Isa 57:16 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 16. For I will not contend for ever ] The learned have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose on the latter part of this verses which they suppose to be very obscure. After all their labours upon it, I think the best and easiest explication of it is given in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which I presume are exactly parallel to it, and very clearly express the same sentiment. "But he in his tender mercy will forgive their sin And will not destroy them; Yea, oftentimes will he turn away his wrath, And will not rouse up his indignation: For he remembereth that they are but flesh, A breath that passeth, and returneth not." . "He will not always contend Neither will he for ever hold his wrath: As a father yearneth towards his children, So is JEHOVAH tenderly compassionate towards them that fear him: For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are but dust." . In the former of these two passages the second line seems to be defective both in measure and sense. I suppose the word otham, them , is lost at the end; which seems to be acknowledged by the Chaldee and Vulgate , who render as if they had read velo yaschith otham .-L. For the spirit ] ruach, the animal life . And the souls ] neshamoth, the immortal spirits . The Targum understands this of the resurrection. I will restore the souls of the dead , i.e., to their bodies.

‏ Isaiah 57:16

Verse 16. For I will not contend for ever] The learned have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose on the latter part of this verses which they suppose to be very obscure. After all their labours upon it, I think the best and easiest explication of it is given in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which I presume are exactly parallel to it, and very clearly express the same sentiment.

"But he in his tender mercy will forgive their sin

And will not destroy them;

Yea, oftentimes will he turn away his wrath,

And will not rouse up his indignation:

For he remembereth that they are but flesh,

A breath that passeth, and returneth not."

Ps 78:38, 39.

"He will not always contend

Neither will he for ever hold his wrath:

As a father yearneth towards his children,

So is JEHOVAH tenderly compassionate towards them

that fear him:

For he knoweth our frame;

He remembereth that we are but dust."

Ps 103:9, 13, 14.

In the former of these two passages the second line seems to be defective both in measure and sense. I suppose the word otham, them, is lost at the end; which seems to be acknowledged by the Chaldee and Vulgate, who render as if they had read velo yaschith otham.-L.

For the spirit] ruach, the animal life.

And the souls] neshamoth, the immortal spirits. The Targum understands this of the resurrection. I will restore the souls of the dead, i.e., to their bodies.