And the mean man, hall be brought down ; rather, so the mean man is brought down ; i.e. in this way, by the Captivity and the consequent sufferings and deaths, both high and low are brought down and humbled, while God is exalted in man's sight. The future is throughout spoken of as present (comp. Isaiah 2:9 , Isaiah 2:11 , Isaiah 2:17 ). read more
God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness ; rather, the holy God shows himself holy by righteousness ; i.e. by executing this righteous judgment on Jerusalem the holy God shows his holiness. read more
Then shall the lambs feed . Dr. Kay takes the "lambs" to be the remnant of Israel that survived the judgment, who will feed freely, cared for by the good Shepherd; but the parallelism so generally affected by Isaiah seems to require a meaning more consonant with the later clause of the verse. Most commentators, therefore, expound the passage literally, "Then shall lambs feed [on the desolated estates of the covetous]" (see verses 8-10). After their manner ; or, after their own guidance ;... read more
Woe unto them , etc. We come here to the third woe , which is pronounced against those who openly pile up sin upon sin, and scoff at God. These men are represented as "drawing iniquity with cords of vanity," i.e. dragging after them a load of sin by cords that seem too weak; and then as "sinning with a cart-rope," which is a mere variant expression of the same idea. Mr. Cheyne quotes from the Rig-Veda, as a parallel metaphor, the phrase, "Undo the rope of sin." read more
Sin in its strength. We have here some thoughts about sin. I. ITS EVIL GROWTH . Whatever the precise thought of the prophet, his words ( Isaiah 5:18 ) are strongly suggestive of the fact that sin gradually attains a terrible power. Its "pull" may at first be that of a silken thread; presently it becomes that of a strong string; then it is found to be that of a hard wire; finally it reaches that of a "cart - rope." And this, whether we regard the sinner as In the one case he... read more
Four grievous sins. The ungodly spirit finds very various modes of expression in willful and self-pleasing actions. Men's sins are repeated over and over again in every age, sometimes taking more open and defiant forms, and sometimes hiding behind a pleasant outward show of delicacy and refinement, but always the "abominable things which God hates." The coarse sins of Eastern peoples seem offensive to our sensitive Western nations; but the sins are here amongst us, only in a disguise which... read more
Analysis of sin. I. THE VAIN AND WANTON MIND . A singular image is used. Men are described as drawing down upon themselves, as with stout and strong ropes, the burden of sin and guilt. Such is the effect of their mocking jests and speeches. Dramatically, the hearers of the prophet are represented as exclaiming defiantly, "Let his wrath hasten, let it speed, let us see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it I" Amos alludes to the same... read more
That say, Let him make speed , etc. Instead of trembling at the coming judgment of God, which Isaiah has announced, they pretend to desire its immediate arrival; they want to "see it." They walk, not by faith, but by sight. At the bottom of this pretended desire there lies a complete incredulity. The counsel ; or, purpose, as in Isaiah 14:26 . Of the Holy One of Israel. They use one of Isaiah's favorite titles of God (see note on Isaiah 1:4 ), not from any belief in him, but rather... read more
Woe unto them that call evil good. This is the fourth woe. There are persons who gloss over evil deeds and evil habits by fair-sounding names, who call cowardice caution, and rashness courage, niggardliness thrift, and wasteful profusion generosity. The same men are apt also to call good evil; they brand prudence with the name of cunning, call meekness want of proper spirit, sincerity rudeness, and firmness obstinacy. This deadness to moral distinctions is the sign of deep moral... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 5:13-17
The calamities of spiritual ignorance. The miseries which are unfolded in this passage are ascribed, in the thirteenth verse, to ignorance. "My people are gone, ere because they have no knowledge." But it is necessary to distinguish here. We must consider— I. THE IGNORANCE WHICH IS SPIRITUAL AND THEREFORE GUILTY . There is ignorance which is entirely mental and which is wholly guiltless; e.g. that of the little child who cannot understand some of the obligations into... read more