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"This site is for those friends and family members who may or may not know Our Lord Jesus Christ, and if not, they may come to know Our Lord through His Prophets."> <meta name="author" content="Brian Duncalfe">
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1712)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR>
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<P><FONT SIZE=+3>Isaiah</FONT></P>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="4%">
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<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="15%">
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23001.HTM">Chapter 1</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23002.HTM">Chapter 2</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23003.HTM">Chapter 3</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23004.HTM">Chapter 4</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23005.HTM">Chapter 5</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23006.HTM">Chapter 6</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23007.HTM">Chapter 7</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23008.HTM">Chapter 8</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23009.HTM">Chapter 9</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23010.HTM">Chapter 10</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23011.HTM">Chapter 11</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23012.HTM">Chapter 12</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23013.HTM">Chapter 13</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23014.HTM">Chapter 14</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23015.HTM">Chapter 15</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23016.HTM">Chapter 16</A>
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</TD>
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<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="15%">
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23017.HTM">Chapter 17</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23018.HTM">Chapter 18</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23019.HTM">Chapter 19</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23020.HTM">Chapter 20</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23021.HTM">Chapter 21</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23022.HTM">Chapter 22</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23023.HTM">Chapter 23</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23024.HTM">Chapter 24</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23025.HTM">Chapter 25</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23026.HTM">Chapter 26</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23027.HTM">Chapter 27</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23028.HTM">Chapter 28</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23029.HTM">Chapter 29</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23030.HTM">Chapter 30</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23031.HTM">Chapter 31</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23032.HTM">Chapter 32</A>
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</TD>
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<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="15%">
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23033.HTM">Chapter 33</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23034.HTM">Chapter 34</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23035.HTM">Chapter 35</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23036.HTM">Chapter 36</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23037.HTM">Chapter 37</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23038.HTM">Chapter 38</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23039.HTM">Chapter 39</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23040.HTM">Chapter 40</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23041.HTM">Chapter 41</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23042.HTM">Chapter 42</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23043.HTM">Chapter 43</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23044.HTM">Chapter 44</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23045.HTM">Chapter 45</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23046.HTM">Chapter 46</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23047.HTM">Chapter 47</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23048.HTM">Chapter 48</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23049.HTM">Chapter 49</A>
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</TD>
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<TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="15%">
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23050.HTM">Chapter 50</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23051.HTM">Chapter 51</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23052.HTM">Chapter 52</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23053.HTM">Chapter 53</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23054.HTM">Chapter 54</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23055.HTM">Chapter 55</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23056.HTM">Chapter 56</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23057.HTM">Chapter 57</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23058.HTM">Chapter 58</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23059.HTM">Chapter 59</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23060.HTM">Chapter 60</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23061.HTM">Chapter 61</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23062.HTM">Chapter 62</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23063.HTM">Chapter 63</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23064.HTM">Chapter 64</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23065.HTM">Chapter 65</A>
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<LI><A HREF="MHC23066.HTM">Chapter 66</A>
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</TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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</CENTER>
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<A NAME="Page1"> </A>
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<CENTER>
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<P><B>AN</B></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=+2>EXPOSITION,</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=+1>W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N S,</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=-1>OF THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=+3><B>I S A I A H.</B></FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=150>
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<P>
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P<FONT SIZE=-1>ROPHET</FONT> is a title that sounds very great to those
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that understand it, though, in the eye of the world, many of those that
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were dignified with it appeared very mean. A prophet is one that has a
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great intimacy with Heaven and a great interest there, and consequently
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a commanding authority upon earth. Prophecy is put for all divine
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revelation
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+1:20,21">2 Pet. i. 20, 21</A>),
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because that was most commonly by dreams, voices, or visions,
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communicated to prophets first, and by them to the children of men,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+12:6">Num. xii. 6</A>.
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Once indeed God himself spoke to all the thousands of Israel from the
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top of Mount Sinai; but the effect was so intolerably dreadful that
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they entreated God would for the future speak to them as he had done
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before, by men like themselves, <I>whose terror should not make them
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afraid, nor their hands be heavy upon them,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+33:7">Job xxxiii. 7</A>.
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God approved the motion (<I>they have well said,</I> says he,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+5:27,28">Deut. v. 27, 28</A>),
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and the matter was then settled by consent of parties, that we must
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never expect to hear from God any more in that way, but by prophets,
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who received their instructions immediately from God, with a charge to
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deliver them to his church. Before the sacred canon of the Old
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Testament began to be written there were prophets, who were instead of
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Bibles to the church. Our Saviour seems to reckon Abel among the
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prophets,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+23:31,35">Matt. xxiii. 31, 35</A>.
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Enoch was a prophet; and by him <I>that</I> was first in prediction
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which is to be last in execution--the judgment of the great day.
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jude+1:14">Jude 14</A>,
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<I>Behold, the Lord comes with his holy myriads.</I> Noah was a
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preacher of righteousness. God said of Abraham, He <I>is a prophet,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+20:7">Gen. xx. 7</A>.
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Jacob foretold things to come,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+49:1">Gen. xlix. 1</A>.
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Nay, all the patriarchs are called <I>prophets.</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+105:15">Ps. cv. 15</A>,
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<I>Do my prophets no harm.</I> Moses was, beyond all comparison, the
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most illustrious of all the Old-Testament prophets, for with him the
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Lord spoke <I>face to face,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+34:10">Deut. xxxiv. 10</A>.
