Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 3
Matthew Henry Commentary
Isaiah 3
Matthew Henry Commentary
Isaiah 3
"For, behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water; the mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder; the captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counsellor, and the expert artificer, and the skilful enchanter. And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the old man, and the base against the honorable. When a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, [saying], Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand; in that day shall he lift up [his voice], saying, I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: ye shall not make me ruler of the people. For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against Jehovah, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have done evil unto themselves." — Isaiah 3:1-9 (ASV)
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 rely on 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 is our stay, we will find that this is a good part not to be taken away (John 6:27). Here note:
- That the condition of sinners is exceedingly woeful.
- It is the soul that is damaged by sin.
- Whatever evil befalls sinners, be sure that they bring it on themselves.
"Say ye of the righteous, that [it shall be] well [with him]; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! [it shall be] ill [with him]; for what his hands have done shall be done unto him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they that lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Jehovah standeth up to contend, and standeth to judge the peoples. Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof: It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses: what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts." — Isaiah 3:10-15 (ASV)
The rule was certain; whatever national prosperity or trouble might exist, it would be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. Blessed be God, there is abundant encouragement for 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 people to a strict account for all the wealth and power entrusted to and abused by them. If it is sinful to disregard the necessities of the poor, how odious and wicked a part they play, who bring people into poverty and then oppress them!
"Moreover Jehovah said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet; therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will lay bare their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, and the cauls, and the crescents; the pendants, and the bracelets, and the mufflers; the headtires, and the ankle chains, and the sashes, and the perfume-boxes, and the amulets; the rings, and the nose-jewels; the festival robes, and the mantles, and the shawls, and the satchels; the hand-mirrors, and the fine linen, and the turbans, and the veils. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well set hair, baldness; and instead of a robe, a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty. Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and sit upon the ground." — Isaiah 3:16-26 (ASV)
The prophet reproves and warns the daughters of Zion about the sufferings coming upon them. Let them know that God notices the folly and vanity of proud women, even in their dress. The threatened punishments corresponded to the sin. Loathsome diseases are often the just punishment of pride.
It is not important to ask what sort of ornaments they wore; many of these items, if they had not been in fashion, would have been ridiculed then as they are now. Their fashions differed greatly from those of our times, but human nature is the same. Wasting time and money, to the neglect of piety, charity, and even justice, displeases the Lord.
Many professing Christians today seem to think there is no harm in worldly finery; but if it were not such a great evil, would the Holy Spirit have taught the prophet to expose it so fully? When the Jews were overcome, Jerusalem would be leveled with the ground; this is represented by the image of a desolate woman seated on the earth. And when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, they struck a medal depicting a woman sitting on the ground in a posture of grief.
If sin is harbored within the walls, lamentation and mourning are near the gates.
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