1.
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Cry aloud = Hebrew "call with the throat": i.e. deep down as in the oriental throat. It denotes not a wild cry, but solemnity with restraint. transgression = rebellion. Hebrew. pasha' App-44 .
the house of Jacob. See note on Isaiah 2:6 .
2.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
forsook. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim.
justice = righteousness. Compare Ex. 21-23.
3.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
afflicted our soul. Reference to Pentateuch. This is a strictly Levitical technical expression (Leviticus 16:29 , Leviticus 16:31 ; Leviticus 23:27 , Leviticus 23:32 .Numbers 29:7; Numbers 29:7 ). This shows that the People were not in exile as alleged, but in the Land. See also the references to other observances below (Isaiah 58:13 ). Note that in Isaiah 58 and Isaiah 59 we have the reference to the Day of Atonement; in Isaiah 60 and Isaiah 61 , to the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. Isaiah 60 refers to the feast of Tabernacles with its "ingathering" (verses: Isaiah 58:3-5 , Isaiah 58:13 ), which followed the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27 , Leviticus 23:34 ).
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 . Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "souls" (plural)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
4.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
ye fast. Referring to Day of Atonement, which was still observed; and in the Land, not in exile, as alleged.
wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew. rasha' App-44 .
ye shall not. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "and ye shall not".
to make = if ye would make.
5.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
chosen. See note on Isaiah 1:29 .
a man. Hebrew. adam . App-14 .
soul. Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 .
bulrush. See note on Isaiah 9:14 .
the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
6.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
bands = pangs. See note on Psalms 73:4 .
7.
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
to deal = to break. The technical term for giving or partaking of food, as in Luke 24:30 , Luke 24:35 .Acts 2:42 , Acts 2:46 ; Acts 20:7 , Acts 20:11 ; Act 27:36 . 1 Corinthians 10:16 ; 1 Corinthians 11:24 . Compare Job 42:11 .Lamentations 4:4 .Ezekiel 18:7 ; Ezekiel 24:17 . Hosea 9:4 .
bread. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), for all kinds of food.
poor. Hebrew. 'anah. See note on Proverbs 6:11 .
hide not. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "do not thou hide".
thine own flesh. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 29:14 ).
8.
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
thine health. Hebrew thy healing. Referring to the healing of wounds.
be = bring up.
rereward = rearguard. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 14:19 , Exodus 14:20 ). Compare Isaiah 52:12 .
9.
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
cry. In distress.
10.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
draw out thy soul. Some codices, with Syriac, read "give out thy bread".
be. Supply Ellipsis (of verb "become"). Or, we have the Figure of speech Oxymoron . See App-6 .
11.
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
guide = (gently) guide.
drought. Hebrew droughts (plural of majesty) = great drought.
make fat = invigorate.
12.
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
build = rebuild. This is still future.
to dwell in: or, leading home.
13.
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
thy foot. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "thy feet" (plural)
from the sabbath. Reference to Pentateuch, as in Isaiah 56:2 .
pleasure. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "pleasures" (pl).
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
thine own words = vain words: or, keep making talk,
14.
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
delight thyself = revel.
cause thee to ride, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:13 ; Deuteronomy 33:29 ).