Isaiah 1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:13

Bring no more - God does not intend absolutely to forbid this kind of worship, but he expresses his strong abhorrence of the manner in which it was done. He desired a better state of mind; he preferred purity of heart to all this external homage.Vain - Hebrew “offering of vanity” - שׁוא shâv' - offerings which were hollow, false, deceitful, and hypocritical.Oblations - מנחת minchath. This word properly denotes a gift, or present, of any kind Genesis 32:13, and then especially a present or... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:14

Your appointed feasts - That is, your assemblies convened on regular set times - מועד mô‛êd, from יעד yâ‛ad, to fix, to appoint. Hengstenberg (Chris. iii. p. 87) has shown that this word (מועדים mô‛ĕdı̂ym) is applied in the Scriptures only to the sabbath, passover, pentecost, day of atonement, and feast of tabernacles. Prof. Alexander, in loc. It is applied to those festivals, because they were fixed by law to certain periods of the year. This verse is a very impressive repetition of the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:15

Ye spread forth your hands - This is an expression denoting the act of supplication. When we ask for help, we naturally stretch out our hands, as if to receive it. The expression therefore is equivalent to ‘when ye pray, or implore mercy.’ Compare Exodus 9:29; Exodus 17:11-12; 1 Kings 8:22.I will hide mine eyes ... - That is, I will not attend to, or regard your supplications. The Chaldee Paraphrase is, ‘When your priests expand their hands to pray for you.’Your hands ... - This is given as a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:16

Wash you - This is, of course, to be understood in a moral sense; meaning that they should put away their sins. Sin is represented in the Scriptures as defiling or polluting the soul Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 23:30; Hosea 5:8; Hosea 9:4; and the removal of it is represented by the act of washing; Psalms 51:2 : ‘Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin;’ Jeremiah 4:14 : ‘O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved;’ Job 9:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11;... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do well - , To learn here is to become accustomed to, to practice it. To do well stands opposed to all kinds of evil. “Seek judgment.” The word “judgment” - משׁפט mishpâṭ - here means justice. The direction refers particularly to magistrates, and it is evident that the prophet had them particularly in his view in all this discourse. Execute justice between man and man with impartiality. The word “seek” - דרשׁוּ dı̂reshû - means to pursue, to search for, as an object to be gained; to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:18

Come now - This is addressed to the nation of Israel; and the same exhortation is made to all sinners. It is a solemn act on the part of God, submitting the claims and principles of his government to reason, on the supposition that men may see the propriety of his service, and of his plan.Let us reason together - ונוכחה venivākechâh from יכח yâkach, not used in Kal, but in Hiphil; meaning to show, to prove. Job 13:15 : ‘Surely I will prove my ways (righteous) before him;’ that is, I will... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:19

If ye be willing - If you submit your wills, and become voluntary in your obedience to my law.And obedient - Hebrew If you will hear; that is, my commands.Ye shall eat ... - That is, the land shall yield its increase; and you shall be saved from pestilence, war, famine, etc. The productions of the soil shall no more be devoured by strangers, Isaiah 1:7; compare the notes at Isaiah 65:21-23. This was in accordance with the promises which God made to their fathers, and the motives to obedience... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:20

But if ye refuse, ye shall be devoured with the sword - Your enemies shall come in, and lay waste the land. This prediction was fulfilled, in consequence of their continuing to rebel, when the land was desolated by Nebuchadnezzar, and the nation was carried captive to Babylon. It illustrates a general principle of the divine government, that if people persevere in rebelling against God, they shall be destroyed. The word devour is applied to the sword, as if it were insatiable for destruction.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:21

How is - This is an expression of deploring, or lamenting. It indicates that that had occurred which was matter of grief. The prophet had stated the principles of the divine government; had urged the people to reason with God; and had affirmed his willingness to pardon. But it was seen that they would not repent. They were so wicked and perverse, that there was no hope of their reformation. His mind is full of this subject; he repeats the charge of their wickedness Isaiah 1:21-23, and states... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:22

Thy silver - The sentiment in this verse, as it is explained by the following, is, thy princes and people have become corrupt, and polluted. Silver is used here to denote what should have been more valuable - virtuous princes.Dross - This word - סיג sı̂g - means the scoriae, or baser metal, which is separated from the purer in smelting. It is of little or no value; and the expression means, that the rulers had become debased and corrupt, as if pure silver had been converted wholly to dross.Thy... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:13

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:14

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:15

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:16

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:17

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:18

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:19

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:22

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands