Isaiah 58

The LORD commandeth the prophet to upbraid the Jews with their hypocrisy, especially in their fasts, ver.1, etc. and to teach them what a true fast is, which he requireth, 6. Promising all prosperity and blessing to them that serve him in uprightness of heart, and lay aside wickedness; especially to them that keep his Sabbaths uprightly, 8 etc.

1. Cry out of the throat, refrain not, [Cease not, or refrain not thy voice] lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

2. Though they seek me [Or, for they seek me, etc. [That is, come unto the Temple, to bring their offerings to me, and to make their prayers there: but its not from the heart, its done onely in hypocrisy] daily, [Heb. Day, day. See Psal.61.on ver.9.] and have a delight in the knowledge of my ways,] that is, make a shew as if they had a true delight in it, to hear the Priests read and expound the law] as a people that doth righteousness, and forsaketh not the judgement of their God; they ask me [to wit, by the prophets] for the judgements of righteousness, they have delight to approach unto God. [Heb. They have a delight to the approaching of God. That is, they behave themselves outwardly so, as if they took delight in it, and as if they had a true earnest desire to know my commandments, and to order their life accordingly.]

3. (Saying) wherefore do we fast, etc. thou seest it not? [These & the following words are the words of hypocrites, that think to deserve much at the hand of God by their hypocritical and outward worship] (wherefore) do we vex our soul, [to wit, by fasting & suffering hunger. See Levit.16.29.] and thou knowest it not? [that is, demeanest thy self as if thou didst not know it] behold, in the when ye fast ye find (your) pleasure, and require strictly all your labour. [This is the answer of God to the former question of the Jews; as if he had said, will ye know the cause why your fast he had said, will ye know the cause why your fast pleaseth me not? Behold, I will tell you: your hypocrisy is the cause of it; for while ye fast, ye cease not to commit gross sins. (ye find your pleasure) that is, ye do whatsoever ye please; as ver.13.Or, ye are diligent to find and enjoy that wherein ye take pleasure and delight, (and ye require strictly all your labour) Heb. Sorrows; that is, labour, which your men-servants and maid-servants are constrained to do with pain and sorrow. Others, all your labour; that is, all your wealth, which ye have gotten by your labour, and consequently ye exact strictly your debts that are owing you abroad. See Prov.5.10.]

4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, [That is, to contend with your men-servants and maid-servants, debtors, and others] and to smite wickedly with the fist: [Heb. To smite with the fist of wickedness: [to wit, your men-servants and maid-servants] fast not as to day, [Heb. As to day, or, according to this day: which some expound, as this day (doth require) wherein God doth shew that he is incensed against you] to cause your voice to be heard on high. [that is, that your prayer may be heard in heaven of God.]

5. Should it be such a fast, that I should choose [That is, that should be acceptable unto me] that a man should afflict his soul for a day? [to wit, outwardly, without being inwardly touched with true sorrow and repentance for his sins, and to humbling himself uprightly in the fight of God. Others, a day for a man to afflict his soul] that he should bow and down his head as a bulrush, and spread a sack and ashes under (him?) shouldest thou call that a fast and a clay ace[table to the LORD? [Heb. A day of acceptance of the Lord or to the Lord.]

6. Is not this the fast that I do choose? That ye loose the knots of wickedness, [That is, the fore bondage of your brethren, that by reason of poverty have sold themselves unto you, and whom ye unmerciful compel to undergo hard labour, as if they were foreign slave s and bondmen, which God forbiddeth, Levit.25.39. See the Annotat. There] that ye undo the hands of the yoke, [to wit, of the yoke of bondage which ye lay upon your improverished brethren, oppressing them by your usury, & wicked practises] and that ye let the bruised ones [Or, broken ones: that is, brought to destruction, to nothing] go free, and break all (or every) yoke, [that is, heavy and intolerable burdens. In brief, the Lord teacheth in this, and in the following verse, that if a man should keep a true and right fast, he must abstain not onely from corporal food, but he must do also works of light.]

