Isaiah 27 Study Notes

27:1 On that day refers to a future but unspecified time. Leviathan was well-known from ancient Canaanite mythology. Leviathan was a sea monster, representing chaos and evil in this verse. Brevard Childs says that Isaiah used this image to proclaim that God “will destroy not only historical forms of evil, but strike against its cosmic source once and for all” (Isaiah).

27:2-6 The desirable vineyard is a metaphor for God’s people. The poem has many contrasts with the vineyard song of 5:1-7. There the vineyard image is used to emphasize God’s judgment on sin; here the vineyard image describes the restoration of his people after judgment.

27:4-5 In these verses the thorns and briers seem to represent rebellion against God—the type of behavior that led to judgment in the first place. The thorns and briers have two possible courses of action: they can experience the devastating punishment of God or they can make peace with him.

27:6 The phrase in days to come, like “on that day” (see note at v. 1), refers to a future but unspecified time. The prophet Isaiah saw a prosperous future for God’s people, one that would bring prosperity to the whole world (Gn 12:1-3).

27:7 God indeed will judge his people, but he will not annihilate them as he will do with those whom he uses to punish them (Assyria in the eighth century BC and Babylon in the sixth).

27:8 Rather than annihilating his people, God will scatter them. The image of a windy storm (the east wind was a particularly hot, dangerous wind coming off the desert) evokes the picture of chaff being blown away.

27:9 God’s punishment of his people will be a cleansing (will be atoned for), a renewing, not a complete destruction. In particular, their idolatrous practices will be removed. On Asherah poles see note at 17:7-8.

27:10-11 The fortified city, like the “city of chaos” (see note at 24:10) and the “inaccessible city” (see note at 26:5), represents arrogant human evil. In the aftermath of God’s judgment, this city will become grazing land.

27:12 On that day, see note at 24:21. The Euphrates River and the Wadi of Egypt were the far northern and southern boundaries of the promised land. The image of threshing grain represents refining judgment since the process separated the wheat from the chaff. But the aftermath of the punishment will bring a regathering of God’s dispersed people.

27:13 On that day, see note at 24:21. The Israelites will come back for the purpose of worship. The holy mountain refers to Zion, the location of the temple.