Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:1

Whoso removeth - Stones too heavy for them: who rashly attempts things too high and hard for them.

Isaiah 29:2

Wisdom - As wisdom instructs a man in the smallest matters, so it is useful for a man’s direction in all weighty affairs.

Isaiah 29:3

Without - If not prevented by the art and care of the charmer; which practice he does not justify, but only mentions by way of resemblance.

Isaiah 29:4

Gracious - Procure him favour with those who hear him.

Isaiah 29:6

Full of words - Forward to promise and boast what he will do, whereas none can be sure of future events, even during his own life, much more after his death.

Isaiah 29:7

Wearieth - Fools discover their folly by their wearisome and fruitless endeavours after things which are too high for them. Because - He is ignorant of those things which are most easy, as of the way to the great city whither he is going.

Isaiah 29:8

A child - Either in age, or childish qualities. Eat - Give up themselves to eating and drinking. Morning - The fittest time for God’s service, for the dispatch of weighty affairs, and for sitting in judgment.

Isaiah 29:9

Nobles - Not so much by birth, as by their noble dispositions.

Isaiah 29:12

Thy thought - In the most secret manner. The rich - Princes or governors. A bird - The king will hear of it by unknown and unsuspected hands, as if a bird had heard and carried the report of it.

Isaiah 29:14

The waters - Freely and liberally bestow it upon the waters; upon those poor creatures, on whom it may seem to be as utterly lost, as the seed which a man casts into the sea or river. Find it - It shall certainly be restored to thee, either by God or men. This is added to prevent an objection, and to quicken us to the duty enjoyned. After - The return may be slow, but it is sure, and will be so much the more plentiful.

Isaiah 29:15

Give - A part of thy estate or provisions. He alludes to the ancient custom, whereby the master of the feast distributed several parts to each guest, and withal sent portions to the poor. To eight - To as many as thou art able. For - Great calamities may come whereby thou mayest be brought to poverty, and so disabled from doing good.

Isaiah 29:16

The clouds - Learn, O man, the practice of liberality from the very lifeless creatures, from the clouds; which when they are filled with water, do not hoard it up, but plentifully pour it forth for the refreshment both of the fruitful field and the barren wilderness. Therefore, let us just not bring forth the fruits of righteousness, because death will shortly cut us down, and we shall then be determined to unchangeable happiness or misery, according as our works have been.

Isaiah 29:17

He - He who neglects the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires will lose his harvest. Whereby he intimates, that men will never do good here, which is expressed by sowing, and consequently not receive good hereafter, which is called reaping, if they be discouraged from it by every doubt and difficulty.

Isaiah 29:18

The spirit - Of the soul of man, how it comes into the child in the womb; or how it is united with the body; or how and whether it goes out of the body. The works - What God is doing and will do with thee or others; the counsels and methods of God’s providence. Therefore use the present opportunity.

Isaiah 29:19

In the morning - Early and late, in all seasons and occasions; do it speedily and continually, be not weary of it. Sow - Do all good works. With - hold not - From working or giving.

Isaiah 29:20

Truly - It cannot be denied that life is in itself desirable.

Isaiah 29:21

Rejoice - Enjoy all the comforts, and escape all the embitterments of human life, all his days. Darkness - Of death, or of the state of the dead. Many - Far more than the days of this short life. All - All things which befall any man belonging only to this life, are but vain, because they are short and transitory.

Isaiah 29:22

Rejoice - Indulge thy humour, and take thy fill of delights. And walk - Whatsoever thine eye or heart lusteth after, deny it not to them. But know - But in the midst of thy jollity consider thy reckoning.

Isaiah 29:23

Sorrow - Sensual and disorderly lusts, which he elegantly calls sorrow, to intimate, that although such practices at present gratify mens senses, yet they will shortly bring them to intolerable sorrows. Evil - All evil desires, tho’ now they seem good to thee. Vanity - Most vain. The time of youth is vanishing and transitory, and old age and death will speedily come, against which every wise man will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts.