Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Isaiah Kabanata 1

Isaiah 1:1. The vision of Isaiah, &c.— I divide the book of Isaiah, says Vitringa, into the title prefixed to the book, and the matter contained in it. The matter is twofold, prophetical and historical, which are interwoven together. The prophetical is divided into five parts; the first of which, from the 1st chapter to the 13th contains five prophetic sermons or harangues, immediately directed to the Jews, and also to the Ephraimites; whom the prophet variously reproves, exhorts, and consoles. The second part, from the 13th to the 24th chapter, contains eight sermons, in which the fate of other nations is declared; Babylonians, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Egyptians, Tyrians, and others. The third part, from the 24th to the 36th, explains the penal judgments denounced by God upon the disobedient Jews and enemies of the church, with the most ample promises given to the true church; and is comprehended in three sermons. The fourth part, from the 40th chapter to the 49th, sets forth in four sermons, of a consolatory kind, the manifestation of the Messiah in the flesh, with its circumstances and effects, and the signs preceding it; particularly the deliverance of the Jewish church from their exile in Babylon. The fifth part exhibits, in five sermons, from the 49th chapter, the fate and events of Jesus Christ, his person and kingdom; with which this most noble prophecy closes. The historical part relates some notable events of those times, in which God was pleased to make use of the ministry of Isaiah, and, beginning with the 36th, ends with the 39th chapter. Vitringa reads the verse, The prophecy of Isaiah—which he prophesied, &c. Vitringa also remarks, that the word Isaiah signifies the salvation of Jehovah; which he conceives to have been, in some degree, expressive of his office.

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Isaiah 1:2. Hear, O heavens, &c.— We have observed, that this first part of the book of Isaiah is comprehended in five sermons to the Jews; the first of which is contained in this chapter, the second in the chapters ii, iii, 4: the third in chap. 5: the fourth in chap. 6: the fifth in chap. 7:—xii. The first sermon contains a judicial appeal, urged by the prophet in the name of God, against the Jews and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as covenant-breakers and hypocrites; in which he sharply reproves the vices of the Jewish church, and seriously exhorts them to true repentance, with a denunciation of the divine vengeance upon the obstinate and rebellious, and a promise of the blessings of grace with a restoration of their state to the true worship of their God. In the scene of this divine vision we may suppose God present, as the king of his people; the people as rebellious and revolting, summoned by him into court: the prophet, who discharges the offices of a herald, or cryer, summoning the witnesses and judges to attend, and of an orator pleading in a manly manner the cause of God, setting forth his justice and equity, admonishing the rebellious people of their duty, and, like a counsellor, persuading them to better things: and lastly, the witnesses, the heavens and earth, who are here represented as endowed with sense, and to whom the judgment of the whole cause is figuratively committed. See Deu 32:1 and Vitringa.

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Isaiah 1:4. Children that are corrupters—have provoked, &c.— Or, Children that corrupt themselves—have contemptuously treated the Holy One of Israel; &c.

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Isaiah 1:7. Your country, &c.— Or, Your land is become a desolation: your cities are burned with fire; your ground strangers eat up before you; and the desolation is as if it were destroyed by an inundation. See Lowth.

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Isaiah 1:8. A lodge in a garden of cucumbers, &c.— See Job 27:18.

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Isaiah 1:10. Hear the word of the Lord, &c.— The singular wickedness of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah was so enormous, that it was at last used as a proverbial expression, to convey the idea of the most black and incorrigible wickedness. The preceding words, which shew that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah could not now be addressed, because there were none left, shew likewise that it is the Jewish nation which is called by these names. This verse alludes to the song of Moses, Deu 32:32 and perhaps the prophet uses these allusions to shew that the times predicted in that song by the Jewish legislator were now come.

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Isaiah 1:11. To what purpose, &c.— This is a strong remonstrance against the hypocritical services of the Jews; very plainly declaring to them, that all external services, administered with a bad heart, so far from pleasing, are detestable to God. See Proverbs 21:27. To whom, says Bishop Warburton, are these words addressed? to those who, besides their numerous irregularities, here reckoned up at large, delighted in groves and high places; for the denunciation is thus continued, They shall be ashamed of the oaks, &c. Isaiah 1:29. This shews that the Jews, notwithstanding their depravity, did not renounce their God when they descended to idolatry; but that their worst idolatry consisted in their mixing foreign worship with their own, or in worshipping the true God and idols together. God in these verses reproves the Jews respecting their sacrifices, their mere appearance before him, Isa 1:12 their gifts and incense, Isa 1:13 their fears and solemnities, Isa 1:13-14 and their prayers, Isaiah 1:15. And in the 16th and 17th verses he counsels them what to do; namely, to repent, and do works meet for repentance; setting forth in the 18th and 19th the happy effects of following that counsel, and in the 20th the bad effects of neglecting it. At the 18th verse we have the most ample declaration of the divine placability upon sincere repentance. Vitringa thinks that the words may refer in some degree to the sanguinary crimes of the Jews. See the last clause of the 15th verse.

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Isaiah 1:17. Relieve the oppressed— Or, Reform what is amiss. Bochart.

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Isaiah 1:21. How is the faithful city become an harlot— Though the Lord, in the preceding part of the chapter, had suggested to the wicked and the hypocrites a method of returning to his favour, yet he foresaw that they would not hearken. He begins, therefore, afresh, (as if he repented of having indulged them so much, speaking after the manner of men,) to deplore their calamitous state, and to shew what this corrupt people were hereafter to expect. The first part of this new discourse contains a preface, from the 21st to the 24th verse, and a prediction of future events, from the 24th to the end of the chapter. In the preface the prophet complains, first, of the corruption of the whole city in general; which was become a harlot, violating her covenant, revolting from God by idolatry, or, what seems principally intended here, transgressing the laws of the covenant made with God; for, to violate the faith of the covenant, is, in the style of Scripture, to commence harlot. The 22nd verse expresses metaphorically, what is expressed plainly at the latter end of the 21st and in the 23rd verse; namely, that the princes, the judges, and chief men of the Jews, had declined from the paths of purity and integrity. See Vitringa.

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Isaiah 1:24. Therefore, &c.— Here begins the prediction of the events which should happen to this corrupt people. The first of these are, the evils to be inflicted by the Babylonish captivity; the second the purification of the church, Isa 1:25 the third the restoration of their government, Isa 1:26-27 the fourth the salvation of the faithful by Christ, the end of the 26th and 27th verse: the fifth the final judgment of God upon the rebellious and disobedient to the Gospel, which shall follow the salvation of the true Israelites. The reader cannot but observe how sublime and full of majesty this passage is; in which the Lord of Hosts is represented as a mighty and generous hero, rousing up himself to punish, after he had a long time borne with patience the injuries unjustly offered him, and had solicited in vain his adversaries to their duty. See Vitringa.

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Isaiah 1:25. Purely purge away thy dross— See Deuteronomy 2:3. The meaning of these words is, that God would purge the remains of Israel in banishment from the drops and dregs of hypocrites and profane men, and would restore them, thus purged, to their land; the government being entirely renewed under just judges and senators, and prudent teachers. Some suppose that this refers to the times of Christ; but Vitringa is of opinion, that the immediate reference is to that renewal which happened directly after their punishment.

Secondarily, this whole passage may refer to the future and grand redemption through Christ.

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