Isaiah 30
Verses 1-5
Isaiah 30:1-5. Wo to the rebellious children — The Jews, who called themselves God’s children, though they were rebellious ones, as was said Isaiah 1:2. That take counsel — That consult together, and resolve what to do; but not of me — ... read more
Isaiah 31
Verses 1-3
Isaiah 31:1-3. Wo to them that go down to Egypt, &c. — As the Jews did, contrary to God’s command, Deuteronomy 17:16. And stay on horses — For Egypt had many and choice horses. But they look not unto the Lord — Their confidence in the ... read more
Isaiah 32
Verse 1
Isaiah 32:1. Behold, a king — Hezekiah, a type of Christ, and Christ typified by him, shall reign in righteousness — Therefore Hezekiah was not king when this prophecy was delivered. And whereas some say that he speaks of the good government ... read more
Isaiah 33
Verse 1
Isaiah 33:1. Wo to thee that spoilest — To Sennacherib, who wasted the land of Judah. The prophet speaks “as if he had found this great spoiler,” to whom he addresses himself, “in the very act of spoiling, and was face to face denouncing ... read more
Isaiah 34
Verse 1
Isaiah 34:1. Come, &c. — Here begins the third discourse of the third part of Isaiah’s prophecies, and is continued to the end of the next chapter. It is connected with the preceding, and, Vitringa thinks, was delivered at the same time. ... read more
Isaiah 35
Verse 1
Isaiah 35:1. The wilderness and solitary place, &c. — As the land of the church’s enemies, which had enjoyed many external blessings and comforts, shall be turned into a desolate wilderness, as was declared in the foregoing chapter, so, ... read more
Isaiah 36
Verses 1-22
A.M. 3292. — B.C. 712.
In this and the three following chapters is contained the historical part of the book of Isaiah, relating a memorable transaction, strongly confirmative of the divine mission of our prophet, and illustrative of som ... read more
Isaiah 38
Verses 1-8
Isaiah 38:1-8. In those days was Hezekiah sick — See notes on 2 Kings 20:1-11.
Verse 9
Isaiah 38:9. Grotius is of opinion that this song was dictated by Isaiah. But it is more probable, as Hezekiah was a truly pious man, and inspired by ... read more
Isaiah 4
Verse 1
Isaiah 4:1. In that day — Of which he has hitherto been speaking, chap. 2. and 3., and still continues to speak; in that calamitous time; seven women shall take hold on one man — “The war and captivity shall make such a prodigious scarcity ... read more
Isaiah 40
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 40:1-2. Comfort ye, &c. — “The prophet, in the foregoing chapter, had delivered a very explicit declaration of the impending dissolution of the kingdom of Judah, and of the captivity of the royal house of David, and of the people, un ... read more
Isaiah 41
Verse 1
Isaiah 41:1. Keep, &c. — “The prophet, having in view the subversion of idolatry, had, in the former chapter, from Isaiah 41:18, argued against it, from the essence and nature of God, the supreme Creator and Ruler of the world, being such as ... read more
Isaiah 42
Verse 1
Isaiah 42:1. Behold my servant, &c. — “The prophet, having opened his subject with the preparation for the return from the captivity at Babylon, and intimated that a much greater deliverance was covered under the veil of that event, proceeded ... read more
Isaiah 43
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 43:1-2. But now, thus saith the Lord — But, notwithstanding thy gross insensibility under former judgments, for which I might justly send far heavier calamities upon thee, yet I will deal mercifully with thee. That created thee, O ... read more
Isaiah 44
Verse 1
Isaiah 44:1-2. Yet now hear, O Jacob — Although I have chastised thee for thy sins, and had just cause utterly to destroy thee, yet in judgment I will remember mercy, and will still own thee for my servant and chosen people. Thus saith the Lord ... read more
Isaiah 45
Verse 1
Isaiah 45:1. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, &c. — Cyrus is called the Lord’s anointed, a title usually given to the kings of the Jews, who were God’s immediate deputies, not because material oil had been poured upon him when he was ma ... read more
Isaiah 46
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 46:1-2. Bel — The chief idol of the Babylonians, called by profane historians Jupiter Belus; boweth down — As the Babylonians used to bow down to him to worship him, so now he bows down, and submits himself to the victorious Per ... read more
Isaiah 47
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 47:1-2. Come down — From thy throne; and sit in the dust — As a mourner for thy approaching calamities; O virgin daughter of Babylon — Thou that art tender and delicate like a virgin. Sit on the ground — In a condition the most a ... read more
