ÉsaïeChapitre 27

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On that day the LORD will punish with his sword—harsh, great, and mighty—Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.

On that day: Sing of a delightful vineyard!

I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it every moment. Lest anyone harm it, I guard it night and day.

I have no wrath. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle, I would burn them up together.

Or let them take hold of my stronghold and make peace with me—let them make peace with me.

In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom, and fill the whole world with fruit.

Has he struck them as he struck the ones who struck them? Has he slain them as he slew their slayers?

Measure by measure he contended with them, driving them into exile; with his fierce blast he swept them away, as on a day of the east wind.

So then, this is how Jacob's guilt will be atoned for, and this the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he smashes the altar stones to pieces like crumbling chalk, and no Asherah poles or incense altars are left standing.

For the fortified city stands desolate, an abandoned settlement, forsaken like the wilderness. There the calf grazes, there it lies down and strips its branches bare.

When its boughs are dry, they are broken off; women come and light their fires with them. For this is a people without understanding; therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no mercy.

On that day the LORD will thresh out the grain from the Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt, and you, people of Israel, will be gathered one by one.

On that day a great trumpet will sound, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 27

Main Theme: God will defeat the forces of chaos, cleanse his people from sin, and gather Israel to worship in Jerusalem.

Content: The chapter opens with God's judgment against Leviathan, the sea monster that symbolizes chaos and hostile powers. It then portrays Israel as a vineyard that God himself tends and waters, protected from enemies. Jacob’s sin will be atoned for by removing idolatry—the altars are smashed and the Asherah poles destroyed. The chapter concludes with a promise that the exiled Israelites will be gathered from Assyria and Egypt when the great trumpet sounds, and they will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

Key Words/Images:

Leviathan: A mythical sea monster symbolizing chaotic forces and God’s enemies, whom the Lord will slay with his sword.
The Vineyard: A picture of Israel that God protects and waters; he holds no anger against it but will defend it from thorns and thistles.
Atonement for Sin (v.9): Jacob’s sin is atoned for by breaking the altar stones and removing idolatrous symbols (the Asherah poles and sun pillars).
The Great Trumpet: The signal for Israel’s gathering from exile in Assyria and Egypt to worship in Jerusalem.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Isaiah 27

Key Concepts

Leviathan and the Sea Monster

The chapter opens with God’s judgment upon "Leviathan" (לִוְיָתָן), described as "the fleeing serpent" (נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ) and "the twisting serpent" (נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן), as well as "the dragon" (הַתַּנִּין) – the sea monster. These mythological creatures were known from Canaanite and Mesopotamian literature. In Ugaritic texts from Ras Shamra (circa 1400–1200 BCE), Lotan/Litan is mentioned as a seven-headed serpent that the god Baal defeats. Isaiah uses this imagery theologically to describe God’s final victory over chaos and evil powers – possibly symbols of oppressive empires that threatened Israel.

The Vineyard (כֶּרֶם)

The song of the vineyard in verses 2–6 is a deliberate contrast to the song of judgment in Isaiah 5:1–7, where the vineyard produced wild grapes. Here, God promises to care for His vineyard (Israel) with tenderness. The Hebrew expression "כֶּרֶם חֶמֶד" (a delightful vineyard) signals restoration. Vine growing was central to Judah’s economy, and this image communicated concrete hope for renewal.

Asherah Poles and Incense Altars

Verse 9 mentions "אֲשֵׁרִים" (Asherah poles) and "חַמָּנִים" (incense altars/sun pillars). The Asherah poles were cult objects associated with the Canaanite goddess Asherah, often placed near sanctuaries. The incense altars were likely connected to sun worship. Archaeological finds from Judah, including pillar figurines and high places, confirm the widespread nature of such syncretistic practices. The text’s demand that these be broken reflects the Deuteronomic reform movement’s struggle against foreign cults.

Places

"The River" to "the Brook of Egypt"

Verse 12 describes a geographical area from "שִׁבֹּלֶת הַנָּהָר" (the stream of the Euphrates) to "נַחַל מִצְרָיִם" (the Brook of Egypt, likely Wadi el-Arish on the Sinai Peninsula). This marks the idealized extent of the Promised Land (cf. Gen 15:18). The image of God "threshing grain" (יַחְבֹּט) from this area uses agricultural metaphor – threshing to separate grain from chaff – as a symbol that God will gather His people from exile.

The Holy Mountain in Jerusalem

The chapter culminates with the return to "הַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלָם" (the holy mountain in Jerusalem), that is, Zion/the temple hill. This was the center of Yahweh worship and symbolized God’s presence among His people.

Events and Customs

The Great Trumpet

The "שׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל" (great trumpet) in verse 13 had several functions in Israelite culture: calling assemblies for festivals, warning of danger, and proclaiming the Year of Jubilee (release). Here it signals the eschatological gathering of the "lost" (הָאֹבְדִים) in Assyria and the "driven out" (הַנִּדָּחִים) in Egypt. This reflects the historical reality of Israelites scattered to both great powers – the fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria (722 BCE) and refugees seeking refuge in Egypt during various crises.

Personnages1

Jacob1

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Mots-clés10

Isaiah — A prophet in the Old Testament who delivered God's message to the people of Israel.
Lord — A title used to refer to God, the almighty Creator.
Israel — The name of the biblical people and land with whom God had a special relationship.
House of Jacob — An expression referring to the descendants of Jacob, also known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
Fruits — Symbolize the results or consequences of actions and decisions.
Enemies — Those who oppose or work against God's plan and his people.
The serpent — A symbol of evil and temptation, often associated with Satan.
Vineyard — Means vineyard in English, and symbolizes God's care and protection of his people.
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