1._Woe to the crown of pride. _Isaiah now enters on another and different subject from that which goes before it; for this discourse must be separated from the former one. He shews that the anger of the Lord will quickly overtake, first, Israel, and afterwards the Jews; for it is probable that the k... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one. _This may refer to the Assyrians, as if he had said, that they will be ready at God’s command to fight under his authority, as soon as they shall be called. Yet I prefer to take it without a substantive, to mean either “a staff,” or some other instru... [ Continue Reading ]
4._And the excellence of its glory. _He repeats nearly the same words; for we know how difficult it is to terrify and humble those who have been blinded by prosperity, and whose eyes success covers in the same manner that fatness would. As Dionysius the Second, (213) in consequence of gorging himsel... [ Continue Reading ]
5._In that day shall the Lord of hosts. _After having spoken of the kingdom of Israel, he passes to the tribe of Judah, and shews that, amidst this severe vengeance of God, there will still be room for compassion, and that, although ten tribes perished, yet the Lord will preserve some _remnant_, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
6._And for a spirit of judgment. _He explains the manner in which the Lord will adorn that “remnant” with additional splendor; for he holds out instances of the true art of civil government, which mainly contributes to the upholding of nations. It consists chiefly of two things, _counsel _and _stren... [ Continue Reading ]
7._But they also have erred through wine. _He returns to the irreligious despisers of God, who were Jews in name only, and proves their ingratitude to be highly aggravated, because, though they had before their eyes a striking proof of the anger of God, when they saw their brethren severely chastise... [ Continue Reading ]
8._For all tables are full of vomiting. _He pursues the same metaphor, and draws, as it were, a picture of what usually happens to men who are given up to drunkenness; for they forget shame, and not only debase themselves like beasts, but shrink from nothing that is disgraceful. It is certainly an u... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Whom shall he teach knowledge? _Here the Prophet shews by an expression of amazement, that the disease of the people is incurable, and that God has no other remedies adapted to cure them, for he has tried every method without effect. When he calls wanderers to return to the right path, and unceas... [ Continue Reading ]
10._For precept must be on precept. _This shews plainly that the Lord complains of spending his labor to no purpose in instructing this unteachable people, just as if one were to teach children, who must have elementary instructions repeated to them over and over again, and quickly forget them, and... [ Continue Reading ]
11._For with stammering lips. _(224) Some supply, that “it is as if one should say;” but that is superfluous. I therefore view these words as relating to God, who became, as the Prophet tells us, a barbarian (225) to a people without understanding. This reproof must have wounded them to the quick, b... [ Continue Reading ]
12._For he said to them. _Some explain it by circumlocution in this manner: “If one should say to them, This is the rest, they refuse to hear.” But this is a feeble exposition, and does not connect the various parts of the passage in a proper manner. On the contrary, the Prophet assigns the reason w... [ Continue Reading ]
13._The word of the Lord shall therefore be to them. _Although the Prophet repeats the same words, yet the meaning is somewhat different; for, having formerly spoken of voluntary stupidity, he now threatens the punishment of it, namely, that God will strike them with such bewilderment, that they sha... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Wherefore hear ye the word of the Lord. _He goes on to address to them still stronger reproof, and at the same time mingles with it a consolation in order to encourage the hearts of the godly. While he threatens utter destruction against the wicked, he leaves for believers ground of consolation,... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Because ye have said. _The Prophet next assigns the reason why he called them “scorners;” it was because they had thrown off all fear of God. He likewise describes the manner in which they acted, by saying that they promised to themselves that they would escape punishment amidst all their crimes... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Therefore thus saith the Lord God. _Isaiah now comforts the godly, and threatens against the wicked such punishment as they deserved. In the first instance, he brings forward consolation, because the godly were a laughingstock to those crafty men, as we see at the present day that irreligious me... [ Continue Reading ]
17._And I will lay judgment to the line. _The ruinous condition of the Church being such that believers hardly ventured to hope that it would be improved, he shews that God has in his hand the ready means of forming the Church entirely anew. As he lately mentioned a building, so now, by a different... [ Continue Reading ]
18._And your covenant with death shall be disannulled. _Formerly he directed his reproof against hypocrites, who obstinately mocked at God and all his threatenings; and he checked their thoughts in imagining that “they had made a covenant with death,” (Isaiah 28:15,) that is, in promising to themsel... [ Continue Reading ]
19._From the time that it shall pass. _He expresses more in this verse than in the preceding one; for he declares that the destruction of the reprobate is close at hand, though they promise to themselves everlasting happiness. Wicked men indeed perceive that they are liable to many calamities, but y... [ Continue Reading ]
20._For the bed shall be short. _By this metaphor he adorns the former statement; for he compares the reprobate, who are pressed down by the hand of God, to those who have concealed themselves in a “short and narrow bed,” in which they can scarcely stretch their limbs or lift their head, and where,... [ Continue Reading ]
21._For as in Mount Perazim. _Since he speaks here of the reprobate, the Prophet holds out nothing but terrors and cruel punishment; for while the Lord deals kindly and gently with his children, he shews that he will be an object of terror to the reprobate. For this purpose he produces examples, in... [ Continue Reading ]
22._Now therefore. _He again reminds those wicked men, whom he had formerly called “scorners,” (Isaiah 28:14,) that their cunning, and contempt, and jeers, and mockery, will avail them nothing, because all their ingenuity will be thwarted; and he exhorts them to repentance, if there still be any of... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Give ear and hear my voice. _Isaiah makes use of a preface, as if he were about to speak of something important and very weighty; for we are not wont to demand attention from our hearers, unless when we are about to say what is very important. And yet he seems here to speak of common and ordinar... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Doth the ploughman plough every day _(242) _to sow? _This passage is commonly explained as if the Lord reproached his people for ingratitude, because he had cultivated the field as a husbandman, and had spent on it all his care and industry, and yet did not reap such fruit as it ought to have yi... [ Continue Reading ]
25._When he hath levelled its surface. _He now speaks about sowing. The sower will not put into the earth as much as he can, nor will he throw it in at random, but will measure the ground, and give to it as much as is necessary; for otherwise the superfluous mass would rot, and not a single grain wo... [ Continue Reading ]
26._His God instructeth and teacheth him what is right. _From whom did the husbandman learn these things but from God? If they are so well educated and taught in the smallest matters, what ought we to think of so great a teacher and instructor? Does he not know how to apply a fixed measure and equit... [ Continue Reading ]
29._This also hath proceeded from Jehovah of hosts. _This passage is explained by some, as if The Prophet had said that the science of agriculture proceeded from the Lord; but I consider it to be the application of what goes before. Having pointed out the wisdom of God, even in the smallest matters,... [ Continue Reading ]