healer--of the body politic, incurably diseased ([Is 1:6]).
neither ... clothing--so as to relieve the people and maintain a ruler's dignity. A nation's state must be bad indeed, when none among men, naturally ambitious, is willing to accept office.
8. Reason given by the prophet, why all shrink from the government.
eyes of his glory--to provoke His "glorious" Majesty before His "eyes" (compare [Is 49:5]; [Ha 1:13]). The Syriac and Lowth, by a slight change of the Hebrew, translate, "the cloud of His glory," the Shekinah.
9. show--The Hebrew means, "that which may be known by their countenances" [Gesenius and Weiss]. But Maurer translates, "Their respect for person"; so Syriac and Chaldee. But the parallel word "declare" favors the other view. Kimchi, from the Arabic, translates "their hardness" ([Job 19:3], Margin), or impudence of countenance ([Jr 3:3]). They have lost not only the substance of virtue, but its color.
witness--literally, "corresponds" to them; their look answers to their inner character ([Ho 5:5]).
declare--(Jude 13). "Foaming out their own shame"; so far from making it a secret, "glorying" in it ([Php 3:19]).
unto themselves--Compare "in themselves" ([Pr 1:31]; 8:36; [Jr 2:19]; [Ro 1:27]).
10. The faithlessness of many is no proof that all are faithless. Though nothing but croaking of frogs is heard on the surface of the pool, we are not to infer there are no fish beneath [Bengel]. (See [Is 1:19], ).
fruit of doings--([Pr 1:31]) in a good sense ([Ga 6:8]; [Re 22:14]). Not salvation by works, but by fruit-bearing faith ([Is 45:24]; [Jr 23:6]). Gesenius and Weiss translate, Declare as to the righteous that, &c. Maurer, "Say that the righteous is blessed."
11. ill--antithesis to "well" ([Is 3:10]); emphatic ellipsis of the words italicized. "Ill!"
hands--his conduct; "hands" being the instrument of acts ([Ec 8:12], ).
12. (See [Is 3:4]).
oppressors--literally, "exactors," that is, exacting princes ([Is 60:17]). They who ought to be protectors are exactors; as unqualified for rule as "children," as effeminate as "women." Perhaps it is also implied that they were under the influence of their harem, the women of their court.
lead--Hebrew, "call thee blessed"; namely, the false prophets, who flatter the people with promises of safety in sin; as the political "rulers" are meant in the first clause.
way of thy paths--([Jr 6:16]). The right way set forth in the law. "Destroy"--Hebrew, "Swallow up," that is, cause so utterly to disappear that not a vestige of it is left.
13. standeth up--no longer sitting in silence.
plead--indignant against a wicked people ([Is 66:16]; [Eze 20:35]).
14. ancients--Hence they are spoken of as "taken away" ([Is 3:1], ).
vineyard--the Jewish theocracy ([Is 5:1-7]; [Psa 80:9-13]).
eaten up--"burnt"; namely, by "oppressive exactions" ([Is 3:12]). Type of the crowning guilt of the husbandmen in the days of Jesus Christ ([Mt 21:34-41]).
spoil ... houses--([Mt 23:14]).
15. What right have ye to beat, &c. ([Psa 94:5]; [Mi 3:2], ).
grind--by exactions, so as to leave them nothing.
faces--persons; with the additional idea of it being openly and palpably done. "Presence," equivalent to "face" (Hebrew).
16. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, &c.--Luxury had become great in Uzziah's prosperous reign ([2Ch 26:5]).
stretched forth--proudly elevated ([Psa 75:5]).
wanton--rather, "making the eyes to glance about," namely, wantonly ([Pr 6:13]) [Maurer]. But Lowth, "falsely setting off the eyes with paint." Women's eyelids in the East are often colored with stibium, or powder of lead (see on [Job 42:14]; [Jr 4:30], Margin).
mincing--tripping with short steps.
tinkling--with their ankle-rings on both feet, joined by small chains, which sound as they walk, and compel them to take short steps; sometimes little bells were attached ([Is 3:18], ).
17. smite with a scab--literally, "make bald," namely, by disease.
discover--cause them to suffer the greatest indignity that can befall female captives, namely to be stripped naked, and have their persons exposed ([Is 47:3]; compare with [Is 20:4]).
18. bravery--the finery.
tinkling--(See [Is 3:16]).
cauls--network for the head. Or else, from an Arabic root, "little suns," answering to the "tires" or neck-ornaments, "like the moon" ([Jud 8:21]). The chumarah or crescent is also worn in front of the headdress in West Asia.
19. chains--rather, pendants, hanging about the neck, and dropping on the breast.
mufflers--veils covering the face, with apertures for the eyes, close above and loosely flowing below. The word radically means "tremulous," referring to the changing effect of the spangles on the veil.
20. bonnets--turbans.
ornaments of the legs--the short stepping-chains from one foot to another, to give a measured gait; attached to the "tinkling ornaments" ([Is 3:16]).
headbands--literally, "girdles."
tablets--rather, "houses of the breath," that is, smelling boxes [Vulgate].
earrings--rather, amulets suspended from the neck or ears, with magic formulæ inscribed; the root means to "whisper" or "conjure."
21. nose jewels--The cartilage between the nostrils was bored to receive them; they usually hung from the left nostril.
22. Here begin entire articles of apparel. Those before were single ornaments.
changeable--from a root, "to put off"; not worn commonly; put on and off on special occasions. So, dress-clothes ([Zec 3:4]).