ISAIAH CHAPTER 58 The Jews hypocrisy in their fasts, ISAIAH 58:1. A true fast described, ISAIAH 58:6,7. Promises to godliness, ISAIAH 58:8; to the keeping of the sabbath, ISAIAH 58:13,14. The prophet having in the foregoing chapter noted and censured divers gross miscarriages of the Jews, proceeds u... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SEEK ME DAILY; they cover all their wickedness with a profession of religion, from time to time resorting to my house, pretending to ask counsel of me, and to desire and seek my favour and blessing. DELIGHT TO KNOW MY WAYS: either, 1. They seem to delight in it; for men are oft said in Scriptu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HAVE WE FASTED, SAY THEY, AND THOU SEEST NOT? They complain of hard usage from God, that although they prayed, and fasted, and kept the rest of God's ordinances, all which are synecdochically comprehended under the title of _fasting_, all their labour was lost, and God neither regarded nor... [ Continue Reading ]
YE FAST FOR STRIFE AND DEBATE; your fasting days, wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the mercy of God, and to show compassion to men, you employ in a great measure in injuring or quarrelling with your brethren, your servants, or debtors, or in contriving mischief against them, as if th... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I HAVE CHOSEN; approve of, accept, or delight in, by a metonymy, because we delight in what we freely choose. A DAY FOR A MAN TO AFFLICT HIS SOUL; or, to afflict his soul for a day. It is an _hypallage_, and so it may be understood either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his soul in,... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT THIS THE FAST THAT I HAVE CHOSEN? or, _approve_, as before, ISAIAH 58:5: or, Ought not such a fast to be accompanied with such things as these? where he is now about to show the concomitants of a true fast, with reference to the thing in hand, namely, to exercise works of charity, consisting... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT, viz. the fast that pleaseth me, supplied from the former verse. Having showed the evil they are to abstain from in order to an acceptable fast, viz. _cruelty_, he here speaks of the duty that is required, viz. _mercy_, as a manifestation of repentance, DANIEL 4:27 LUKE 19:8. For there are two... [ Continue Reading ]
THY LIGHT: it is put in general for all _happiness_ and prosperity; as all kind of adversity and calamity is set forth and resembled by darkness: but here more particularly for a comfortable and free estate after their dark and calamitous condition in the Babylonish captivity; for the like reason Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
They make great complaint, ISAIAH 58:3, that God took no notice of their services, which complaint God seems now to satisfy: q.d. These conditions observed, call upon me, and thou shalt see I will regard, PSALMS 34:15. See ISAIAH 1:18. THE LORD SHALL ANSWER; he will give an effectual demonstration,... [ Continue Reading ]
DRAW OUT; or, _open_; as when we break open a store or magazine to satisfy the wants of the needy: it implies bounty and liberality. A phrase contrary to that of _shutting up of the bowels_, 1 JOHN 3:17. THY SOUL; thy affection, i.e. thy pity and compassion; a metonymy of the subject, as one that co... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL GUIDE THEE, viz. like a shepherd, PSALMS 23:1; or, as the Vulgate; shall give thee rest; and so it may relate to the rest that God would give them in Judea, upon their return from captivity, as answering to their complaints in Babylon, LAMENTATIONS 5:5. And he adds continually, to show that hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT SHALL BE OF THEE, i.e. either, 1. A remnant of thee among the captivity, that shall be as persons raised from the dead; or, 2. Thy posterity, expressed thus, because they sprang or proceeded from them. THE OLD WASTE PLACES, Heb. _wastes of eternity_, i.e. which have lain long waste; for _... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU TURN AWAY THY FOOT: this is taken either properly, i.e. If thou take no unnecessary journeys, or do any servile works, either of hand or foot, that are forbidden on the sabbath day, the instrument being here put for the work; or metaphorically, i.e. If thou keep thy mind and affections clear... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALT THOU DELIGHT THYSELF IN THE LORD: this hath reference to the foregoing verse. If thou wilt delight thyself in the sabbath, then thou shalt delight in the God of the sabbath; or thou shalt have cause to delight in the Lord, viz. in his goodness and faithfulness to thee, and so shalt live b... [ Continue Reading ]