Teks -- Isaiah 64:1 (NET)

64:1 If only you would tear apart the sky and come down! The mountains would tremble before you!

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 64:1 - Rent

A metaphor taken from men, that when they would resolutely help one in distress, break and fling open doors and whatever may hinder.

Wesley: Isa 64:1 - Flow down

That all impediments might be removed out of the way: possibly an allusion to God's coming down upon mount Sinai, in those terrible flames of fire.

JFB: Isa 64:1 - rend . . . heavens

Bursting forth to execute vengeance, suddenly descending on Thy people's foe (Psa 18:9; Psa 144:5; Hab 3:5-6).

JFB: Isa 64:1 - flow down

(Jdg 5:5; Mic 1:4).

Clarke: Isa 64:1 - O that thou wouldest rend the heavens

O that thou wouldest rend the heavens - This seems to allude to the wonderful manifestation of God upon Mount Sinai.

Calvin: Isa 64:1 - O that thou wouldest rend the heavens! // That thou wouldest come down // Let the mountains flow down

1.O that thou wouldest rend the heavens! The particle לוא ( lu) appears to me, in this passage, to denote a wish; for, although it has many significations, yet the context shews that this signification is more appropriate to this passage than any other. Here believers burst forth into earnest prayer, as usually happens, when in sore adversity we do not find plain terms to be sufficiently forcible for our purpose.

God is said to “rend the heavens,” when he unexpectedly gives some uncommon and striking proof of his power; and the reason of this mode of expression is, not only that men, when they are hard pressed, commonly look up to heaven, from which they expect assistance, but that miracles, by interrupting the order of nature, open up for themselves an unusual path. Now, when God renders no assistance, he appears to be shut up in heaven, and to disregard what is taking place on earth. For this reason he is said to open and “rend the heavens,” when he holds out to us some testimony of his presence; because otherwise we think that he is at a great distance from us.

That thou wouldest come down. This expression, like the former, is adapted to the estimation of our flesh; for God does not need to move from one place to another, but accommodates himself to us, that we may understand those subjects better. ¹⁸⁵ (Gen 11:5.)

Let the mountains flow down That is,

“Let thy majesty be openly displayed, and let the elements, struck by the perception of it, yield and obey.” (Psa 18:11.)

This will appear more plainly from what immediately follows.

TSK: Isa 64:1 - Oh that // that thou wouldest come // that the

Oh that : Psa 18:7-15, Psa 144:5, Psa 144:6; Mar 1:10 *marg.

that thou wouldest come : Isa 63:15; Exo 3:8, Exo 19:11, Exo 19:18, Exo 19:19; Mic 1:3, Mic 1:4; Hab 3:1-13

that the : Jdg 5:4, Jdg 5:5; Psa 46:6, Psa 68:8, Psa 114:4-7; Amo 9:5, Amo 9:13; Nah 1:5, Nah 1:6; 2Pe 3:10-12; Rev 20:11

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 64:1 - Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens // That the mountains might flow down

Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens: either the earnest desire of the prophet, or the Jews’ strong wish, for the coming of the Messias: or rather, their cry to God for vengeance upon their adversaries, on consideration of the enemy’ s unmerciful dealing with them, and their insolent and opprobrious usage of God in his temple; partly expressing their haste and earnestness, and partly intimating that God would do it with violence and fury , implied in the word rending them, Psa 18:6,7 , &c., spoken after the manner of man, who, if he were shut up, must have room made for his coming forth. This God is said to do, when he puts forth some signal manifestation of his power, Psa 144:5 ; a metaphor taken from men, that when they would resolutely and effectually help one in distress, break and fling open doors, and whatever may hinder coming to their relief.

That the mountains might flow down or melt , Psa 68:1,2 97:5 Mic 1:3,4 ; that all impediments might be removed out of the way: possibly an allusion to God’ s coming down upon Mount Sinai in those terrible flames of fire, Jud 5:4,5 .

Haydock: Isa 64:1 - Presence

Presence, as at Sinai, Exodus xix. 16., and Judges v. 4. Judas [the Machabee] continues to pray. (Calmet) ---

The faithful sigh for Christ's coming. (Haydock) ---

All good people desired it most fervently. (Worthington)

Gill: Isa 64:1 - O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down // that the mountains might flow down at thy presence // that the nations may tremble at thy presence

O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down,.... Before, the church prayed that the Lord would look down from heaven and behold, Isa 63:15, now that he would open the heavens, and descend from thence; not by change of place, for he fills heaven and earth with his presence; but by some visible display of his power, in destroying her enemies, and delivering her from them. Some take this to be a prayer for the first coming of Christ from heaven to earth, by his incarnation, in order to redeem and save his people; and others that it is for his second coming to judgment, to take vengeance on his adversaries, when his wrath will burn like fire; but rather it is for his spiritual coming, to avenge his church and people on antichrist, and the antichristian states. She had seen him, as a triumphant conqueror, stained with the blood of his enemies; and now she prays for the accomplishment of what she had seen in vision and prophecy:

that the mountains might flow down at thy presence; kings and princes of the earth, and kingdoms and states governed by them, compared to mountains for their seeming firmness and stability; yet these will melt like wax, and flow like water, tremble and disappear at the presence of the King of kings, when he comes forth in his great wrath against them; as it is explained in the next verse,

that the nations may tremble at thy presence; see Rev 16:20. Here ends the sixty third chapter in the Targum.