Isaiah 48
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 48:1-2. Hear ye this, O house of Jacob — For your conviction and humiliation; that, acknowledging God to be just, and even merciful, in what he has brought upon you, you may give glory to him, and take shame to yourselves; which are ca ... read more
Isaiah 49
Verse 1
Isaiah 49:1. Listen, O isles, &c. — “Hitherto the subject of the prophecy has been chiefly confined to the redemption from the captivity of Babylon, with strong intimations of a more important deliverance sometimes thrown in; to the refutatio ... read more
Isaiah 5
Verse 1
Isaiah 5:1. Now will I sing, &c. — Bishop Lowth translates this clause, “Let me sing now a song to my beloved; a song of loves concerning his vineyard.” This is the exordium, a kind of title placed before the song; which song he records, as ... read more
Isaiah 50
Verse 1
Isaiah 50:1. Thus saith the Lord — God having, by his prophet, in the last three verses of the preceding chapter, comforted his people with an assurance of their deliverance from the tyrannical power of their enemies, here vindicates his j ... read more
Isaiah 51
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 51:1-2. Hearken unto me, &c. — Here again he addresses his discourse to the believing and godly Jews, whom he describes as following after righteousness — That is, earnestly desiring and diligently pursuing the justification of ... read more
Isaiah 52
Verses 1-3
Isaiah 52:1-3. Awake, awake, put on strength — God orders his church to do that which she entreated him to do, Isaiah 51:9. And because his word is with power, and what he commands he in certain cases effects, this is a prediction and p ... read more
Isaiah 53
Verse 1
Isaiah 53:1. Who hath believed our report? — The prophet having, in the last three verses of the former chapter, made a general report concerning the great and wonderful humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah, of which he intended to discour ... read more
Isaiah 54
Verse 1
Isaiah 54:1. Sing, O barren — The prophet, having largely discoursed of the sufferings of Christ, and of the blessed fruits thereof, among which one particularly promised was, that he should have a numerous seed that should believe on him; and ... read more
Isaiah 55
Verse 1
Isaiah 55:1. Ho, every one — Not only Jews, but Gentiles; that thirsteth — For the grace of God, and the blessings of the gospel; that desires them sincerely and earnestly, is active and diligent in the pursuit of them, and cannot be satisfie ... read more
Isaiah 56
Verse 1
Isaiah 56:1. Thus saith the Lord — This verse, and the rest of this chapter, until Isaiah 56:9, seems to belong to the foregoing prophecy. From the consideration of God’s promises there made to the believing Jews and Gentiles, he here urges t ... read more
Isaiah 57
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 57:1-2. These two verses “contain a kind of prelude to the distressful scene which is opened immediately after: for the prophet, designing to describe the melancholy state of the adulterous church, to be chastised by the severe judgmen ... read more
Isaiah 58
Verse 1
Isaiah 58:1. Cry aloud — Be faithful, plain, and earnest in thy addresses, remonstrances, reproofs, and exhortations to and among my people; and spare not — Forbear not to speak whatsoever I command thee for their conviction and reformation. ... read more
Isaiah 59
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 59:1-2. Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened — He is not grown weaker than informer times, but is as omnipotent as ever he was; neither his ear heavy — Or dull of hearing: he is not like your idol gods, that have hands and ... read more
Isaiah 6
Verse 1
Isaiah 6:1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord — “As this vision,” says Bishop Lowth, “seems to contain a solemn designation of Isaiah to the prophetical office, it is by most interpreters thought to be the first in or ... read more
Isaiah 60
Verse 1
Isaiah 60:1. Arise, &c. — The prophet here addresses the church of God, which he supposes to be sitting sorrowful, and exhorts her to awake and arise from a state of darkness and mourning, and enter into a state of light and happiness, “now t ... read more
Isaiah 61
Verse 1
Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me — To qualify me for effecting what is foretold and promised in the foregoing chapter. As Christ has applied this passage to himself, (see Luke 4:16,) and assured us that it was fulfilled in him, we ... read more
Isaiah 62
