Isaiah 66:3

He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. He that killeth an ox (is as if ) he slew a man. God loathes even the sacrifices of the wicked (Isaiah 1:11; Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 28:9). (Is as if). Lowth, not so well, omits these words, 'He that killeth an ox (presently after) murders a man' (as in Ezekiel 23:39). But the omission, in the Hebrew, of is as if increases the

3._He that killeth an ox, as if he slew a man. _There are two clauses in this verse. In the former, Isaiah plainly declares that all the sacrifices of his nation are of no value in the sight of God, but are held by him in abomination; in the latter, he describes the dreadful corruption by which they mingled the ceremonies of the Gentiles with the sacrifices of the Law, and in this way corrupted and perverted everything. The greater part of commentators think that these words repeal the sacrifices of the Law, but this is a mistake; for Isaiah, in this passage, treats of the same subject of which he had formerly treated in the first and fifty-eighth chapters, and does not absolutely condemn sacrifices, but rather the blemishes and corruptions of them, because the Jews thought that God was satisfied with a deceitful and empty appearance, and at the same time cared not about the true fear of...

1-4 The Jews gloried much in their temple. But what satisfaction can the Eternal Mind take in a house made with men's hands? God has a heaven and an earth of his own making, and temples of man's making; but he overlooks them, that he may look with favour to him who is poor in spirit and serious, self-abasing and self-denying; whose heart truly sorrows for sin: such a heart is a living temple for God. The sacrifice of the wicked is not only unacceptable, but a great offence to God. And he that now offers a sacrifice after the law, does in effect set aside Christ's sacrifice. He that burns incense, puts contempt upon the incense of Christ's intercession, and is as if he blessed an idol. Men shall be deceived by the vain confidences with which they deceive themselves. Unbelieving hearts, and unpurified consciences, need no more to make them miserable, than to have their own fears brought u...

Verse Isaiah 66:3. _HE THAT KILLETH AN OX_ IS AS IF _HE SLEW A MAN_ - "He that slayeth an ox killeth a man"] These are instances of wickedness joined with hypocrisy; of the most flagitious crimes committed by those who at the same time affected great strictness in the performance of all the external services of religion. God, by the Prophet Ezekiel, upbraids the Jews with the same practices: "When they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it," Ezekiel 23:39. Of the same kind was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in our Saviour's time: "who devoured widows' houses, and for a pretence made long prayers," Matthew 23:14. The g

HE THAT KILLETH AN OX IS AS IF HE SLEW A MAN - Lowth and Noyes render this, ‘He that slayeth an ox, killeth a man.’ This is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Jerome renders it, ‘He who sacrifices an ox is as if (quasi) he slew a man.’ The Septuagint, in a very free translation - such as is common in their version of Isaiah - render it, ‘The wicked man who sacrifices a calf, is as he who kills a dog; and he who offers to me fine flour, it is as the blood of swine.’ Lowth supposes the sense to be, that the most flagitious crimes were united with hypocrisy, and that they who were guilty of the most extreme acts of wickedness at the same time affected great strictness in the performance of all the external duties of religion. An instance of this, he says, is referred to by Ezekiel, where he says, ‘When they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanct...

SECTION XII.—FINAL THREATENINGS AND PROMISES (Isaiah 66:1.). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 66:1 THE UNGODLY EXILES REBUKED. Israel, being about to return from the Captivity, had the design of rebuilding the temple and re-establishing the temple worship. God rebukes this design in persons devoid of any spirit of holiness, and warns them that mere formal outward worship is an abomination to him (Isaiah 66:1). In Isaiah 66:4 he threatens them wi

HE THAT KILLETH AN OX, IS AS IF HE SLEW A MAN,.... Not that killed the ox of his neighbour, which, according to law, he was to pay for; or that killed one for food, which was lawful to be done; but that slew one, and offered it as a sacrifice; not blamed because blind or lame, or had any blemish in it, and so unfit for sacrifice; or because not rightly offered, under a due sense of sin, and with repentance for it, and faith in Christ; but because all sacrifices of this kind are now abolished in Gospel times, to which this prophecy belongs; Christ the great sacrifice being offered up; and therefore to offer sacrifice, which, notwithstanding the unbelieving Jews continued daily, till it was made to cease by the destruction of their temple, was a great offence to God; it was as grievous to him as offering their children to Moloch; or as the murder of a man; and was indeed a trampling under...

CHAPTER 66 The Finale: The Two Classes and the Prophecy of Isaiah in a Retrospect 1. _The apostates and their wicked worship (Isaiah 66:1) _ 2. _The remnant suffering and encouraged (Isaiah 66:5) _ 3. _The sudden manifestation of the Lord (Isaiah 66:6) _ 4. _The nation's rebirth (Isaiah 66:7) _ 5. _Jerusalem's supremacy and glory (Isaiah 66:10) _ 6. _The warning of judgment (Isaiah 66:15) _ 7. The regathering after judgment ...

ISAIAH 66. Here divisions are hard to define. The theme the coming punishment of the apostates and the coming glory of the pious is pursued now on one side, now on the other. ISAIAH 66:1. AN ATTACK ON THE PROJECTORS OF A RIVAL TEMPLE. Those Jews who refused to accept the reformed religion apparently proposed to set up a rival temple. Yahweh scornfully demands of them in what manner of building they would house Him, whose habitation is the universe. These things a temple and a resting-place He has already made for Himself, on Zion; for despite His loftiness He ever considers the humble and obedient worshipper. As for these rebels who combine forbidden with legitimate rites, such as human sacrifice, the sacrifice of a dog without effusion of blood, the sacrificial use of swine's blood, and honouring of images, just as they choose their own perverse ways so will He choose to make t

CUT OFF. breaketh. OBLATION. gift, or meal offering. Hebrew. _minchah_. SWINE'S BLOOD. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 14:8; Leviticus 11:7). Compare Isaiah 65:4. BURNETH INCENSE. maketh. memorial of frankincense. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 2:2). App-92. CHOSEN. See note on Isaiah 1:29. THEIR SOUL. they. Note the Introversion beginning with the last clause of Isaiah 66:3, and including...