Yet — They cover all their wickedness with a profession of religion. Delight — There are many men who take some pleasure in knowing God's will and word, and yet do not conform their lives to it. As — As if they were a righteous people. Forsook — As if they were not guilty of any apostacy from God, o... [ Continue Reading ]
Afflicted — Defrauded our appetites with fasting, of which this phrase is used, Leviticus 16:29. Ye find — Either you indulge yourselves in sensuality, as they did, Isaiah 22:13. But this does not agree with that afflicting of their souls which they now professed, and which God acknowledges; or you... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold — Your fasting days, wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the mercy of God, and to shew compassion to men, you employ in injuring or quarrelling with your brethren, your servants or debtors, or in contriving mischief against them. Heard — In strife and debate. By way of ostentatio... [ Continue Reading ]
Chosen — Approve of, accept, or delight in, by a metonymy, because we delight in what we freely chuse. For a day — This may be understood, either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his soul in, and that either from even to even, Leviticus 23:32, or from morning to evening, or for a little t... [ Continue Reading ]
The bands — The cruel obligations of usury and oppression.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cast out — And thereby become wanderers, having no abiding place. To thy house — That thou be hospitable, and make thy house a shelter to them that have none of their own left. Hide not — That seek no occasion to excuse thyself. Thy own flesh — Some confine this to our own kindred; but we can look o... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy light — Happiness and prosperity. Break forth — It shall not only appear, but break forth, dart itself forth, notwithstanding all difficulties, as the sun breaks, and pierces through a cloud. Thy health — Another metaphor to express the same thing. Righteousness — The reward of thy righteousness... [ Continue Reading ]
Answer — He will give an effectual demonstration, that he hears thee. Here l am — A phrase that notes a person to be ready at hand to help. Take away — From among you. The yoke — All those pressures and grievances before mentioned. Putting forth — Done by way of scoff, or disdainful insulting. Vanit... [ Continue Reading ]
Draw out — Or, open, as when we open a store, to satisfy the wants of the needy. Thy soul — Thy affection, thy pity and compassion. Thy darkness — In the very darkness of the affliction itself thou shalt have comfort.... [ Continue Reading ]
Guide thee — Like a shepherd. And he adds continually to shew that his conduct and blessing shall not be momentary, or of a short continuance, but all along as it was to Israel in the wilderness. Satisfy — Thou shalt have plenty, when others are in scarcity. Make fat — This may be spoken in oppositi... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall be of thee — Thy posterity. Waste places — Cities which have lain long waste; that shall continue for many generations to come. The breach — Breach is put for breaches, which was made by God's judgment breaking in upon them in suffering the walls of their towns and cities to be demolished... [ Continue Reading ]
If — If thou take no unnecessary journeys, or do any servile works on the sabbath — day. A delight — Performing the duties of it with chearfulness, delighting in the ordinances of it. Holy — Dedicated to God, consecrated to his service.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the Lord — In his goodness and faithfulness to thee, and in the assurance of his love and favour. To ride — Thou shalt be above the reach of danger. Feed thee — Thou shalt enjoy the good of the land of Canaan, which God promised as an heritage to Jacob, and his seed, Genesis 35:12.... [ Continue Reading ]