Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 2 contains the famous PEACE-PROPHECY (vv. 2–4) — paralleled almost-verbatim at Micah 4:1–3 — 'they shall beat their swords into plowshares.' The chapter then-shifts to the DAY-OF-THE-LORD judgment-of-pride (vv. 5–22) — repeating the refrain 'the haughty looks of man shall be brought low' (vv. 11, 17). Verse 11's 'the LORD alone will be exalted in that day' is the chapter's-theological-thesis.
Notable Variants
2:2–4 'swords into plowshares' peace-prophecy // Mic 4:1–3; 2:11, 17 'the LORD alone exalted' DAY-OF-THE-LORD repeated-refrain; 2:19 'enter into the rocks' → Rev 6:15–17 ('hide us from the face of him').
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 2 = LXX Isaiah 2. 22 verses.
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
'The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem' tracks MT.
In the days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house will be established as the highest of the mountains, raised above the hills — and all the nations will stream to it.
'It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it' tracks MT. ALL-NATIONS-FLOW-TO-MOUNTAIN. Eschatological-pilgrimage. Revelation 21:24 ('the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it') Christologically extends. // Micah 4:1.
Many peoples will go and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For instruction will go out from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
'And many peoples shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem' tracks MT. LAW-FROM-ZION / WORD-FROM-JERUSALEM. Acts 1:8 ('you will be my witnesses … in Jerusalem … to the ends of the earth') Christologically-extends — the gospel-out-of-Zion pattern.
He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will no longer learn war.
'He shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore' tracks MT. SWORDS-INTO-PLOWSHARES. The Bible's most-quoted peace-prophecy. Inscribed at the United Nations headquarters. The eschatological-disarmament. Joel 3:10 ironically-reverses ('beat your plowshares into swords') for war-mobilization. Revelation's eschatological-peace fulfills.
O house of Jacob, come — let us walk in the light of the LORD!
'O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD' tracks MT. WALK-IN-THE-LIGHT. 1 John 1:7 ('if we walk in the light, as he is in the light') Christologically extends.
For you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with practices from the east and practice divination like the Philistines, and they clasp hands with foreigners.
'For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners' tracks MT.
His land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to his treasures. His land is filled with horses, and there is no end to his chariots.
'Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots' tracks MT.
His land is filled with worthless idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
'Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made' tracks MT.
So humanity is brought low, and each person is humbled — do not forgive them!
'So man is humbled, and each one is brought low — do not forgive them!' tracks MT.
Enter the rock and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of his majesty!
'Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty' tracks MT. ENTER-INTO-THE-ROCK. Revelation 6:15–17's 'hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb' Christologically-extends.
The haughty eyes of humanity will be brought low, and the pride of mortals will be humbled. The LORD alone will be exalted on that day.
'The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day' tracks MT. LORD-ALONE-EXALTED REFRAIN — repeated at v. 17. The chapter's-theological-thesis.
For the LORD of Hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up — it will be brought low:
'For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up — and it shall be brought low' tracks MT. DAY-OF-LORD anti-pride. Phil 2:9–11's 'every knee shall bow' extends Christologically.
against all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and against all the oaks of Bashan;
'Against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan' tracks MT.
against all the high mountains and against all the lofty hills;
'Against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills' tracks MT.
against every high tower and against every fortified wall;
'Against every high tower, and against every fortified wall' tracks MT.
against all the ships of Tarshish and against every beautiful vessel.
'Against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft' tracks MT.
The pride of humanity will be brought down, and the arrogance of mortals will be humbled. The LORD alone will be exalted on that day.
'And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day' tracks MT. // v. 11 refrain.
And the worthless idols will vanish entirely.
'And the idols shall utterly pass away' tracks MT.
They will enter the caves of the rocks and the holes in the ground, from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
'And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth' tracks MT. ENTER-CAVES — Revelation 6:15 directly cites/extends.
On that day, people will throw away their silver idols and their gold idols — which they made for themselves to worship — to the moles and the bats.
'In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats' tracks MT. IDOLS-CAST-TO-MOLES-AND-BATS — eschatological-renunciation.
to enter the crevices of the rocks and the clefts of the crags, from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
'To enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth' tracks MT.
Stop trusting in mere mortals, who have only breath in their nostrils. Of what account are they?
'Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?' tracks MT. CLOSES with anti-anthropocentric-trust counsel.