_Thus saith the Lord_ This verse, and the rest of this chapter, until Isaiah 56:9, seems to belong to the foregoing prophecy. From the consideration of God's promises there made to the believing Jews and Gentiles, he here urges them to perform their duty to him. _Keep ye judgment and do justice_ Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed is the man_ Any, or every man, not only Jews but Gentiles, or _strangers_, as it is explained in the following verses. _That doeth this_ That practiseth the judgment and justice, or the righteousness, mentioned Isaiah 56:1. _That layeth hold on it_ Or, _that holdeth it fast_, as יחזיק בה ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither let the son of the stranger_ The Gentile, who by birth is a stranger to God, and to the commonwealth of Israel. _That hath joined himself to the Lord_ That hath turned from dumb idols to the living God, and to true religion; _speak, saying, The Lord hath separated me_, &c. For such shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord_ That with purpose of heart cleave unto him, as is said Acts 11:23. _To love the Lord, to be his servants_ To serve him out of love to him and to his worship. _Them will I bring to my holy mountain_ To my house which stood upon mount Zion, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord which gathereth the outcasts_ Who will gather to himself, and bring into their own land, those poor Israelites which are or shall be cast out of it, and dispersed in divers parts of the world; _saith, Yet will I gather others to him_ As there are some few Gentiles whom I have made proselyt... [ Continue Reading ]
_All ye beasts of the field, come to devour_ “Here,” says Bishop Lowth, “manifestly begins a new section. The prophet, in the foregoing Chapter s, having comforted the faithful with many great promises of God's favour to be extended to them, in the restoration of their ruined state, and of the enlar... [ Continue Reading ]
_His_ Israel's, _watchmen are blind_ The priests, prophets, and other teachers; he mentions only the teachers, because ignorance was most shameful in them; but hereby he supposes the gross ignorance of the people. _They are all ignorant_ Of God's word and will, and of their own and the people's duty... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, they are greedy dogs_ Insatiably covetous: _shepherds that cannot understand_ Hebrew, _that know not to understand;_ that do not care, or love, or desire either to understand the word of God themselves, or to make the people understand it. _They all look to their own way_ They regard neither G... [ Continue Reading ]
_Come ye, say they_ Unto their brethren, fellow-priests, or other jolly companions. _We will fill ourselves_ We will drink, not only to delight, but even to drunkenness, as the word signifies. _And tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant_ Which shows their dreadful security and contemp... [ Continue Reading ]