PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Isaiah
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 475,677 words · 701 reading sections
Isaiah 57:2
Isaiah 57:2 Ver. 2. He shall enter into peace,.... Or "shall go in peace" {d}; the righteous man goes in peace now; he has peace from his justifying righteousness; he has peace through believing in Christ; he has peace in, though not from, his obedience and holiness of life; and he has peace in the midst of the many t…
550 wordsSECTION 602Isaiah 57:3
Isaiah 57:3 Ver. 3. But draw near hither,.... The death of the righteous, and their happiness after it, being observed: the wicked, who thought themselves safe from danger, and the happier that they were rid of the righteous, those witnesses and prophets which had tormented them, and therefore rejoiced on that account…
203 wordsSECTION 603Isaiah 57:4
Isaiah 57:4 Ver. 4. Against whom do ye sport yourselves?.... Is it against the ministers of the Gospel, the prophets of the Lord, the true and faithful witnesses, over whose dead bodies you triumph? know that it is not so much against them, as against the Lord himself, whose ministers, prophets, and witnesses they are…
268 wordsSECTION 604Isaiah 57:5
Isaiah 57:5 Ver. 5. Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree,.... Or, "inflamed with or among oaks" {h}; with images made of oaken wood, such as the Papists worship, Re 9:20 expressing a burning zeal for their idols, and being as hot upon them, as impure persons burn in lust one towards another: or "with…
334 wordsSECTION 605Isaiah 57:6
Isaiah 57:6 Ver. 6. Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion,.... Or thy god; but the portion of Jacob is not like them, stocks and stones, Jer 10:16. Whenever they could pick up smooth stones, and such as were fit for their purpose, whether in the stream of a brook, or in a valley, as the word also signif…
351 wordsSECTION 606Isaiah 57:7
Isaiah 57:7 Ver. 7. Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed,.... Temples and altars, which are usually built on high places, where they commit spiritual adultery; that is, idolatry, in imitation of the Heathens, who had their temples and altars on high places; and the idolatry of the church of Rome, in th…
220 wordsSECTION 607Isaiah 57:8
Isaiah 57:8 Ver. 8. Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance,.... The memorial of thine idols, as the Targum. As the Heathens had their "lares" and "penates", their household gods, so the Papists have their tutelar images, which they place in their houses, and in their bedchambers; their im…
452 wordsSECTION 608Isaiah 57:9
Isaiah 57:9 Ver. 9. And thou wentest to the king with ointment,.... To the kings of the earth, the singular for the plural, with whom the whore of Rome has committed fornication or idolatry, in allusion to harlots, who, in order to render themselves the more agreeable to their lovers, anointed themselves with ointment…
4,593 wordsSECTION 609Isaiah 58:1
Isaiah 58:1 INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 58 From the wicked and antichristian party the prophet is bid to turn to the professors of the true religion, and openly, boldly, and sharply, reprove them for their sins, particularly their hypocrisy and formality in worship, Isa 58:1, who yet were angry, and complained that the Lo…
603 wordsSECTION 610Isaiah 58:2
Isaiah 58:2 Ver. 2. Yet they seek me daily,.... Which may be considered as an acknowledgment of their external piety; or as a caution to the prophet not to be imposed upon by outward appearances; or as a reason why they should be rebuked sharply: they sought the Lord, either by prayer, or in the ministry of the word; …
465 wordsSECTION 611Isaiah 58:3
Isaiah 58:3 Ver. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not?.... Our fasting; takest no notice of it; expresses no approbation of it, and pleasure in it: this is put for all religious services, being what was frequently performed under the Old Testament, not only at certain times appointed by the Lord, …
301 wordsSECTION 612Isaiah 58:4
Isaiah 58:4 Ver. 4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate,.... Brawling with their servants for not doing work enough; or quarrelling with their debtors for not paying their debts; or the main of their religion lay in contentions and strifes about words, vain hot disputations about rites and ceremonies in worship, as …
258 wordsSECTION 613Isaiah 58:5
Isaiah 58:5 Ver. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen?.... That is, can this be thought to be a fast approved of by me, and acceptable to me, before described, and is as follows: a day for a man to afflict his soul? only to appoint a certain day, and keep that, by abstaining from bodily food, and so for a short ti…
296 wordsSECTION 614Isaiah 58:6
Isaiah 58:6 Ver. 6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen?.... Which God has appointed, he approves of, and is well pleasing in his sight; these are works and services more agreeable to him, which follow, without which the rest will be rejected: to loose the bands of wickedness; which some understand of combination…
394 wordsSECTION 615Isaiah 58:7
Isaiah 58:7 Ver. 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry?.... Or "to break" {f} it, divide it, and communicate it to them; that which is "bread", food fit to eat, wholesome and nourishing; which is thine, and not another's; which thou hast saved by fasting, and therefore should not be laid up, but given away; and…
