Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

“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).”

who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

“33:6). 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…”

Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering.

“The smooth stones, shaped as idols, are the gods chosen by thee as thy portion (Ps 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).”

Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide.

“11:20); 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 . . .”

Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart?

“It would be better openly to renounce God, than to "flatter Him" with lies of false professions (Ps 78:36) [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU].”

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed…

“The pride and self-righteousness of the Jews were the stumbling block in the way of their acknowledging Christ. The contrition of Israel in the last days shall be attended with God's interposition in their behalf.”

For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God.

“So JEROME, "In the confidence, as it were, of a good conscience, they demand a just judgment, in the language of the saints: Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity."”

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

“Then . . . call . . . answer--when sin is renounced (Isa 65:24). When the Lord's call is not hearkened to, He will not hear our "call" (Ps 66:18; 28:9). putting forth of . . .”

The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame.

“"Give thee the free use of thy bones" [JEROME], or, "of thy strength" [HORSLEY]. watered garden--an Oriental picture of happiness. fail not--Hebrew, "deceive not"; as streams that disappoint the caravan which had expected to find water, as formerly, but find it dried up (Job 6:15-17).”

If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day…

“The Sabbath, even under the new dispensation, was to be obligatory (Isa 66:23). foot--the instrument of motion (compare Pr 4:27); men are not to travel for mere pleasure on the Sabbath (Ac 1:12).”

then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.”

“Ps 37:4). ride upon . . . high places--I will make thee supreme lord of the land; the phrase is taken from a conqueror riding in his chariot, and occupying the hills and fastnesses of a country [VITRINGA], (De 32:13; Judea was a land of…”

For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.

“Ro 3:13-15). hands . . . fingers--Not merely the "hands" perpetrate deeds of grosser enormity ("blood"), but the "fingers" commit more minute acts of "iniquity." lips . . .”

They hatch the eggs of vipers and weave a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

“Though the viper is viviparous (from which "vi-per" is derived), yet during gestation, the young are included in eggs, which break at the birth [BOCHART]; however, metaphors often combine things without representing everything to the life.”

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.

“The Septuagint translates "for the sake of Zion." Paul applies this verse to the coming restoration of Israel spiritually. them that turn from-- (Ro 11:26). "shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob"; so the Septuagint, Paul herein gives the full sense under inspiration.”

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

“Eph 5:8, 14). glory of the Lord--not merely the Shekinah, or cloud of glory, such as rested above the ark in the old dispensation, but the glory of the Lord in person (Jer 3:16, 17). is risen--as the sun (Mal 4:2;”

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold; I will bring silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones.

“Poetically, with figurative allusion to the furniture of the temple; all things in that happy age to come shall be changed for the better. exactors--namely, of tribute.”

But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you…

“Ministers-- (Eze 44:11). eat . . . riches of . . . Gentiles-- (Isa 60:5-11). in their glory . . . boast yourselves--rather, "in their splendor ye shall be substituted in their stead"; ye shall substitute yourselves [MAURER].”

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of…

“19:8). decketh himself with ornaments--rather "maketh himself a priestly headdress," that is, a magnificent headdress, such as was worn by the high priest, namely, a miter and a plate, or crown of gold worn in front of it [AQUILA, &c.]; appropriate to the "kingdom of…”

You will be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the palm of your God.

“Lord--As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare De 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand."”

Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress?

“The image was appropriate, as the country round Bozrah abounded in grapes. This final blow inflicted by Messiah and His armies (Re 19:13-15) shall decide His claim to the kingdoms usurped by Satan, and by the "beast," to whom Satan delegates his power.”

“I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me.

“For the image, see La 1:15. He "treads the wine-press" here not as a sufferer, but as an inflicter of vengeance. will tread . . . shall be . . . will stain--rather preterites, "I trod . . . trampled . . .”

I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled that no one assisted. So My arm brought Me salvation, and My own wrath upheld Me.

“The same words as in Isa 59:16, except that there it is His "righteousness," here it is His "fury," which is said to have upheld Him.”

I trampled the nations in My anger; in My wrath I made them drunk and poured out their blood on the ground.”

“Rather, preterites, "I trod down . . . made them drunk." The same image occurs Isa 51:17, 21-23; Jer 25:26, 27. will bring down . . . strength to . . .”

Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

“4:12); now at last they renounce this, to trust in God alone as their Father, notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary.”

to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick,

“God was continually inviting them, and they continually offending Him (De 32:21). to my face--They made no attempt to hide their sin (Isa 3:9). Compare "before Me" (Ex 20:3). in gardens--(See on Isa 1:29; Le 17:5). altars of brick--Hebrew, "bricks."”