Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 58
CHAP. LVIII.
Vers. 1. CRie aloud] Heb. Cry with the throat. Psal. 69. and 115. 7. or, with full throat. Jer. 12. 6.
spare not] Use all diligence and earnestnesse in convincing and reproving of hypocrites, vers. 2.
like a trumpet] That soundeth aloud, and is wont to give warning of approaching dar…gers, Jer. 6. 1.
V. 2. they seek me daily] Heb. day day. day by day; or, day after day, Pro. 8. 30, 34. They make shew of diligent and devout worshipping of me; repair daily to my Temple; and would seem very holy, Chap. 29. 13. and 48. 1, 2. Jer. 7. 9. Ezek. 14. 152. and 33. 30, 31.
V. 3. Wherefore have we fasted] They will expostulate with God, when they seem not to be heard; as if they had most sincerely and seriously sought him, Jer. 3. 4, 5. Mic. 6. 6.
thou takest no knowledge] Heb. knowest not. as Jer. 3. 13. or, takest no notice of it; of what we do.
in the day of your fast] Ye deal wickedly, even at those times, and on those dayes, wherein ye would seem to be most devour, Jer. 9. 3. Ezek. 23. 38, 39.
you find pleasure] Ye follow those courses, that you are most taken with, and are more delightful to you then any food, Prov. 2. 14. & 4. 16, 17. Matth. 23. 14, 23. Luk. 18. 12.
exact all your labours] Heb. griefs. or, vexations. Num. 23. 21. Job 4. 8. Or, things wherewith you grieve others. Ye exact your debts with rigour and crueltie, 2 King. 4. 1. Nehem. 5. 4, 5, 7. Or, use rigorously those your brethren, who through poverty are enforced to serve you, Lev. 25. 39. Jer. 40. 10, 11. by these offices of the second Table, wherein they failed, shewing their pretended faith and piety not to be sound, nor sincere, Chap. 1. 17, 18. Jam. 1. 27. and 2. 14,—26. 1 Joh. 3. 17. & 4. 20, 21.
ye shall not fast as ye do this day] Or, ye sast not as this day.
to make yo…r voyce to be beard on high] Never look to have your fasting and prayer heard in heaven, Chap. 57. 15. 1 King. 8. 32, 36. so long as ye use contention and oppression, Chap. 1. 15. Never look to find mercy with God, while you refuse to shew mercy to others, Pro. 21. 13. Matth. 6. 15. & 18. 35. Jam. 2. 13.
V. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen] Zech. 7. 5.
a day for a man to afflict his soul] Or, a man to afflict his soul for a day. Lev. 16. 19, 31. & 23. 27.
to spread sackcloth and ashes] Esth. 4. 3. Job 2. 8. & 42. 6. Chap. 61. 3. Jer. 6. 26. Matth. 11. 21.
an acceptable day] Heb. a day of good-will. Chap. 49. 8. and 61. 2.
V. 6. to loose the bands of wickednesse] Heb. to open. Chap. 45. 1. & 51. 14. To leave all your vexations, extortions and oppressions, Mic. 6. 10.
to undo the heavy burdens] Heb. the bundles of the yoke.
the oppressed] Heb. broken. or, bruised. Chap. 42. 3. Hos. 5. 11.
break every yoke] Chap. 9. 4.
V. 7. to deal thy bread to the hungry] Heb. break, &c. Ezek. 18. 7. Lam. 4. 4. Almsdeeds and works of mercy must go along with your fasting; that it may prevail with God, Dan. 4. 27. Matth. 5. 7. Act. 10. 2.
the poor that are cast out] Or, afflicted. See Lam. 1. 7.
cover him] Job 31. 19, 20. Matth. 25. 36.
hide not thy self from thine own flesh] Thy poor neighbour; who is the same flesh with thee, Judg. 9. 2. 2 Sam. 5. 1. Nehem. 5. 5. Prov. 28. 27.
V. 8. thy light] Thy prosperous estate, wherewith God shall blesse thee, Chap. 60. 1. Psal. 97. 11. and 112. 4. Pro. 4▪ 18.
thy righteousnesse shall go before thee] The testimony of thy goodnesse shall appear before God and man, Psal. 37. 6. Or, the reward of it, in Gods gracious conduct of thee thereby procured, shall even prevent thee and go before thee, Psal 5. 8. & 21. 3. and 112. 9. Pro. 6. 22. Act. 10. 4.
the glory of the LORD] Chap. 6. 1, 2.
shall be thy rereward] Heb. shall gather thee up. Chap. 52. 12. God will follow thee with his favours, to make thee glorious and honourable, Psal. 149. 4. Or, he will by his powerfull providence both guide and guard thee, Exod. 14. 19. Chap. 4. 5, 6. vers. 11.
V. 9. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer] Chap. 30. 19. & 65. 24.
here I am] Heb. Lo I. Chap. 6. 8.
the putting forth of the finger] The least offer of violence: or, all menacing words and gestures.
speaking vanitie] Or, iniquitie. Psal. 7▪ 14. Chap. 59. 7. Harsh and unequall commands: or, injurious speeches, Psal. 36. 3. Col. 4. 1.
V. 10. draw out thy soul to the hungry] Relieve thy poor brethren freely, cordially, compassionately; so as that thine heart and affection go along with thy gift, Psal. 37. 21, 26. & 112. 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5, 12. & 9. 5, 7
shall thy light rise in obscuritie, and thy darknesse be as the noonday] Thine adversitie shall be turned into prosperitie, Psal. 112. 4. and that in an eminent degree, Job 11. 17. Psal. 37. 6.
V. 11. LORD shall guide thee] Or, lead. or, conduct thee. Psal. 5. 8. & 23. 3. & 25. 5. & 143. 10. Chap. 57. 18.
satisfie thy soul] Psal. 103. 5. & 107. 9.
in drought] Heb. droughts. in extremitie of drought.
make fat thy bones] Fill them with marrow, Job 21. 24. Pro. 3. 8. & 11▪ 25. & 15. 30.
thou shalt be like a watered garden] Ever flourishing; and abounding, as in outward prosperitie, Num. 24 6. Chap. 48. 18. so especially in inward graces, and spirituall refreshments, Joh. 4. 14. & 7. 38.
like a spring of water, whose waters fail not] Heb. do not lie▪ or, deceive. Hab. 3. 17. That runneth constantly all the yeer long; and … not dried up in heat of summer, when most need is of it, Job 6. 15,—20.
V. 12. they that shall be of thee, shall build the old waste places] There shall those come of thee, that shall reedifie the ruinous places of Jerusalem, that have lien long waste, Chap. 49. 8. & 51. 3. & 61. 4. See Nehem. 3.
V. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath] Refrain thy self from profaning my Sabbath▪ Ezek. 22. 26. Spoken here of the yeerly Sabbath of humiliation, Levit. 16. 31. & 23. 27, 28. but appliable also to the weekly Sabbath, Chap. 56. 2.
doing thy pleasure] See vers. 3.
call the sabbath a delight] Take delight in the works of the day, Psal. 42. 4. & 63. 5. & 122. 1.
the holy of the LORD, honourable] Or, the Lords holy day honourable.
nor speaking thine own words] Heb. a word. Thine own; (as Tim. 2. 13, 14.) such as thou now usest: or, any harsh, vexatious, injurious word. See vers. 4.
V. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the LORD] Thou shalt find sufficient matter of delight in him, Psal. 37▪ 4. Job 22. 26. and 27. 10.
to ride upon the high places of the earth] To dwell aloft in places of suretie and safetie, Deut. 32. 13. Chap. 33. 16.
feed thee with the heritage of Jacob] The land of Canaan; given for an inheritance to him in his posteritie, Psal. 135. 11, 12. a type of the heavenly inheritance.
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it] Chap. 1. 20. and 40. 5.