THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH

Isaiah 1

1Isaiah complaineth of Judah's rebellion: 5their universal corruption and desolation: 10their whole religious service unacceptable because of their sins. 16An exhortation to repentance enforced by promises and threatenings. 21The prophet bewailing their wickedness denounceth God's judgments, mixed with promises of mercy, 28and threateneth destruction to the wicked.


1THE12vision of Isaiah the son of 3Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of 4Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

1 That is, that which God revealed to the prophet Isaiah in a vision, and commanded him to preach unto the people. Yet in this book is not spoken of one, but of many and different visions, which the prophet has seen.

2 Of the word vision see Gen. 15 on verse 1.

3 It is perceived that this Amoz was the brother of Uzziah, the king of Judah.

4 Of these four kings we may read in the second Book of the Kings, from chapters 15 to 21.

25Hear,a O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have 6nourished and brought up children, and 7they have rebelled against me.

5 See Deut. 4 on verse 26; Micah 6 on verse 2.

a Deut. 32:1.

6 Or, made great.

7 Or, they have revolted from me, or, they have dealt revoltingly against me. See of the signification of the Hebrew word 1 Kings 12:19.

38The ox knoweth 9his owner, and 10the ass his master's crib: but 11Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

8 The sense is: Although the ox and the ass are of animals the most dull and brutish sort of creatures, yet they learn to know him that places their provender daily before them, and after their manner they show him some kindness and love when he comes to them into the stable, and comply to his hand.

9 That is, him to whom he belongs, and who possesses and rears him as his own.

10 See the 8th annotation.

11 Or, Israel understandeth not. He, who does not know his God, is esteemed not to know or to have knowledge of anything. Other, knoweth not me, namely, his Possessor, Owner, Lord; as if He had said: They, who boast to be the people of God, are more insensitive and more unwise than the animals.

4Ah 12sinfulb nation, a people laden 13with iniquity, 14a seed of evildoers, 15children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have 16provoked the 17Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are 18gone away backward.

12 That is, to the nation that has entirely given up themselves to commit sin.

b Psalm 78:8; Isa. 57:3.

13 Hebr. that is heavy of iniquity, that is, which is heavily laden with many sins.

14 That is, they, who are begotten of wicked parents, are consequently, evil egg evil chick. Compare Mat. 3:7.

15 Sinners corrupt themselves, their way and whatsoever they may do. See Gen. 6:12; Prov. 6:32, etc.

16 Other, blasphemed, despised.

17 That is, the true God, Who has revealed Himself to Israel, as Psalm 71:22.

18 Namely, from the Lord, Ezek. 14:5.

519Why should ye be stricken any more? yec will revolt more and more: the whole 20head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

19 As if God had said: It is but in vain that one would smite you much. Other, Whereupon, that is, upon what part of the body should ye be smitten anymore?

c 2 Chron. 28:22; Jer. 2:30.

20 Hebr. the whole head is in sickness, that is, both the ecclesiastical and civil government is in a sad and miserable condition, and there is no way or means to be found how to have things amended.

621From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness 22in it; but wounds, and 23bruises, and 24putrifying sores: they have not been 25closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

21 In the words of this verse is further shown the corrupt state and condition, both of church and state, among the Jews. Compare the phrase with Deut. 28:35; 2 Sam. 14:25; Job 2:7.

22 Namely, the body or people.

23 The Hebrew word signifies such a mark or stripe or scar, as when the blood rises up, and appears by reason of some blow or push.

24 Or, moist wounds, sores, that is, rotten wounds or sores, which putrefy or fester; or, sores full of matter of corruption.

25 Namely, as such as that the matter and corrupt blood has been pressed out, and the wound cleansed.

726Yourd country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers 27devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown 28by strangers.

26 The sense is: It is not like unto ground suitable for tillage, but rather like unto a wild uncultivated wilderness.

d Deut. 28:51, 52; Isa. 5:5.

27 That is, they eat up the fruits of the land. This was done by Hazael, king of Syria, and Joab, king of Israel, 2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 25.

28 Hebr. overthrow of strangers, that is, which is done by strangers, or such as strange soldiers used to commit when they take possession of a land and subdue it. See 2 Chron. 28:18.

8And the 29daughter of Zion is 30left 31as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a 32besieged city.

29 That is, Jerusalem, which was partly built upon mount Zion, and seemed to spring and issue from there. See there annotation 2 Kings 19:21.

30 Namely, after that the other cities throughout the entire land were wasted.

31 Other, as a shady place, namely, where the keeper of the vineyard shelters himself. He wants to say: She is brought to the uttermost misery. See Job 27:18.

32 Or, desolate, or, fenced city.

9Excepte the LORD of hosts had left unto us 33a very small remnant, we should have been 34asf Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

e Isa. 17:6; 24:6; 30:17; Rom. 9:29.

33 It is stated in Rom. 9:29: a seed; which is occasioned by this that in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (which the apostles here followed) the word seed is read. The sense agrees well with the Hebrew.

34 That is, we would have been utterly ruined and destroyed into the very ground.

f Gen. 19:24.

10¶Hear the word of the LORD, 35ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto 36the law of our God, 37ye people of Gomorrah.

35 That is, ye princes of Jerusalem, who are indeed no better than the princes, rulers and governors of Sodom were in times past. They were destroyed without mercy, but this mercy is yet shown to you that ye may hear the Word of the Lord. O, therefore, I beseech you, observe and embrace this mercy. Compare with this place Deut. 32:32; Ezek. 16:46.

36 That is, that which I announce unto you by the command of God. See of the word law, Psalm 1:2.

37 That is, ye people of Judah, who are become like unto the men of Gomorrah in wickedness.

1138To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: Ig am full of the burnt offerings 39of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

38 It is said in 1 Sam. 15:22 that to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. The Lord indeed had instituted and commanded sacrifices to be offered, but only as means or helps to cause them to make a good progress in repentance and faith; since they neglected this, therefore their offerings were an abomination unto the Lord, notwithstanding that He had instituted and appointed them.

g Psalm 50:8, 9; Prov. 15:8; 21:27; Isa. 66:3; Jer. 6:20; Amos 5:22.

39 Namely, of the rams that are slain for sacrifice.

12When ye come to appear 40before me, 41who hath required this at your hand, to tread 42my courts?

40 That is, in the temple, where I do manifest My presence in a special manner.

41 As if God said: I take no pleasure in it that ye come into the temple with your offerings and sacrifices, namely, in an hypocritical way, without faith, without repentance or attention, as ye do.

42 That is, the courts of My house or temple, which were two, one for the priests and one for the people, 2 Chron. 4:9; so that the prophet reproves here the priests as well as the people.

1343Bring no more vain oblations; 44incense is an abomination unto me; 45the new moons and sabbaths, 46the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with;hit is iniquity, even 47the solemn meeting.

43 Hebr. Proceed not to bring. Other, Bring henceforth no more meat offering of lying or of vanity, namely, whereby ye cannot appease Me.

44 See Exodus 30.

45 In the Hebrew these words are put in the singular number. The first day of the month was holy unto the Lord, Num. 28:11, 14.

46 When there is wickedness in the assemblies, the Lord will not or cannot be there present there, for, He is an enemy to the assemblies of evil doers, Psalm 5:4. His faithfulness is in the congregation of the saints, Psalm 89:5.

h endure, tolerate

47 See the annotation Lev. 23 on verse 36.

1448Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul 49hateth: they are a 50trouble unto me; 51I am weary to bear them.

48 That is, your offerings which ye are accustomed to offer at the time of the new moons.

49 That is (as we speak), I hate them with all My heart, and with all My soul.

50 Or, weariness.

51 I am not able to suffer or to endure them. It is spoken of God after the manner of men.

15And wheni ye spread forth 52your hands, I will 53hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands 54are full of blood.

i Prov. 1:28.

52 Concerning the spreading forth of the hands in prayer, see the annotations 1 Kings 8 on verse 22.

53 The Lord will not hear the prayers of those who do not resolve in heart to turn away from all sin. See Psalm 66:18.

54 Hebr. are full of bloods. See the annotation on Gen. 4:10.

1655Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceasej to do evil;

55 He looks at the ceremonial washings and cleansings, which were commanded in the law, understanding under them also the spiritual washings and purifyings of the heart.

j Psalm 34:14; 37:27; Amos 5:15; Rom. 12:9.

17Learn to do well; 56seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, 57plead for the widow.

56 That is, give diligence to know what is right and good, and do it.

57 That is, maintain and defend the cause of the widow before the tribunal, or in the place of judicature.

18Come now, and let us reason 58together, saith the LORD: thoughk your sins be 59as scarlet, 60they shall be as white as snow; though they be 61red like 62crimson, they shall be as wool.

58 That is, prove unto each other by arguments, who is in the right and who is in the wrong, and consequently, who is the cause of your misery, I, the Lord, or your sins?

k Psalm 51:7.

59 These words have relation to what is said in verse 15: your hands are full of blood. See Gen. 38:28 of the scarlet color.

60 That is, they shall be graciously and fully pardoned unto you for the Messiah’s sake.

61 See annotation #59.

62 Or, purple, or, vermillion, such a color as cochineal yields.

19If ye be willing and 63obedient, ye shall eat 64the good of the land:

63 Hebr. hear; that is, obey, namely, My commandments.

64 That is, the choicest and best things of this land. See Job 21 on verses 13 and 25.

20But if ye 65refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with 66the sword: 67for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

65 Namely, to hear and obey Me.

66 Namely, of your enemies.

67 Therefore it shall surely come to pass.

2168How is 69the faithful city become 70an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness 71lodged in it; but 72now 73murderers.

68 This is a question with astonishment.

69 Understand Jerusalem, which in times past had so faithfully adhered unto and served the Lord, namely, in the days of David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat and other godly kings.

