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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 1:29

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired ,.... Though there is a change of persons in the words, the same are intended; and design such, who being convinced of the idolatries of the church of Rome they have been fond of, and delighted in, will be ashamed of them, and relinquish them, and come out of Babylon a little before the destruction of it; for under oaks, and such like green trees, idolatry used to be committed, to which the allusion is; see Jeremiah 2:20 and so... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 1:29

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks "For ye shall be ashamed of the ilexes" - Sacred groves were a very ancient and favorite appendage of idolatry. They were furnished with the temple of the god to whom they were dedicated, with altars, images, and every thing necessary for performing the various rites of worship offered there; and were the scenes of many impure ceremonies, and of much abominable superstition. They made a principal part of the religion of the old inhabitants of Canaan; and... 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 1:24-31

THE DECLARATION OF GOD 'S JUDGMENT . It is foreknown to God that Israel will not repent. He therefore fulminates his judgment; which, however, is still conditional, so far as individuals are con-corned. His vengeance will fall upon the land; but the result will be twofold. Destruction will come upon the unrighteous and the sinners ( Isaiah 1:28 )—they will be "consumed" ( Isaiah 1:28 ), and "confounded" ( Isaiah 1:29 ); but there will be some on whom the punishment will have a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:24-31

Sentence passed. I. THE JUDGE . He is "Jehovah of hosts, the Strong One of Israel." He saith, " By the strength of my hand I have done it" ( Isaiah 10:13 ). He has power to carry out his sentences. The holy fire of his indignation breaks forth like a volcanic flood. From one point of view evil men must be conceived as the enemies of God, and their punishment as his vengeance. If alone dwelt upon, such a representation becomes false, because it ignores the aspect of Divine love,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 1:29

The oaks which ye have desired are, primarily, the "green trees " under which images were set up ( 2 Kings 17:10 ), but perhaps represent also any worldly attractions which draw the soul away from God—as wealth, or power, or honors. In the day of suffering, sinners are ashamed of having been led away by such poor temptations as those to which they have yielded (comp. Romans 6:21 , "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?"). The gardens. Kay suggests... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 1:29

For they shall be ashamed - That is, when they see the punishment that their idolatry has brought upon them, they shall be ashamed of the folly and degradation of their worship. Moreover, the gods in which they trusted shall yield them no protection, and shall leave them to the disgrace and confusion of being forsaken and abandoned.Of the oaks - Groves, in ancient times, were the favorite places of idolatrous worship. In the city of Rome, there were thirty-two groves consecrated to the gods.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 1:29

Isaiah 1:29. For they shall be ashamed He does not speak of an ingenuous and penitential shame for sin, but of an involuntary and penal shame for the disappointment of the hopes which they had placed in their idols; of the oaks which ye have desired Which, after the manner of the heathen, you have consecrated to idolatrous uses. Of what particular kind the trees here mentioned were, cannot be determined with certainty. The Hebrew word אלה , here used, is rendered ilex by Bishop Lowth,... read more

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