“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 55:1 Mean?
God issues the most generous invitation in the Old Testament: come to the waters. Buy without money. Eat without price. Every barrier to receiving has been removed. The cost is zero.
"Ho, every one that thirsteth" — the only qualification is thirst. Not worthiness. Not understanding. Not preparation. Thirst. If you want it, you qualify.
"Come ye to the waters" — the invitation is to come. Movement toward God. Not wait. Not qualify. Come.
"He that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat" — the paradox is deliberate. Buy without money. The transaction is real — something is exchanged. But the currency is not yours. The price has been paid. You receive freely what cost someone else everything.
"Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" — wine (celebration) and milk (nourishment). Both freely given. The feast is prepared. The cost is covered. The only thing missing is your presence.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does the invitation to come 'without money and without price' reveal about grace?
- 2.What are you thirsty for that this verse invites you to receive freely?
- 3.How is 'buying without money' a paradox that captures the gospel?
- 4.What are you trying to earn through effort that God is offering as a gift?
Devotional
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. The invitation is open. Wide open. Every one. The only requirement: thirst. If you want what God is offering, you are invited.
Come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money. No money required. No payment expected. No financial qualification. The invitation is specifically for those who cannot afford it — which is everyone, because no one can afford what God gives.
Buy wine and milk without money and without price. Buy — but not with money. Receive — but not at a cost you pay. The wine and milk are real. The celebration and nourishment are genuine. But the price has been absorbed by someone else.
This is the gospel in Old Testament language. Come. You are thirsty. You have nothing to pay with. And God says: come anyway. The water is free. The wine is free. The milk is free. Without money. Without price.
What are you thirsting for that this invitation addresses? What have you been trying to purchase through effort that God is offering for free? The waters are here. The feast is prepared. The only missing element is you.
Come.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,.... These are the words not of the prophet, but of the Lord, as what…
Ho - (הוי hôy). This word here is designed to call attention to the subject as one of importance. Every one that…
Ho, every one that thirsteth - "Water," says Zimchi, "is a metaphor for the law and wisdom: as the world cannot subsist…
Here, I. We are all invited to come and take the benefit of that provision which the grace of God has made for poor…
The invitation. The message of the Gospel its freeness, its appeal to the individual, its answer to the cravings of the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture