Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 58
CHAP. LVIII.
VERSE 1. CRY aloud, &c.] This the Prophet is enjoined to do, that he might waken this ſleepy, ſtupid, ſecure People, and make them know that they were of thoſe wicked ones, to whom in the cloſe of the foregoing Chapter he had ſaid, there ſhould be no peace. Cry aloud, which is in the Hebrew, Cry with the Throa… (as we uſe to ſay, Set up thy throat) that is, with all poſſible vehemency, earneſtneſs, and zeal, as having to do with a People wilfully deaf and unwilling to hear; ſpare not; to wit, for fear of any Mans diſpleaſure; lift up thy voice like a Trumpet; to wit, as Gods Herald, ſent to denounce War againſt them; ſhew my People their tranſgreſſion, and the Houſe of Jacob their ſins; that is, convince this ſtupid People of their ſins, who do vainly Glory in the profeſſion of being my People, whereas indeed this is an aggravation of their wickedneſs: I do indeed own them as my Covenant-People, and if they will repent, I will eſteem them as my People; but if they continue a wicked People, I ſhall abhor them the more for calling themſelves my People.
Ver. 2. Yet they ſeek me daily, &c.] Here the main cauſe is alledged, why the Prophet was to cry aloud againſt the Jews: Namely, becauſe they were an Hypocritical People, and had high thoughts of their own Righteouſneſs, and ſo had need to be awakened, that they might be convinced of their wickedneſs. Yet they ſeek me daily, and delight to know my ways, &c. Some underſtand this of their murmuring againſt Gods dealing with them; to wit, that they were ſtill deſiring to know the reaſons of Gods Counſels, and the Diſpenſations of his Providence towards them, as conceiting themſelves ſo Righteous, that God had no cauſe ſo much as to frown upon them; they ask of me the Ordinances of juſtice; that is, they deſire that I would deal juſtly with them; they take delight in approaching to God; to wit, that they may argue the matter, and contend with him, about his dealing with them. But rather theſe words tend all to ſet forth their Hypocriſie; to wit, that though they were ſo inſufferably wicked, yet they made a great ſhew of Religion; yet they ſeek me daily; to wit, by reſorting to my Sanctuary, that they may ſeek my favour by their Prayers, and Sacrifices, and Offerings; or by going to their Synagogues, and to my Houſe, the Temple, to hear my Word, and to inquire of my Prieſts and Prophets, what it is that I required of them; and delight to know my ways; that is, they pretend to do ſo, as a Nation that did Righteouſneſs, &c. that is, as if they were certainly reſolved to do what God required, if they did but know what his will were; they ask of me the Ordinances of juſtice; that is, they inquire of my Servants what that Righteouſneſs was, which by my Laws I required of them; they take delight; that is, they ſeem to take delight, in approaching to God; that is, in ſeeking to enjoy communion with me in mine Ordinances.
Ver. 3. Wherefore, &c.] This is added to ſhew that their Hypocriſie was ſuch, that as wicked as they were, they were ready to quarrel with God, if he ſhewed any diſregard of them; Wherefore have we faſted, ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul; that is, our ſelves, (ſee the Note, Pſal. 44.25.) to wit, by faſting; ſee the Note, Levit. 16.29. and thou takeſt no knowledge? that is, thou regardeſt it not: It is true, they boaſted as much in all their other outward acts of devotion, which they performed, enjoined them by the Law; but this of their faſting is particularly inſtanced in, becauſe they placed ſo much confidence in this, when in their diſtreſſes they ſought unto God in this way, for his help and favour: And the ground of this their expoſtulation may be, that notwithſtanding their faſting and humbling themſelves before God, whether on the Faſt in the ſeventh Month, expreſly enjoined by Gods Law, Levit. 23.27. (which may the rather ſeem particularly intended, becauſe at that time they were alſo enjoined to releaſe their debts, and ſet free their Servants; for the not doing whereof God doth afterwards here reprove them) or upon any other voluntary and occaſional Faſts, ſuch as was that of Eſther, Eſth. 4.16. Yet God by his Prophets did as bitterly cry againſt them, as a wicked people, as if they had never done any ſuch thing (and ſo this might be ſpoken with reſpect to that charge of God to the Prophet, ver. 1.) Or, yet God was regardleſs of them, when in their troubles and dangers they did in this ſolemn manner, by faſting and prayer, ſeek for help and ſuccour from him.
