Isaiah 1:10-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 1:10-15

Here, I. God calls to them (but calls in vain) to hear his word, Isa. 1:10. 1. The title he gives them is very strange; You rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah. This intimates what a righteous thing it would have been with God to make them like Sodom and Gomorrah in respect of ruin (Isa. 1:9), because that had made themselves like Sodom and Gomorrah in respect of sin. The men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly (Gen. 13:13), and so were the men of Judah. When the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 1:16-20

Though God had rejected their services as insufficient to atone for their sins while they persisted in them, yet he does not reject them as in a hopeless condition, but here calls upon them to forsake their sins, which hindered the acceptance of their services, and then all would be well. Let them not say that God picked quarrels with them; no, he proposes a method of reconciliation. Observe here, I. A call to repentance and reformation: ?If you would have your sacrifices accepted, and your... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:10

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom ,.... Not literally, but mystically, meaning the governors of Judea; they and their people having sinned in like manner, and as openly, as the rulers of Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof; see Isaiah 3:9 and so the Targum paraphrases the words, "receive the word of the Lord, ye governors, whose works are evil like the governors of Sodom.' These are called to attend to the word of the Lord; either the Scriptures, which should be the rule of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:11

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord ,.... These people, though they neglected the weightier matters of the law, and the more substantial duties of religion, as did the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's time, Matthew 23:23 yet were very diligent in the observance of the ceremonial law, and repeated their sacrifices almost without number, on which they placed all their trust and dependence; wherefore, to take off their confidence in these things, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:12

When ye come to appear before me ,.... At the grand festivals of the passover, pentecost, and tabernacles, at which times all the males in Israel appeared before God, Exodus 23:17 . who hath required this at your hand ; either to appear at such times, these feasts being no more to be observed; or to offer the above sacrifices; these were not required of the Israelites when they first came out of Egypt, Jeremiah 7:22 nor were they necessary to appear before God with, or to introduce... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:13

Bring no more vain oblations ,.... As all such were, which were offered up without faith in Christ, in hypocrisy, and with dependence on them for pardon and atonement, and particularly when put an end to by the sacrifice of Christ; see Matthew 15:9 . The Targum renders it, "an oblation of robbery"; see Isaiah 60:8 . incense is an abomination to me ; instead of being of a sweet smell. This was burnt on the altar of incense, and put upon the sacrifices, Exodus 30:1 was typical of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:14

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth ,.... The Targum is, "my Word abhorreth;' the Messiah, the essential Word. These are the same as before. They are a trouble unto me ; as they were kept and observed, either when they should not, or in a manner unbecoming: I am weary to bear them ; because of the sins with which they made him to serve, Isaiah 43:24 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:15

And when ye spread forth your hands ,.... That is, in prayer, this being a prayer gesture: hence the Targum paraphrases it, "and when the priests spread out their hands to pray for you.' I will hide mine eyes from you ; will not look upon them, nor regard their prayer; see Lamentations 3:42 . yea, when ye make many prayers ; as the Scribes and Pharisees did in Christ's time, and thought to be heard for their much speaking, like the Gentiles, Matthew 6:7 . I will not hear ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:16

Wash ye, make you clean, &c.; These two words are to be regarded as one, since they intend the same thing, and suppose the persons spoken to to be unclean, as they were, notwithstanding their legal sacrifices and ceremonial ablutions; and are designed to convince them of it, to bring them to a sense of their inability to cleanse themselves, to lead them to inquire after the proper means of it, and so to the fountain of Christ's blood to wash in, which only cleanses from it: put away... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do well ,.... Which men are naturally ignorant of; to do good they have no knowledge; nor can they that are accustomed to do evil learn to do well of themselves; but the Lord can teach them to profit, and of him they should ask wisdom, and desire, under the influence of his grace, to learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, and particularly to do acts of beneficence to all men, and especially to the household of faith; and also, the following ones, seek judgment ; seek... read more

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