ISAIAH CHAPTER 3. Great confusion on both people and rulers for their
sin and impudence in it, ISAIAH 3:1. Peace to the righteous, and
misery to the wicked, ISAIAH 3:10,11. The oppression and covetousness
of the rulers, ISAIAH 3:12. The pride of women, and its judgments,
ISAIAH 3:16. BEHOLD; look up... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MIGHTY MAN; strong and valiant men. The judge; the civil
magistrates. The prophet; either strictly so called, the want of whom
is matter of grief; see PSALMS 74:9; or largely, so as to include all
skilful and faithful teachers. THE PRUDENT; whose wisdom and conduct
was necessary to preserve them... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CAPTAIN OF FIFTY; there shall not be a man left able to command
and manage fifty soldiers, and much less such as could command
hundreds or thousands, which yet were necessary. _The honourable man_;
men of high birth, and place, and power, and reputation. _The
counsellor_; wise and learned states... [ Continue Reading ]
CHILDREN; either,
1. In age, whose minority corrupt ministers of state commonly abuse to
great mischiefs; or,
2. In understanding, experience, and manners; foolish, froward,
unteachable, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE SHALL BE OPPRESSED, by the command or connivance of such
childish rulers. THE CHILD SHALL BEHAVE HIMSELF PROUDLY AGAINST THE
ANCIENT, AND THE BASE AGAINST THE HONOURABLE; foolish and unworthy men
shall by wicked arts gain the favour and abuse the power of the
prince, and thereby behave th... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN SHALL TAKE HOLD OF HIS BROTHER OF THE HOUSE OF HIS FATHER;
whereas envy ordinarily reigns in near relations, when one brother is
advanced far above all the rest. THOU HAST CLOTHING: we are utterly
undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something yet
left to support the dignit... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SWEAR, Heb. _he shall lift up_; understand either,
1. His voice; he shall cry aloud, to show his earnestness in refusing
the offer; or,
2. His hand, which was the usual gesture in swearing, GENESIS 14:22
DEUTERONOMY 32:40, &c., to show his resolvedness. AN HEALER; a
repairer of the ruins... [ Continue Reading ]
Of his glorious majesty, whom they ought to reverence and adore.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SHOW OF THEIR COUNTENANCE DOTH WITNESS AGAINST THEM; their pride,
and wantonness, and impiety manifestly shows itself in their very
looks and carriages, and will be swift witness against them both
before God and men. THEY DECLARE THEIR SIN; they act it publicly,
casting off all fear of God, and... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY YE: God hath said it, and doth now by me say it; and you, O ye
priests and Levites, say it in your sermons to the people. THEY SHALL
EAT THE FRUIT OF THEIR DOINGS; let not them fear, for God will be
their safeguard and portion in the common calamity.... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO THE WICKED! these heavy judgments are designed against them,
and shall certainly find them out, though here they be mixed with the
righteous.... [ Continue Reading ]
WOMEN; either,
1. Properly so called, by their favour and power with the rulers; or,
2. Weak and effeminate rulers, such being called _women_ both in
sacred and profane writings. THEY WHICH LEAD THEE; thy rulers, civil
and ecclesiastical, whose duty it is to show thee the right way. Or,
as others,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD STANDETH UP; he will shortly and certainly stand up as a
judge, to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence. TO JUDGE THE
PEOPLE, i.e. to defend and deliver them, or to judge for them, as this
phrase is oft used.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ANCIENTS; the princes or rulers, as it is explained in the next
clause, who are oft called elders, because such were commonly and
fitly chosen out of those who were ripe in years. EATEN UP; destroyed
instead of preserving and dressing it, as you should have done. THE
VINEYARD; the church and com... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MEAN YE? what warrant have ye for it? how durst you presume to do
it? GRIND, or _batter_, as the word is used, EXODUS 32:20; smite them
cruelly: see ISAIAH 58:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAUGHTERS OF ZION; the women; as hitherto he reproved the men.
WALK WITH STRETCHED FORTH NECKS; affecting stateliness, PSALMS 75:5,
and to seem tall. WANTON EYES; or, as others, _twinkling with their
eyes_ in a lascivious manner. WALKING AND MINCING AS THEY GO, after
the manner of loose and want... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL SMITE WITH A SCAB THE CROWN OF THE HEAD; will by sending scabs,
or by other ways, take off the hair of their head, which is a woman's
glory, 1 CORINTHIANS 11:15, and which doubtless ministered to their
pride and wantonness. Others render it, _he will make bald_, &c.
Discover their secret parts,... [ Continue Reading ]
CAULS: as for this and the other Hebrew words here following, I judge
it unnecessary and improper to trouble the English reader with the
differing interpretations given of them by learned men, which the
curious may find in my Latin Synopsis. It is agreed by all that they
were ornaments used by that... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BONNETS: these were ornaments to cover the head, common both to
men, as EXODUS 39:28, and to women, as here. THE TABLETS, Heb. _the
houses of the soul, or of life, or of breath_; whereby he seems to
mean boxes of excellent perfumes, which are of great efficacy to
revive our drooping spirits, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Which were fastened to the head, and hung down upon the forehead to
the beginning of the nose; of which see GENESIS 24:22,47 JUD 8:24, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of silver or gold, either used to curl the hair, or rather fastened
and worn in the hair; which custom is not altogether disused at this
day.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GLASSES; the looking-glasses, as we call them, though in truth
they were not made of glass, but of bright and burnished brass.... [ Continue Reading ]
INSTEAD OF SWEET SMELL, those perfumes mentioned ISAIAH 3:20, THERE
SHALL BE STINK, from their scabs, mentioned ISAIAH 3:17, or from other
ill usages of their enemies. INSTEAD OF A GIRDLE, which were fine and
costly, and useful to gird their garments about them, A RENT; either
the rending of their g... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
HER GATES; the gates of Zion or Jerusalem, which, by a figure very
usual in sacred Scripture and all authors, are said to lament, to
imply the great desolation of the place, that there should be no
people to go out and come in by the gates, or to meet together in the
gates, as they used to do. Shall... [ Continue Reading ]