1)
649 to 588 B.C.
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz (This is the title of the whole Book), which he saw in vision (Heb. chãzã, to gaze on, as in 2:1; 13:1. Not the same word as 6:1,6; 21:6,7; but Yehovah was the speaker. Isaiah's voice and pen, but Yehovah's words [v.2]) concerning Judah and Jerusalem (this is the subject of the Book. It is not concerning the "Church" or the "world": nor to other nations, except as they come into contact with "Judah and Jerusalem". Its theme is the salvation of the action by Yehovah through judgment and grace, as being "life from the dead" [Rom.11:15]. It is addressed to those who look for Messiah [8:17; 45:22] and those who "wait for Him" [8:17; 25:9; 26:8; 33:2].) in the days of Uzziah (= strength of Yehovah. See 2 Chron.26:1-23. 649 B.C.), Jotham (= Yehovah is Upright. See 2 Chron.27:1-9), Ahaz (= possessor. See 2 Chron.28:1-27), and (the absence of conjunctions between these names, and the Hebrew accents attached to them, seem to indicate that some of them reigned for a time jointly) Hezekiah (= the might of Yehovah. See 2 Chron.29:1-32:33, and Isa.36:1-39:8), kings of Judah.
A A 1:2-31. The Word of Yehovah. "Hear you all!" Zion the vineyard. B 2:1-5. Zion's future glory. C 2:6-22. The sin of Judah (men). Judgment pronounced. D 3:1-15. The political ruin of Judah. C 3:16-4:1. The sin of Judah (women). Judgment pronounced. B 4:2-6. Zion's fture glory. A 5:1-30. The Song of Yehovah. "Judge you all!" Zion the vineyard.
A E¹ F¹ 2-. Call to hear. Indictment. G¹ _2,3. Israel's sin. Cause: rebellion. H¹ 4-9. Expostulation. E² F² 10. Call to Hear. Instruction. G² 11-15. Israel's sin. Aggravation: formality. H² 16,17. Exhortations. E³ F³ 18-. Call to hear. Rectification. G³ -18-20. Israel's sin. Remedy: Divine Grace. H³ 21-31. Expostulation.2 Hear, O heavens (Fig. Apostrophe. References to Pentateuch. It commences like the Song of Moses [Deut.32:1], and is the comentary of it. With "earth" it speaks to all 3 heaven and earth AGES! Note the connection of the two Books, Isaiah the necessary sequal to Deuteronomy. This verse was on the title-page of early English Bibles, claiming the right of all to hear what Yehovah has spoken), and give ear, O earth: for (note the reason) Yehovah has spoken (i.e., articulately. Not Isaiah. All modern criticism is based on the assumption that it is a human book: and that predition is a human impossibility [which we grant]; and this ends in a denial of inspiration altogether. Against this God has placed 2 Pet.1:21. Yehovah is the Eternal One: "Who was, and is, and is to come". Hence, His words are, like Himself, eternal; and prophecy relates to the then present as well as the future; and may have a praeterist and a futurist interpretation, as well as a now present application to ourselves),
I have nourished and brought up (cp. Ex.4:33; Deut.14:1; 32:6,18,20) sons, and they have rebelled (Heb. pãsh‘a) against Me.
3 The ox knows his owner (fig., put for all that knowledge implies), and the ass his master's crib: but Israel does not know (cp. Jer.8:7. All Israel's trouble came from the tuth of this indictment. Cp. Luke 19:42-44. The trouble will be removed when 54:13; 60:16 are fulfilled. Jer.31:34. Isa.11:9. Luke 19:42-44), and My People do not consider.
4 Ah (fig. Note the 4 exclamatory descriptions, and see note on "gone away", below) sinful nation (contrast Ex.19:6. Deut.7:6; 14:2,21), a people heavily burdened with iniquity, a seed consisting of evildoers (when you are not doing God's work), sons that are corrupters (see Deut.32:5): they have forsaken Yehovah Himself (Apostasy in disposition. Ref. to Pent. [Deut.28:20; 31:16]. Occurs in the "former" portions, 41:17; 49:14; 54:6; 55:7; 58:2; 60:15; 62:4,12; 65:11), they have despised (or blasphemed. Ref. to Pent. An old Mosaic word [Num.14:11,23; 16:30. Deut.31:26]. Apostacy in words [see note above]) the Holy One of Israel (occurs 25 times [=grace intensified] in Isaiah: 12 times in the "former" portion; and 13 times in the "latter" portion. Outside Isaiah it is used by Himself once [2 Kings 19:22 first occ.]; 3 times in Psalms [71:22; 78:41; 89:18]. Elsewhere found only 3 times [Jer.50:29; 51:5; and Ezek.39:7 in Israel. For Holy see Ex.3:5) to anger, they are gone away backward (they should be going forward. Apostacy in act. See notes on v.4, and notice the threefold apostacy in this verse. Compare also the fourfold exclamatory descriptions of which this apostacy is affirmed: making 7 in all [7 = spiritual completeness]).
