Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 1:3 — ordinances. Israel—The whole nation, Judah as well as Israel, in the restricted sense. God regards His covenant-people in their designed unity. not know—namely, his Owner, as the parallelism requires; that is, not recognize Him as such (Exodus 19:5, equivalent to "my people," John 1:10; John 1:11). consider—attend to his Master (Isaiah 41:8), notwithstanding the spiritual food which He provides (answering to "crib" in the parallel clause).

Isaiah 1:5 — 5. Why—rather, as Vulgate, "On what part." Image from a body covered all over with marks of blows (Psalms 38:3). There is no part in which you have not been smitten. head . . . sick, c.—not referring, as it is commonly quoted, to their sins, but to

Isaiah 14 overview — pledge to assure the captives in Babylon that He who, with such ease, overthrew the Assyrian, could likewise effect His purpose as to Babylon. The Babylonian king, the subject of this prediction, is Belshazzar, as representative of the kingdom (Daniel 5:1-31).

Isaiah 33:19 — not be allowed to enter Jerusalem ( :-). Or, thou shalt not any longer see fierce enemies threatening thee as previously; such as the Assyrians, Romans, and the last Antichristian host that is yet to assail Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 28:49; Deuteronomy 28:50; Jeremiah 5:15; Zechariah 14:2). stammering—barbarous; so "deeper," &c., that is, unintelligible. The Assyrian tongue differed only in dialect from the Hebrew, but in the Assyrian levies were many of non-Semitic race and language, as the Medes,

Isaiah 42:20 — 20. observest—Thou dost not keep them. The "many things" are the many proofs which all along from the first God had given Israel of His goodness and His power (Deuteronomy 4:32-38; Deuteronomy 29:2-4; Psalms 78:1-72; Psalms 105:1-45). he—transition from the second to the third person. "Opening . . . ears," that is, though he (Israel) hath his ears open (see on Psalms 105:1-19.105.45- :). This language, too (see on Psalms 105:1-19.105.45- :), applies to Messiah as Jehovah's

Isaiah 42:22 — sake ( :-), they have fallen into misery (the Babylonish and Romish captivities and their present dispersion), owing to their disregard of the divine law: spiritual imprisonment is included ( :-). none saith, Restore—There is no deliverer (Isaiah 63:5).

Isaiah 46:13 — 13. near—antithetical to "far" (Isaiah 46:12; Isaiah 51:5; Isaiah 56:1; Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 61:11; Romans 10:6-8). righteousness—answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause; therefore it means here, "my righteous deliverance"; righteous, because proving the truth of God's promises, and so contrived

Isaiah 50:5 — 5. opened . . . ear—(See on Isaiah 50:4; Isaiah 50:4- :); that is, hath made me obediently attentive (but MAURER, "hath informed me of my duty"), as a servant to his master (compare Psalms 40:6-8; Philippians 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:3; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11; Matthew 20:28; Luke 22:27). not rebellious—but, on the contrary, most willing to do the Father's will in proclaiming and procuring salvation for man, at the cost of His own sufferings (Luke 22:27- :).

Isaiah 51:5 — 5. righteousness . . . near—that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (Isaiah 46:13; Isaiah 56:1; Romans 10:8; Romans 10:9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and

Isaiah 55:13 — 13. thorn—emblem of the wicked (2 Samuel 23:6; Micah 7:4). fir tree—the godly (Isaiah 60:13; Psalms 92:12). Compare as to the change wrought, Psalms 92:12- :. brier—emblem of uncultivation (Isaiah 5:6). myrtle—Hebrew, Hedes, from which comes Hedassah, the original name of Esther. Type of the Christian Church; for it is a lowly, though beautiful, fragrant, and evergreen shrub (Psalms 92:13; Psalms 92:14). for a name . . . everlasting sign—a

Isaiah 61:8 — 8. judgment—justice, which requires that I should restore My people, and give them double in compensation for their sufferings. robbery for burnt offering—rather, from a different Hebrew root, the spoil of iniquity [HORSLEY]. So in Job 5:6. Hating, as I do, the rapine, combined with iniquity, perpetrated on My people by their enemies, I will vindicate Israel. direct . . . work in truth—rather, "I will give them the reward of their work" (compare Isaiah 40:10, Margin; Isaiah 49:4, Margin;

