The period of the world in which Isaiah lived was in some respects a forming period. It was during his life that the kingdom of assyria, which had so long swayed a scepter of entire dominion over the East, began to wane, and that its power was broken. The kingdom of babylon, which ultimately became... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VISION - The first verse evidently is a title, but whether to the whole book or only to a part of it has been questioned. As it stands here, however, it seems clearly intended to include the entire book, because it embraces all that was seen during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekia... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR, O HEAVENS - This is properly the beginning of the prophecy. It is a sublime commencement; and is of a highly poetic character. The heavens and the earth are summoned to bear witness to the apostasy, ingratitude, and deep depravity of the chosen people of God. The address is expressive of deep... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OX ... - The design of this comparison is to show the great stupidity and ingratitude of the Jews. Even the least sagacious and most stupid of the animals, destitute as they are of reason and conscience, evince knowledge anal submission far more than the professed people of God. The ox is a well... [ Continue Reading ]
AH! SINFUL NATION - The word rendered ‘ah!’ - הוי _hôy_ - is not a mere exclamation, expressing astonishment. It is rather an interjection denouncing threatening, or punishment. ‘Wo to the sinful nation.’ Vulgate, ‘Vae genti peccatrici.’ The corruption pertained to the nation, and not merely to a p... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY ... - The prophet now, by an abrupt change in the discourse, calls their attention to the effects of their sins. Instead of saving that they had been smitten, or of saying that they had been punished for their sins, he assumes both, and asks why it should be repeated. The Vulgate reads this: ‘Su... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE SOLE OF THE FOOT ... - Or is we say, ‘from head to foot,’ that is, in every part of the body. There may be included also the idea that this extended from the lowest to the highest among the people. The Chaldee paraphrase is, ‘from the lowest of the people even to the princes - all are contu... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR COUNTRY IS DESOLATE - This is the literal statement of what he had just affirmed by a figure. In this there was much art. The figure Isaiah 1:6 was striking. The resemblance between a man severely beaten, and entirely livid and sore, and a land perfectly desolate, was so impressive as to arrest... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE DAUGHTER OF ZION - Zion, or Sion, was the name of one of the hills on which the city of Jerusalem was built. On this hill formerly stood the city of the Jebusites, and when David took it from them he transferred to it his court, and it was called the city of David, or the holy hill. It was i... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT ... - It is owing entirely to the mercy of God, that we are not like Sodom. The prophet traces this not to the goodness of the nation, not to any power or merit of theirs, but solely to the mercy of God. This passage the apostle Paul has used in an argument to establish the doctrine of divine... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD - The message of God. Having stated the calamities under which the nation was groaning, the prophet proceeds to address the rulers, and to state the cause of all these woes. YE RULERS OF SODOM - The incidental mention Sodom in the previous verse gives occasion for this bea... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHAT PURPOSE - לי למה _lâmâh_ _lı̂y_. ‘What is it to me; or what profit or pleasure can I have in them?’ God here replies to an objection which might be urged by the Jews to the representation which had been made of their guilt. The objection would be, that they were strict in the duties of the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN YOU COME TO APPEAR BEFORE ME - The temple was in Jerusalem, and was regarded as the habitation, or dwelling-place, of the God of Israel. Particularly, the most holy place of the temple was deemed the place of his sacred abode. The Shekinah - from שׁכן _shâkan_, to dwell - the visible symbol of... [ Continue Reading ]
BRING NO MORE - God does not intend absolutely to forbid this kind of worship, but he expresses his strong abhorrence of the manner in which it was done. He desired a better state of mind; he preferred purity of heart to all this external homage. VAIN - Hebrew “offering of vanity” - שׁוא _shâv'_ -... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR APPOINTED FEASTS - That is, your assemblies convened on regular set times - מועד _mô‛êd_, from יעד _yâ‛ad_, to fix, to appoint. Hengstenberg (Chris. iii. p. 87) has shown that this word (מועדים _mô‛ĕdı̂ym_) is applied in the Scriptures only to the sabbath, passover, pentecost, day of atone... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SPREAD FORTH YOUR HANDS - This is an expression denoting the act of supplication. When we ask for help, we naturally stretch out our hands, as if to receive it. The expression therefore is equivalent to ‘when ye pray, or implore mercy.’ Compare Exodus 9:29; Exodus 17:11; 1 Kings 8:22. I WILL HID... [ Continue Reading ]
