1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2Give heed, O heavens, and hear, O earth! For Jehovah has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against Me. 3The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's manger, but Israel does not know; My people have not discerned. 4Woe, sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children who corrupt! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have scorned the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged backward. 5Why will you be stricken any more? Will you rebel more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. 6From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it; only wounds and bruises and fresh stripes; they have not been closed nor bound up, nor has it been softened with oil. 7Your land is a desolation; your cities burned with fire. Strangers devour your land before you; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9Except Jehovah of Hosts had left us a small remnant, we would be as Sodom; we would be as Gomorrah. 10Hear the Word of Jehovah, you rulers of Sodom. Give heed to the Law of our God, you people of Gomorrah. 11What good to Me are your many sacrifices, says Jehovah? I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of well-fed cattle; nor do I delight in the blood of bulls, of lambs, or he goats. 12When you come to appear before Me, who has required this at your hand, to trample My courts? 13Bring no more vain sacrifices; its incense is an abomination to Me. I cannot endure the new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies, and the wicked festivals. 14My soul hates your new moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you. Even though you multiply prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. 16Wash yourselves, purify yourselves. Put away the evil of your doings from My eyes; stop doing evil. 17Learn to do good, seek justice, set straight the oppressor, judge for the orphan, plead for the widow. 18Come now and let us reason together, says Jehovah: Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. 20But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken. 21Oh how the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; righteousness lodged in it; but now, murderers! 22Your silver has become dross; your wine is diluted with water. 23Your rulers are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe, and pursues rewards. They do not judge for the orphan, nor does the cause of the widow come before them. 24Therefore says the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah! I will be eased of My adversaries, and avenge Myself of My enemies. 25And I will turn back My hand upon you, and refine your dross, as with lye, and remove all your alloy. 26And I will return your judges as at the first; and your advisers, as at the beginning; then you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her returning ones with righteousness. 28And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together. And those who forsake Jehovah shall be consumed. 29For they shall be ashamed of the mighty trees which you desired; and you shall be ashamed of the gardens that you have chosen. 30For you shall be like a mighty tree whose leaf fades, and like a garden that has no water. 31And the strong shall be as tinder, and the work as a spark; and they both shall burn together; and no one shall quench them.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Isa. 1:1-31)
THE GENERAL TITLE OR PROGRAM applying to the entire book: this discountenances the Talmud tradition, that he was sawn asunder by Manasseh.
Isaiah--equivalent to "The Lord shall save"; significant of the subject of his prophecies. On "vision," see
1Σαμ. 9:9;
Αρ. 12:6; and see my Introduction.
Judah and Jerusalem--Other nations also are the subjects of his prophecies; but only in their relation to the Jews (Isa. 13:1-23:18); so also the ten tribes of Israel are introduced only in the same relation (Isa. 7:1-9:21). Jerusalem is particularly specified, being the site of the temple, and the center of the theocracy, and the future throne of Messiah (
Ψαλ. 48:2-
Ψαλ. 48:3,
Ψαλ. 48:9;
Ιερ. 3:17). Jesus Christ is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (
Αποκ. 5:5).
Uzziah--called also Azariah (
2Βασ. 14:21;
2Χρ. 26:1,
2Χρ. 26:17,
2Χρ. 26:20). The Old Testament prophecies spiritually interpret the histories, as the New Testament Epistles interpret the Gospels and Acts. Study them together, to see their spiritual relations. Isaiah prophesied for only a few years before Uzziah's death; but his prophecies of that period (Isa. 1:1-6:13) apply to Jotham's reign also, in which he probably wrote none; for Isa. 7:1-25 enters immediately on Ahaz' reign, after Uzziah in
Ησ. 6:1-
Ησ. 6:13; the prophecies under Hezekiah follow next.
2 The very words of Moses (
Δευτ. 32:1); this implies that the law was the charter and basis of all prophecy (
Ησ. 8:20).
Lord--Jehovah; in Hebrew, "the self-existing and promise-fulfilling, unchangeable One." The Jews never pronounced this holy name, but substituted Adonai. The English Version, LORD in capitals, marks the Hebrew "Jehovah," though Lord is rather equivalent to "Adonai" than "Jehovah."
children-- (
Έξ. 4:22).
rebelled--as sons (
Δευτ. 21:18) and as subjects, God being king in the theocracy (
Ησ. 63:10). "Brought up," literally, "elevated," namely, to peculiar privileges (
Ιερ. 2:6-
Ιερ. 2:8;
Ρωμ. 9:4-
Ρωμ. 9:5).
