Isaiah 1:23

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. THY PRINCES (ARE) ... COMPANIONS OF THIEVES - by connivance (). EVERY ONE LOVETH GIFTS - (.) A nation's corruption begins with its rulers....

23._Thy princes are rebellious _There is here an elegant allusion or play on words. (28) He does not speak of _princes _in such a manner as if the common people were holy and needed no reproof, but he points out the source of the evil; for as no disease is more injurious than that which spreads from the head into the whole body, so no evil is more destructive in a commonwealth than a wicked and depraved _prince_, who conveys his corruptions into the whole body both by his example and by the liberty which he allows. Hence, too, comes the proverb, ὁποῖα ἡ δέσποινα, τοῖαι καὶ αἱ θεραπαινίδες, _like mistress, like maids_. The meaning, therefore, is as if the Prophet had said that there was no one vice more than another that reigned among the people, but that an unbounded commission of crimes prevailed among the nobles themselves, and that in this manner the whole

21-31 Neither holy cities nor royal ones are faithful to their trust, if religion does not dwell in them. Dross may shine like silver, and the wine that is mixed with water may still have the colour of wine. Those have a great deal to answer for, who do not help the oppressed, but oppress them. Men may do much by outward restraints; but only God works effectually by the influences of his Spirit, as a Spirit of Judgment. Sin is the worst captivity, the worst slavery. The redemption of the spiritual Zion, by the righteousness and death of Christ, and by his powerful grace, most fully accord with what is here meant. Utter ruin is threatened. The Jews should become as a tree when blasted by heat; as a garden without water, which in those hot countries would soon be burned up. Thus shall they be that trust in idols, or in an arm of flesh. Even the strong man shall be as tow; not only soon br...

Verse Isaiah 1:23. _COMPANIONS OF THIEVES _- "Associates"] The _Septuagint,_ _Vulgate_, and four MSS., read חברי _chabrey_ without the conjunction ו _vau_....

THY PRINCES ... - This is an explanation of the previous verse. Princes mean here those attached to the royal family; those who by rank, or office, had an influence over the people. REBELLIOUS - Against God. The corruption of a nation commonly begins with the rulers. COMPANIONS OF THIEVES - That is, they connive at the doings of robbers; they do not bring them to justice; they are their accomplices, and are easily bribed to acquit them. EVERY ONE LOVETH GIFTS - Every magistrate can be bribed. FOLLOWETH AFAR REWARDS - רדף _rodēph_. This word denotes the act of pursuing after in order to obtain something; and means here that they made it an object to obtain rewards by selling or betraying justice They sell justice to the highest bidder. No m

PART I.—EARLIER PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH (CH. 1-35.) SECTION I.—THE GREAT ARRAIGNMENT (Isaiah 1:1.). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 1:1 TITLE OF THE WORK. It is questioned whether the title can be regarded as Isaiah's, or as properly belonging to the work, and it is suggested that it is rather a heading invented by a collector who brought together into a volume such prophecies of Isaiah as were known to him, the collection being a much smaller one than that which was made ultimately. In favor of this view it is urged (1) that

THY PRINCES [ARE] REBELLIOUS,.... Stubborn and obstinate, refused to receive and acknowledge the Messiah; such were the Jewish rulers, civil and ecclesiastical, in the times of Christ. AND COMPANIONS OF THIEVES: who devoured widows' houses; made the temple, which was a house of prayer, a den of thieves; and took away the key of knowledge from the people, and would not suffer them to attend the ministry of the Gospel, Matthew 21:13 EVERYONE LOVETH GIFTS, AND FOLLOWETH AFTER REWARDS. The Targum paraphrases it, "everyone says to his neighbour, do me a favour in my cause, I will return "it" to thee in thy cause;'' and so justice was perverted: THEY JUDGE NOT THE FATHERLESS; that is, either they do not take their cause in hand at all, or, if they do, do not do them justice, but wrong them of their goods and es

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS The reader will find that every chapter has been analyzed as to its contents. We have not made copious annotations, because the three lectures on the book of Isaiah as found at the close of the analysis cover the contents of this book in such a manner that detailed annotations for a study of the book can be omitted. We suggest that all who desire to study this great prophecy in a closer way read carefully the introduction, and after that the three lectures on “The Scope of Isaiah,” “The Messianic Predictions” and “Future Glories and Blessings.” These lectures should be carefully studied and every passage should be looked up. After this has been done, take up the book section by section and follow the analysis we give and consult the lectures whenever needed. I. THE EARLIER PROPHECIES (1-35) 1. Prophecies under the Reign of Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz (1-12) CHAP...

A complete poem, of uncertain date, in elegiac rhythm. How has the city once loyal to Yahweh become faithless to her husband! Her silver has become dross, her wine adulterated. Her princes rebel against Yahweh; the thieves bribe them to secure acquittal, but the widow and orphan cannot even get their case before the courts. So Yahweh will take vengeance and purify the city in the furnace of trial, smelting out all the lead alloy (_mg.)._ Then He will restore righteous judges as in David's time, when Jerusalem became an Israelite city, and give her a new name expressive of her true nature. ISAIAH 1:22. MIXED: generally supposed to mean circumcised, _i.e._ diluted, or flat, if with water is omitted. Perhaps we should read thy wine is a thick juice (_mohal)._ Isaiah 1:25. throughly

THY PRINCES, &C _._ Figure of speech _Hermeneia_. Interpreting the Figures of speech _Hypocatastasis_ in Isaiah 1:22. PRINCES ARE REBELLIOUS. _Sarim sorerim_, not. "pun", but the Figure of speech _Paronomasia_ (App-6), for solemn emphasis. It may be Englished "thy rulers are unruly". GIFTS. rewards, or bribes....