484 wordsSECTION 616Isaiah 58:8
Isaiah 58:8 Ver. 8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,.... Through thick clouds, or the darkness of the night, suddenly, swiftly, irresistibly, and increase more and more, till it is perfect day. This is to be understood best of temporal and spiritual prosperity, especially the latter, which will attend …
514 wordsSECTION 617Isaiah 58:9
Isaiah 58:9 Ver. 9. Then shall thou call, and the Lord shall answer,.... A spirit of grace and supplication will be poured out upon the people of God; they will then pray without a form, and call upon the Lord in sincerity and truth, with faith and fervency; and the Lord will hear and answer them, and plentifully best…
269 wordsSECTION 618Isaiah 58:10
Isaiah 58:10 Ver. 10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,.... Not only deal out thy bread, but thy soul also, to him; that is, give him food cheerfully, with a good will, expressing a hearty love and affection for him; do it heartily, as to the Lord; let thy soul go along with it; and this is true of affectio…
2,148 wordsSECTION 619Isaiah 59:1
Isaiah 59:1 INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 59 As the former chapter declares the hypocrisy and formality of professors of religion; this expresses the errors and heresies, immorality and profaneness, which shall prevail before the spiritual reign of Christ, or the latter day glory begins; which is so fully described in the n…
520 wordsSECTION 620Isaiah 59:2
Isaiah 59:2 Ver. 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,.... Like a partition wall dividing between them, so that they enjoy no communion with him in his worship and ordinances; which is greatly the case of the reformed churches: they profess the true God, and the worship of him, and do attend t…
161 wordsSECTION 621Isaiah 59:3
Isaiah 59:3 Ver. 3. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity,.... From a general charge, the prophet proceeds to a particular enumeration of sins they were guilty of; and idolatry not being mentioned, as Jerom observes, shows that the prophecy belongs to other times than Isaiah's, when tha…
443 wordsSECTION 622Isaiah 59:4
Isaiah 59:4 Ver. 4. None calleth for justice,.... Or, "righteousness"; not for civil justice in courts of judicature, as if there were no advocates for it there; or that put those in mind of it, to whom the administration of it belongs; or that see to put the laws against sin in execution, and to relieve those that ar…
430 wordsSECTION 623Isaiah 59:5
Isaiah 59:5 Ver. 5. They hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave the spider's web,.... Invent false doctrines according to their own fancies, which may seem fair and plausible, but are poisonous and pernicious; as the "eggs [of the] cockatrice", which may look like, and may be taken for, the eggs of creatures fit to eat; and…
413 wordsSECTION 624Isaiah 59:6
Isaiah 59:6 Ver. 6. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works,.... As spiders' webs are not fit to make garments of, are too thin to cover naked bodies, or shelter from bad weather, or injuries from different causes; so neither the false doctrines of men will be of any …
219 wordsSECTION 625Isaiah 59:7
Isaiah 59:7 Ver. 7. Their feet run to evil,.... Make haste to commit all manner of sin, and particularly that which follows, with great eagerness and swiftness, taking delight and pleasure therein, and continuing in it; it is their course of life. The words seem to be taken out of Pr 1:16 and are quoted with the follo…
228 wordsSECTION 626Isaiah 59:8
Isaiah 59:8 Ver. 8. The way of peace they know not,.... Neither the way of peace with God, supposing it is to be made by man, and not by Christ; and are ignorant of the steps and methods taken to procure it; nor do they know the way of peace of conscience, or how to attain to that which is true and solid; nor the way …
312 wordsSECTION 627Isaiah 59:9
Isaiah 59:9 Ver. 9. Therefore is judgment far from us,.... These are the words of the few godly persons in those times, taking notice of prevailing sins, confessing and lamenting them, and observing that these were the source of their calamities under which they groaned; "therefore", because of the above mentioned sin…
286 wordsSECTION 628Isaiah 59:10
Isaiah 59:10 Ver. 10. We grope for the wall like the blind,.... Who either with their hands, or with a staff in them, feel for the wall to lean against, or to guide them in the way, or into the house, that they may know whereabout they are, and how they should steer their course: and we grope as if we had no eyes: wh…
323 wordsSECTION 629Isaiah 59:11
Isaiah 59:11 Ver. 11. We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves,.... Some in a more noisy and clamorous, others in a stiller way, yet all in private: for the bear, when robbed of its whelps, goes to its den and roars; and the dove, when it has lost its mate, mourns in solitude: this expresses the secret groani…
179 wordsSECTION 630Isaiah 59:12
Isaiah 59:12 Ver. 12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee,.... Not only an increase of immorality among the people in common, but among professors of religion; and as their transgressions are committed against the Lord, so they are in his sight taken notice of and observed by him, are loathsome and abomi…