3 (
Ιερ. 8:7).
crib--the stall where it is fed (
Παρ. 14:4). Spiritually the word and 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 (
Έξ. 19:5, equivalent to "my people,"
Ιωάν. 1:10-
Ιωάν. 1:11).
consider--attend to his Master (
Ησ. 41:8), notwithstanding the spiritual food which He provides (answering to "crib" in the parallel clause).
4 people--the peculiar designation of God's elect nation (
Ωσ. 1:10), that they should be "laden with iniquity" is therefore the more monstrous. Sin is a load (
Ψαλ. 38:4;
Ματθ. 11:28).
seed--another appellation of God's elect (
Γέν. 12:7;
Ιερ. 2:21), designed to be a "holy seed" (
Ησ. 6:13), but, awful to say, "evildoers!"
children--by adoption (
Ωσ. 11:1), yet "evildoers"; not only so, but "corrupters" of others (
Γέν. 6:12); the climax. So "nation--people--seed children."
provoked--literally, "despised," namely, so as to provoke (
Παρ. 1:30-
Παρ. 1:31).
Holy One of Israel--the peculiar heinousness of their sin, that it was against their God (
Άμ. 3:2).
gone . . . backward--literally, "estranged" (
Ψαλ. 58:3).
5 Why--rather, as Vulgate, "On what part." Image from a body covered all over with marks of blows (
Ψαλ. 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 the universality of their punishment. However, sin, the moral disease of the head or intellect, and the heart, is doubtless made its own punishment (
Παρ. 1:31;
Ιερ. 2:19;
Ωσ. 8:11). "Sick," literally, "is in a state of sickness" [GESENIUS]; "has passed into sickness" [MAURER].
6 From the lowest to the highest of the people; "the ancient and honorable, the head, the prophet that teacheth lies, the tail." See
Ησ. 9:13-
Ησ. 9:16. He first states their wretched condition, obvious to all (
Ησ. 1:6-
Ησ. 1:9); and then, not previously, their irreligious state, the cause of it.
wounds--judicially inflicted (
Ωσ. 5:13).
mollified with ointment--The art of medicine in the East consists chiefly in external applications (
Λουκ. 10:34;
Ιακ. 5:14).
7 Judah had not in Uzziah's reign recovered from the ravages of the Syrians in Joash's reign (
2Χρ. 24:24), and of Israel in Amaziah's reign (
2Χρ. 25:13,
2Χρ. 25:23, &c.). Compare Isaiah's contemporary (
Άμ. 4:6-
Άμ. 4:11), where, as here (
Ησ. 1:9-
Ησ. 1:10), Israel is compared to "Sodom and Gomorrah," because of the judgments on it by "fire."
in your presence--before your eyes: without your being able to prevent them.
desolate, &c.--literally, "there is desolation, such as one might look for from foreign" invaders.
8 daughter of Zion--the city (
Ψαλ. 9:14), Jerusalem and its inhabitants (
2Βασ. 19:21): "daughter" (feminine, singular being used as a neuter collective noun), equivalent to sons (
Ησ. 12:6, Margin) [MAURER]. Metropolis or "mother-city" is the corresponding term. The idea of youthful beauty is included in "daughter."
left--as a remnant escaping the general destruction.
cottage--a hut, made to give temporary shelter to the caretaker of the vineyard.
lodge--not permanent.
besieged--rather, as "left," and
Ησ. 1:9 require, preserved, namely, from the desolation all round [MAURER].
9 Jehovah of Sabaoth, that is, God of the angelic and starry hosts (
Ψαλ. 59:5;
Ψαλ. 147:4;
Ψαλ. 148:2). The latter were objects of idolatry, called hence Sabaism (
2Βασ. 17:16). God is above even them (
1Χρ. 16:26). "The groves" were symbols of these starry hosts; it was their worship of Sabaoth instead of the Lord of Sabaoth, which had caused the present desolation (
2Χρ. 24:18). It needed no less a power than His, to preserve even a "remnant." Condescending grace for the elect's sake, since He has no need of us, seeing that He has countless hosts to serve Him.
10 Sodom--spiritually (
Γέν. 19:24;
Ιερ. 23:14;
Ιεζ. 16:46;
Αποκ. 11:8).