WASH YOU - This is, of course, to be understood in a moral sense; meaning that they should put away their sins. Sin is represented in the Scriptures as defiling or polluting the soul Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 23:30; Hosea 5:8; Hosea 9:4; and the removal of it is represented by the act of washing; Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
LEARN TO DO WELL - , To learn here is to become accustomed to, to practice it. To do well stands opposed to all kinds of evil. “Seek judgment.” The word “judgment” - משׁפט _mishpâṭ_ - here means justice. The direction refers particularly to magistrates, and it is evident that the prophet had them... [ Continue Reading ]
COME NOW - This is addressed to the nation of Israel; and the same exhortation is made to all sinners. It is a solemn act on the part of God, submitting the claims and principles of his government to reason, on the supposition that men may see the propriety of his service, and of his plan. LET US RE... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE BE WILLING - If you submit your wills, and become voluntary in your obedience to my law. AND OBEDIENT - Hebrew If you will hear; that is, my commands. YE SHALL EAT ... - That is, the land shall yield its increase; and you shall be saved from pestilence, war, famine, etc. The productions of th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF YE REFUSE, YE SHALL BE DEVOURED WITH THE SWORD - Your enemies shall come in, and lay waste the land. This prediction was fulfilled, in consequence of their continuing to rebel, when the land was desolated by Nebuchadnezzar, and the nation was carried captive to Babylon. It illustrates a gener... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW IS - This is an expression of deploring, or lamenting. It indicates that that had occurred which was matter of grief. The prophet had stated the principles of the divine government; had urged the people to reason with God; and had affirmed his willingness to pardon. But it was seen that they wou... [ Continue Reading ]
THY SILVER - The sentiment in this verse, as it is explained by the following, is, thy princes and people have become corrupt, and polluted. Silver is used here to denote what should have been more valuable - virtuous princes. DROSS - This word - סיג _sı̂g_ - means the scoriae, or baser metal, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THY PRINCES ... - This is an explanation of the previous verse. Princes mean here those attached to the royal family; those who by rank, or office, had an influence over the people. REBELLIOUS - Against God. The corruption of a nation commonly begins with the rulers. COMPANIONS OF THIEVES - That i... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SAITH THE LORD ... - The prophet having stated the guilt of the nation, proceeds to show the consequences of their crimes; or to foretell what would happen. The name of God is repeated, to attract attention; to fill the mind with awe; and to give emphasis to the solemn sentence which was a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL TURN MY HAND UPON THEE - This expression is capable of two significations. The hand may be stretched out for two purposes, either to inflict punishment, or to afford help and protection. The phrase here refers evidently to the latter, to the act of redeeming and restoring his people, Isai... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL RESTORE ... - That is, I will give you such judges as the nation had in former days - in the times of Moses, Joshua, etc. Most of the charges in this chapter are against the magistrates. The calamities of the nation are traced to their unfaithfulness and corruption, Isaiah 1:17. God now s... [ Continue Reading ]
ZION - See the note at Isaiah 1:8. The word Zion here is used to designate the whole Jewish people to whom the prophet had reference; that is, the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, Isaiah 1:1. SHALL BE REDEEMED - The word used here - פדה _pâdâh_ - is employed in two senses in the Scriptures. It... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE DESTRUCTION - Hebrew שׁבר _sheber_ - the breaking, or crushing, that is, the punishment which was about to come upon them; compare Lamentations 2:11; Lamentations 3:47; Proverbs 16:18. OF THE TRANSGRESSORS - “Revolters,” or those that rebel against God. AND OF THE SINNERS - Of all the sinn... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED - That is, when they see the punishment that their idolatry has brought upon them, they shall be ashamed of the folly and degradation of their worship. Moreover, the gods in which they trusted shall yield them no protection, and shall leave them to the disgrace and confusio... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE ... - The mention of the tree in the previous verse, gives the prophet occasion for the beautiful image in this. They had desired the oak, and they should be like it. That, when the frost came, was divested of its beauty, and its leaves faded, and fell; so should their beauty and privileges a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE STRONG - Those who have been thought to be strong, on whom the people relied for protection and defense - their rulers, princes, and the commanders of their armies. AS TOW - The coarse or broken part of flax, or hemp. It means here that which shall be easily and quickly kindled and rapidly... [ Continue Reading ]