285 wordsSECTION 631Isaiah 59:13
Isaiah 59:13 Ver. 13. In transgressing and lying against the Lord,.... The word of the Lord, as the Targum; they transgress the doctrine of Christ, as well as the law of God, and deny him the only Lord God, even our Lord Jesus Christ, his proper deity, his righteousness, and satisfaction, which is notorious in our day…
3,643 wordsSECTION 632Isaiah 60:1
Isaiah 60:1 INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 60. As, in the two preceding chapters, the hypocrisy and formality, the profaneness and immorality, that should abound in the latter day, and even among professors of religion, are prophesied of; so, in this, a very ample account is given of latter daylight and glory; of both the sp…
582 wordsSECTION 633Isaiah 60:2
Isaiah 60:2 Ver. 2. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people,.... Like that which covered the land of Egypt, when there was light in Goshen: and this may be meant either of the darkness of ignorance, idolatry, superstition, false doctrine, and false worship, that should cover the …
369 wordsSECTION 634Isaiah 60:3
Isaiah 60:3 Ver. 3. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,.... To the Gospel, preached in the midst of her; and to Christ, who is her light and into her church state, and partake of the prosperity and happiness of it. The Targum is, "and nations shall walk in thy light;'' and so in Re 21:24, where it is interpret…
186 wordsSECTION 635Isaiah 60:4
Isaiah 60:4 Ver. 4. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see,.... The Gentiles and kings coming to Christ and his church; the vast number of converts flocking from all parts of the world to join themselves to the church of Christ, and to behold the wonderful work of God among the Jews now converted. The Targum is, "li…
336 wordsSECTION 636Isaiah 60:5
Isaiah 60:5 Ver. 5. Then thou shalt see, and flow together,.... That is, when thou seest thy sons and daughters flocking to thee from all parts, there will be a flow of joy in thee, like the stream of a river; or thine heart will beat and flutter within thee, through surprise and joy, when thou seest such a numerous c…
479 wordsSECTION 637Isaiah 60:6
Isaiah 60:6 Ver. 6. The multitudes of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah,.... That is, multitudes of people riding on these creatures from the parts mentioned, which, abounded with them, should come and cover or fill Jerusalem, and the places about it. Midian was a son of Abraham by Keturah, …
416 wordsSECTION 638Isaiah 60:7
Isaiah 60:7 Ver. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee,.... Nebaioth and Kedar were the sons of Ishmael, Ge 25:13, Ishmael's twelve sons, of which Nebaioth was the eldest, inhabited all the country from Euphrates to the Red sea, calling it the Nabatene co…
256 wordsSECTION 639Isaiah 60:8
Isaiah 60:8 Ver. 8. Who are these that fly as a cloud,.... Referring to the vast number of converts before mentioned, who are compared to a "cloud" for the number of them, covering Judea as the clouds do the heavens; and for their elevation and situation, being raised from an earthly to a heavenly state; called with a…
473 wordsSECTION 640Isaiah 60:9
Isaiah 60:9 Ver. 9. Surely the isles shall wait for me;.... The Targum is, "for my Word.'' The Messiah, and his coming. The isles of Great Britain may more especially be intended, who, as they waited for his Gospel, and readily received it, and embraced it, as soon as it was brought to them, which was very early; so…
563 wordsSECTION 641Isaiah 60:10
Isaiah 60:10 Ver. 10. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls,.... The sons of the people; or Gentiles, as the Targum; who were strangers from the covenants of promise, and aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; strangers to God and Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and to the Gospel, and all that is good;…
334 wordsSECTION 642Isaiah 60:11
Isaiah 60:11 Ver. 11. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually,.... This is expressive both of the peaceable state of the church, that she shall be in no danger, nor fear of enemies; there being none to hurt and destroy in all the holy mountain; and therefore under no concern to keep her gates shut; see Eze 38:11…
4,609 wordsSECTION 643Isaiah 61:1
Isaiah 61:1 INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 61 In this chapter both Christ and the church are introduced speaking, in their turns. It begins with the words of Christ, describing his work and office; his qualifications for it; the several parts and branches of it; and the ends to be answered by it; Isa 61:1, the reparation of …
876 wordsSECTION 644Isaiah 61:2
Isaiah 61:2 Ver. 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,.... Not an exact year, but time in general; for such are wrong, who from hence conclude that Christ's public ministry lasted but a year, since it is certain, by the passovers he kept, that it must be at least three or four years; the whole time of Christ…
537 wordsSECTION 645Isaiah 61:3
Isaiah 61:3 Ver. 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,.... Or, "to the mourners of Zion" {u}; such who are of Zion, belong to the church of God, and mourn for the corruptions in Zion's doctrines; for the perversion, abuse, and neglect of Zion's ordinances; for the disorders and divisions in Zion; for the declens…
