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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 1:2-9

We will hope to meet with a brighter and more pleasant scene before we come to the end of this book; but truly here, in the beginning of it, every thing looks very bad, very black, with Judah and Jerusalem. What is the wilderness of the world, if the church, the vineyard, has such a dismal aspect as this? I. The prophet, though he speaks in God's name, yet, despairing to gain audience with the children of his people, addresses himself to the heavens and the earth, and bespeaks their attention... read more

Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-30

Here, I. The woeful degeneracy of Judah and Jerusalem is sadly lamented. See, 1. What the royal city had been, a faithful city, faithful to God and the interests of his kingdom among men, faithful to the nation and its public interests. It was full of judgment; justice was duly administered upon the thrones of judgment which were set there, the thrones of the house of David, Ps. 122:5. Men were generally honest in their dealings, and abhorred to do an unjust thing. Righteousness lodged in it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:2

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth ,.... To what the Lord was about to say of his controversy with his people, which was to be managed openly and publicly before them as spectators and witnesses; this designs either strictly and properly the heavens and the earth, or figuratively the inhabitants of them, angels and men. The address is solemn, and denotes something of moment and importance to be done and attended to: see Deuteronomy 32:1 . The Targum is, "hear, O ye heavens, that were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:3

The ox knoweth his owner ,.... Knows his voice, when he calls him, and follows him where he leads him, whether to plough in the field, or feed in the meadows; and the ass his masters crib , or "manger"; where he is fed, and to which he goes when he wants food, and at the usual times. Gussetius F23 Comment. Ling. Ebr. p. 13, 14. interprets the words; the ass knows the floor where he treads out the corn, and willingly goes to it, though it is to labour, as well as to eat; and so puts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:4

Ah sinful nation ,..... Or "sinning nation" F25 גוי חטא "gens peccatrix", Sept. V. L. Syr. Ar. ; that was continually sinning, doing nothing else but sin, the reverse of what they were chosen to be, Deuteronomy 7:6 . These words are said, either as calling and crying to them, to cause them to hear and hearken to what is said, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe, and as הוי is used in Isaiah 55:1 or by way of complaint and lamentation, as Jarchi thinks, because of their general... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:5

Why should ye be stricken any more ?.... Or "for what are ye stricken again" F1 על מה תכו "super quo", V. L. "ad quid", Ar. ? with afflictions and chastisements, with which God smites his people by way of correction for their sins, Isaiah 57:17 and the sense is, either that they did not consider what they were afflicted for, that it was for their sins and transgressions; they thought they came by chance, or imputed them to second causes, and so went on in sin, and added sin to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:6

From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it ,.... Every member of the body politic was afflicted in one way or another, or sadly infected with the disease of sin; see Psalm 28:3 . So the Targum, "from the rest of the people, even unto the princes, there is none among them who is perfect in my fear;' see Daniel 9:8 . but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores ; to which either public calamities on a city or nation may be compared, Hosea 5:13 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 1:7

Your country is desolate ,.... Or "shall be"; this is either a declaration in proper terms of what is before figuratively expressed, or rather a prophecy of what would be their case on account of transgressions; and which had its accomplishment partly in the Babylonish captivity, and fully in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when not only their city and temple, called their house, Matthew 23:38 , were left unto them desolate, but the whole land; and they were carried captive,... read more

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