Isaiah 1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:23

Thy princes ... - This is an explanation of the previous verse. Princes mean here those attached to the royal family; those who by rank, or office, had an influence over the people.Rebellious - Against God. The corruption of a nation commonly begins with the rulers.Companions of thieves - That is, they connive at the doings of robbers; they do not bring them to justice; they are their accomplices, and are easily bribed to acquit them.Every one loveth gifts - Every magistrate can be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:24

Therefore saith the Lord ... - The prophet having stated the guilt of the nation, proceeds to show the consequences of their crimes; or to foretell what would happen. The name of God is repeated, to attract attention; to fill the mind with awe; and to give emphasis to the solemn sentence which was about to be uttered.The Lord - אדון 'âdôn. This word properly denotes master, lord, owner. Genesis 24:9 : “lord over his whole house.” 1 Kings 16:24 : “owner of the hill Samaria.” It is applied here... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:25

And I will turn my hand upon thee - This expression is capable of two significations. The hand may be stretched out for two purposes, either to inflict punishment, or to afford help and protection. The phrase here refers evidently to the latter, to the act of redeeming and restoring his people, Isaiah 1:26-27. The idea may be thus expressed: ‘I will stretch out my hand to punish my enemies Isaiah 1:24, and will turn my hand upon thee for protection, and recovery.’Purge away - This refers to the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:26

And I will restore ... - That is, I will give you such judges as the nation had in former days - in the times of Moses, Joshua, etc. Most of the charges in this chapter are against the magistrates. The calamities of the nation are traced to their unfaithfulness and corruption, Isaiah 1:17-23. God now says that he will remove this cause of their calamity, and give them pure magistrates.Thy counselors - Thy advisers; that is, those occupying places of trust and responsibility. When this should... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:27

Zion - See the note at Isaiah 1:8. The word Zion here is used to designate the whole Jewish people to whom the prophet had reference; that is, the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, Isaiah 1:1.Shall be redeemed - The word used here - פדה pâdâh - is employed in two senses in the Scriptures. It implies always the idea of deliverance, as from captivity, danger, punishment, slavery, sin. But this idea occurs:(1) sometimes without any reference to a price paid, but simply denoting to deliver, or... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:28

And the destruction - Hebrew שׁבר sheber - the breaking, or crushing, that is, the punishment which was about to come upon them; compare Lamentations 2:11; Lamentations 3:47; Proverbs 16:18.Of the transgressors - “Revolters,” or those that rebel against God.And of the sinners - Of all the sinners in the nation, of all kinds and degrees.Together - At the same time with the redemption of Zion.Shall be consumed - יכלוּ yı̂kelû, from כלה kâlâh, to be completed, or finished; to be consumed,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:29

For they shall be ashamed - That is, when they see the punishment that their idolatry has brought upon them, they shall be ashamed of the folly and degradation of their worship. Moreover, the gods in which they trusted shall yield them no protection, and shall leave them to the disgrace and confusion of being forsaken and abandoned.Of the oaks - Groves, in ancient times, were the favorite places of idolatrous worship. In the city of Rome, there were thirty-two groves consecrated to the gods.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:30

For ye ... - The mention of the tree in the previous verse, gives the prophet occasion for the beautiful image in this. They had desired the oak, and they should be like it. That, when the frost came, was divested of its beauty, and its leaves faded, and fell; so should their beauty and privileges and happiness, as a people, fade away at the anger of God.A garden that hath no water - That is therefore withered and parched up; where nothing would flourish, but where all would be desolation - a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:31

And the strong - Those who have been thought to be strong, on whom the people relied for protection and defense - their rulers, princes, and the commanders of their armies.As tow - The coarse or broken part of flax, or hemp. It means here that which shall be easily and quickly kindled and rapidly consumed. As tow burns and is destroyed at the touch of fire, so shall the rulers of the people be consumed by the approaching calamities.And the maker of it - This is an unhappy translation. The word... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 1

A.M. 3244. B.C. 760. In this chapter we have Judah’s sins, Isaiah 1:1-4 . Her judgments, Isaiah 1:5-9 . The rejection of her worship, Isaiah 1:10-15 . Exhortations to repentance, promises of mercy and grace, threatenings of sore judgments, and complaints by reason of their backsliding, Isaiah 1:16-31 . Dr. Taylor, in his Scripture Divinity, observes, that this chapter, “by reason of its grand exordium, might be judged proper to stand at the front of the book; but that it gives such an... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:23

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:24

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:25

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:26

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:27

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:28

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:29

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:30

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:31

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 1

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