---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"
author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 364 of 927
url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/364/
cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 364. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/364/"
---

# Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

*Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown*

The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation.

## 364. Isaiah · 67 of 79

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/364/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/364/#p-N

[¶0] cannot understand--unable to comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so [Is 56:10], "cannot bark."

[¶1] look to ... own way--that is, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of the people ([Jr 6:13]; [Eze 22:27]).

[¶2] from his quarter--rather, "from the highest to the lowest" [Lowth]. "From his quarter"; that is, from one end to the other of them, one and all ([Ge 19:4]).

[¶3] 12. fetch wine--language of the national teachers challenging one another to drink. Barnes translates, "I will take another cup" ([Is 5:11]).

[¶4] to-morrow, &c.--Their self-indulgence was habitual and intentional: not merely they drink, but they mean to continue so.

### Chapter 57

### Is 57:1-21. The Peaceful Death of the Righteous Few: the Ungodliness of the Many: a Believing Remnant Shall Survive the General Judgments of the Nation, and Be Restored by Him Who Creates Peace

[¶7] In the midst of the excesses of the unfaithful watchmen ([Is 56:10], [11, 12]), most of the few that are godly perish: partly by vexation at the prevailing ungodliness; partly by violent death in persecution: prophetical of the persecuting times of Manasseh, before God's judgments in causing the captivity in Babylon; and again those in the last age of the Church, before the final judgments on the apostasy ([2Ki 21:16]; Mt 23:29-35, 37; [Re 11:17]). The Hebrew for "perisheth," and "is taken away," expresses a violent death ([Mi 7:2]).

[¶8] 1. no man layeth it to heart--as a public calamity.

[¶9] merciful men--rather, godly men; the subjects of mercy.

[¶10] none considering--namely, what was the design of Providence in removing the godly.

[¶11] from the evil--Hebrew, from the face of the evil, that is, both from the moral evil on every side ([Is 56:10-12]), and from the evils about to come in punishment of the national sins, foreign invasions, &c. ([Is 56:9]; ). So Ahijah's death is represented as a blessing conferred on him by God for his piety ([1Ki 14:10-13]; see also [2Ki 22:20]).

[¶12] 2. Or, "he entereth into peace"; in contrast to the persecutions which he suffered in this world ([Job 3:13], ). The Margin not so well translates, "he shall go in peace" ([Psa 37:37]; [Lu 2:29]).

[¶13] rest--the calm rest of their bodies in their graves (called "beds," [2Ch 16:14]; compare [Is 14:18]; because they "sleep" in them, with the certainty of awakening at the resurrection, [1Th 4:14]) is the emblem of the eternal "rest" ([He 4:9]; [Re 14:13]).

[¶14] each one walking in ... uprightness--This clause defines the character of those who at death "rest in their beds," namely, all who walk uprightly.

[¶15] 3. But ... ye--In contrast to "the righteous" and their end, he announces to the unbelieving Jews their doom.

[¶16] sons of the sorceress--that is, ye that are addicted to sorcery: this was connected with the worship of false gods ([2Ki 21:6]). No insult is greater to an Oriental than any slur cast on his mother ([1Sa 20:30]; [Job 30:8]).

[¶17] seed of the adulterer--Spiritual adultery is meant: idolatry and apostasy ([Mt 16:4]).

[¶18] 4. sport yourselves--make a mock ([Is 66:5]). Are ye aware of the glory of Him whom you mock, by mocking His servants ("the righteous," [Is 57:1])? ([2Ch 36:16]).

[¶19] make ... wide mouth--([Psa 22:7], ; ; [La 2:16]).

[¶20] children of transgression, &c.--not merely children of transgressors, and a seed of false parents, but of transgression and falsehood itself, utterly unfaithful to God.

[¶21] 5. Enflaming yourselves--burning with lust towards idols [Gesenius]; or else (compare Margin), in the terebinth groves, which the Hebrew and the parallelism favor (see on [Is 1:29]) [Maurer].

[¶22] under ... tree--([2Ki 17:10]). The tree, as in the Assyrian sculptures, was probably made an idolatrous symbol of the heavenly hosts.

[¶23] slaying ... children--as a sacrifice to Molech, &c. ([2Ki 17:31]; [2Ch 28:3]; ).

[¶24] in ... valleys--the valley of the son of Hinnom. Fire was put within a hollow brazen statue, and the child was put in his heated arms; kettle drums (Hebrew, toph) were beaten to drown the child's cries; whence the valley was called Tophet ([2Ch 33:6]; [Jr 7:3]).

