2 Isaiáh reproveth the Jewes of their ingratitude and stubbernes, that neither for benefits nor punishment would amend 11 He sheweth why their sacrifices are rejected, and wherein God’s true service standeth. 24 He prophecieth of the destruction of Jerusalém, 25 And of the restitution thereof.
1.A avision of Isaiáh, the son of Amóz, which he saw bconcerning Judáh and Jerusalém: in the daies of cUzziáh, Jothám, Aház and Hezekiah Kings of Judáh.
2.Hear, ô dheavens, and harken, ô earth: for the Lord hath said, I have nourished and brought up echildren, but they have rebeled against me.
3.The fox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s cryb, but Israel hath not knowen, my people hath not understand.
4.Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity a gseed of the wicked, corrupt children, they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the hholy one of Israel to anger they are gone backward.
5.Wherefore should ye be ismitten any more? for ye fall away more & more the whole khead is sick, & the whole heart is heavy. ÁH UMENT.
6.From the lsole of the foot unto the head, there is nothing whole therein, but wounds, & swelling, & sores full of corruption, they have not been wrapped, mnor bound up, nor mollified with oil.
7.Your land is waste your cities are burnt with fire strangers devour your land in your presence, and it is desolate like the overthrow nof strangers.
8.And the daughter of oZión shall remain like a cottage in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and like a besieged city.
9.Except the Lord of hostes phad reserved unto us, even a small remnant: we should have been qas Sodóm, and should have been like unto Gomoráh.
10.Hear the word of the Lord, ô rprinces of Sodóm hearken unto the Law of our God, ô people of Gomoráh.
11.What have I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices, saith the Lord? I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and of the fat of fed beasts: and I sdesire not the blood of bullocks, nor of lambs, nor of goats.
12.When ye come to appear before me, who required this of your hands to tread in my courts?
13.Bring no mo oblations, tin vain: incense is an abomination unto me. I can not suffer your new moons, nor sabbaths, nor solemn daies (it is iniquity) nor solemn assemblies.
14.My soul hateth your unew moons and your appointed feasts: they are a burden unto me I am weary to bear them.
15.And when you shall stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: and though ye make many prayers, I will not hear: for your hands are full xof blood.
16.yWash you, make you clean: take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes, cease to do evil.
17.Learn to zdo well seek judgement, relieve the oppressed: judge the fatherless and defend the widow.
18.Come now, aand let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins were as crimsin, they shalbe made bwhite as snow: though they were red like skarlet, they shalbe as woll.
19.If ye cconsent & obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land.
20.But if ye refuse and be rebellious, ye shalbe devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
21.How is the dfaithful city become an harlot? it was full of judgement, and justice lodged therein, but now ethey are murtherer.
22.Thy fsilver is become dross, thy wine is mixt with water.
23.Thy princes are rebellious and companions of gthieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards, they judge not the fatherless, neither doeth the widow’s cause come before them.
24.Therefore saith the Lord God of hostes, the hmighty one of Israél, Ah, I will iease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.
25.Then I will turn mine hand upon thee, and burn out thy dross, till it kbe pure, and take away all thy tin.
26.lAnd I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning, afterward shalt thou be called a city of righteousness, and a faithful city.
27.Zión shalbe redeemed in judgement, and they that return in her, in mjustice.
28.And the ndestruction of the trangressours and of the sinners shalbe together: & they that forsake the Lord, shalbe consumed.
29.For they shabe confounded for the ooaks, which ye have desired, and ye shalbe ashamed of the gardens, that ye have chosen.
30.For ye shalbe as an oak, whose leaf fadeth: and as a garden that hath no water.
31.And the strong shalbe as ptowe, and the maker thereof, as a spark: and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench
That is, a revelation or prophecy, which was one of the two means, whereby God declared himself to his servants in old time, as Num. 12.6, and therefore the Prophets were called Seers, 1 Sam. 9.9.
The most brute and dull beasts do more acknowledge their duty toward their masters, then my people do toward me, of whom they have received benefits without comparison.
Although God commanded these sacrifices for a time, as aids and exercises of their faith yet because the people had not faith nor repentance, God detested them, Ps. 50.14, Jer. 6.20, Amos 5.21, Mich. 6.7.
Your sacrifices offered in the new moons and feasts, he condemns hereby hypocrites, which think to please God with ceremonies, and they themselves are void of faith and mercy.
He shows that where men be given to avarice, deceit, cruelty and extortion, which is meant by blood, there God will show his anger, and not accept them, though they seem never so holy, as Chap. 59.3.
This kind of redoving, by the second table, the Scriptures use in many places against the hypocrites, who pretend most holiness and religion in word, but when their charity and love toward their brethren should appear, they declare that they have neither faith nor religion.
Lest sinners should pretend any rigor on God’s part, he only wills them to be pure in heart, and he will forgive all their sins, were they never so many or great.
When God will show himself merciful to his Church, he calls himself, The holy one of Israel but when he has to do with his enemies, he is called Mighty, as against whom no power is able to resist.
I will take vengeance of mine adversaries the Jews, and so satisfy my desire by punishing them. Which thing yet he does with a grief because of his covenant.