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He was the first writing prophet, and by his hand the first foundations
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of holy writ were laid. Even those that were called to be his
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assistants in the government had the spirit of prophecy, such a
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plentiful effusion was there of that spirit at that time,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+11:25">Num. xi. 25</A>.
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But after the death of Moses, for some ages, the Spirit of the Lord
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appeared and acted in the church of Israel more as a martial spirit
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than as a spirit of prophecy, and inspired men more for acting than
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speaking. I mean in the time of the judges. We find the Spirit of the
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Lord coming upon Othniel, Gideon, Samson, and others, for the service
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of their country, with their swords, not with their pens. Messages were
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then sent from heaven by angels, as to Gideon and Manoah, and to the
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people,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+2:1">Judges ii. 1</A>.
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In all the book of judges there is never once mention of a prophet,
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only Deborah is called a prophetess. Then the word of the Lord was
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precious; there was no open vision,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+3:1">1 Sam. iii. 1</A>.
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They had the law of Moses, recently written; let them study that. But
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in Samuel prophecy revived, and in him a famous epocha, or period of
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the church began, a time of great light in a constant uninterrupted
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succession of prophets, till some time after the captivity, when the
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canon of the Old Testament was completed in Malachi, and then prophecy
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ceased for nearly 400 years, till the coming of the great prophet and
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his forerunner. Some prophets were divinely inspired to write the
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histories of the church. But they did not put their names to their
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writings; they only referred for proof to the authentic records of
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those times, which were known to be drawn up by prophets, as Gad, Iddo,
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&c. David and others were prophets, to write sacred songs for the use
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of the church. After them we often read of prophets sent on particular
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errands, and raised up for special public services, among whom the most
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famous were Elijah and Elisha in the kingdom of Israel. But none of
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these put their prophecies in writing, nor have we any remains of them
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but some fragments in the histories of their times; there was nothing
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of their own writing (that I remember) but one epistle of Elijah's,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+21:12">2 Chron. xxi. 12</A>.
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But towards the latter end of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, it
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pleased God to direct his servants the prophets to write and publish
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some of their sermons, or abstracts of them. The dates of many of their
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prophecies are uncertain, but the earliest of them was in the days of
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Uzziah king of Judah, and Jeroboam the second, his contemporary, king
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of Israel, about 200 years before the captivity, and not long after
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Joash had slain Zechariah the son of Jehoiada in the courts of the
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temple. If they begin to murder the prophets, yet they shall not murder
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their prophecies; these shall remain as witnesses against them. Hosea
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was the first of the writing prophets; and Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,
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published their prophecies about the same time. Isaiah began some time
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after, and not long; but his prophecy is placed first, because it is
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the largest of them all, and has most in it of him to whom all the
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prophets bore witness; and indeed so much of Christ that he is justly
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styled the <I>Evangelical Prophet,</I> and, by some of the ancients,
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<I>a fifth Evangelist.</I> We shall have the general title of this book
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+1:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>)
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and therefore shall here only observe some things,</P>
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<P>
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I. Concerning the prophet himself. He was (if we may believe the
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tradition of the Jews) of the royal family, his father being (they say)
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brother to king Uzziah. He was certainly much at court, especially in
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Hezekiah's time, as we find in his story, to which many think it is
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owing that his style is more curious and polite than that of some other
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of the prophets, and, in some places, exceedingly lofty and soaring.
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The Spirit of God sometimes served his own purpose by the particular
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genius of the prophet; for prophets were not speaking trumpets,
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<I>through</I> which the Spirit spoke, but speaking men, <I>by</I> whom
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the Spirit spoke, making use of their natural powers, in respect both
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of light and flame, and advancing them above themselves.</P>
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<P>
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II. Concerning the prophecy. It is transcendently excellent and useful;
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it was so to the church of God then, serving for conviction of sin,
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direction in duty, and consolation in trouble. Two great distresses of
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the church are here referred to, and comfort prescribed in reference to
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them, that by Sennacherib's invasion, which happened in his own time,
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and that of the captivity in Babylon, which happened long after; and in
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the supports and encouragements laid up for each of these times of need
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we find abundance of the grace of the gospel. There are not so many
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quotations in the gospels out of any, perhaps not out of all, the
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prophecies of the Old Testament, as out of this; nor such express
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testimonies concerning Christ, witness that of his being born of a
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virgin
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+7:1-25"><I>ch.</I> vii.</A>)
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and that of his sufferings,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+53:1-12"><I>ch.</I> liii</A>.
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The beginning of this book abounds most with reproofs for sin and
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threatenings of judgment; the latter end of it is full of wood words
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and comfortable words. This method the Spirit of Christ took formerly
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in the prophets and does still, first to convince and then to comfort;
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and those that would be blessed with the comforts must submit to the
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convictions. Doubtless Isaiah preached many sermons, and delivered
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many messages to the people, which are not written in this book, as
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Christ did; and probably these sermons were delivered more largely and
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fully than they are here related, but so much is left on record as
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Infinite Wisdom thought fit to convey to us <I>on whom the ends of the
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world have come;</I> and these prophecies, as well as the histories of
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Christ, are written <I>that we might believe on the name of the Son of
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God, and that, believing, we might have life through his name; for to
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us is the gospel here preached as well as unto those</I> that lived
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then, and more clearly. O that it may be mixed with faith!</P>
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