Isaiah 1

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

ISAIAH 'S LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM . The exhortation to amendment has been made—the results have been set forth; the temporal reward has been promised; the temporal vengeance, unless they amend, threatened. Time must be allowed the people for the prophet's words to reach them, and do their work upon them, i.e. either soften or harden them. Meanwhile, Isaiah reflects on the condition of Jerusalem, and the unlikelihood of its rulers turning to God in consequence of his preaching. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

The grievousness of the sin of oppression in God's sight. The Israelites of Isaiah's time were guilty of many heinous sins, as we see by later chapters. They were idolaters ( Isaiah 2:8 ), haughty ( Isaiah 2:11 , Isaiah 2:17 ), wanton ( Isaiah 3:16 ), covetous ( Isaiah 5:8 ), drunken ( Isaiah 5:11 ), perverse ( Isaiah 5:20 ), vain ( Isaiah 5:21 ). But of all their sins, none seems to have so much offended God as their oppression of the poor and weak. The prophet refers to it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-31

Divine dealing with the degenerate. We have here— I. DEPLORABLE DEGENERACY . 1. Degeneracy of character . "How is the faithful city become an harlot!" etc. ( Isaiah 1:21 , Isaiah 1:23 ). There is nothing more melancholy than the sight of a people or city or of a human being fallen from spiritual and moral integrity to a depth of sin and folly—devoutness exchanged for impiety, conscientiousness for unscrupulousness, self-restraint and self-respect for laxity or even for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:22

Thy silver is become dross . Primarily, "thy great men have deteriorated." From pure silver, they have become mere dross, the vile refuse of the smelted ore, only fit to be cast away as worthless. But per-Imps there is some further reference to all that was once precious in Jerusalem; there had been a general deterioration—all the silver was now a debased metal of no value. Thy wine mixed with water . A parallelism; but (as so often happens) a weakened iteration of the preceding... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:23

Thy princes are rebellious ; i.e. "rebels against their true King, Jehovah." Companions of thieves . Leagued with those who are engaged in filching away the inheritance of the widow and the orphan by chicane in the law courts (see above, Isaiah 1:15-17 ; and compare the Homiletics on Isaiah 1:16-20 ). Gifts … rewards ; i.e. "bribes, "given and taken on the condition of their perverting justice (comp. Jeremiah 22:17 ; Ezekiel 22:12 ; Micah 3:11 ; Micah 7:3 ). They judge... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24

The Lord, the Lord of hosts . In the original, Ha-Adon , Jehovah Sabaoth—i.e. "The Lord" (or "Master" of men and angels), "the Self-Existing One of the hosts of heaven"— i.e; their God, the only proper object of their worship. It gives peculiar weight and significance to this prophecy, that it is introduced by a triple designation of the Divine Being. The Mighty One of Israel. A very unusual designation, only found here and, with the modification of "Jacob" for "Israel, "in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-25

Hope in God's refinings. Cheyne translates, "Ha! I will appease me through mine adversaries, and avenge me on mine enemies, and will bring back my hand upon thee, smelting out as with lye thy dross, and will take away all thy lead-alloy." The "lye" referred to is potash, which was used as a flux in purifying metals. Calamities, diseases, bereavements, failures, anxieties, are God's refining forces, but their influence for good depends on the state and condition of those to whom they come. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-31

THE DECLARATION OF GOD 'S JUDGMENT . It is foreknown to God that Israel will not repent. He therefore fulminates his judgment; which, however, is still conditional, so far as individuals are con-corned. His vengeance will fall upon the land; but the result will be twofold. Destruction will come upon the unrighteous and the sinners ( Isaiah 1:28 )—they will be "consumed" ( Isaiah 1:28 ), and "confounded" ( Isaiah 1:29 ); but there will be some on whom the punishment will have a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-31

Sentence passed. I. THE JUDGE . He is "Jehovah of hosts, the Strong One of Israel." He saith, " By the strength of my hand I have done it" ( Isaiah 10:13 ). He has power to carry out his sentences. The holy fire of his indignation breaks forth like a volcanic flood. From one point of view evil men must be conceived as the enemies of God, and their punishment as his vengeance. If alone dwelt upon, such a representation becomes false, because it ignores the aspect of Divine love,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:25

I will turn my hand upon thee ; rather, I will bring back my hand upon thee ; i.e. I will once more put forth the "strong hand and mighty arm, with which I brought thee out of Egypt" ( Psalms 136:12 ), and will work another deliverance—the deliverance of Israel out of captivity. Purely purge away thy dross ; literally, will purge away thy dross like borax , which was used as a flux in purifying the metal. The prophet continues the metaphor of Isaiah 1:22 . And take away all... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:22

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:23

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-25

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:25

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