Behold, &c.] This is the anſwer which God returns to their expoſtulation: Behold, in the day of your Faſt (which ſeems to imply, that God did not own it for a Faſt) you find pleaſure; that is, you ſatisfy your Luſts, by doing thoſe things, which may ſatisfie your ſinful deſires and delights: Or, you do what you pleaſe your ſelves: Yea, and ſome would have it reſtrained to that particular of their pleaſing themſelves in the exacting of their debts, of which he ſpeaks in the next words; and exact all your labours; that is, your money which you had gotten by your labour (ſee the Notes, Chap. 55.2. and Prov. 5.10.) of thoſe to whom you had lent it, even the pooreſt of them, not bating a Farthing of that which they owe you. Indeed this is rendered by ſome, as it is in the Margin, and exact all things, wherewith you grieve others; and then it may be meant of the hard labour and ſervice which they exacted of their Servants, in extremity, above what God allowed them, or beyond the time they were to ſerve them; or of the Rigour and Cruelty wherewith they exacted their debts, which was very grievous to thoſe from whom they were exacted.
Ver. 4. Behold, you faſt for ſtrife and debate, &c.] Some underſtand this, as if the Prophet charged them either, 1. That ſtrife and debate was that which they propounded to themſelves, as the end of their faſting: in that they deſigned thereby to cover their Oppreſſions with a ſhew of Piety, as it was in Jezebel's Faſt, when ſhe had plotted the Death of Naboth, 1 King. 21.19. Or, 2. That there was much ſtrife and debate amongſt them upon their ſolemn Faſt-days. For (ſay they) they uſed, when they met on thoſe days, to be often quarrelling and brawling one with another; at leaſt they were wont to take advantage of the Reſt enjoined on thoſe days, to look over their debt-Books and Bonds, and Mortgages, and to prepare for, and promote what they could, the proſecuting of their Law-ſuits againſt their debtors. Yea, and there is a Learned Expoſitor that holds, that it being their Cuſtom on thoſe days to ſit in Judgment againſt Offenders, that hereby God might be pacified towards them, the greateſt matter they uſually there did, was to complain of their Debtors, and to procure ſome Judiciary Sentence againſt them. And ſo for the following words; and to ſmite with the Fiſt of wickedneſs; ſome conceive it is meant of their quarrelling and fighting on thoſe days; at leaſt of Maſters beating and abuſing their Servants, or of the imperious and contemptuous carriage of their great ones towards the mean ſort, in beating and ſtriking them, or of Mens paſſionate falling upon their Debtors, and laying violent hands upon them, as if they would force them to pay that which they were not able to pay, according to that which is ſaid in the Parable of the Servant, whoſe Lord had forgiven him a great debt, and he afterwards meeting with one of his fellow-Servants, which ought him an hundred pence; laid hands on him, and took him by the Throat, ſaying, Pay me that thou oweſt, Matth. 18.28. But to me it ſeems no way probable, that they either did or are charged with doing theſe things on their faſt-days. Queſtionleſs all that is here intended, is, that even after their Faſting and Praying, they went on in their ways of cruelty and unmercifulneſs to their poor Brethren; their Faſts were followed with ſtrife and debate, as if that had been the very end of their faſting. And herein conſiſts the abſurdity of their dealing with God, that whilſt they ſought in this manner to beg mercy of God, they ſhould be at the ſame time ſo cruel to their Brethren. Ye ſhall not faſt as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high; that is, ſay ſome, ye are not to faſt as now adays ye do, with ſuch brawling and loud out-cries, as make the Air aloft to ring of them, or as are like to mount up to Heaven, and draw down vengeance upon you: Or, as others would have it, you muſt not faſt, as now ye do, weeping and howling aloud by way of oſtentation, or as hoping that hereby alone you keep a faſt as God requires. But far more probably, I conceive, others hold, that God doth here inform them, that if they deſired to have the voice of their Prayers heard on high; that is, by God in Heaven, they muſt faſt in another manner than they did in thoſe times. There muſt not be ſuch ſtrife and debate, ſuch contention and oppreſſion amongſt them as there was, if they deſired by their faſtings to prevail with God.
Ver. 5. Is it ſuch a Faſt that I have choſen? a day for a Man to afflict his Soul, &c.] See the Note, Lev. 16.29. is it to bow down his head as a bullruſh, which being broken and bruiſed, will hang down with its own weight, and to ſpread ſackcloth and aſhes under him; to wit, as they uſed to do in times of ſolemn Humiliation and faſting; as it is ſaid of Ahab, 1 King. 21.27. that he faſted and lay in ſackcloth; ſee alſo Eſth. 4.3. and Job 2.8. The meaning is, that the humbling of themſelves thus out-wardly, if they did not withall repent of and forſake their ſins, was not the Faſt which God enjoined, approved, and delighted in; wilt thou call this a Faſt, and an acceptable day to the Lord? As if he had ſaid, you cannot in reaſon think ſo, but rather that the Lord will abhor it.
Ver. 6. Is not this the Faſt that I have choſen? to looſe the bands of wickedneſs, &c.] By theſe bands of wickedneſs ſome underſtand the combination of Judges, or others for the oppreſſion of the poorer ſort. But rather hereby is meant, whatever it was wherewith the poor were ſtraitned and pinched by the rich, as their obligations and conveyances, either unjuſtly obtained, or cruelly proſecuted, even againſt thoſe that were notable to pay; yea, and the bringing ſuch into Bondage, or caſting them into Priſon, may be herein alſo included; of all which God requires here, they ſhould be releaſed. And to the ſame effect is the Reſt here added; to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppreſſed go free, and that ye break every yoke. For though in requiring that the oppreſſed (or afflicted) ſhould go free; he ſeems to have ſpecial reſpect to the freeing of their debtors from reſtraint, either in Priſon or elſewhere, they not daring to ſtir abroad for fear of Arreſts; and to the ſetting of their Servants at liberty, at the times enjoined by Gods Law for their manumiſſion; yet it may be meant more generally of freeing them from all the vexations and oppreſſions, under which they were cruſhed. And by the yoke may be meant all the heavy preſſures they groaned under. The meaning is, that they muſt leave off their extortions and oppreſſions, and ſo likewiſe all other their ſins, if they would faſt as God required they ſhould do.
Ver. 7. Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry, &c.] See the Notes, Eccleſ. 11.1. and Prov. 22.9. and that thou bring the poor that are caſt out, (or afflicted) to thy houſe? to wit, voluntarily, even before it was deſired of thee; when thou ſeeſt the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy ſelf from thine own Fleſh; that is, thy Brethren, of thine own Stock or Nation; ſee the Note, Judg. 9.2. or, any that are Men as thou art; ſee the Note, Neh. 5.5.
Ver. 8. Then ſhall thy light, &c.] As if he had ſaid, do this, and you will find, that there will be no cauſe for you to complain, as it is above, ver. 3. w…refore have we faſted, and thou ſeeſt not? &c. Then ſhall thy light break forth as the morning; that is, thy ſad and afflicted eſtate ſhall be certainly and ſuddenly changed into a joyful and proſperous condition, even when there ſeemed to be no likelihood of any ſuch thing, which likewiſe ſhall grow brighter and brighter, as the morning light doth; ſee the Note Eſth. 8.16. and thine health ſhall ſpring forth ſpeedily; that is, thou ſhalt be preſently cured of thy miſeries, and ſhalt get new Vigor, as the Plants do when the Spring is come; but ſee the Notes alſo, Chap. 6.10. and 57.18. and thy Righteouſneſs ſhall go before thee; that is, this thy juſt and merciful dealing ſhall do that which thine Hypocritical faſting did not do, it ſhall declare thee to be ſincerely Righteous, and make thy Righteouſneſs to appear conſpicuouſly before God and Man; Or, thy righteouſneſs ſhall go before thee; that is, thou ſhalt plainly ſee the reward of thy Righteouſneſs; thy Righteouſneſs ſhall direct and proſper thee in all thy ways; that is, it ſhall procure for thee, that the Lord ſhall direct thee, and teach thee what to do, and ſhall proſper and bleſs thee in all things whatſoever; he ſhall bring all things into a juſt and righteous order; ſo that by all things that befall thee, it ſhall appear that thou art a juſt and righteous Perſon; the Glory of the Lord ſhall be thy rereward; that is, ſay ſome, after a Life ſpent Righteouſly here, thou ſhalt at laſt be brought to Heavenly Glory; but rather the meaning is, either that the Glorious God, or the Glorious power and providence of God, ſhould gather them up, if they were ſcattered abroad, and protect them, as a Shepherd doth his Flock; or elſe, that by the conſtant Love and Favour of God to them they would be Glorious and Renowned, whereas formerly, for the Judgments of God upon them, they had been infamous.
Ver. 9. Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwer▪ thou ſhalt cry, and he ſhall ſay, Here I am: &c.] As if he had ſaid, Then therefore thou ſhalt no more complain (as before, ver. 3) that I hear thee not when thou faſteſt and prayeſt; if thou take from the midſt of thee; to wit, that no ſuch ſhall be found amongſt you; the y…ke; that is, every heavy preſſure impoſed upon your Brethren, whether by fraud or violence; ſee the Note before, ver. 6. the putting forth of the Finger; that is, either, 1. Pointing the Finger at Men, whom they are at that time reviling and ſlandering; or by way of ſcorning and deriding the Prophets and other the Holy Servants of God; or, 2. Laying their Hands upon Mens Perſons, by way of ſtriking them (the fiſt of wickedneſs, before mentioned ver. 4.) or their Eſtates, by way of any unjuſt ſeizure; or, 3. Putting off and putting by, with a Finger ſtretched out and turned aſide in a way of denial, to thoſe that ſue to them for Mercy, forbearing them, or mitigating any of their hard proceedings againſt them; or, 4. Which ſeems moſt probable, the reaching forth the Hand, or lifting up the Finger by way of Threatning Men; as if he had ſaid, If you do forbear not only all acts of Violence and threatning language, but all expreſſions and geſtures tending thereto; and ſpeaking Vanity; that is, ſay ſome, lying, or flattering, or any kind of wicked or vain ſpeaking; or rather, conſidering the context in this place, any thing that was like to be grievous and hurtful to their Brethren.
Ver. 10. And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry, &c.] That is, if thou doſt relieve them freely, willingly, and chearfully, with much fervent affection and tender Bowels of Compaſſion; and ſatisfie the afflicted Soul; that is, if thou relieve the Poor Man, not ſparingly, but bountifully, to the full ſupply of his wants, and ſo that his Soul may be refreſhed thereby; then ſhall thy Light riſe in Obſcurity; ſee the Note above, ver. 8. and that alſo, Pſal. 112.4. And thy Darkneſs ſhall be as Noon-day; that is, and thine afflicted eſtate ſhall be turned into very great proſperity; ſee the Notes, Pſal. 37.6. and Job 11.17.
Ver. 11. And the Lord ſhall guide thee continually, &c.] That is, aſſiſt and direct, and proſper thee in all thy ways, ſee the Note above, ver. 8. and ſatisfie thy Soul in drought; ſee the Notes, Pſal. 103.5. Prov. 11.25. and Pſal. 37.19. It is ſpoken here with reference to what was ſaid in the foregoing Verſe, that if they would ſatisfie the afflicted, God would ſatisfie them; and make fat thy Bones; that is he will make thee healthful and ſtrong, the expreſſion here uſed hath reſpect, either to the Bones being full of Marrow, where perſons are healthful. Job 21.24. Or to the ſtore of Fat that will be upon the Bones that are well Fatted. And thou ſhalt be like a Watered Garden, and like a Spring of Water, whoſe Waters fail not; that is, like a Garden watered with an ever-flowing Fountain, or like a Garden and an ever-flowing Spring; and the meaning is, that God would abundantly bleſs them, that he would bring them into, and continue them in a very plentiful and comfortable Eſtate, ſo that they ſhould be a delight and refreſhing to many, ſee the Note, Numb. 24.6.
Ver. 12. And they that ſhall be of thee, &c.] As if he had ſaid, even of thy Poſterity, how low ſoever you may be brought, there ſhall ſome ariſe, that ſhall build the old waſte places, that is, the Ruines of Jeruſalem, and other the Cities of Judea, that had lain long waſte and deſolate; Thou ſhalt raiſe up the Foundations of many Generations; that is, thou ſhalt rear up thoſe Cities, where nothing was left but the very Foundations, that had lain waſte and deſolate for many Generations; or thou ſhalt raiſe up thoſe Buildings that ſhall laſt for many Generations; and thou ſhalt be called the Repairer of the Breach; to wit; the many Breaches in their Walls, ſee the Note, Chap. 48.8. the reſtorer of Paths to dwell in; to wit, ſay ſome, in that they made thoſe ruines, which the Enemy had made by beating their Houſes down to the very Foundation, and over which they uſed to paſs to and fro at their pleaſure, to be Places wherein they might again inhabit; or rather, in that by reedifying their Cities, it came to paſs that the paths to thoſe Cities were frequented again by Travellers, that had long lain over-grown and untrodden: But now many there are, that would have all this underſtood myſtically alſo, of the Building of the Church of Chriſt by thoſe that were firſt ſent forth to Preach the Goſpel, all the World over, whereby the breach was made up betwixt the Jews and Gentiles.
Ver. 13. If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath, &c.] That is, if thou avoid the doing of thoſe things on the Sabbath day, wherewith the Sabbath muſt needs be polluted; to wit, 1. The doing of thoſe things, which though they might lawfully be done on other days, yet were forbidden on that day, as Travelling (which ſome think the Phraſe here uſed of turning away the Foot doth eſpecially intend) or doing any ſervile Work, and following any Worldly imployment. And, 2. All their ſinful ways and courſes. And indeed this laſt I conceive is here principally intended; for as his aim before was to ſhew them, that their outward faſting was not enough, unleſs they did alſo Mourn for and abandon their ſinful courſes, ſo here likewiſe it ſeems his drift is to ſhew them, that it was not enough for them to forbear their ordinary Worldly Imployments on the Sabbath day, if they did in the mean time prophane them with their wicked and ſinful waies; if they ſhould be never ſo ſtrict, not to go a Journey, nor dreſs Meat on the Sabbath day, and yet, at the ſame time oppreſs the Poor, this the Lord would not eſteem, to be a Sanctifying of the Sabbath day. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which followeth, If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day; that is, that which pleaſeth thine own corrupt will; and call the Sabbath a delight; that is, your great delight, as delighting in the Communion you then enjoy with God in his Ordinances; the Holy of the Lord, and Honourable; to wit, as being Conſecrated wholly to the ſervice of God; and ſhalt honour him; to wit, by denying to pleaſe themſelves, that they might obey Gods Command, and enjoy Communion with him; not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleaſure, nor ſpeaking thine own words; to wit, ſuch as are pleaſing to corrupt Nature. But ſee the Note alſo, Chap. 56.2.
Ver. 14. Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord, &c.] To wit, in his love and favour, it is clearly ſpoken with reference to the foregoing Verſe; as if he had ſaid, If thou delight in the Sanctifying Gods Sabbath, and to that end doſt with-hold thy ſelf from thy Carnal delights, thou ſhalt have far better delights than thoſe, thou ſhalt delight thy ſelf in the Lord; ſee the Notes, Job 22.26. and Pſal. 37.4. And I will cauſe thee to ride upon the High places of the Earth; that is, ſay ſome, to dwell in places of ſecurity and ſafety, ſee the Note, Chap 33.16. Or, the meaning may be only, that God would bring them again into the Land of Judea, which was a Mountainous Country, far higher than the Neighbouring Countries were. But ſee the Note alſo, Deut. 32.13. And feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father; that is, with the good things of the Land of Canaan, which God had promiſed to Jacob and his Poſterity.