5 Why should you all be stricken any more? you all will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart (or mind) faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds (Heb. sing., as are the other two), and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.
7 Your country is desolate, and your cities are burned with fire: your soil, foreigners (or apostates. Heb. zur. See Prov.5:3 [not the same word as in 2:6]) devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth made of reeds in a vineyard (cp. Job 27:18), as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers (a platform on 4 poles, sheltered by leaves or sacking. Left to the weather at the close of harvest), as a besieged city.(Look at her [Zion/Jerusalem] today!)
9 Except (&c. The first passage in Isaiah quoted in the N.T. [Rom.9:29]) Yehovah Sabaioth (see 1 Sam.1:3) had left to us a very small (Heb. kim‘at. See Prov.5:14) remnant, we should have been as Sodom (ref. to Pent [Gen.19:1-22. Deut.29:23]. Cp.3:9 for reason), and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of Yehovah, all you rulers of Sodom (i.e. rulers who ruled as in Sodom); give ear to the law of our Elohim (ref. to whole Pentateuch. 12 times [#12 = governmental completeness] in Isaiah [1:10; 2:3; 5:24; 8:16,20; 24:5; 30:9; 42:4,21,24; 51:4,7), all you people of Gomorrah (i.e. people who acted as the people in Gomorrah acted).
11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” (fig., for emphasis, in describing the hollowness of mere religious observances [as when Christ was on earth. Cp. John 2:6,7 with 14,16]. Matt.15:3-8) says Yehovah (the Heb. fut. of ‘ãmar [= y‘omar], combined with a Divine title, is used thrice in the so-called "former" portion of Isaiah, and 6 times in the "later" portion. Elsewhere only in Psalm.12:5, while the past tense is frequently used): “I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. (What good is it to you to "play" church? He is turned off by it))
12 When you all come to appear before Me (see Ex.23:15; 34:20), who has required this at your hand, to trample (and thus profane. Heb. rãmas. Ezek.26:11; 34:18. Dan.8:7,10) My courts? (Who invited you there? If you don't know what you're talking about))
13 Bring no more vain gift-offerings; incense itself is an abomination to Me; the new moons (lunar,darkness, symbolic of Satan and his children. God's children are of light. All prophecies regarding satan are Lunar = Darkness, chaotic caledar. All prophecies regarding God's children are Solar = Light, perfect calendar)) and sabbaths (i.e. "Easter" which is a pagan holiday set by the lunar calendar. God's children observe PASSOVER which our Lord and Saviour is and set by the perfect Solar calendar)), the calling of convocatons (Heb. mikra’. Ref. to Pent.; out of 23 occurances, 20 occur in Pent. Occurs only here, 4:5, and Neh.8:8 [in a later sense "readig"], outside the Pentateuch. Not kãha. See Gen.28:3; 49:6.), I cannot away with (Heb. yãkol = to be able. Here = "I am not able [to endure, or put up with]"> The fig. Ellipsis must be suplied.); it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts (as above verse)) My soul (= I [very emphatic]) hate: they are a trouble to Me; I am weary to bear them.
15 Even when you all spread forth your hands (fig., put for "pray"), I will hide My eyes from you (see Luke 13:15,16)): yes, when you all multiply your prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood (fig., put for the acts which shed the blood).
16 Wash you (in the world), make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes (He sees it. Ask for help); cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed (help them), judge the fatherless, plead for the widow (fig., put for all kinds of helpless and bereaved persons).
18 Come now, and let us put the matter right” (or settle the matter. It means the putting and end to all reasoning, rather than an invitation to commence reasoning. Talk and meditate with Him), says Yehovah:
“yes, though your sins be as scarlet (red worm for dye, or, scarlet berry used for dying. Symbolic of sin. Th first time it is revealed it requires 7 days cleansing), they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (belong to the Lamb of God, i.e. Christ).
19 If you all be willing and obedient, you all shall eat the good of the land:
20 But if you all refuse and rebel, you all shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Yehovah has spoken it (this sets the seal of this Book as a wole, uniting all its parts. Cp. 21:17; 22:25; 24:3; 25:8).
