Isaiah 56:10

His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. HIS WATCHMEN - Israel's spiritual leaders (Isaiah 62:6; Ezekiel 3:17). (ARE) BLIND - (Matthew 23:16.) DUMB DOGS - image from bad shepherds' watch-dogs, which fail to give notice, by barking, of the approach of wild beasts ( hoziym (H1957) shokªbiym (H7901)). SLEEPING, LYING DOWN - `dreamers, sluggard...

10._Her watchmen are blind. _He now assigns the reason why the people must be destroyed. It is because they are governed by wicked princes and pastors; not that he wishes to throw the blame on them alone, and thinks that the people are innocent, but because this was the beginning of the evil. We are not exempted from blame, if we follow blind guides, but, on the contrary, are justly punished for our transgressions; for the Lord takes away good guides from those whom he intends to punish for their ingratitude. By the word “Watchmen” (100) he means not only the prophets, to whom was committed the office of teaching, but likewise judges, princes, and kings, who ought to have governed everything in a proper manner. He includes both kinds of government, that of princes, and that of the ministers of the word, whom the Lord has placed, as the two eyes in the body, to govern the Church. Conseque...

9-12 Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the church....

Verse Isaiah 56:10. _HIS WATCHMEN_ ARE _BLIND_] _Kimchi_ observes, "The flock is intrusted to the care of these watchmen. The wild beasts come; these dogs bark not; and the wild beasts devour the flock. Thus they do not _profit_ the flock. Yea, they _injure_ it; for the owner trusts in them, that they will watch and be faithful; but they are not. These are the false teachers and careless shepherds." _DUMB DOGS, THEY CANNOT BARK_] Isaiah 62:6. _SLEEPING_ - "Dreamers"] הזים _hozim_, ενυπνιαζομενοι, _Septuagint_. This seems to be the best authority for the meaning of this word, which occurs only in this place: but it is to be observed, that eleven MSS. of _Kennicott's_ and _De Rossi's_, and four

HIS WATCHMEN - The prophet proceeds to specify the sins which had thus induced God to send the desolating armies of foreign nations. The first is specified in this verse, the apathy, indifference, and unfaithfulness, which prevailed among those who were appointed to guard their interests and defend the cause of truth. The word rendered ‘his watchmen’ (צפוּ _tsophâv_) is derived from צפה _tsâphâh_, “to look about; to view from a distance; to see afar.” It is applied appropriately to those who were stationed on the walls of a city, or on a tower, in order that they might see the approach of an enemy 1Sa 14:16; 2 Samuel 13:34; 2 Samuel 18:24. It is then applied to pro

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 56:1 AN EXHORTATION TO OBSERVE THE LAW, ESPECIALLY THE LAW OF THE SABBATH, COMBINED WITH PROMISES. There was much of the Law which it was impossible to observe during the Captivity. Sacrifice had ceased, the temple was destroyed, almost all the ceremonial law must have been suspended; even the command to do no work on the sabbath day cannot have been kept by a nation of slaves, whose masters would certainly not have permitted them to be idle one day in seven. Still, the spirit of the ordinance might be kept by devoting the day, so far as was possible, to religious observance, as to pra

HIS WATCHMEN ARE BLIND,.... A sad character of watchmen; who, of all men, ought to have good sight, to see who is coming, to discover an enemy, to discern approaching danger, and so be capable of giving notice thereof. This some apply to the Scribes and Pharisees, who are often called blind guides, and blind leaders of the blind, Matthew 15:14 and well suits the character of the Popish clergy, bishops, and priests, those ecclesiastical watchmen, whose business should be to look after the souls of men, and feed them with knowledge and understanding; but very ill qualified for it, being blind and ignorant as to the knowledge of things divine and spiritual. The first letter in this clause is larger than usual, perhaps designed to strike the eye, and raise the attention to what follows, as being something remarkable and extraordinary, as indeed the character given of these men is,

Chapter s 56:9-57:14 must be read continuously. CHAPTER S 56:9-57:21 The Condition of the Apostate Nation and the two Classes 1. _The condition of the shepherds of Israel (Isaiah 56:9) _ 2. _Apostate Israel (Isaiah 57:1) _ 3. _The two classes (Isaiah 57:15) _ The final chapter of this second section corresponds to the last chapter of the first section (chapter 48). The sad condition of the people Israel is pictured. This is their national apostasy throughout this age, while strangers are joined to the Lord and the church is gathered. The worst is yet to come. Chapter 57:9 looks forward to the great apostasy during the great tribulation. The king is the Antichrist, who takes his seat in t

ISAIAH 56:9 TO ISAIAH 57:2. A DENUNCIATION OF THE RULERS OF THE COMMUNITY. This oracle seems not to be connected with the preceding, though, it arises out of the same circumstances. Yahweh bids the beasts of prey (_cf._ Jeremiah 12:9), hostile nations, ravage the flock, since the watchdogs are not alert, but crouched in the slumber of gluttons. Vividly then one of the rulers is introduced, inviting his fellows to a drunken orgy (_cf._ Amos 6:6), and gloating over a like prospect for the morrow. But, while the rulers gorge and swill, the man who keeps the law and is godly (_mg._) perishes through these evils (_mg.),_ unnoticed:

Isaiah 56:9 to Isaiah 57:21. A Protest against the Unworthy Shepherds of God's Flock, and the arrogant Heathenism by which it is threatened; followed by a Message of Consolation to True Israelites This sombre and impassioned discourse is composed of three parts: i. ch. Isaiah 56:9 to Isaiah 57:2. The defenceless condition of the community, due to the incompetence of its spiritual leaders. (1) All the wild beasts of the field and the forest are invited to come and devour the unprotected flock (Isaiah 56:9). (2) For its rulers neglect their duty; they ar