Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 3
Overview:
The calamities about to come upon the land.
(1-9) The
wickedness of the people.
(10-15) The distress of the proud,
luxurious women of Zion.
(16-26)
1-9 God was about to deprive
Judah of every stay and support.
The
City and the land were to be made desolate, because their
words and
Works had been rebellious against the
Lord; even at
his holy
Temple. If men do not stay themselves upon
God, he will
soon remove all other supports, and then they must sink.
Christ
is the
Bread of
Life and the Water of
Life; if he be our Stay,
we shall find that is a good part not to be taken away, Joh
6:27. Here note, 1. That the condition of sinners is
exceedingly woeful. 2. It is the soul that is damaged
By Sin. 3.
Whatever evil befalls sinners, be sure that they bring it
On
themselves.
10-15 The rule was certain; however there might be national
prosperity or trouble, it would be
Well with the righteous and
ill with the wicked. Blessed be
God, there is abundant
encouragement to the righteous to trust in him, and for sinners
to repent and return to him. It was time for the
Lord to show
his might. He will
Call men to a strict account for all the
wealth and power intrusted to and abused
By them. If it is
sinful to disregard the necessities of the
Poor, how odious and
wicked a part do they act, who bring men into poverty, and then
oppress them!
16-26 The
Prophet reproves and warns the daughters of Zion of
the sufferings coming upon them. Let them know that
God notices
the folly and vanity of proud women, even of their
Dress. The
punishments threatened answered the
Sin. Loathsome diseases
often are the just
Punishment of pride. It is not material to
ask what sort of ornaments they wore; many of these things, if
they had not been in fashion, would have been ridiculed then as
now. Their fashions differed much from those of our times, but
human nature is the same. Wasting time and
Money, to the neglect
of
Piety,
Charity, and even of
Justice, displease the
Lord. Many
professors at the present
Day, seem to think there is
No harm in
worldly finery; but were it not a great evil, would the Holy
Spirit have taught the
Prophet to expose it
So fully? The Jews
being overcome,
Jerusalem would be levelled with the ground;
which is represented under the idea of a desolate female seated
upon the
Earth. And when the
Romans had destroyed
Jerusalem,
they struck a medal,
On which was represented a
Woman Sitting On
the ground in a posture of grief. If
Sin be harboured within the
walls,
Lamentation and mourning are near the gates.