1,065 wordsSECTION 646Isaiah 61:4
Isaiah 61:4 Ver. 4. And they shall build the old wastes,.... The captives set at liberty, and who are called trees of righteousness, and the planting of the Lord; righteous and good men, who shall be employed in the spiritual building of the church in Gospel times, and especially in the latter day; for here begins an …
328 wordsSECTION 647Isaiah 61:5
Isaiah 61:5 Ver. 5. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,.... The several congregated churches of Christ, which shall be set among them, compared to flocks of sheep, as they often are; and which shall be fed with knowledge and understanding, with the words of faith and sound doctrine, by pastors of the Genti…
263 wordsSECTION 648Isaiah 61:6
Isaiah 61:6 Ver. 6. But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord,.... Or, "and ye shall be named", &c. which Jerom understands of the builders of cities, pastors of flocks, the ploughmen and vinedressers, the strangers and the sons of the alien, that these also should be called priests: but rather it designs the Jews…
373 wordsSECTION 649Isaiah 61:7
Isaiah 61:7 Ver. 7. For your shame you shall have double,.... Or, "for your double shame" {b}; instead of being a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curse, as the Jews now are everywhere; being converted, they will have double honour, both in things civil and religious, be in great esteem with Christ, and all his peo…
297 wordsSECTION 650Isaiah 61:8
Isaiah 61:8 Ver. 8. For I the Lord love judgment,.... To do that which is right and just himself, and to see it done by others, and therefore he will right the wrongs of his people; and whereas the Jews, though they have justly suffered his vengeance for their sins, yet being reproached and abused beyond measure by th…
389 wordsSECTION 651Isaiah 61:9
Isaiah 61:9 Ver. 9. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people,.... Not only the Jews will be converted as a body in the latter day, but there will be a succession of converts among them in later ages, and will be known among Christian Gentiles by their faith and love, and g…
139 wordsSECTION 652Isaiah 61:10
Isaiah 61:10 Ver. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,.... These are not the words of the prophet spoken in his own person, rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord to his people and countrymen; nor of Christ; but of the church, especially the Jewish church, expressing her joy for benefits received, as declared in the…
1,171 wordsSECTION 653Isaiah 62:1
Isaiah 62:1 INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 62 This chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the glory of the church in the latter day. The prophet expresses his earnest desire for it, and his full assurance of it, Isa 62:1 which should lie in a new name, by which she should be called, and in her being a glorious crown an…
780 wordsSECTION 654Isaiah 62:2
Isaiah 62:2 Ver. 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness,.... The innocence of her case, and the justness of her cause, and the vengeance took on her enemies, all being so clear as before declared; as well as her justifying righteousness, which being published in the Gospel to the Gentiles, they shall see it, …
502 wordsSECTION 655Isaiah 62:3
Isaiah 62:3 Ver. 3. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,.... The church and her members are glorious in themselves, through the righteousness of Christ put upon them; through the grace of Christ wrought in them; and through the honour they are raised unto, being made kings and priests unto God,…
285 wordsSECTION 656Isaiah 62:4
Isaiah 62:4 Ver. 4. Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken,.... That is, of the Lord her God, as she had seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself, Isa 49:14, not having so much of his gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the word and ordinances not owned and bles…
602 wordsSECTION 657Isaiah 62:5
Isaiah 62:5 Ver. 5. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee,.... As a young man, having married a virgin, possesses and enjoys her, and lives and dwells with her in great harmony and love, having a delight and complacency in her, there being a suitableness in her person and age; so those tha…
439 wordsSECTION 658Isaiah 62:6
Isaiah 62:6 Ver. 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem,.... Not angels, as Jarchi; nor kings, as Kimchi; nor princes and civil magistrates, as others; nor the mourners in Zion, as Aben Ezra; but ministers of the Gospel; as the prophets of the Old Testament are called watch men, Isa 21:11, so ministers of …
640 wordsSECTION 659Isaiah 62:7
Isaiah 62:7 Ver. 7. And give him no rest,.... Not let him alone, as he desired that Moses would, but wrestle with him as Jacob did, and not let him go without the blessing; be importunate with him, as the widow with the unjust judge; and be incessant in prayer: until he establish; his church; which, though founded by…
293 wordsSECTION 660Isaiah 62:8
Isaiah 62:8 Ver. 8. The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength,.... By Christ, say some, who is the arm of the Lord, the power of God, by whom he made the world, and upholds all things; but though he sometimes is said to swear unto him, and concerning him, yet is never said to swear by him; …
460 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.