7. Is it not that thou communicate thy bread to the hungry, [The Hebrew word rendered here communicate, signifieth properly to divide into pieces, as if a man should cut a loaf of bread in the midst, and give half of it to his needy brother] and that thou bring the poor that are driven away. [the meaning is, that is rebels are expelled and banished out of their own country. Others, the miserable oppressed: to wit, by the violent dominion of great men] into thine house? When thou seest one naked, [that is, one ill clothed. [See Job 22.on vers.6.] that thou cover him, [to wit, with clothes] and that thou hide not thy self from thine (own) flesh? [understand withal, but that thou be moved to pity and compassion by the poverty and misery of thy brethren. (from thine (own) flesh) from thy neighbour, that hath one kind of flesh and blood with thy self. See Nehem.5. the Annotat. On vers.5.]

8. Then shall thy light: [That is, thy prosperity and joy. See Esth.8.on vers.16. and Job 18.on vers.6.] break forth as the morning, and thine healing shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness [that is, the fruit of thy righteousness, to wit, thy happiness, which the Lord shall give thee of free grace. See Psal.24.on vers.5. Others understand hereby the righteousness of the LORD Christ himself, as Jer.23.vers.6.] shall go before thy face: and the glory of the LORD [that is, the blessedness, which hath its original from the goodness and power of the Lord, who there by declareth his glory] shall be thy reward. [Heb. Shall gather thee. See the Annotat. Numb.10.on vers.25. and above chap.52.on vers.12.]

9. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; [That is, he will hear thee] thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Lo, (here) I am; if thou remove away from the midst of thee the yoke, [see above vers.6.] the putting forth of the finger, [that is, threatening; when thou threatenest anyone with thy finger, or when thou by putting up of thy finger, or by lifting up of thy hand discoverest thy intention to put thy power in practise] and the speaking of iniquity: [or vice, vanity; to wit, when thou revilest and reproachest thy neighbour.]

10. And if thou open thy soul [Or, bring forth thy soul; That is, thy heart, thy self, thy hearty good will and affection] to the hungry, [the meaning is, if thou open thine heart to the hungry, and out of compassion shalt do good to the poor and hungry] and satisfy the afflicted soul: [or, the afflicted men] then shall thy light rise in darkness, [understand hereby light blessing and prosperity, (See above vers.8.) as by darkness all kind of adversity. See Genes.chap.15. the Annotat. On vers.12.] and thy darkness shall be as the noon day. [that is, thy miseries and troubles shall be turned into joy.]

11. And the LORD shall lead thee continually, [As a shepherd leadeth his sheep] and he shall satisfy thy soul in great droughts, [Heb. In drinesses; that is, in dearth and famine] and make watery [or make fat; that is, strengthen. See Prov.15.30.] thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring; [Heb. Going forth] of waters, whose waters fail not: [Heb. Lie not. That is, which never want water; and therefore no man cometh in vain to draw water out of it. Compare Job chap.6.on vers.15. and 40.on vers.28.

12. And they that (proceed) from thee [Heb. They of thee; that is, thy posterity that shall be born of thee] shall build the old waste places: [Heb. The desolations, or, waste places of eternity; that is, those places that haue lain a long while waste; to wit, the ruinous houses in Jerusalem, and whatsoever thereabout lay a long time ruined, untilled , waste and void. See below chap.61.4.] thou shalt set up [Heb. Raise up, or, cause to rise] the foundations (wasted) from generation to generation: [that is, for many years together] and thou shalt be called, he that mendeth the breaches, he that repaireth the paths to dwell in. [Heb. A mender of breaches, or, of ruinous, walls, a restorer of paths that man way dwell again in the land.]

13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath (from) doing thy pleasure on mine holy day: [That is, if thou restrain thy foot on the Sabbath, so as that thou do sake] and (if) thou call the Sabbath a delight, [that is, if thou take delight in keeping it according to the law and will of God] that the LORD may be hallowed, who is to be honoured; [Others, the hallowed (day) of the Lord, the glorified One] and (if) thou honour him, that thou do not thine (own) ways, [that is, not doing thy usual works] (nor) find thine (own) pleasure, [See ver.3.] nor speak a word (of it): [Others, nor speak anything. To wit, that is unmet and unbeseeming, as ver.9.]

14. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the LORD, [that is, then shalt thou enjoy his mercy and blessing] and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth: [that is, I will higly exalt and promote thee, as Deut.32.13. See the Annotat. There. Others take it thus, Thou shalt overcome all that may lie in thy way, and might hinder thy prosperity] and I will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy father: [Or, I will give thee to eat of the inheritance of Jacob thy father. That is, thou shalt dwell in the land which I have given to Jacob thy father, where thou shalt have meat and drink in abundance] for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.