Isaiah 9:17 — their youthful warriors, however much they be the nation's delight and reliance, as to save them from the enemy's sword (Isaiah 31:8; compare Jeremiah 18:21). fatherless, c.—not even the usual objects of His pity (Psalms 10:14 Psalms 10:18; Psalms 68:5; Jeremiah 49:11; Hosea 14:3) shall be spared. hypocrite—rather, a libertine, polluted [HORSLEY]. folly—wickedness (Hosea 14:3- :). still—Notwithstanding all these judgments, more remain.

Jeremiah 2:11 — 11. glory—Jehovah, the glory of Israel (Psalms 106:20; Romans 1:23). The Shekinah, or cloud resting on the sanctuary, was the symbol of "the glory of the Lord" (Romans 1:23- :; compare Romans 9:4). The golden calf was intended as an image of the true God (compare Exodus 32:4; Exodus 32:5), yet it is called an "idol" (Acts 7:41). It (like Roman Catholic images) was a violation of the second commandment, as the heathen multiplying of gods is a violation of the first. not profit— (Acts 7:41- :).

Jeremiah 27:5 — 5. God here, as elsewhere, connects with the symbol doctrine, which is as it were its soul, without which it would be not only cold and frivolous, but even dead [CALVIN]. God's mention of His supreme power is in order to refute the pride of those who rely on their own power (Isaiah 45:12). given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me— (Psalms 115:15; Psalms 115:16; Daniel 4:17; Daniel 4:25; Daniel 4:32). Not for his merits, but of My own sole good pleasure [ESTIUS].

Jeremiah 29:8 — than light." It was not priests who originated priestcraft, but the people's own morbid appetite to be deceived; for example, Aaron and the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-4). So the Jews caused or made the prophets to tell them encouraging dreams (Jeremiah 23:25; Jeremiah 23:26; Ecclesiastes 5:7; Zechariah 10:2; John 3:19-21).

Jeremiah 3:5 — 5. he—"thou," the second person, had preceded. The change to the third person implies a putting away of God to a greater distance from them; instead of repenting and forsaking their idols, they merely deprecate the continuance of their punishment. Jeremiah

Jeremiah 32:20 — 20. even unto this day—Thou hast given "signs" of Thy power from the day when Thou didst deliver Israel out of Egypt by mighty miracles, down to the present time [MAURER]. CALVIN explains it, "memorable even unto this day." among other men—not in Israel only, but among foreign peoples also. Compare for "other" understood, Psalms 73:5. made thee a name— (Exodus 9:16; 1 Chronicles 17:21; Isaiah 63:12). as at this day—a name of power, such as Thou hast at this day.

Jeremiah 37:5 — 5. After this temporary diversion, caused by Pharaoh in favor of Jerusalem, the Egyptians returned no more to its help ( :-). Judea had the misfortune to lie between the two great contending powers, Babylon and Egypt, and so was exposed to the alternate

Jeremiah 39:4 — 4. the king's garden—The "gate" to it from the upper, city above was appropriated to the kings alone; stairs" led down from Mount Zion and the palace to the king's garden below ( :-). two walls—Zedekiah might have held the upper city longer, but want of provisions drove him to flee by the double wall south of Zion, towards the plains of Jericho (Jeremiah 39:5), in order to escape beyond Jordan to Arabia-Deserta. He broke an opening in the wall to get out (Ezekiel 12:12).

Jeremiah 50:4 — 4. Fulfilled only in part when some few of the ten tribes of "Israel" joined Judah in a "covenant" with God, at the restoration of Judah to its land (Nehemiah 9:38; Nehemiah 10:29). The full event is yet to come (Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 1:11; Zechariah 12:10). weeping—with joy at their restoration beyond all hope; and with sorrow at the remembrance of their sins and sufferings (Ezra 3:12; Ezra 3:13; Psalms 126:5; Psalms 126:6). seek . . . Lord— (Psalms 126:6- :).