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 62:1-2. For Zion’s sake — Namely, the church’s sake, Zion and Jerusalem being both put for the church, Hebrews 12:22. Will I not hold my peace — It appears from the last verse of the preceding chapter, that this is immediately co ... read more
Isaiah 63
Verse 1
Isaiah 63:1. “The very remarkable passage,” says Bishop Lowth, “with which this chapter begins, seems to be in a manner detached from the rest, and to stand singly by itself; having no immediate connection with what goes before, or with wha ... read more
Isaiah 64
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 64:1-2. O that thou wouldest rend the heavens — This God is said to do, or to bow the heavens, and come down, when he gives a very signal display of his power. It is a metaphor taken from men who, when they would resolutely and effectu ... read more
Isaiah 65
Verse 1
Isaiah 65:1. That in the primary sense of this text it is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, upon the rejection of the Jews, for their contempt and crucifying of Christ, cannot be doubted by any, who will not arrogate to themselves a g ... read more
Isaiah 66
Verse 1-2
Isaiah 66:1-2. Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne — That is, the throne of my glory and government; the place where I most manifest my power, and show myself in my majesty. Hence we are taught to pray, Our Father which art in heaven ... read more
Isaiah 7
Verse 1
Isaiah 7:1. And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz — Of whose idolatries and abominable wickedness the reader will find a particular account, 2 Chronicles 28:1-4. Rezin and Pekah went up toward Jerusalem — “The confederacy of these two kin ... read more
Isaiah 8
Verse 1
Isaiah 8:1. Moreover, the Lord said unto me — Here begins “the second section of this discourse, which reaches to the seventh verse of the next chapter, and is nearly of the same argument with the preceding; being prophetical, and contai ... read more
Isaiah 9
Verse 1
Isaiah 9:1. Nevertheless, &c. — In the Hebrew, this verse is joined to the preceding chapter, as it is also in Bishop Lowth’s translation; and if it be considered as connected therewith, and the connecting particle, כי, be translated f ... read more
James 1
Verse 1
James 1:1. James, a servant of Jesus Christ — Whose name the apostle mentions but once more in the whole epistle, namely, James 2:1, and not at all in his whole discourse, Acts 15:14, &c., or Acts 21:20-25. It might have seemed, if he had ... read more
James 2
Verses 1-4
James 2:1-4. My brethren — The equality of Christians intimated by this name is the ground of the admonition; have — That is, hold; not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory — Of which glory all who believe in him pa ... read more
James 3
Verse 1-2
James 3:1-2. Be not many masters — διδασκαλοι, teachers. Let none of you rashly, and without proper qualifications, undertake the office of teachers of others; an office into which many are ready to intrude themselves, without ... read more
James 4
Verse 1
James 4:1. The crimes condemned in this and the following chapter were so atrocious, and of so public a nature, that we can hardly suppose them to have been committed by any who bore the name of Christians. Wherefore, as this letter was directe ... read more
James 5
Verse 1
James 5:1. The unbelieving Jews, being exceedingly addicted to sensual pleasure, and very covetous, were of course grievous oppressors of the poor. Wherefore, to alarm these wicked men, and, if possible, to bring them to repentance, St. Jame ... read more
Jeremiah 1
Verse 1-2
Jeremiah 1:1-2. The words of Jeremiah — That is, the sermons or prophecies, the contents of which he received from God, that he might declare them unto the people, and which are comprised in this book under his name. See on Isaiah 2:1. The so ... read more
Jeremiah 10
Verse 1-2
Jeremiah 10:1-2. Hear ye the word, &c. — The prophet continues his remonstrances and exhortations to Judah. He said, at the conclusion of the preceding chapter, that the Lord would punish, without distinction, all the ungodly and unrighteous ... read more
Jeremiah 11
Verse 1
Jeremiah 11:1. The word that came to Jeremiah, &c. — At what time the prophecy, contained in this and the following chapter, was communicated to the prophet, is not expressed; but Blaney and many others assign it to the latter part of the ... read more
Jeremiah 12
Verse 1
Jeremiah 12:1. Righteous art thou, O Lord — The prophet, being about to inquire into the reasons and meaning of some of the divine dispensations, first recognises a truth of unquestionable certainty, namely, that God is righteous, that is, ... read more
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