_Hear ye this, O house of Jacob_ For your conviction and humiliation; that, acknowledging God to be just, and even merciful, in what he has brought upon you, you may give glory to him, and take shame to yourselves; _which are called by the name of Israel_ Who are Israelites in name, but not in truth... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have declared_ That is, _predicted; the former things_ Those things which are already come to pass. These, opposed to _new things_, (Isaiah 48:6,) seem to intend the events foretold by Isaiah in the former part of this book, relating to the two confederate kings of Syria and Israel, (chap. 7.,) a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast heard, see all this_ As thou hast heard all these things, from time to time, seriously consider them. _And will not ye declare it_ I call you to witness: must you not be forced to acknowledge the truth of what I say? _I have showed thee new things from this time_ And I have now given thee... [ Continue Reading ]
_For my name's sake will I defer mine anger_ Although thou dost justly deserve my hottest anger and most dreadful judgments, which also, if thou repentest not, I will in due time inflict, yet at present I will spare thee, and deliver thee out of captivity, not for thy sake, but merely for my own sak... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hearken unto me, Israel, my called_ Whom I have called out of the world to be my peculiar people, to serve, and glorify, and enjoy me; and therefore you, of all others, have least cause to forsake me, or to follow after idols. _My right hand hath spanned_, or _doth span, the heavens_ Or, hath _mete... [ Continue Reading ]
_All ye assemble yourselves and hear_ Ye Jews, to whom he addressed his speech, (Isaiah 48:12,) and to whom he continues to speak; _which among them hath declared these things_ Which of the gods, whom any of you have served, or do now serve? The prophet gives a general challenge to the idols and the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Come ye near unto me_, &c. That you may the better hear me. Here, as in Isaiah 48:14, Jacob and Israel are summoned to hearken to the prophet speaking in God's name, and as a type of the great prophet, by whom God has _in these last days spoken unto us. I have not spoken in secret_ I have not suppr... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am the Lord, which teacheth thee to profit_ Who from time to time has made known to thee all necessary and useful doctrines, which, if observed by thee, would have been infinitely profitable to thee, both for this life and that to come; so that it is not my fault, but thine own, if thou dost not... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go ye forth of Babylon_ The imperative is here, as it is very frequently, put for the future, _ye shall go forth_, &c. For the words do not so much contain a command as a promise. This form of speaking, however, may be the rather used to intimate, that it was their duty to go forth, as well as God'... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is no peace unto the wicked_ God having, in the foregoing verses, foretold that blessed deliverance which he would give to his servant Jacob, (Isaiah 48:20,) here adds an explication and limitation of the blessing, and declares that wicked men should not enjoy the benefit of this mercy. And b... [ Continue Reading ]