Isaiah 3:13

The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) The Lord standeth up to plead . . .—The people may think that the prophet is their censor. He bids them know that Jehovah is their true accuser and their judge. “Ye,” he says, with all the emphasis of a sudden change of person, as if turning, as he spoke, to the nobles and elders, “ye have devoured the vineyard, ye have spoiled the poor.” (Comp. Isaiah 5:1-8; Proverbs 30:12-14.)

Benson Commentary

Isaiah 3:13-15. The Lord standeth up to plead — He will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence; and standeth to judge the people — To call the wicked into judgment, and to denounce upon them as they deserve; or to defend and deliver his own people, judging for them, as this phrase often means. Will enter into judgment with the ancients — The princes or rulers, as it is explained in the next clause, often called elders, because they were commonly chosen from those that were advanced in years. For ye have eaten up the vineyard — Destroyed, instead of preserving and dressing it, as you should have done. The church and commonwealth of Israel is often called God’s vineyard, and here the vineyard, by way of eminence, intrusted to the care of these rulers. The spoil of the poor is in your houses — The goods which you have violently taken away from them. What mean ye that ye beat my people? — What warrant have ye for it? How durst you presume to do it? and grind the faces of the poor — A strong metaphor to denote grievous oppression; but it is exceeded by the Prophet Micah 3:1-3.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:10-15 The rule was certain; however there might be national prosperity or trouble, it would be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. Blessed be God, there is abundant encouragement to the righteous to trust in him, and for sinners to repent and return to him. It was time for the Lord to show his might. He will call men to a strict account for all the wealth and power intrusted to and abused by them. If it is sinful to disregard the necessities of the poor, how odious and wicked a part do they act, who bring men into poverty, and then oppress them!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord standeth up - To "stand up" may mean the same as to "arise." God would not sit in silence and see their wicked conduct; but he would come forth to inflict on them exemplary and deserved chastisement.

To plead - To "litigate," to contend with, that is, to condemn, to inflict punishment.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. standeth up—no longer sitting in silence.

plead—indignant against a wicked people (Isa 66:16; Eze 20:35).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The Lord standeth up; he will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge, to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence.

To judge the people, i.e. to defend and deliver them, or to judge for them, as this phrase is oft used.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord standeth up to plead,.... His own cause, or the cause of his son against the Jews that rejected him, and the Scribes and Pharisees that led them to an ill opinion of him:

and standeth to judge the people. Both expressions show indignation and resentment; he rises up out of his place, and stands up in defence of his cause, and avenges himself on a wicked and ungrateful people: it seems to have reference to the judgments of God on the people of the Jews, the tribes of Israel.

Geneva Study Bible

The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. The verse reads: Jehovah has stationed himself to plead, and is standing to Judge peoples. Instead of “peoples” LXX. reads “his people” (cf. Deuteronomy 32:36), which is easier, since there is nothing to indicate that a world-judgment is contemplated. It is doubtful whether the word can denote the separate tribes of Israel. If the Heb. text be retained, the idea must be that of a general assize, in which Israel is judged first.

13–15. A judgment scene, somewhat loosely connected with what has gone before, but expressing in another form the same sympathy with the oppressed which appears in Isaiah 3:12. Jehovah, at once accuser and judge, comes to vindicate the cause of the poor against their oppressors.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - The Lord standeth up to plead. The great sin of the time was oppression of the poor by the rich, and especially by the rulers (Isaiah 1:15, 17, 21). In noticing this, the prophet, to give more weight to his denunciation, introduces Jehovah as standing up, and coming forward on the popular side, to plead the people's cause, and remonstrate with their oppressors. There is great force in this sudden entrance on the scene of Jehovah himself, as Pleader and Judge. And... judge the people; rather, the peoples. Primarily, Israel is God's care; but he does not stop at this point. All the nations of the earth are also under his protection. Isaiah 3:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

This was how it stood. There was but little to be expected from the exhortations of the prophet; so that he had to come back again and again to the proclamation of judgment. The judgment of the world comes again before his mind. - "Jehovah has appeared to plead, and stands up to judge the nations." When Jehovah, weary with His long-suffering, rises up from His heavenly throne, this is described as "standing up" (kum, Isaiah 2:19, Isaiah 2:21; Isaiah 33:10); and when He assumes the judgment-seat in the sight of all the world, this is called "sitting down" (yashab, Psalm 9:5, Joel 3:12); when, having come down from heaven (Micah 1:2.), He comes forward as accuser, this is called "standing" (nizzab or amad, Psalm 82:1 : amad is coming forward and standing, as the opposite of sitting; nizzab, standing, with the subordinate idea of being firm, resolute, ready). This pleading (ribh, Jeremiah 25:31) is also judging (din), because His accusation, which is incontrovertible, contains the sentence in itself; and His sentence, which executes itself irresistibly, is of itself the infliction of punishment. Thus does he stand in the midst of the nations at once accuser, judge, and executioner (Psalm 7:8). But among the nations it is more especially against Israel that He contends; and in Israel it is more especially against the leaders of the poor misguided and neglected people that He sets Himself.