The LORD has sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give your corn to be meat for your enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink your wine, for the which you have labored:
sworn
Deuteronomy 32:40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
Ezekiel 20:5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;
surely I will no more give.
Isaiah 65:21-23 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them…
Leviticus 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
Deuteronomy 28:31,33 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them…
Never again will I give your grain to your enemies for food:
This promise reflects a reversal of past judgments where Israel's disobedience led to their resources being taken by enemies (Deuteronomy 28:33). It signifies a time of restoration and divine protection, ensuring that the fruits of their labor will remain with them. Historically, Israel faced invasions and sieges where their harvests were often seized, making this promise particularly significant.
nor will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled:
The new wine represents the blessings and prosperity of the land (Joel 2:19). The toil indicates the hard work and dedication of the people. This assurance of security and enjoyment of their own produce contrasts with previous experiences of loss due to foreign oppression (Judges 6:3-4). It also points to a future time of peace and stability, aligning with messianic prophecies of restoration and abundance (Amos 9:13-14).
• The passage opens with a solemn oath. When God swears, He is placing His own character on the line (Hebrews 6:13–17).
• Scripture treats divine oaths as unbreakable (Jeremiah 31:35–36), so this promise carries absolute certainty.
• The context of Isaiah 62 is Israel’s future restoration; the oath anchors that hope in God’s unchanging faithfulness (Malachi 3:6).
• “Right hand” and “mighty arm” are familiar scriptural pictures of power and victory—Exodus 15:6, Psalm 98:1.
• By invoking these images, the Lord ties the promise to the same strength that split the Red Sea and toppled Egypt’s chariots (Exodus 15:12).
• The reassurance is tangible: the God who once delivered Israel will do so again, with equal or greater might (Isaiah 59:16).
• The statement reverses covenant curses such as Deuteronomy 28:31, 48, where enemies consumed Israel’s harvests.
• It anticipates a time when hostile nations can no longer plunder God’s people (Jeremiah 30:16).
• For believers, it underscores the Lord’s ability to protect daily provision (Matthew 6:26, 33), grounding physical needs in His covenant care.
• Wine symbolizes blessing and joy (Joel 2:24–26). In past judgments it was seized by outsiders (Micah 6:15); God now promises the opposite.
• The restoration language parallels Isaiah 65:21–22—God’s people will plant and enjoy their own vineyards.
• The verse anticipates a flourishing future under Messiah’s reign when work is fruitful and security is guaranteed (Amos 9:14).
Isaiah 62:8 is a rock-solid promise sealed by God’s own oath and upheld by His unstoppable power. He pledges that the days of loss and exploitation are over: Israel will possess and enjoy the fruit of her labor, untouched by enemies. The verse looks forward to the Lord’s final, literal restoration of His people and assures all believers that the God who swears by His mighty arm is faithful to protect, provide, and fulfill every word He has spoken.
(8) The Lord hath sworn . . .--The principle of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 6:13) is recognised here. Jehovah can swear by nothing less than that which is the symbol of His own greatness, identified with Himself.I will no more give thy corn . . .--The words throw us back upon the early history of Israel, subject at any time to the desolating attacks of Midianites (Judges 6:4; Judges 6:11), Assyrians (Isaiah 16:9), and Philistines (2Chronicles 28:18). The new blessing stands in special contrast with the curse of Deuteronomy 28:33; Deuteronomy 28:51. . . .
Verse 8. - The Lord hath sworn. In answer to the representations of the "remembrancers," God solemnly binds himself by an oath to come to the relief of the people, to restore them to their own land, and to give them the enjoyment of its fruits in peace. By his right hand. God commonly swears "by himself" (Genesis 22:16; Isaiah 45:23; Jeremiah 49:13; Jeremiah 51:14; Amos 6:5), or "by his holiness" (Psalm 89:35; Amos 4:2). Once he swears "by his great Name" (Jeremiah 44:26), and once "by the excellency of Jacob" (Amos 8:7). There is no other place in Scripture where he swears "by his right hand and arm" - emblems of his power to act. Thy corn... thy wine; i.e. the fruits of thy land. Hitherto, even when Israel was in possession of Palestine, its fruits were constantly destroyed, or carried off, by the raids of hostile neighbours. Henceforth this plundering should cease.