cannot understand--unable to comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so [Is 56:10], "cannot bark."
look to ... own way--that is, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of the people ([Jr 6:13]; [Eze 22:27]).
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]).
12. fetch wine--language of the national teachers challenging one another to drink. Barnes translates, "I will take another cup" ([Is 5:11]).
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
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]).
1. no man layeth it to heart--as a public calamity.
merciful men--rather, godly men; the subjects of mercy.
none considering--namely, what was the design of Providence in removing the godly.
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]).
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]).
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]).
each one walking in ... uprightness--This clause defines the character of those who at death "rest in their beds," namely, all who walk uprightly.
3. But ... ye--In contrast to "the righteous" and their end, he announces to the unbelieving Jews their doom.
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]).
seed of the adulterer--Spiritual adultery is meant: idolatry and apostasy ([Mt 16:4]).
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]).
make ... wide mouth--([Psa 22:7], ; ; [La 2:16]).
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.
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].
under ... tree--([2Ki 17:10]). The tree, as in the Assyrian sculptures, was probably made an idolatrous symbol of the heavenly hosts.
slaying ... children--as a sacrifice to Molech, &c. ([2Ki 17:31]; [2Ch 28:3]; ).
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]).
under ... clifts--the gloom of caverns suiting their dark superstitions.
6. The smooth stones, shaped as idols, are the gods chosen by thee as thy portion ([Psa 16:5]).
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]).
Should I receive comfort--rather, "Shall I bear these things with patience?" [Horsley].
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], ; ).
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]).
discovered thyself--image from an adulteress.
enlarged ... bed--so as to receive the more paramours.
made ... covenant--with idols: in open violation of thy "covenant" with God ([Ex 19:5]; ). Or, "hast made assignations with them for thyself" [Horsley].
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").
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]).
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]).
send ... messengers far off--not merely to neighboring nations, but to those "far off," in search of new idols, or else alliances.
even unto hell--the lowest possible degradation.
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).
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).
grieved--rather, "therefore thou art not weak" [Maurer]; inasmuch as having "life in thy hand," thou art still strong in hope.
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."
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], ).
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]).