H³ J L 21. The City. M a 22. Metals. (Fig.). Inhabitants. b 23. Officers. (Lit.). " K 24. Judgment on enemies of Yehovah. J M a 25. Metals. (Fig.). Inhabitants. b 26-. Officers. (Lit.). " L -26,27. The City. K 28-31. Judgment on the wicked among Yehovah's People.
21 How is it that she the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Your silver is become dross, your liqour (or drink) mixed with water:
23 Yor princes are rebellious (not a "pun", but the fig. put for solemn emphasis. It may be Englished "your rulers are unruly"), and companions of thieves: every one loves rewards (or bribes), and follows after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Therefore says Adon (see Intro to Bible), Yehovah Sabaioth, the mighty One of Israel (peculiar to Isaiah. Ref. to Pent. [Gen.49:24]. Cp. Isa.49:26; 60:16), “Ah, I will ease Me of My adversaries, and avenge Me of My enemies:
25 And I will turn My hand (i.e. repeat the judgment [v.27]) upon you (i.e. the city [vv.21,26,27]), and purely refine away your dross, and take away all your tin:
26 And I will restore your judges as at the first (Ex.18:16-26. Num.25:5. Deut.1:16; 16:18; 19:17-19; 21:2), and thy counsellors as at the beginning:
afterward you shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city (cp. v.21).
27 Zion shall be delivered with judgment (see Ex.6:6 and 13:13), and they that return of her with righteousness.
28 And the destruction of the rebels and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Yehovah shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you all have desired (the trees resorted to for idolatrous worship [57:5; 65:3; 66:17. 2 Kings 16:4; 17:10. Ezek.6:13]. Note the alternation of "oaks", "gardens", "oak", "garden", in vv.29,30), and you all shall be confounded for the gardens that you all have chosen.
30 For you all shall become as an oak whose leaves fade, and as a garden that has no water.
31 And the strong shall be as tow (occ. only here and Aos 2:9), and his work [whatever it be] (i.e. the idols [doubtless the ‘asherahs]) as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
2)
1 That which (cp. Mic.4:1-3, written 17 years later) Isaiah the son of Amoz saw in a vision (see 1:1) concerning Judah and Jerusalem (the repition of 1:1 shows that Chapter 1 is to be regarded as a summary Introduction to the whole Book).
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days (i.e. the days of Messiah, the Day of the Lord, the Millennium [1,000 years]), that the mountain of Yehovah's house shall be established in the top of the mountains (Ps.24:3. Cp. Ps.68:15. See Ezek.28:16), and shall be exalted above the hills; and many from all nations shall flow to it.
3 And many peoples shall go and say, “Come you all, and let us go up (the second verb must be supplied enter into) [and enter in]to the mountain of Yehovah, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth law (see 1:10), and the word of Yehovah from Jerusalem.
4 And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks (fig., put for all kinds of weapons; while plowshares and pruning-hooks put by the same fig., for all implements of peace. The signs are Figures, but the things signified are literal.Cp. Ps.72:7. Jer.23:6. Zech.9:10): and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come you all, and let us walk in the light of Yehovah.
C N c 6-9. The sin of Judah. d 10. Threatening. O e 11-. Abasement of man. Day of Yehovah. f -11-16. Exhaltation of Yehovah. " O e 17-. Abasement of man. " f -17. Exhaltation of Yehovah. " N c 18. The sin of Judah. Idols abolished. d 19-22. Threatening.
6 Therefore (or, For) you have forsaken Your people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished (or, full of divinations) from the east (especially diviners and mediums from an evil spirit [an ob]. Cp. Lev.19:31; 20:6. Deut.18:11. 1 Sam.28:3-7; and beow, 8:9; 19:3; 29:4, where ob occurs.), and are soothsayers (Lev.19:26 [observe times]. Deut.18:10,14 [observers of times]. Same word in all four cases. Heb. ‘ãnan) like the Philistines, and they join hands with the young children of unknown persons (i.e. foreigners).
7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:
8 Their land also is full of idols (= nothings. Lev.26:1. Deut.17:14-19); they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:
9 And the mean man bows down, and the great man humbles himself (contrasting society's extremes): therefore forgive them not.
10 Enter into the rock, and hide yourself in the dust, for dread of Yehovah (cp. 2 Thess.1:9,10), and for the glory of His majesty.
11 The proud looks of mankind (fig., to impress us with the far-reaching object and effect of Yehovah's dealings in "the Day of the Lord", recorded in vv.11-17. Heb. gãbah. Same word as "high" [v.15], and "loftiness" [v.17]. Not the same word as "lofty" [v.12]) shall be lowered (fig. in vv.11 and 17, Heb.shãphal. Same word as "brought low" [v.12], "made lw" [v.17]. Heb. = each shall be, &c.), and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed low,
and Yehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.
