Isaiah 1:22

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 1:22

Thy silver is become dross ,.... Meaning either that such persons, who had the appearance of goodness, looked like genuine silver, were now become reprobate, and, as the wicked of the earth, like dross, Jeremiah 6:30 or that the word of God, which is as silver purified seven times, was now corrupted with false glosses and human traditions, which were as dross: thy wine mixed with water F13 It being usual to mix water with wine, and drink it, and this being not at all reproachful,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 1:22

Wine mixed with water - An image used for the adulteration of wines, with more propriety than may at first appear, if what Thevenot says of the people of the Levant of late times were true of them formerly. He says, "They never mingle water with their wine to drink; but drink by itself what water they think proper for abating the strength of the wine." " Lorsque les Persans boivent du vin, ils le prennent tout pur, a la facon des Levantins, qui ne le melent jamais avec de l'eua; mais en... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:1-31

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:18-23

Argument and conviction. I. THE TRIAL OF THE CASE . 1. God is reason , otherwise he could not be God of justice . And if the nature can defend itself, clear itself from guilt, its plea will be allowed. Just so in Isaiah 43:19 , the imagery of a court of justice is presented: "Let them bring forth their witnesses that they may be justified, and let them hear, and say, It is true." The question is—Can the nation clear itself from the charges alleged against it? If so,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:19-23

Unrighteousness a nation's curse. Comp. Proverbs 14:34 , "Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people." The prophet is picturing the corrupt state of the metropolis, and contrasting its present moral degradation with the high and honorable character which it had formerly sustained. The following points may be illustrated, and the lessons of them enforced. I. UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE LEADERS IS THE CURSE OF A BAD EXAMPLE . Illustrate by the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

ISAIAH 'S LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM . The exhortation to amendment has been made—the results have been set forth; the temporal reward has been promised; the temporal vengeance, unless they amend, threatened. Time must be allowed the people for the prophet's words to reach them, and do their work upon them, i.e. either soften or harden them. Meanwhile, Isaiah reflects on the condition of Jerusalem, and the unlikelihood of its rulers turning to God in consequence of his preaching. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-23

The grievousness of the sin of oppression in God's sight. The Israelites of Isaiah's time were guilty of many heinous sins, as we see by later chapters. They were idolaters ( Isaiah 2:8 ), haughty ( Isaiah 2:11 , Isaiah 2:17 ), wanton ( Isaiah 3:16 ), covetous ( Isaiah 5:8 ), drunken ( Isaiah 5:11 ), perverse ( Isaiah 5:20 ), vain ( Isaiah 5:21 ). But of all their sins, none seems to have so much offended God as their oppression of the poor and weak. The prophet refers to it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:21-31

Divine dealing with the degenerate. We have here— I. DEPLORABLE DEGENERACY . 1. Degeneracy of character . "How is the faithful city become an harlot!" etc. ( Isaiah 1:21 , Isaiah 1:23 ). There is nothing more melancholy than the sight of a people or city or of a human being fallen from spiritual and moral integrity to a depth of sin and folly—devoutness exchanged for impiety, conscientiousness for unscrupulousness, self-restraint and self-respect for laxity or even for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:22

Thy silver is become dross . Primarily, "thy great men have deteriorated." From pure silver, they have become mere dross, the vile refuse of the smelted ore, only fit to be cast away as worthless. But per-Imps there is some further reference to all that was once precious in Jerusalem; there had been a general deterioration—all the silver was now a debased metal of no value. Thy wine mixed with water . A parallelism; but (as so often happens) a weakened iteration of the preceding... read more

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