11 God does not here absolutely disparage sacrifice, which is as old and universal as sin (
Γέν. 3:21;
Γέν. 4:4), and sin is almost as old as the world; but sacrifice, unaccompanied with obedience of heart and life (
1Σαμ. 15:22;
Ψαλ. 50:9-
Ψαλ. 50:13;
Ψαλ. 51:16-
Ψαλ. 51:19;
Ωσ. 6:6). Positive precepts are only means; moral obedience is the end. A foreshadowing of the gospel, when the One real sacrifice was to supersede all the shadowy ones, and "bring in everlasting righteousness" (
Ψαλ. 40:6-
Ψαλ. 40:7;
Δαν. 9:24-
Δαν. 9:27;
Εβρ. 10:1-
Εβρ. 10:14).
full--to satiety; weary of
burnt offerings--burnt whole, except the blood, which was sprinkled about the altar.
fat--not to be eaten by man, but burnt on the altar (
Λευ. 3:4-
Λευ. 3:5,
Λευ. 3:11,
Λευ. 3:17).
12 appear before me--in the temple where the Shekinah, resting on the ark, was the symbol of God's presence (
Έξ. 23:15;
Ψαλ. 42:2).
who hath required this--as if you were doing God a service by such hypocritical offerings (
Ιώβ 35:7). God did require it (
Έξ. 23:17), but not in this spirit (
Μιχ. 6:6-
Μιχ. 6:7).
courts--areas, in which the worshippers were. None but priests entered the temple itself.
13 oblations--unbloody; "meat (old English sense, not flesh) offerings," that is, of flour, fruits, oil, &c. (
Λευ. 2:1-
Λευ. 2:13). Hebrew, mincha.
incense--put upon the sacrifices, and burnt on the altar of incense. Type of prayer (
Ψαλ. 141:2;
Αποκ. 8:3).
new moons--observed as festivals (
Αρ. 10:10;
Αρ. 28:11,
Αρ. 28:14) with sacrifices and blowing of silver trumpets.
sabbaths--both the seventh day and the beginning and closing days of the great feasts (Lev. 23:24-39).
away with--bear, MAURER translates, "I cannot bear iniquity and the solemn meeting," that is, the meeting associated with iniquity--literally, the closing days of the feasts; so the great days (
Λευ. 23:36;
Ιωάν. 7:37).
14 appointed--the sabbath, passover, pentecost, day of atonement, and feast of tabernacles [HENGSTENBERG]; they alone were fixed to certain times of the year.
weary-- (
Ησ. 43:24).
15 (
Ψαλ. 66:18;
Παρ. 28:9;
Θρ. 3:43-
Θρ. 3:44).
spread . . . hands--in prayer (
1Βασ. 8:22). Hebrew, "bloods," for all heinous sins, persecution of God's servants especially (
Ματθ. 23:35). It was the vocation of the prophets to dispel the delusion, so contrary to the law itself (
Δευτ. 10:16), that outward ritualism would satisfy God.
16 God saith to the sinner, "Wash you," &c., that he, finding his inability to "make" himself "clean," may cry to God, Wash me, cleanse me (
Ψαλ. 51:2,
Ψαλ. 51:7,
Ψαλ. 51:10).
before mine eyes--not mere outward reformation before man's eyes, who cannot, as God, see into the heart (
Ιερ. 32:19).
17 seek judgment--justice, as magistrates, instead of seeking bribes (
Ιερ. 22:3,
Ιερ. 22:16).
judge--vindicate (
Ψαλ. 68:5;
Ιακ. 1:27).
18 God deigns to argue the case with us, that all may see the just, nay, loving principle of His dealings with men (
Ησ. 43:26).
scarlet--the color of Jesus Christ's robe when bearing our "sins" (
Ματθ. 27:28). So Rahab's thread (
Ιησ. 2:18; compare
Λευ. 14:4). The rabbins say that when the lot used to be taken, a scarlet fillet was bound on the scapegoat's head, and after the high priest had confessed his and the people's sins over it, the fillet became white: the miracle ceased, according to them, forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem, that is, exactly when Jesus Christ was crucified; a remarkable admission of adversaries. Hebrew for "scarlet" radically means double-dyed; so the deep-fixed permanency of sin in the heart, which no mere tears can wash away.
snow-- (
Ψαλ. 51:7). Repentance is presupposed, before sin can be made white as snow (
Ησ. 1:19-
Ησ. 1:20); it too is God's gift (
Ιερ. 31:18, end;
Θρ. 5:21;
Πράξ. 5:31).
red--refers to "blood" (
Ησ. 1:15).
as wool--restored to its original undyed whiteness. This verse shows that the old fathers did not look only for transitory promises (Article VII, Book of Common Prayer). For sins of ignorance, and such like, alone had trespass offerings appointed for them; greater guilt therefore needed a greater sacrifice, for, "without shedding of blood there was no remission"; but none such was appointed, and yet forgiveness was promised and expected; therefore spiritual Jews must have looked for the One Mediator of both Old Testament and New Testament, though dimly understood.
