In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
14. In righteousness shalt thou be established ](lit. shalt thou establish thyself) cf. pro 24:3. “Righteousness” may describe the character of the citizens, but more probably it means that the position of the commonwealth is unassailable because based on right on conformity to the divine order (see Isaiah 54:17).
thou shalt be far from oppression ]lit. be thou far from oppression (RV marg.), ie let it be far from thy thoughts. Here it is obvious from the context that “oppression” is not wrongly perpetrated within the city, but external oppression which might be inflicted by its enemies.
you shall not fear ]ie hast not caused to fear.
terror ]or destruction.
Source: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In righteousness shalt thou be established – This is language which is appropriately addressed to a city or commonwealth. The idea is, that it would not be built up by fraud, and rapine, and conquest, as many cities had been, but by the prevalence of justice.
Thou shalt be far from oppressions – That is, thou shalt be far from being oppressed by others. So the connection demands. The Hebrew would bear an active signification, so that it might be read, be thou far from oppression, that is, be far from oppressing others. But the design of the prophet is rather to promise than to command; and the idea is, that they should have no occasion to fear the violence of others anymore.
For it shall not come near thee – This doubtless refers to the security, perpetuity, and prosperity of the church under the Messiah.
Source: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
In righteousness; either,
1. As the means of your establishment. This kingdom shall not be set up and settled by fraud or tyranny, as other kingdoms frequently are, but by justice. Or rather,
2. As the effect of the establishment. Thine affairs shall be managed with righteousness, which is the glory and happiness of any society, and not with oppression, as it follows. Justice shall be freely and impartially executed.
Thou shalt be far from oppression; either by thine own governors, or by foreign powers.
Thou shall not fear; thou shalt neither have any just cause of fear, nor be given up to the torment of fear without cause.
Source: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. righteousness the characteristic of the reign of Messiah (Isaiah 11:4;Isaiah 11:5; Psalm 72:2;Psalm 72:4; Rev 19:11).
far from oppression, c. far from suffering oppression “for you shall have nothing to fear.”
Source: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In righteousness shalt thou be established,…. In the righteousness of Christ, from whence flows the peace before spoken of, and which is the stability of the church of Christ, and the security of it and its members from condemnation. The doctrine of justification by Christ’s righteousness is, as Luther calls it, “articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiae”, the article of the church, by which, as it is held fast or neglected, it stands or falls: or be established in exercising righteousness , doing justice and judgment, which, as it is the support and establishment of a kingdom and state, so of the church; for if purity of manners, holiness and righteousness, are neglected, a church soon comes to decay and ruin; but such will be the holiness of the professors of religion in the latter day, that every pot and vessel in it shall be holiness to the Lord, Zec 14:20:
thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shall not fear; so far from it, that thou shalt not be in the least afraid of it, neither from within nor from without; not from false teachers that oppress the mind with legal doctrine; nor from persecutors that oppress and injure in person and property: the church will be now free from the oppression and tyranny of Rome, or mystical Babylon, which will now fall, and from the persecution of the antichristian states, on whom the vials of God’s wrath will be poured, and so the church will be no more in fear of them; the words may be rendered, “therefore thou shalt not fear” b; there will be no cause for it, no occasion of it:
and from terror; it shall not come near thee; the terror of the antichristian beast and powers, which shall be no more, after their last effort next mentioned.
b “quare non timebis, ideo non metues”, Vitringa; “quare ne timeas”, Forerius.
