Isaiah 28:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 28:14-22

The prophet, having reproved those that made a jest of the word of God, here goes on to reprove those that made a jest of the judgments of God, and set them at defiance; for he is a jealous God, and w 6716 ill not suffer either his ordinances or his providences to be brought into contempt. He addressed himself to the scornful men who ruled in Jerusalem, who were the magistrates of the city, Isa. 28:14. It is bad with a people when their thrones of judgment become the seats of the scornful,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 28:18

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled ,.... Or, "be besmeared" F24 וכפר "Heb. oblinetur", Piscator; "quasi pica illita tabulae literaeque foederis incrustentur, inducantur ac dispereant", Gusset. Comment. Ebr. p. 397. , or daubed over, as the ark was with pitch, Genesis 6:14 where the same word is used as here; so that it shall not be legible, as any writing that is blotted out by ink, or any other liquor, so that it cannot be read; in like manner this their covenant... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 28:18

Your covenant with death shall be disannulled "Your covenant with death shall be broken" - For כפר caphar , which seems not to belong to this place, the Chaldee reads תפר taphar , which is approved by Houbigant and Secker. See Jeremiah 33:21 , where the very same phrase is used. See Prelim. Dissert. p. l. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:14-20

The infatuation of sin. In strong, pictorial language the prophet points out— I. THAT SINFUL MEN ACT AS IF THEY COULD AVERT IMPENDING DOOM . They act as if they said, " We have made a covenant with death," etc. Every day the gully and the foolish are living as if they were possessed with a power to wrestle with and overcome approaching doom. The drunkard seems to say, "I will drink, and not be ruined in health;" and the gambler to say, "will stake money, and not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:14-22

THE REBUKE OF JUDAH 'S NOBLES . The power of the nobles under the later Jewish monarchy is very apparent throughout Isaiah's prophecy. It is they, and not the king, who are always blamed for bad government ( Isaiah 1:10-23 ; Isaiah 3:12-15 , etc.) or errors of policy ( Isaiah 9:15 , Isaiah 9:16 ; Isaiah 22:15-19 , etc.). Isaiah now turns from a denunciation of the priests and prophets, who especially opposed his teaching, to a threatening of the great men who guided the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:14-22

The judgment prepared for scorner's. "Scorners," in the language of Scripture, are those who set at naught God's prophets, or his messages, or his Holy Word, or his Church, or his ministers. Men delight in such scorn because it seems to them so fine a thing, so grand a thing, so bold, so brave, so heroic. It is a poor thing, comparatively, to exalt one's self against man; it is magnificent to measure one's strength with God's, and enter the lists against him . This may, no doubt, be so... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:14-22

Jehovah pronounces judgment. The rulers or politicians are addressed. They are stigmatized as " men of scorn" (cf. Isaiah 28:22 ; Isaiah 29:20 ; Hosea 7:5 ). The scornful or scoffing habit implies excessive self-confidence on the one hand, on the other contempt of religion and of God. But "be not deceived; God is not mocked." "It has been commonly found," says Calvin, "in almost every age, that the common people, though they are distinguished by unrestrained fierceness and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:16-22

The judgments of God. When human folly has gone to so great a length ( Isaiah 28:15 ), it may look out for the coming of Divine judgment; for this cannot be long delayed. And when we look we find— I. THE SEVERITY OF GOD 'S VISITATION . 1. It will correspond closely with man ' s guilt , as if measured with line and plummet ( Isaiah 28:17 ); it will be broad as its breadth, deep as its depth, enlarged to its magnitude; more severe as men's guilt is more wanton, most... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 28:18

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled ; or, wiped out . The entire clever arrangement, by which they thought to avert the danger from themselves and from Judaea, shall come to naught. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. As the prophet continues, his metaphor becomes still more mixed. "Treading down" was so familiar an expression for destroying, that, perhaps, its literal sense was overlooked (comp. Isaiah 5:5 ; Isaiah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 28:18

And your covenant with death - (see the note at Isaiah 28:15).Shall be disannulled - The word rendered ‘shall be disannulled,’ (וכפר vekupar from כפר kâphar), properly means “to cover, overlay;” then to pardon, forgive; then to make atonement, to expiate. It has the idea of blotting out, forgiving, and obliterating - because a writing in wax was obliterated or “covered” by passing the “stylus” over it. Hence, also, the idea of abolishing, or rendering nought, which is the idea here. “When the... read more

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