19 Temporal blessings in "the land of their possession" were prominent in the Old Testament promises, as suited to the childhood of the Church (
Έξ. 3:17). New Testament spiritual promises derive their imagery from the former (
Ματθ. 5:5).
20 Lord hath spoken it--Isaiah's prophecies rest on the law (
Λευ. 26:33). God alters not His word Numbers 23. 19).
21 faithful--as a wife (
Ησ. 54:5;
Ησ. 62:5;
Ωσ. 2:19-
Ωσ. 2:20).
harlot-- (
Ιεζ. 16:28-
Ιεζ. 16:35).
righteousness lodged-- (
2Πέτ. 3:13).
murderers--murderous oppressors, as the antithesis requires (see on
Ησ. 1:15;
1Ιωάν. 3:15).
22 Thy princes and people are degenerate in "solid worth," equivalent to "silver" (
Ιερ. 6:28,
Ιερ. 6:30;
Ιεζ. 22:18-
Ιεζ. 22:19), and in their use of the living Word, equivalent to "wine" (
Άσμ. 7:9).
mixed--literally, "circumcised." So the Arabic, "to murder" wine, equivalent to dilute it.
23 companions of thieves--by connivance (
Παρ. 29:24).
gifts-- (
Ιεζ. 22:12). A nation's corruption begins with its rulers.
24 Lord . . . Lord--Adonai, JEHOVAH.
mighty One of Israel--mighty to take vengeance, as before, to save.
Ah--indignation.
ease me--My long tried patience will find relief in at last punishing the guilty (
Ιεζ. 5:13). God's language condescends to human conceptions.
25 turn . . . hand--not in wrath, but in grace (
Ζαχ. 13:7), "upon thee," as
Ησ. 1:26-
Ησ. 1:27 show; contrasted with the enemies, of whom He will avenge Himself (
Ησ. 1:24).
purely--literally, "as alkali purifies."
thy dross--not thy sins, but the sinful persons (
Ιερ. 6:29); "enemies" (
Ησ. 1:24); degenerate princes (see on
Ησ. 1:22), intermingled with the elect "remnant" of grace.
tin--Hebrew, bedil, here the alloy of lead, tin, &c., separated by smelting from the silver. The pious Bishop Bedell took his motto from this.
26 As the degeneracy had shown itself most in the magistrates (
Ησ. 1:17-
Ησ. 1:23), so, at the "restoration," these shall be such as the theocracy "at the first" had contemplated, namely, after the Babylonish restoration in part and typically, but fully and antitypically under Messiah (
Ησ. 32:1;
Ησ. 52:8;
Ιερ. 33:7;
Ματθ. 19:28).
faithful--no longer "an harlot."
27 redeemed--temporarily, civilly, and morally; type of the spiritual redemption by the price of Jesus Christ's blood (
1Πέτ. 1:18-19), the foundation of "judgment" and "righteousness," and so of pardon. The judgment and righteousness are God's first (
Ησ. 42:21;
Ρωμ. 3:26); so they become man's when "converted" (
Ρωμ. 8:3-
Ρωμ. 8:4); typified in the display of God's "justice," then exhibited in delivering His covenant-people, whereby justice or "righteousness" was produced in them.
converts--so MAURER. But Margin, "they that return of her," namely the remnant that return from captivity. However, as Isaiah had not yet expressly foretold the Babylonian captivity, the English Version is better.
28 destruction--literally, "breaking into shivers" (
Αποκ. 2:27). The prophets hasten forward to the final extinction of the ungodly (
Ψαλ. 37:20;
Αποκ. 19:20;
Αποκ. 20:15); of which antecedent judgments are types.
29 ashamed-- (
Ρωμ. 6:21).
oaks--Others translate the "terebinth" or "turpentine tree." Groves were dedicated to idols. Our Druids took their name from the Greek for "oaks." A sacred tree is often found in Assyrian sculpture; symbol of the starry hosts, Saba.
gardens--planted enclosures for idolatry; the counterpart of the garden of Eden.
30 oak--Ye shall be like the "oaks," the object of your "desire" (
Ησ. 1:29). People become like the gods they worship; they never rise above their level (
Ψαλ. 135:18). So men's sins become their own scourges (
Ιερ. 2:9). The leaf of the idol oak fades by a law of necessary consequence, having no living sap or "water" from God. So "garden" answers to "gardens" (
Ησ. 1:29).
31 strong--powerful rulers (
Άμ. 2:9).
maker of it--rather, his work. He shall be at once the fuel, "tow," and the cause of the fire, by kindling the first "spark."
both--the wicked ruler, and "his work," which "is as a spark."