Source: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In perfect keeping with this grace through righteousness, Jerusalem will then stand firm and impregnable. “Through righteousness wilt thou be fortified: be far from anxiety, for thou hast nothing to fear; and from terror, for it will not come near thee. Behold, men crowd together in crowds; my will is not there. Who crowd together against thee? – he shall fall by thee.” Both the thought and action of Jerusalem will be righteousness then, and it will thereby acquire strength; is a paused future hithpalelwith the of the reflective opening syllable assimilated (Ges. 53, 2, b). With this reciprocal influence of its moral character and imparted glory, it can, and is to keep far away from all thought of oppression and terror; for, through divine grace and a corresponding divine nature, it has nothing to fear. ( Isaiah 54:15), when pointing to any transaction as possible (as, for example, in Job 12:14; Job 23:8), acquires almost the significance of a conditional particle (Ewald, 103, g). The equally hypothetical parallel clause is clothed in the form of an interrogative. For the verb gur the meaning “to gather together” (related to ), more especially to join together with hostile intention (cf., , Rev 19:19; Rev 20:8), is supported by Psalm 56:7; Psalm 59:4; and with , lacessere , it has nothing to do (Hitzig and Ewald). have the force of against you , as in the case of verbs of combat. The first apodosis is this: “but it takes place entirely away from me,” ie, without and against my will; = (as in Isaiah 59:21), and = , are not sure signs of a later usage; for this alternation of the two forms of is met with as early as Josh 14:12. The second apodosis is, “he will fall upon (or against) thee,” or, as we should say, “founder,” or “be wrecked.” It is far more likely that this is the meaning of the words, than that they mean “he will fall to thy lot” ( , like elsewhere, to fall to a person); for the context here is a totally different one from Isaiah 45:14and we look for nothing more than a declaration of the utter failure and ruin of the undertaking.
Source: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14. In righteousness. He means that God will be the maker and architect of his Church from him. I am aware that there are some who explain it differently, and who think that “righteousness” means “goodworks.” And indeed that exposition has some plausibility, arising from the Prophet having spoken about doctrine; for we are taught for this very purpose, that we may lead a pious and holy life. But the Prophet’s meaning was different, namely, that the Church shall be restored under God’s guidance, who wishes to be its guardian and defend, he contrasts “righteousness” with the violence and oppression by which the Church has been thrown down, or, at least, he expresses “stability,” as if he had said that it shall not be a frail building, or one that might impose on men for a short time by mere deceitfulness of appearance; Because God will sincerely defend his work from him, and, being “righteous,” he will not only restore it completely, but he will afterwards preserve it in safety for a long period. Thus, although men are bound in every way for the destruction of the Church, they will gain nothing; for the Lord guards her by his “righteousness de ella.” We have formerly (73) seen this form of expression; and on this account I think that the interpretation which I have given is more simple, though some may think that another interpretation is more plausible.
(73) ‘See Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, p. 488; 3, p. 411.
Source: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) Thou shalt be far from oppression. . .On the assumption of Isaiahs authorship the words stand out in contrast with his own experience of the oppression of Ahaz, of the fear and terror caused by Sargon and Sennacherib.
Source: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
See 14. In righteousness shall thou be established. ]Righteousness is here opposed to oppression. Regiment without righteousness, is but robbery with authority.
For thou shalt not fear.
]Or, That thou mayest not fear.
And from terror.
]Tyranny is terrible.
For it shall not come near thee.
]see Psalm 32:6 . See trapp on “ Psalm 32:6 “
Source: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
not. See note on “not” (Isa 5:8).
Source: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
righteousness: Isa 1:26, Isa 45:24, Isa 52:1, Isa 60:21, Isa 61:10, Isa 61:11, Isa 62:1, Jer 31:23, Eze 36:27, Eze 36: 28, Eze 37:23-26, Joe 3:17-21, Zec 8:3, 2Pe 3:13
thou shalt be: Isa 51:13, Zec 9:8
for thou: Isa 2:4, Pro 3:25, Pro 3:26, Jer 23:3, Jer 23:4, Jer 30:10, Mic 4:3, Mic 4:4, Zep 3:13-16, Zech 2:4, Zech 2:5
Reciprocal: Isa 32:17 – the work Dan 3:17 – our God Dan 4:9 – no secret Hos 2:19 – in righteousness Luk 1:74 – that we Act 12:24 – General
Source: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
54:14 In {m} righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
(m) In stability and sureness, so that it will stand forever.
Source: Geneva Bible Notes
The righteous would be secure in the love and plans of God. Oppression and terror would not come anywhere near them, so they would not fear (cf. Isa 32:17).