Isaiah 55
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ื ืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 55 of 66 | Day: 202 of 742
Date: September 1, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 55 is the great climactic invitation that seals this section of Isaiahโs prophecies of consolation. It opens with the ringing summons โHo, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eatโ (ืืื ืื ืฆืื ืืื ืืืื). The commentators are unanimous that the water, wine, and milk offered here without price are figures for Torah and wisdom. Rashi glosses โgo to waterโ as โto Torah,โ Metzudat David explains that whoever thirsts for the word of God may go to the prophet and receive it without paying a coin, and Radak develops the metaphor at length: just as the world cannot exist without water, so it cannot exist without wisdom; wine is compared to Torah because both gladden the heart, and milk because just as milk sustains and grows the nursling, so the words of Torah sustain and grow the soul. The paradox of buying without money captures the essence of the invitation, that the most precious sustenance is offered freely to all who will only come.
From this open invitation the prophet turns to a pointed rebuke of misdirected labor: โWhy do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?โ (ืืื ืชืฉืงืื ืืกืฃ ืืืื ืืื). The verse contrasts the vanity of striving after what cannot nourish with the true satisfaction of listening to God and eating what is good, until the soul delights in richness (ืืชืชืขื ื ืืืฉื ื ืคืฉืื). The call then intensifies into covenant: โIncline your ear and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall liveโ (ืฉืืขื ืืชืื ื ืคืฉืื), for God will cut an everlasting covenant, the enduring kindnesses promised to David (ืืกืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืื). Here David becomes the pledge of permanence, his covenant the model for the eternal bond God offers His people, and the Davidic king a witness and commander to the nations, so that peoples Israel never knew will come running for the sake of the Lord who has glorified her.
At the heart of the chapter stands one of the most celebrated calls to repentance in all of Tanakh: โSeek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is nearโ (ืืจืฉื ืโ ืืืืฆืื ืงืจืืื ืืืืืชื ืงืจืื). This verse and the one that follows, โLet the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and return to the Lord who will have compassion, and abundantly pardonโ (ืืืจืืืืโฆ ืื ืืจืื ืืกืืื), form the core of the chapterโs liturgical prominence, recited on fast days and echoed through the season of the Days of Awe. Rashi reads โwhile He may be foundโ as before the verdict is sealed, while He still says to you โSeek Me,โ and Radak, citing his father, explains it as seeking Him with the whole heart, adding the teaching of Chazal that repentance must come before the final judgment is decreed. Radak underscores that true return requires abandoning both the visible way and the hidden thoughts, since sin resides in the hand, the mouth, and the heart, and repentance must reach all three.
The chapter then rises to a theology of divine transcendence and the certainty of the divine word. โFor My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My waysโ (ืื ืื ืืืฉืืืชื ืืืฉืืืชืืื), declares God, and โas the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.โ Rashi and the Midrash he cites turn this to the theme of forgiveness: unlike a mortal court where whoever confesses is condemned, before God whoever confesses and forsakes his evil way is granted mercy. The prophet then grounds the promise in a magnificent image drawn from nature: as the rain and snow descend from heaven and do not return without watering the earth and making it bring forth seed and bread, so the word that issues from Godโs mouth does not return empty but accomplishes His purpose and prospers in what He sent it to do (ืื ืืฉืื ืืื ืจืืงื). The word of consolation, once spoken, is as sure as the rain that cannot fall in vain.
The chapter closes on a note of cosmic rejoicing at the redemption: โFor you shall go out with joy and be led forth in peaceโ (ืื ืืฉืืื ืชืฆืื ืืืฉืืื ืชืืืืื), as the mountains and hills break into song and the trees of the field clap their hands. Radak notes that this personification of nature expresses the joy of all creation, or alternatively that the mountains figure the great ones and the trees the nations. The final image is one of transformation: instead of the thornbush a cypress shall rise, instead of the nettle a myrtle, an everlasting sign to the Lord that shall never be cut off (ืืืืช ืขืืื ืื ืืืจืช). Rashi and Targum Jonathan read this as the wicked giving way to the righteous, the barren thorns of exile replaced by the fragrant growth of redemption, a standing testimony to Godโs faithfulness that no future generation will ever undo.
