Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 1:22-23
Isaiah 1:22-23. Thy silver is become dross Thou art wofully degenerated from thy former purity. Thy wine mixed with water If there be any remains of religion and virtue in thee, they are mixed with many and great corruptions. Thy princes are rebellious Against me, their sovereign Lord; and companions of thieves Partly by giving them connivance and countenance, and partly by practising the same violence, and cruelty, and injustice that thieves used to do. Every one loveth gifts That... read more
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