Isaiah 59

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:3

Isaiah 59:3 . Your hands are defiled with blood Here the prophet proceeds from a more general to a more particular charge against them. By blood, we are to understand, either murders and bloodshed, properly so called, or ways of injustice, extortion, oppression, and cruelties, whereby men are deprived of a livelihood: hence, hating our brother is called murder, 1 John 3:15, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem murderers, Isaiah 1:21. And your fingers with iniquity This is added to aggravate... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:4

Isaiah 59:4. None calleth for justice None seek to redress these wrongs and violences; they commit all rapines and frauds with impunity; they trust in vanity In vain and empty words, void of all consistency; or, in vain things, such as their idols were, often called vanity and nothing, 1 Corinthians 8:4; or in their own power, craft, and policy, whereby, laying aside justice, they oppressed others. And speak lies This may refer to the judges, lawyers, and false prophets, who told them... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:5-6

Isaiah 59:5-6. They hatch cockatrice’ eggs They contrive and execute wicked purposes and practices, whereby sure and sudden destruction is brought upon themselves and others. Of the cockatrice, or basilisk, as it should rather be rendered, see on Isaiah 14:29. One kind is put for any venomous creature. The speech is proverbial, signifying, by these eggs, mischievous designs, and by hatching them their putting them in practice. And weave the spider’s web Another proverbial speech,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:7-8

Isaiah 59:7-8. Their feet run to evil This seems to be taken from Proverbs 1:16; where see the note. He had spoken of their hands, fingers, lips, tongues, &c., before, and now he speaks of their feet, to show that they were wholly set upon mischief. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Their minds and hearts are wholly set upon committing wickedness, and doing injuries: they not only do evil, but do it deliberately. Wasting and destruction are in their paths In what way or work... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:9-11

Isaiah 59:9-11. Therefore is judgment far from us Because we have no regard for justice or honesty, God will not plead our cause against our oppressors; neither doth justice overtake us He does not defend our rights, nor avenge our wrongs; as if he had said, If we had executed judgment and equity among one another, they would not now have been far from us. We wait for light In what sense the Hebrews use the terms light and darkness, see before, on Isaiah 58:8; Isaiah 58:10. But... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:12-13

Isaiah 59:12-13. For our transgressions The word פשׁעונו , here used, signifies sins of a high nature, namely, such as were wilfully committed against light and knowledge; rebellious sins. Are multiplied before thee They admit of no excuse; for they are committed before thee, and multiplied against thee, whereby thou art justly provoked to deny us all help. And our sins testify against us The sins charged upon us are so many witnesses produced to prove our guilt. For our... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:14-15

Isaiah 59:14-15. And judgment is turned away backward He speaks here of the sentences in courts of judicature, which were contrary to right and justice; as if he had said, God denies you justice, as you have denied it to others. And justice standeth afar off Justice and judges are at a great distance from each other; for truth is fallen Truth is cast to the ground, and justice trampled under foot; in the street Even in public. And equity cannot enter No such thing will be admitted... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:16

Isaiah 59:16. And he saw there was no man Namely, to intercede, which is understood from the following words; or no man to help in such a case, and to appear in the behalf of equity. See Ezekiel 22:30. And wondered Hebrew, וישׁתומם , was amazed, or astonished, an expression which denotes both God’s solicitude about their condition, and their stupidity, in not laying it to heart themselves, especially considering that they had been a people well instructed, and yet, when under the guilt... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:17-18

Isaiah 59:17-18. For he put on righteousness as a breast-plate God, resolving to appear as a man of war, puts on his armour; he calls righteousness his breast-plate, to show the justness of his cause, as also his faithfulness in making good his promises. And a helmet of salvation upon his head As the breast-plate is to defend the heart, whereby God signifies the justness of his cause, and his faithfulness; so the helmet is to defend the head, the fountain of knowledge and wisdom,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:19

Isaiah 59:19 . So shall they fear the name of the Lord Worship the Lord; from the west The western parts of the world. And his glory The glorious God; from the rising of the sun The eastern parts. The sum is, the whole world shall fear and worship God, and make his name renowned, laying aside their idolatries: and it may be referred, 1st, To the deliverance of God’s people out of Babylon: men shall reverence and adore him when they shall hear how he hath delivered his people, and... read more

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:5-6

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:7-8

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:9-11

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:12-13

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:14-15

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:16

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:17-18

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 59:19

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