ืคืจืง ื ืดื ยท Chapter 55
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึคืึนื ืึผืืึพืฆึธืึตืึ ืึฐืึฃืึผ ืึทืึผึทึืึดื ืึทืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึตึฝืืึพืึืึน ืึผึธึืกึถืฃ ืึฐืึคืึผ ืฉืึดืึฐืจืึผึ ืึถืึฑืึนึืืึผ ืึผืึฐืึฃืึผ ืฉืึดืึฐืจึืึผ ืึผึฐืืึนืึพืึถึืกึถืฃ ืึผืึฐืึฅืึนื ืึฐืึดึืืจ ืึทึฅืึดื ืึฐืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
Ho, all who are thirsty,Come for water,Even if you have no money;Come, buy food and eat:Buy food without money,Wine and milk without cost.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึธึคืึผึธื ืชึดืฉืึฐืงึฐืืึผึพืึถึืกึถืฃึ ืึผึฐืืึนืึพืึถึืึถื ืึดืืึดืืขึฒืึถึื ืึผึฐืึฃืึนื ืึฐืฉืืืึฐืขึธึื ืฉืึดืึฐืขึจืึผ ืฉืึธืึคืึนืขึท ืึตืึทืึ ืึฐืึดืึฐืืึผึพืึืึนื ืึฐืชึดืชึฐืขึทื ึผึทึฅื ืึผึทืึผึถึืฉืึถื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึฐืึถึฝืื
English:
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,Your earnings for what does not satisfy?Give heed to Me,And you shall eat choice foodAnd enjoy the richest viands.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึคืึผ ืืืึฐื ึฐืึถืึ ืึผืึฐืึฃืึผ ืึตืึทึื ืฉืึดืึฐืขึืึผ ืึผืชึฐืึดึฃื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึฐืึถึื ืึฐืึถืึฐืจึฐืชึธึคื ืึธืึถืึ ืึผึฐืจึดึฃืืช ืขืึนืึธึื ืึทึฝืกึฐืึตึฅื ืึธืึดึื ืึทื ึผึถืึฑืึธื ึดึฝืืื
English:
Incline your ear and come to Me;Hearken, and you shall be revived.And I will make with you an everlasting covenant,The enduring loyalty promised to David.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึตึื ืขึตึฅื ืึฐืืึผืึผึดึืื ื ึฐืชึทืชึผึดึืื ื ึธืึดึฅืื ืึผืึฐืฆึทืึผึตึื ืึฐืึปืึผึดึฝืืื
English:
As I made him a leaderaleader Cf. Targum; in contrast to others โwitness.โ of peoples,A prince and commander of peoples,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึตึฃื ืึผึคืึนื ืึนึฝืึพืชึตืึทืขึ ืชึผึดืงึฐืจึธึื ืึฐืึฅืึนื ืึนึฝืึพืึฐืึธืขึืึผืึธ ืึตืึถึฃืืึธ ืึธืจึืึผืฆืึผ ืึฐืึทึืขึทืึ ืึฐืึนืึธึฃื ืึฑืึนืึถึืืึธ ืึฐืึดืงึฐืึฅืึนืฉื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผึดึฅื ืคึตืึฒืจึธึฝืึฐืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
So you shall summon a nation you did not know,And a nation that did not know youShall come running to youbAs I made him โฆ to you Cf. 2 Sam. 22.44โ45 (Ps. 18.44โ45).โFor the sake of the ETERNAL your God,The Holy One of Israel who has glorified you.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืจึฐืฉืึฅืึผ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึฐืึดืึผึธึฝืฆึฐืึืึน ืงึฐืจึธืึปึืืึผ ืึผึดึฝืึฐืืึนืชึฅืึน ืงึธืจึฝืึนืื
English:
Seek GOD while you can,cwhile you can Lit. โwhile He can be found.โCall out while [God] is near.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืขึฒืึนึคื ืจึธืฉืึธืขึ ืึผึทืจึฐืึผึืึน ืึฐืึดึฅืืฉื ืึธึืึถื ืึทืึฐืฉืึฐืึนืชึธึืื ืึฐืึธืฉืึนึคื ืึถืึพืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึดึฝืืจึทืึฒืึตึืืึผ ืึฐืึถืึพืึฑืึนืึตึืื ืึผ ืึผึดึฝืึพืึทืจึฐืึผึถึฅื ืึดืกึฐืึฝืึนืึทื
English:
Let the wicked give up their ways,The sinful, their plans;Let each one turn back to GOD So as to be pardoned;To our God,Who freely forgives.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืึนึคื ืึทืึฐืฉืึฐืืึนืชึทืึ ืึทืึฐืฉืึฐืึฃืึนืชึตืืึถึื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึทืจึฐืึตืืึถึื ืึผึฐืจึธืึธึื ื ึฐืึปึื ืึฐืึนืึธึฝืื
English:
For My plans are not your plans,Nor are My waysdways Emendation yields โwordsโ; cf. v. 11 and 40.8. your wayseways See preceding note. โdeclares GOD.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืึฐืึฅืึผ ืฉืึธืึทึืึดื ืึตืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึผึตึฃื ืึผึธืึฐืึคืึผ ืึฐืจึธืึทืึ ืึดืึผึทืจึฐืึตืืึถึื ืึผืึทืึฐืฉืึฐืึนืชึทึื ืึดืึผึทืึฐืฉืึฐืึนึฝืชึตืืึถึฝืื
English:
But as the heavens are high above the earth,So are My waysfways See first note in v. 8. high above your waysgways See preceding note. And My plans above your plans.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึกื ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึตืจึตืึฉ ืึทืึผึถึจืฉืึถื ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึถึืึถื ืึดืึพืึทืฉืึผึธืึทึืึดื ืึฐืฉืึธึืึผึธืึ ืึนึฃื ืึธืฉืึืึผื ืึผึดึื ืึดืึพืึดืจึฐืึธึฃื ืึถืชึพืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึฐืืึนืึดืืึธึืึผ ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืึดืืึธึืึผ ืึฐื ึธึคืชึทื ืึถึืจึทืขึ ืึทืึผึนืจึตึืขึท ืึฐืึถึืึถื ืึธืึนืึตึฝืื
English:
For as the rain or snow drops from heavenAnd returns not there,But soaks the earthAnd makes it bring forth vegetation,Yielding seed for sowing and bread for eating,hseed for sowing and bread for eating Lit. โseed for the sower and bread for the eater.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึผึตึฃื ืึดืึฐืึถึคื ืึฐืึธืจึดืึ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึตืฆึตึฃื ืึดืคึผึดึื ืึนืึพืึธืฉืึฅืึผื ืึตืึทึื ืจึตืืงึธึื ืึผึดึคื ืึดืึพืขึธืฉืึธืึ ืึถืชึพืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึธืคึทึืฆึฐืชึผึดื ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืึดึืืึท ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืฉืึฐืึทืึฐืชึผึดึฝืืื
English:
So is the word that issues from My mouth:It does not come back to Me unfulfilled,But performs what I purpose,Achieves what I sent it to do.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฝืึพืึฐืฉืึดืึฐืึธึฃื ืชึตืฆึตึืืึผ ืึผืึฐืฉืึธืึืึนื ืชึผืึผืึธืึืึผื ืึถืึธืจึดึฃืื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึธืขึืึนืช ืึดืคึฐืฆึฐืึคืึผ ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถืึ ืจึดื ึผึธึื ืึฐืืืึพืขึฒืฆึตึฅื ืึทืฉืึผึธืึถึื ืึดืึฐืึฒืืึผึพืึธึฝืฃื
English:
Yea, you shall leaveileave I.e., leave the Babylonian exile. in joy and be led home secure.Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud,And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืชึผึทึคืึทืช ืึทึฝื ึผึทืขึฒืฆืึผืฅึ ืึทืขึฒืึถึฃื ืึฐืจึืึนืฉื (ืชืืช) [ืึฐืชึทึฅืึทืช] ืึทืกึผึดืจึฐืคึผึทึื ืึทืขึฒืึถึฃื ืึฒืึทึืก ืึฐืึธืึธึคื ืึทึฝืืึนืึธืึ ืึฐืฉืึตึื ืึฐืึฅืึนืช ืขืึนืึธึื ืึนึฅื ืึดืึผึธืจึตึฝืชืย {ืค}
English:
Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise;Instead of the nettle, a myrtle shall rise.These shall stand as a testimony to GOD,As an everlasting sign that shall not perish.
โถCommentaries (1)