[¶25] under ... clifts--the gloom of caverns suiting their dark superstitions.

[¶26] 6. The smooth stones, shaped as idols, are the gods chosen by thee as thy portion ([Psa 16:5]).

[¶27] meat offering--not a bloody sacrifice, but one of meal and flour mingled with oil. "Meat" in Old English meant food, not flesh, as it means now ([Le 14:10]).

[¶28] Should I receive comfort--rather, "Shall I bear these things with patience?" [Horsley].

[¶29] 7. Upon ... high mountain ... bed--image from adultery, open and shameless ([Eze 23:7]); the "bed" answers to the idolatrous altar, the scene of their spiritual unfaithfulness to their divine husband ([Eze 16:16], ; ).

[¶30] 8. "Remembrance," that is, memorials of thy idolatry: the objects which thou holdest in remembrance. They hung up household tutelary gods "behind the doors"; the very place where God has directed them to write His laws "on the posts and gates" ([De 6:9]; ); a curse, too, was pronounced on putting up an image "in a secret place" ([De 27:15]).

[¶31] discovered thyself--image from an adulteress.

[¶32] enlarged ... bed--so as to receive the more paramours.

[¶33] made ... covenant--with idols: in open violation of thy "covenant" with God ([Ex 19:5]; ). Or, "hast made assignations with them for thyself" [Horsley].

[¶34] thy bed ... their bed--The Jews' sin was twofold; they resorted to places of idolatry ("their bed"), and they received idols into the temple of God ("thy bed").

[¶35] where--rather, "ever since that" [Horsley]. The Hebrew for "where" means "room" (Margin), a place; therefore, translate, "thou hast provided a place for it" (for "their bed"), namely, by admitting idolatrous altars in thy land [Barnes]; or "thou choosest a (convenient) place for thyself" in their bed [Maurer] ([Is 56:5]).

[¶36] 9. the king--the idol which they came to worship, perfumed with oil, like harlots ([Jr 4:30]; [Eze 23:16], ). So "king" means idol ([Am 5:26]; [Zep 1:5]); (malcham meaning "king") [Rosenmuller]. Rather, the king of Assyria or Egypt, and other foreign princes, on whom Israel relied, instead of on God; the "ointment" will thus refer to the presents ([Ho 12:1]), and perhaps the compliances with foreigners' idolatries, whereby Israel sought to gain their favor [Lowth] ([Is 30:6]; [Eze 16:33]; ; [Ho 7:11]).

[¶37] send ... messengers far off--not merely to neighboring nations, but to those "far off," in search of new idols, or else alliances.

[¶38] even unto hell--the lowest possible degradation.

[¶39] 10. greatness of ... way--the length of thy journey in seeking strange gods, or else foreign aid ([Jr 2:23], 24). Notwithstanding thy deriving no good from these long journeys (so, "send ... far off," [Is 57:9]), thou dost not still give up hope ([Jr 2:25]; 18:12).

[¶40] hast found ... life of ... hand--for "thou still findest life (that is, vigor) enough in thy hand" to make new idols [Maurer], or to seek new alliance ("hand" being then taken for strength in general).

[¶41] grieved--rather, "therefore thou art not weak" [Maurer]; inasmuch as having "life in thy hand," thou art still strong in hope.

[¶42] 11. Israel wished not to seem altogether to have denied God. Therefore they "lied" to Him. God asks, Why dost thou do so? "Whom dost thou fear? Certainly not Me; for thou hast not remembered Me." Translate, "seeing that thou hast not remembered Me."

[¶43] laid it to ... heart--rather, "nor hast Me at heart"; hast no regard for Me; and that, because I have been long silent and have not punished thee. Literally, "Have I not held My peace, and that for long? and so thou fearest Me not" ([Psa 50:21]; [Ec 8:11]). It would be better openly to renounce God, than to "flatter Him" with lies of false professions ([Psa 78:36]) [Ludovicus De Dieu]. However, [Is 51:12], favors English Version of the whole verse; God's "silent" long-suffering, which was intended to lead them to repentance, caused them "not to fear Him" ([Ro 2:4], ).

[¶44] 12. declare--I will expose publicly thy (hypocritical) righteousness. I will show openly how vain thy works, in having recourse to idols, or foreign alliances, shall prove ([Is 57:3]).