For your hands are defiled— The prophet here goes on to specify those iniquities which he had mentioned in general, and in such an order, that he distributes them, as it were, through the members of the human body; the hands, the mouth, the feet; dwelling longest, however, upon the faults committed by the mouth; which are set forth literally and properly, first, in the middle of Isaiah 59:3 and then figuratively, Isaiah 59:5. The meaning of the expression, They hatch cockatrice' eggs, is, "Their wicked designs are like the eggs of a cockatrice, rank poison, which, when hatched, produce a venomous serpent: they end in destruction and misery." The expression of weaving the spider's web, signifies, "They attempt things, which meet with no success." See Job 8:14. The 4th verse may be rendered, No one pleadeth in righteousness, &c. In Isaiah 59:8 instead of there is no judgment in their goings, Vitringa reads, there is no regard to right in their goings.

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