70 Understand this of spiritual whoredom, that is, idolatry. See Lev. 17 on verse 7; 20 on verse 5. Or, of carnal whoredom; or, of both. See Num. 15:39; Psalm 73:27; Ezek. 16:15, etc.

71 Or, resided.

72 Namely, dwelling in it.

73 Or, manslayers, that is, unrighteous usurers, doers of violence, oppressors of the poor and the like.

2274Thy silverl is become dross, thym wine mixed with water:

74 The sense is: The most honorable and most excellent persons among you are altered and degenerated. Or, whatsoever was heretofore pure and clean among you, is now become filthy and corrupt.

l Ezek. 22:18, 18.

m Hosea 4:18.

23Thy princes are 75rebellious, and companions of thieves: 76every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless,n neither doth the cause of the widow 77come unto them.

75 Or, self-willed, dissolute, as a loose or unruly heifer, Hosea 4:16.

76 That is, they permit themselves to be corrupted and bribed by gifts to pervert judgment.

n Jer. 5:28; Zech. 7:10.

77 Or, though it comes before their tribunal, yet they will not hear it, or they take it not to heart; they help them not judicially, but rather help to oppress them.

24Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, 78I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avengeo me 79of mine enemies:

78 That is, I will take vengeance on the Israelites, My adversaries and enemies. Other, I will comfort me by mine adversaries. The sense is: My enemies, the Chaldeans and other pagan kings, shall execute vengeance upon, and punish My people Israel, who rebel thus like enemies against Me. So that to ease here is as much as to quiet oneself by taking vengeance. It is a human kind of phrase or manner of speaking. See Deut. 28:63 what the Lord says there.

o Deut. 28:63.

79 Namely, the wicked Jews, whom the Lord therefore calls His enemies, because they were departed from Him, and have become rebellious against Him. Other, by mine enemies, namely, the Chaldeans, as just before.

25¶And I will turn my hand 80upon thee, and purelyp purge away thy 81dross, and take away all thy 82tin:

80 Namely, to correct or chastise thee, O Jerusalem. Other, I will turn mine hand towards thee, to cleanse thee, etc.

p Jer. 6:29; Mal. 3:3.

81 Thus the Lord calls the wicked rulers, or the heinous offences and sins of the people, which He would purge away by the Messiah. See Mal. 3:3.

82Tin signifies here hypocrisy; for, as tin is very like unto silver, so does hypocrisy seem to be godliness.

26And I will 83restore thy judges as 84at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the 85faithful city.

83 Namely, after I shall have chastened and purge thee; and understand that here is spoken of such judges and rulers, as were Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and the like; but this principally came to pass in the time of the Messiah.

84 Or, at the beginning, namely, at the beginning of your commonwealth, or of this kingdom.

85 Namely, unto your God.

2786Zion shall be 87redeemed 88with judgment, and her 89converts with 90righteousness.

86 That is, the Jews or the tribe of Judah, and in particular those of Jerusalem, who dwelt upon or about mount Zion.

87 Or, delivered, Namely, out of the Babylonian captivity; or, from the above mentioned judgments. Understand this further of the spiritual redemption by Christ, which also came to pass by the righteousness of God.

88 That is, by the righteousness of God; seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to those who afflict others. See 2 Thes. 1:6.

89 Or, the restored ones, namely unto God, or returners, namely from the Babylonian captivity.

90 Understand here the righteousness of God, that is, His truth and faithfulness, forasmuch as He has promised it for Christ’s sake, and therefore it is just that He does it.

28¶Andq the 91destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be 92together, and they that forsake the LORD 93shall be consumed.

q Job 31:3; Psalm 1:6; 5:5; 73:27; 92:9; 104:35.

91 That is, misery, as Amos 6:6. See Jer. 4 on verse 6.

92 That is, the one as the other.

93 Or, shall perish or be devoured. This may likewise be understood of the judgments which the Messiah shall execute upon those who disobey, Mal. 4:1.

29For they shall be ashamed 94of the oaks which 95ye have 96desired, and ye shall be confounded for the 97gardens that ye have chosen.

94 That is, because of their idolatry, which they were wont to commit in woods or groves under oaks and other great trees. See Exod. 34:13; Deut. 16:21; Judges 3:7.

95 This is a change of person, which they call in the schools enallage, for which they have desired.

96 Or, have wished, namely, to commit idolatry under them.

97 That is, the hedges and groves, where they committed idolatry, not satisfying themselves with those places which the Lord had chosen and appointed for His worship.

3098For ye shall be 99as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

98 Or, When ye shall be as an oak.

99 The sense is: Ye have committed idolatry under oaks, therefore ye shall fare as the oaks, which fade and wither away.

31And 100the strong shall be as 101tow, and the 102maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

100 By the strong may here be understood the idols, which are strong in the opinion of the idolaters or idol worshippers, as Amos 2:9. Or, understand here by the strong the rich and mighty men in the land.

101 Or, coarse flax. This is what is carded out of flax, which is consumed very speedily by fire.

102 That is, he who made the image, or, he who caused it to be made to honor and worship it.