What does Isaiah 55:1 mean by "come, buy without money and without cost"? Definition and Translation Isaiah 55:1 reads: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” The Hebrew verbs bə-shab·rū (“buy”) and includes the adverbial phrase bə loʾ ke·seph wə loʾ məḥîr (“without silver and without price”). The prophet deliberately conjoins two seemingly incompatible ideas—“buy” (an economic verb) and “without money” (the negation of economic exchange)—to teach that what God offers is acquired, yet not earned. Immediate Literary Context Isaiah 55 closes the so-called Servant section (Isaiah 40–55). Chapter 53 presented the Servant’s atoning death; chapter 54 unfolded the covenantal enlargement; chapter 55 is the global invitation to receive the Servant’s benefits. Verses 2–3 clarify that the “food” is the “everlasting covenant” and the “faithful love promised to David.” Thus verse 1 inaugurates a covenant-meal picture. Historical Setting Isaiah wrote in the late eighth century BC, prophesying the Babylonian exile yet to come and the restoration beyond it. The metaphor of famine and thirst resonated with exiles who had no temple, no sacrifices, and no homeland—symbolically penniless. God, not their imperial overlords, would supply what no economy could. Imagery of Water, Wine, and Milk • Water: life-sustaining necessity (Jeremiah 2:13). • Wine: covenant joy and celebration (Psalm 104:15; Isaiah 25:6). • Milk: nourishment for growth (Exodus 3:8; 1 Peter 2:2). The triad moves from essential (water) to luxurious (wine) to nurturing (milk), conveying total provision—basic, celebratory, formative. “Buy” as Covenant Acquisition Ancient Near-Eastern suzerainty treaties often included a ceremonial meal ratifying relationship. To “buy” here echoes redemption language (Exodus 15:16; Hosea 3:2). Yahweh “purchased” Israel (Deuteronomy 32:6); now Israel must “purchase” covenant blessings—but since the price has already been paid by the Servant (Isaiah 53:5), the purchase is symbolic: appropriate by faith what grace has secured. Grace Without Price Scripture consistently juxtaposes gift and cost: • “I will give the water of life freely” (Revelation 21:6). • “By grace you have been saved… it is the gift of God, not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Isaiah anticipates this Pauline logic. The purchase price is entirely underwritten by God; yet the language of buying stresses deliberate acceptance, not passive indifference. Covenantal Roots The phrase recalls God’s free-grace formula in the Exodus: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out… You shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:2–3). Liberation precedes obligation. In Isaiah 55 the covenant is renewed: grace offered first, obedience (vv. 6–7) follows. Messianic Fulfillment in Christ Jesus appropriated Isaiah’s thirst motif: • “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37–38). • “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst” (John 4:14). The Johannine texts echo Isaiah’s free invitation; the “water” is the Spirit (John 7:39). Christ’s atoning resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–4) pays the true cost, validating the “without money” clause. New Testament Echoes • Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14): a free feast spurned by some. • Parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:16-24): excuses of buyers contrast with God’s gratis feast. • “Come!” (Revelation 22:17): direct quotation of Isaiah’s invitation. Ethical and Discipleship Dimensions Grace received spurs obedience (Isaiah 55:7). The free banquet demands a life that reflects covenant loyalty (Titus 2:11-14). Christians “buy” daily without money when they draw on God’s resources in prayer, Scripture, and fellowship. Archaeological Corroboration Bulls inscribed “Belonging to Isaiah the prophet” unearthed near the Ophel excavation (Eilat Mazar, 2018) support Isaiah’s historical existence within Hezekiah’s court. The synchrony of biblical chronology with Assyrian annals (e.g., Sennacherib Prism) further anchors Isaiah’s milieu. Contemporary Application Every human, regardless of socioeconomic status, stands spiritually bankrupt (Revelation 3:17). God’s banquet confronts the consumerist worldview: eternal satisfaction cannot be purchased. Evangelistically, one may pose, “If salvation is free, what keeps you from coming today?” The obstacle is never cost but will. Conclusion Isaiah 55:1 deploys economic language to proclaim grace. God invites the destitute to obtain life, joy, and growth at no financial or moral price to them, because the Servant has already paid in full. The verse encapsulates the gospel: deliberate reception of God’s freely offered covenant blessings, culminating in Christ, for the glory of God. |
    |