イザヤ書 58:3-9 JC

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:3

Wherefore have we fasted - They had fasted much, evidently with the expectation of delivering themselves from impending calamities, and securing the divine favor. They are here introduced as saying that they had been disappointed. God had not interposed as they had expected. Chagrined and mortified, they now complain that he had not noticed their very conscientious and faithful regard for the duties of religion.And thou seest not? - All had been in vain. Calamities still impended; judgments... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:4

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate - This is a third characteristic of their manner of fasting, and a third reason why God did not regard and accept it. They were divided into parties and factions, and probably made their fastings an occasion of augmented contention and strife. How often has this been seen! Contending denominations of Christians fast, not laying aside their strifes; contending factions in the church fast in order to strengthen their party with the solemn sanctions of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:5

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? - Is this such a mode of fasting as I have appointed and as I approve?A day for a man to afflict his soul? - Margin, ‘To afflict his soul for a day.’ The reading in the text is the more correct; and the idea is, that the pain and inconvenience experienced by the abstinence from food was not the end in view in fasting. This seems to have been the mistake which they made, that they supposed there was something meritorious in the very pain incurred by such... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:6

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? - Fasting is right and proper; but that which God approves will prompt to, and will be followed by, deeds of justice, kindness, charity. The prophet proceeds to specify very particularly what God required, and when the observance of seasons of fasting would be acceptable to him.To loose the bands of wickedness - This is the first thing to be done in order that their fasting might be acceptable to the Lord. The idea is, that they were to dissolve every... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:7

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? - The word renderd ‘deal’ (פרס pâras), means to divide, to distribute. The idea is, that we are to apportion among the poor that which will be needful for their support, as a father does to his children. This is everywhere enjoined in the Bible, and was especially regarded among the Orientals as an indispensable duty of religion. Thus Job Job 31:16-22 beautifully speaks of his own practice:If I have witheld the poor from his desire,Or have caused the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:8

Then shall thy light - (See the notes at Isaiah 44:7). The idea here is, that if they were faithful in the discharge of their duty to God, he would bless them with abundant prosperity (compare Job 11:17). The image is, that such prosperity would come on the people like the spreading light of the morning.And thine health - Lowth and Noyes render this, ‘And thy wounds shall be speedily healed over.’ The authority on which Lowth relies, is the version of Aquila as reported by Jerome, and the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:9

Then shalt thou call - The sense is, that if we go before God renouncing all our sins, and desirous of doing our duty, then we have a right to expect that he will hear us. But if we go indulging still in sin; if we are false and hollow and hypocritical in our worship; or if, while we keep up the regular forms of devotion, we are nevertheless guilty of oppression, cruelty, and dishonesty, we have no right to expect that he will hear us (see the notes at Isaiah 1:15).If thou take away ... the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:3

Isaiah 58:3. Wherefore have we fasted, &c. They complain of hard usage from God; that although they prayed, and fasted, and observed the rest of his ordinances, all which are comprehended under the title of fasting, all their labour was lost, and God neither delivered nor regarded them. Wherefore have we afflicted our soul Defrauded our appetites with fasting, of which this phrase is used, Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 23:27; Leviticus 23:29. Behold, in the day of your fast In those... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:4-5

Isaiah 58:4-5. Behold, ye fast for strife Your fasting days, wherein you ought, in a special manner, to implore the mercy of God, and to show compassion to men, you employ in injuring or quarrelling with your brethren, your servants, or debtors, or in contriving mischief against them. Or the meaning is, that “their fasting increased their self-preference, and excited them to fierce controversies or bitter resentments.” And to smite with the fist of wickedness It was “the cloak of, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:6

Isaiah 58:6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? Or approve, as before, Isaiah 58:5. Or ought not such a fast to be accompanied with such things as these? He now proceeds to show the concomitants of a true fast; namely, to exercise works of justice and charity. To loose the bands of wickedness Namely, the cruel obligations of usury and oppression. To undo the heavy burdens Hebrew, the bundles of the yoke, as in the margin; by which may possibly be intended bundles of writings,... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 58:9

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:4-5

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 58:6

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