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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 57:17-21

The body of the people of Israel, in this account of God's dealings with them, is spoken of as a particular person (Isa. 57:17, 18), but divided into two sorts, differently dealt with?some who were sons of peace, to whom peace is spoken (Isa. 57:19), and others who were not, who have nothing to do with peace, Isa. 57:20, 21. Observe here, I. The just rebukes which that people were brought under for their sin: For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him. Covetousness was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 57:17

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him ,.... Not the greedy watchmen of the church of Rome, Isaiah 56:10 , but teachers and preachers in the reformed churches, who mind their own things, and not the things of Christ; seek after good benefices and livings, temporalities and pluralities, and to be lord bishops; taking the oversight of the flock for filthy lucre sake; which may easily be observed to be the predominant sin of the preachers and professors of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 57:17

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth "Because of his iniquity for a short time was I wroth" - For בצעו bitso , I read בצע betsa , a little while, from בצע batsa , he cut of, as the Septuagint read and render it, βραχυ τι , "a certain short space ." Propter iniquitatem avaritiae ejus , "because of the iniquity of his avarice," the rendering of the Vulgate, which our translators and I believe all others follow, is surely quite beside the purpose. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 57:15-21

A PROMISE OF SALVATION TO THE HUMBLE AND PENITENT , WITH A FURTHER THREAT AGAINST THE WICKED . The prophet, in this portion of his discourse, whereof "comfort" is the key-note ( Isaiah 40:1 ), can never continue threatening long without relapsing into a tone of tenderness and pity. He now sets against his long denunciation (in Isaiah 57:3-12 ) an ample promise ( Isaiah 57:15-19 ), and against his brief encouragement (in Isaiah 57:13 , Isaiah 57:14 ) a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 57:15-21

The character of Jehovah I. HIS EXALTATION . "High and holy:" high because holy, exalted far above the meanness of human thoughts and the impurity of human ways. Far above creatures of all species and all ranks, it is needless further to designate him. He is the Incomparable One. He dwells in eternity (cf. Isaiah 9:6 ). His Name is "the Holy One" ( Isaiah 1:4 ; Isaiah 30:11 ; Isaiah 40:25 ; Isaiah 41:14 ; Isaiah 43:3 , Isaiah 43:8 ; Isaiah 47:4 ); his place the high and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 57:17

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth . Among the sins that angered God most against the Jews of the later kingdom of Judah was their covetousness—that desire of unjust gain which led them continually to oppress their weaker brethren, to remove their neighbours' landmarks, to harass them with lawsuits, to obtain from the courts corrupt judgments against them, and so to strip them of their inheritances (see Isaiah 1:15-23 ; Isaiah 3:5 , Isaiah 3:14 , Isaiah 3:15 ; Isaiah... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 57:17-21

The course of the soul. These words of Isaiah indicate the course which the human spirit often takes in its downward and upward path. We have— I. THE ESSENCE OF INIQUITY — THIS IS SELFISHNESS . "The iniquity of his selfishness," as it may be rendered. Whether it takes the specific form of rapacity, of unholy ambition, of self-indulgence or of any other special sin, you may trace iniquity home to the evil spirit of selfishness—the withholding from God, for self, of that... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 57:17

For the iniquity of his covetousness - The guilt of his avarice; that is, of the Jewish people. The word rendered here ‘covetousness’ (בצע betsa‛) means “plunder, rapine, prey”; then unjust gains, or lucre from bribes 1 Samuel 7:3; Isaiah 33:15; or by any other means. Here the sense is, that one of the prevailing sins of the Jewish people which drew upon them the divine vengeance, was avarice, or the love of gain. Probably this was especially manifest in the readiness with which those who... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 57:17

Isaiah 57:17. For the iniquity of his covetousness The covetousness of the Jewish people, (here addressed as one man,) who were eminently guilty of this sin before the Babylonish captivity, as is expressly affirmed, Jeremiah 6:13; and Jeremiah 8:10; and they were still more addicted to it in the time of Christ, and previous to the destruction of their city by the Romans; Christ himself testifying, that the greatest professors of sanctity among them devoured widows’ houses, and, for a... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 57:1-21

Corruption and idolatry (56:9-57:21)The Assyrian captivity of the northerners and the Babylonian captivity of the southerners did not include the whole populations. Those who were of no use to the conquerors were left behind, along with scattered country people who escaped the enemy. These and their descendants soon followed the old religious practices of the Canaanite people. They worshipped idols, offered human sacrifices to the god Molech, and practised fertility rites with religious... read more

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