12 For the day of Yehovah Sabaioth (this is the first of 20 occurance. In the N.T. it occurs 4 times. Thus the expression is stamped with the number "four" [4= the number of things concerning the earth]; for "the day of the Lord" is the day when everything done will be to abase man and exhalt Yehovah. Now is "man's day" [1 Cor.4:3], when man exhalts himself, and bows God out of the world He has created) shall be upon every one that is arrogant and haughty, and (fig., "many ands", emphasising each of the details in vv.11-18) upon every one that is self-satisfied; and he shall be brought low:
13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
16 And upon all the ships of Tarshish (see 23:1,14; 60:9. See also 1 Kings 10:22), and upon all desirable pictures.
17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low:
and Yehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.
18 And the idols He shall utterly abolish.
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for dead of Yehovah, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth (cp. v.21).
20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the fissures (or crevises) of the ragged rocks, for dread of Yehovah, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth.
22 Let go from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be reckoned on ? (cp. Ps. 146:3,4. Jer:17:5)
D P¹ g¹ 1-3. Judgement prophesied. h¹ 4-7. Oppression. Q¹ 8,9. The ruin of Jerusalem and Judah. P² g² 10,11. Judgement. Threatened. h² 12-. Oppression. Q² -12. The ruin of the People. P³ g³ 13,14. Judgement. Assured. h³ 15. Oppression.
3)
1 For, behold, the Lord (Heb. hãh-’Adon), Yehovah Sabaioth, does take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water (put for all kinds of food and drink).
2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner (i.e. the king. Cp. Prov.16:10), and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty, and the eminent (or highly respected. Cp. 2 Kings 5:1) man, and the counsellor, and the skilled in arts, and the skilled in magnetism.
4 And I will give youths (or boys) to be their princes, and with caprice shall rule over them.
5 And the People shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the youth (or boy) shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, “You have clothing (put for all necessaries), become you our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand:”
7 In that day shall he swear (i.e. raising the hand in oath. See Gen.14:22. Ex.6:8. Num.14:30. Deut.32:40), saying, “I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the People.”
8 For Jerusalem is overthrown, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against Yehovah, to provoke the eyes of His glory (= His glorious presence, "eyes" being put for the person as manifested).
9 The expression of their countenance does testify against them; and they have declared their sin as Sodom (see 1:9,10), they have not hidden. Woe to them! (Emphatic) for they have rewarded evil to themselves.
10 Say you all to the righteous one, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe to an evil one [it shall not be well]! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands (fig., put for what is done with them) shall be done to him.
12 As for My People, little ones are their oppressors, and women rule over them.
O My People, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and have swallowed the way of your paths (see 2:3).
13 Yehovah stands up to plead, and stands to judge the peoples.
14 Yehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of His People, and the princes thereof: for you all have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil taken from the oppressed is in your houses (Prov.6:11).
15 What mean you all that you all crush My People to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?” is the oracle of Yehovah Elohim of hosts.
C R 3:16. Pride. Manifested. S 3:17. Threatening. (General). S 3:18-26. Threatening. (Particular). R 4:1. Pride. Humbled.
16 Moreover Yehovah says, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty (cp. the "kine of Basham" [Amos 4:1]), and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet (heb. masc. Often used of women who act as men):
17 Therefore Yehovah will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Yehovah will discover their secret parts (or, nakedness).
18 In that day Yehovah will take away the finery of their tinkling ornaments (= metal crescent-shaped discs) about their feet, and their caps, and their round round crescent-shaped headbands,
19 The pendants, and the bracelets, and the light face-veils,
20 The headdress, and the anklets of the legs, and the girdles (cp. 49:19. Jer.2:32), and the scent bottles (Heb. houses of the soul; nephesh, used in the sense of breath), and the amulets,
21 The rings, and nose jewels (worn in Palstine to-day),
22 The robes (i.e. state or gala dresses), and the mantles, and the neck bindings, and the purses (or reticules),
23 The mirrors (or polished metal), and the underclothing, and the turbans, and the long flowing vails.
24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of perfume there shall be rottenness (or stench); and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of richly plaited hair, baldness; and instead of a sash (or girdle, often worked in silk and gold. Still worn in Palestine), a girding with a rope; and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword, and your might in the war.
26 And her entrances shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.
4)
1 And (links this verse to previous chapter) in that day (not emphatic, or at the beginning of the verse) seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach".