Isaiah 29:19

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹⁷In just a very short time, will not Lebanon become an orchard, and the orchard seem like a forest? ¹⁸On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see. ¹⁹The humble will increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.²⁰For the ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who look for evil will be cut down- ²¹those who indict a man with a word, who ensnare the mediator at the gate, and with empty charges deprive the righteous of justice. ²²Therefore, the LORD who redeemed Abraham says of the house of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed and no more will his face grow pale. ²³For when he sees his children, the work of My hands among him, they will honor My name, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and they will stand in awe of the God of Israel. ²⁴Then the wayward in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

meek: Isaiah 61:1, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 37:11, Psalms 149:4, Zephaniah 2:3, Matthew 5:5, Matthew 11:29, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 4:2, Philippians 2:1-3, James 1:21, James 2:5, James 3:13-18, 1 Peter 2:1-3

increase: Heb. add

the poor: Isaiah 41:17, Isaiah 41:18, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 66:2, Psalms 9:18, Psalms 12:5, Zephaniah 3:12-18, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 11:5, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, James 1:9, James 2:5

rejoice: Isaiah 41:16, Isaiah 61:10, Habakkuk 3:18, Philippians 3:1-3, Philippians 4:4

Reciprocal: Psalms 89:18 - Holy Isaiah 1:4 - the Holy Isaiah 11:4 - for the meek Isaiah 17:7 - General Isaiah 25:4 - thou hast Daniel 12:4 - many Matthew 11:25 - because Mark 10:52 - he received Luke 2:20 - General Luke 4:18 - to preach Luke 6:20 - Blessed Luke 7:22 - how Luke 10:21 - revealed Luke 18:43 - he Luke 24:45 - General John 9:7 - and came John 15:2 - and Acts 8:31 - How 1 Corinthians 1:27 - General 1 Peter 3:4 - a meek

Cross-References

Psalms 12:2
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

Isaiah 6:5
Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts."

Isaiah 6:11
Then I asked, "How long, O Lord?" And He replied, "Until cities lie in ruins without an inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied, and the land is desolate and ravaged,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The meek also shall increase [their] joy in the Lord,.... The "meek", lowly, and humble, are such who are made sensible of sin, and become humble under a sense of it; who see the insufficiency of their own righteousness, and submit to the righteousness of Christ; who attribute all they have, and are, to the free grace of God, and quietly submit to every dispensation of Providence; who are not easily provoked by men, but bear much and long without reviling; who envy not those that are above them in gifts and grace, nor despise those that are below them, and think the worst of themselves, and the best of others; now these have joy in the Lord, in the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, in the Lord Jesus Christ; in the greatness and glory of his person as Jehovah, and so able to save to the uttermost; in him as the Lord their righteousness; in his blood and sacrifice, for the pardon and expiation of their sins; in his fulness as theirs, to supply their wants; in his salvation, being so great, so full, so free, and suitable to them: and whereas their joy may be interrupted through the corruptions of their hearts, the temptations of Satan, and divine desertions, they "shall add" a joy in the Lord, as in the original; they shall repeat it, it shall come again, it shall be restored unto them, and they shall afresh exercise it, and "increase" in it, as we render it; for spiritual joy may be increased by the discoveries of the love of God; by fresh views of Christ, through an increase of knowledge of him, and faith in him; by means of meditation and prayer, and by reading and hearing the word:

and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel; or, "the poorest of men" b, who were so in a literal sense; for such were the persons, both among Jews and Gentiles, who in the first times of the Gospel were brought to the knowledge of Christ, and faith in him,

Matthew 11:4 or such who are "poor in spirit"; not only spiritually poor, but who are sensible of their spiritual poverty, and apply to Christ for the true riches of grace: the words may be rendered, "Adam's poor"; such who are impoverished by Adam's fall, and are sensible of it; these, perceiving durable riches and righteousness, even unsearchable riches, in Christ, rejoice in him, "the Holy One of Israel"; who is holy in himself, the sanctifier of others, and is made satisfaction to all his people. The Targum is,

"in the word of the Holy One of Israel.''

This joy is not carnal, but spiritual; it is the fruit of the Spirit of God, and is called joy in the Holy Ghost; as it also is the joy of faith, which goes along with it, is through it, and increases as that does; it is peculiar to believers, unknown to the world, and is unspeakable, and full of glory: and such kind of rejoicing, and an increase of it, are what belong to Gospel times.

a ויסכו "et addent", V. L. Pagninus: Montanus, b אביוני אדם "mendici hominum", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "egentissimi hominum", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The meek - The word ‘meek’ usually refers to those who are patient in the reception of injuries, but the Hebrew word used here (ענוים ‛ănâviym) means properly the oppressed, the afflicted, the unhappy Psalms 9:13; Psalms 10:12, Psalms 10:17; Proverbs 3:34; Isaiah 11:4. It involves usually the idea of humility or “virtuous suffering” (compare Psalms 25:9; Psalms 37:11; Psalms 69:33). Here it may denote the pious of the land who were oppressed, and subjected to trials.

Shall increase - Margin, as in Hebrew, ‘Add.’ It means, that they should greatly rejoice in the Lord. They should see the evidence of the fulfillment of his predictions; they should see the oppressors punished Isaiah 29:20-21, and Yahweh coming forth to be their protector and defender Isaiah 29:22-24.

And the poor among men - The poor people; or the needy. Doubtless the idea is that of the pious poor; those who feared God, and who had been subjected to the trials of oppression and poverty.