25);
third, because it satisfies the thirsty: if anyone shall drink of the water that I will give, he shall not thirst for ever (John 4:13).
994 . Second, it is called wine:
and this is first because it stings in argument, above: your wine is mingled with water (Isa 1:22);
second, because it inflames in exhortation: the word of the Lord inflamed him (Ps 104[105]:19);
third, because it inebriates in consolation, below: that you may be inebriated with the breasts of her consolations (Isa 66:11).
995 . Third, it is called milk:
and this is first because of its beauty: Nephthali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty (Gen 49:21);
second, because of its sweetness: let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet (Song 2:14);
third, because of the ease with which it is taken: as newborn babes, desire milk (1 Pet 2:2).